French bistro€€€Port MarianneRestaurant Tue-Sat 19:00-23:00; rooftop bar daily from 15:00; brunch Sat-Sun 11:00-14:00
Miranove keeps Port Marianne fed from a hotel rooftop, brasserie lunches, evening bistronomy and a poolside cocktail bar above the tram line.
Order: Weekend brunch on the rooftop.
Tip: Brunch seats by the pool go first; the bar side takes walk-ins all week from mid-afternoon.
Mediterranean€€ÉcussonMon-Tue 19:30-23:00; Wed-Sun 12:00-14:30 and 19:30-23:00
Le Paresseur serves Italian-Sétois comfort cooking under stone vaults on Rue Jules Latreilhe in Montpellier, generous plates from family recipes.
Order: Beetroot gnocchi from the seasonal card.
Tip: It keeps serving Sunday and Monday nights when the Écusson goes dark, which locals treat as a public service.
French bistro€€ÉcussonFri-Sun 10:00-15:00 and 17:00-23:30; Mon-Tue and Thu 17:00-00:00; closed Wednesday
Tôt ou Tard mixes bistro plates, tapas and organic wines on Place de la Chapelle Neuve in Montpellier, terrace tables under the plane trees.
Order: Tapas boards with an organic Languedoc glass.
Tip: It stays open through August and on Sundays, two things most of the old town cannot say.
Steakhouse€€ÉcussonDaily 12:00-14:30 and 19:30-22:30
Chez Boris is the Montpellier beef house on the Esplanade, serving Fleur d'Aubrac cuts, knife-cut tartares and profiteroles seven days a week.
Order: Onglet à l'échalote, 220 grams, at 24 euros.
Tip: No-frills bistro service and open daily; the beef-cheek parmentier with aligot is the value order at 18 euros.
Modern French€€ÉcussonTue-Sat 11:00-00:00; Sun 11:30-18:00; closed Monday
Faune runs the kitchen of the MO.CO. museum, casual seasonal plates and drinks in a walled garden that stays open until midnight from Tuesday.
Order: The seasonal plat du jour in the museum garden.
Tip: The garden serves drinks without a food order; brunch on Sunday needs a booking in high season.
Italian€€ÉcussonOpen daily for lunch and dinner service
La Maison d'Anna cooks Puglian orecchiette and Bolognese ragù from nonna's recipes on Rue des Trésoriers de France in Montpellier's old town.
Order: Orecchiette with the day's ragù.
Tip: Around 25 euros for a full plate-and-glass dinner; the handful of tables reward an early arrival.