Crêperie€GraslinTue-Sat 12:00-14:00 and 19:00-21:00; closed Sun-Mon
A small Rue Voltaire crêperie a short walk from Place Graslin, named by Nantais voters among the city favourites and pricing most plates under €10.
Signature: Buckwheat galettes, Sweet crêpes
Tip: Service windows are short and it shuts at nine, so treat it as an early dinner rather than a late one.
French bistro€€BouffayTue-Thu 12:00-14:00 and 19:45-22:00; Fri 12:00-14:00 and 19:45-22:30; Sat 19:45-22:30; closed Sun-Mon
Founded in 1986 in the historic centre of Nantes, Le Bouchon spreads several dining moods around a walled inner garden screened from the street.
Signature: Seasonal bistro plates
Tip: There is no Saturday lunch service; ask for a table in the courtyard garden rather than the front room when the weather holds.
French bistro€€GraslinTue-Fri 12:00-14:00 and 19:00-21:00; Sat 12:00-14:30; closed Sun-Mon
Open since 2024 on the gastronomic stretch of Rue Copernic, Melon works as bistro and wine cellar with over 200 grower bottles on the shelves.
Signature: Seasonal bistro plates
Tip: The room seats 32 with 20 more on the shaded terrace, and the cellar list is drinkable at retail plus corkage.
French bistro€€BouffayTue-Sat 12:00-14:00 and 19:15-22:00; closed Sun-Mon
A long-standing table on Rue de la Juiverie in the old town, traditional French cooking in a narrow room that turns two short services a day.
Signature: Traditional French plates
Tip: Dinner starts at 19:15 and the kitchen closes at 22:00, so a late booking here means eight rather than nine o'clock.
French bistro€€BouffayDaily 12:00-14:00 and 19:00-22:30
Chez Maman plays the family-lunch songbook in the old town of Nantes, roast meats and hachis parmentier lightened a little, served every day.
Signature: Hachis parmentier, Sunday roast plates
Tip: Bookings are taken by telephone only, between 11:30 and 15:00 and again from 18:30; groups go through the contact address.
French brasserie€€Île de NantesTue-Wed 12:00-14:00 and 19:00-22:00; Thu 12:00-14:00 and 19:00-22:30; Fri 12:00-14:00 and 19:00-23:00; Sat 12:00-14:30 and 19:00-23:00; closed Sun-Mon
Macoha faces the Loire from the north quay of the Île de Nantes, a brasserie room that runs later on Friday and Saturday than most of the island.
Signature: Brasserie plates
Tip: It shuts Sunday and Monday, which catches out visitors doing the Machines de l'Île at the start of the week.