19 brasserie rooms worth the trip across France, editor-ranked. All cuisines in France.
Le Quatrieme Mur ★ 4.4 · Bordeaux
golden-triangle · 2 Place de la Comedie, 33000 Bordeaux
Le Quatrieme Mur in Bordeaux's Grand Theatre is Philippe Etchebest's one-Michelin-star brasserie under the colonnade, with a high-end terrace looking.
Tip: The brasserie side at lunch is the price-friendlier entry; the starred dining room takes evening bookings only.
Le Bibent ★ 4.4 · Toulouse
capitole · 5 Place du Capitole, 31000 Toulouse
Le Bibent on Toulouse's Place du Capitole is the 1861 Napoleon III brasserie revived in 2009 with chef Christian Constant, a national monument.
Tip: Book a window table to see the square; the lunch menu is the value play. Belle Epoque interior worth the price tag on its own.
Brasserie des Haras ★ 4.3 · Strasbourg
Petite France · 23 Rue des Glacieres, 67000 Strasbourg
Brasserie des Haras fills a converted 18th-century stud farm near Petite France, where Marc Haeberlin oversees refined French and Alsatian brasserie cooking.
Brasserie Georges ★ 4.2 · Lyon
2e · 30 Cours de Verdun Perrache, 69002 Lyon
Brasserie Georges in Lyon's 2e on Cours de Verdun is the 1836 brasserie that has served choucroute and the sole meuniere lunch grid for almost two centuries.
Tip: Open daily until 23:00; the dining hall takes walk-ins after 21:00.
Bouillon Pigalle ★ 4.1 · Paris
18e · 22 Boulevard de Clichy, 75018 Paris
Bouillon Pigalle in Paris reopened the bouillon model in 2017 and now seats 300 with no reservation, no shortcut, a mains-under-€12 daily menu.
Tip: Queue from 19:00 for dinner; the line moves and tables turn every 45 minutes.
Le Square Trousseau ★ 4.1 · Paris
12e · 1 Rue Antoine Vollon, 75012 Paris
Le Square Trousseau in Paris's 12e is the kind of belle-époque brasserie a fashion editor uses for a long Saturday lunch on the Marché d'Aligre side.
Tip: Open daily; no booking required for the terrace, reserve indoor seating in winter.
Le Comptoir Tournie ★ 4.1 · Toulouse
1 Place du Capitole, 31000 Toulouse
Le Comptoir Tournie is Stephane Tournie's casual sister room to Les Jardins de l'Opera on Place du Capitole. Reservations recommended in season.
Tip: Cheaper sister room to the starred Les Jardins; lunch is the value entry. Same kitchen team, simpler plates.
Cafe du Port ★ 4.0 · Bordeaux
bastide · 1 Quai Deschamps, 33100 Bordeaux
Cafe du Port in Bordeaux's Bastide is the all-day brasserie under the Pont de Pierre on Quai Deschamps, with a generous fruits-de-mer counter and the best.
Tip: The terrace fills at sunset; book a riverfront table for the floodlit view of Place de la Bourse and the Miroir d'Eau.
Le Comptoir Cuisine ★ 4.0 · Bordeaux
golden-triangle · 2 Place de la Comedie, 33000 Bordeaux
Le Comptoir Cuisine in Bordeaux's Golden Triangle is the all-day brasserie under the InterContinental's portico on Place de la Comedie, with a working.
Tip: The portico terrace gives the best people-watching seat in the centre; service runs from 11:00-23:30 daily.
Le Cafe de la Banque ★ 4.0 · Marseille
6e · 24 boulevard Paul Peytral, 13006 Marseille
Le Cafe de la Banque in Marseille's 6e in the Estrangin former banking district is a Haussmann brasserie with a wide terrace running the day's specials.
Tip: Open daily from breakfast through aperitif tapas to dinner; reservations for evening only.
Le Capucin ★ 4.0 · Marseille
1er · 48 La Canebiere, 13001 Marseille
Le Capucin in Marseille's 1er runs the brasserie ground floor of the Mercure Canebiere Vieux Port, chef Noel Baudrand cooking Mediterranean plates sublimated.
Tip: Open daily for lunch and dinner; sunny terrace, family-friendly, ECOTABLE-labelled.
Bouillon Chartier ★ 4.0 · Paris
9e · 7 Rue du Faubourg Montmartre, 75009 Paris
Bouillon Chartier has run a workers' canteen of a brasserie in Paris's 9e since 1896. The menu still puts œuf mayonnaise on for less than €3.
Tip: The queue moves; arrive at 11:30 for lunch or 18:30 for dinner and you sit fast.
Le Petit Bouillon Pharamond ★ 4.0 · Paris
1er · 24 Rue de la Grande Truanderie, 75001 Paris
Le Petit Bouillon Pharamond in Paris keeps the 1879 dining room intact and the carte true to its Norman roots: tripes à la mode de Caen, Calvados sorbet.
Tip: The room is listed Historic Monument. Sit on the upper level for the tile mosaics.
Brasserie Les Beaux-Arts ★ 4.0 · Toulouse
carmes · 1 Quai de la Daurade, 31000 Toulouse
Brasserie Les Beaux-Arts on Quai de la Daurade is the Flo group seafood brasserie facing Pont Neuf, with a Belle Epoque interior and Garonne terrace.
Tip: Reserve a riverfront terrace table at sunset for the Pont Neuf view; the plateau de fruits de mer is the canonical order.
Brasserie de l'Opera ★ 4.0 · Toulouse
capitole · 1 Place du Capitole, 31000 Toulouse
Brasserie de l'Opera at the Grand Hotel de l'Opera on Place du Capitole is the seven-days-a-week brasserie classic, with a market-driven southwest menu.
Tip: Best for a long lunch on Sunday when smaller bistros are closed; sit at the terrace facing the Capitole.
Mama Shelter Marseille ★ 3.9 · Marseille
6e · 64 Rue de la Loubiere, 13006 Marseille
Mama Shelter Marseille in the 6e runs a contemporary brasserie out of its hotel base near Cours Julien, the lavish Sunday buffet brunch and the rooftop bar.
Tip: Restaurant open seven days; reservation taken for restaurant, not for the rooftop.
Felix ★ 3.9 · Nice
carre-d-or · 12 Avenue Felix Faure, 06000 Nice
Felix on Avenue Felix Faure faces the Coulee Verte garden in Nice's Carre d'Or, the historic city brasserie reopened under a new name with French.
Tip: Open 7 days a week, 11:45-01:30; continuous service through the afternoon, a rare thing in Nice.
Felix ★ 3.9 · Nice
carre-d-or · 12 Avenue Felix Faure, 06000 Nice
Felix on Avenue Felix Faure faces the Coulee Verte in Nice's Carre d'Or, the historic city brasserie reopened under a new name with French Mediterranean.
Tip: Open 7 days a week, 11:45-01:30; continuous service through the afternoon, rare in Nice.
Cafe des Quatre Soeurs ★ 3.7 · Bordeaux
golden-triangle · 6 Cours du 30 Juillet, 33000 Bordeaux
Cafe des Quatre Soeurs in Bordeaux's Golden Triangle is the 1830s brasserie on Cours du 30 Juillet where Richard Wagner is said to have stayed.
Tip: The terrace looks straight at the Allees de Tourny; lunch service is slower than dinner but the kitchen is on form earlier in the day.