Did you think Aix was stuck in a bourgeois cuisine without relief? Let yourself be stunned by the floral arrangements of Nadège Serret, the magic tricks of Pierre Reboul, or a simple piece of charcuterie enhanced with a bottle chosen, to your taste, by Alexandre Be.
Villa Saint-Ange
In a sumptuous Empire-style setting (heavy armchairs covered with velvet, mastoc bronzes, pompous portraits of Bonaparte…), chef Nadège Serret puts down her touch of lightness. Sea bream carpaccio sprinkled with shavings of vegetables, seasonal fruits under an eggplant caviar with basil: it’s simple, colorful and excellent. Please note: the restaurant (around thirty euros a dish) gives access to the villa’s large swimming pool.
7, traverse Saint-Pierre, 13100 Aix-en-Provence
By the raised glass
Formica tables, shelves overflowing with good boutanches, grocery and delicatessen corners… Alexandre Be has created a paradise for bon vivant in the old city center. We nibble on a delicious pâté en croûte (8 euros), a fillet of smoked muge with parsley cream (15 euros) and we sip with our eyes closed on the advice of this already seasoned thirty-something. The boss is suspicious of organic and the trend for natural wines, but defends healthy wines and takes the time to discuss with each customer to adapt to his canons (glass from 5 to 25 euros). Be careful, here we are wary of pale rosés and we ban ice cubes!
15, rue Granet, 13100 Aix-en-Provence
Pierre Reboul restaurant, Pioline castle
Virtuoso Pierre Reboul plans amazing getaways every day (3 menus from 55 to 145 euros). He serves local magician cuisine: at home, through a molecular sleight of hand, olive oil turns into butter or accompanies pepper ice cream. And the bouillabaisse is punctuated with fake pebbles… potatoes painted with squid ink.
260, rue Guillaume Du Vair Pole, 13290 Aix-en-Provence
Savage
It is “the” restaurant of the moment in Aix. For very good reasons. Near the town hall, Loïc Pétri (who worked under the leadership of Jean-François Trap and Joël Robuchon) concocts unique 5-part menus in a refined setting (59 euros). Grilled oyster on fennel wood, bonito in sashimi, a marriage of langoustine and sweetbread… proposals which are not obvious but which are quite a hit. Beautiful wine list signed by Aurélia Gauthier (cellar master of Mademoiselle Wine).
24 rue Aumône-Vieille, 13100 Aix-en-Provence
The Little Farm
Not very far from his gourmet restaurant Côté Cour, Ronan Kernen has created the spot to taste good meat cooked on the embers, on a spit or in a wood-fired oven. The entrecote (Argentinian) is charged 33 euros, the blue legs chicken 28 euros. Test with the chimichurri sauce for a one-way ticket Aix-Buenos Aires.
You have 1.57% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.