Where to eat in Bordeaux, France

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There’s no better way to discover a new city than with a local. We asked Benoit Trocard, a Bordeaux-born winemaker, to share his city with us.

Benoit is the 15^th generation of one of the oldest families of vine growers on the Right Bank of Bordeaux. He has studied winemaking all over the world but headed back to Bordeaux in 2009 to take over his father’s 86-acre estate, Château Trocard.

Benoit is also the co-founder and president of Bordeaux Oxygene, a collective of young Bordeaux winemakers representing the new face of Bordeaux who are helping to lead the wine region into the future.

Here are his top recommendations for a quick trip to Bordeaux…

Famously the wine capital of the world, there’s much more to Bordeaux than wine. A city now booming with restaurants and bars, it has seen immense change during my lifetime and it has been fantastic to see it become the place to visit for foodies and wine lovers around the world. The city’s proximity to surrounding vineyards means visits to chateaux are easy to incorporate into a busy schedule.

Stroll the streets
Getting lost in the beautiful maze of streets that make up the city centre or sitting in a café and people-watching is the best way to see the city. On Saturdays, I love to walk between the two bridges that straddle the beautiful Garonne river. I normally stop at Les Halle de Bacalan, a bustling market near the newly opened Cité de Vin and enjoy some local street food.

For my morning coffee
Miremont, a short stroll away from Les Grands Hommes shopping centre, is the perfect place to enjoy a coffee and mouth-watering French pâtisserie. With typical French décor, enjoying breakfast here is a fantastic way to start a day of sight-seeing.

Miremont Bordeaux — (image from @emmanuelledegouville)

Best for a traditional French bistrot
Serving traditional French favourites like oysters, snails and steak tartare, Le 1925 is my go-to bistro to enjoy a long lunch, or wine-fuelled dinner, with friends. Run by chef Jean Christophe, it champions authentic French cuisine as well as having suitable options for vegetarians and vegans.

For special occasions
The recently opened Hâ Restaurant has taken Bordeaux by storm, with chef Jean-Marie Amat creating outstanding modern dishes. A cozy restaurant in the centre of the city, the menu is created with local ingredients sourced from Bordeaux’s surrounding countryside.

Best for a view
Only a short drive from Bordeaux is the lovely coastal town of Arcachon. The Co (o) rniche, a hotel with a casual beach restaurant has breath-taking views of the Atlantic Ocean and is the best place to enjoy local fruits de mer.