Please note most restaurants are closed on Sunday and Monday evenings, and a reservation is ALWAYS necessary at any time.
The French eat their main meal of the day at lunchtime and it is always much easier to find a restaurant open at lunchtime rather than in the evenings.
Vegetarian and vegan food is becoming more widely available and I have indicated below the establishments that are making an effort on this front. Coeliac, dairy and other allergies can usually be catered for but all chefs would appreciate some notice of special diets.
If you are struggling to find a restaurant, or your French is not up to the task of booking a table, ask us - we're happy to help and advise.
Les Feuillardiers is our closest restaurant in the village of Marval a 5 minute drive or 15 min cycle ride away. They do an excellent Menu du Jour weekday lunchtimes for around €16. Evening opening is a little more erratic. The food is French with tasty international influences. English spoken. Booking is essential. Veggie/vegan available by request.
Tel. 05 55 78 76 19.
The English-owned Ferme Du Lac is a pleasant 20 minutes stroll through the woods from Le Moulin de Pensol. They have a bar, large screen TV and do fish and chip and curry evenings. Open Wednesday and Friday evenings and Sunday lunchtimes only. Veggie/vegan available by request.
Tel 05 55 78 70 57
La Grange du Lac at St Mathieu comes highly recommended. It has regular opening hours including Monday evenings (yay) and offers quality lunchtime and evening meals and coffees and drinks throughout the day. Good vegetarian options on the actual menu! Vegan with some prior warning. They sometimes have bands at weekends. A great thing to do is to combine a trip to the restaurant with a walk around the beautiful St Mathieu lake.
Tel: 05 55 39 08 20
email: lagrangedulacsm@gmail.com
Chez Jules in La Chapelle-Montbrandeix is very good. The French owner, Sandrine, speaks English. French fusion cuisine. Not one for vegetarians.
Tel. 05 55 78 77 21
There's a great creperie at Abjat-sur-Bandiat called L'insolite. Their galettes are outstanding and it's a nice drive or cycle ride past Chateau Ballerand. Vegetarian options available as standard. Facebook page.
Tel: 06 21 63 52 35
The Art Café in Saint Mathieu is a charming little café which has a surprisingly long menu for its size. They are open for lunch most days and some evenings. Vegetarian options available.
Tel: 05 87 41 55 73 cafesaintmathieu@gmail.com
Casa O is a new restaurant and bar by a Corsican chef with a great reputation locally. Based in Mialet, 16 minutes away the lunchtime menu de jour is not to be missed. Open evenings too. English spoken. Vegetarian choice as standard. Recommended 05 47 32 21 40.
We love the Relais de Gorre, though it's a little further away. The food is great - French traditional, and the welcome is always warm. You can sit out in the lovely terrace under the lime trees in the summer.
Tel: 05 55 48 15 22.
Piégut Kebab has bailed out many of our guests who have failed to book a table or suddenly find its a bank holiday!. Reliably open when no other restaurant seems to be, this cheerful, tasty resto and takeaway offers kebab plates, burgers, paninis and tacos. Facebook page.
Tel: 07 83 12 84 85
The much missed Le Périgord Vert in Piégut Pluviers has re-opened under new ownership as a pizzeria. Part of a cluster of restaurants in Piégut-Pluviers, this is becoming the town for eating out.
Tel: 06 27 93 60 45
La Baleine à Bascule is another Piégut-Pluviers restaurant and the new kid on the block. We've been there and we liked it with super friendly staff and a lovely space. And they have a website - so modern!
Tel: 05 53 56 02 91 bonjour@labaleineabascule.fr
Kreyol Corner is also in Piégut-Pluviers and is an exciting little cafe/resto serving caribbean food and homemade cakes. Sadly no website yet but they're on Facebook.
Tel: 06 23 02 99 83
L'Odyssée Bar in Saint Saud Lacoussiere has been refurbished and is good for a light meal or a drink. It is only 8km away so it's a good place to cycle to. They are open most days including evenings. They have no website or Facebook page. Tel: 05 53 56 97 13.
Tel: 05 53 56 97 21 www.hostellerie-saint-jacques.com
Another high-end newcomer is the Bandiat restaurant in Abjat-sur-Bandiat. The Bandiat is the name of the river that flows through Le Moulin so we feel connected to this restaurant geographically and metaphorically! The food is beautiful, the staff friendly and the setting and interior is amazing. 3 course menu du jour weekdays for 32€ or 62€ evenings and weekends. Vegetarian and specialised diets catered for but they would appreciate some notice. Good website where you can book a table online.
Tel: 00 33 5 53 05 00 22
contact@domainedubandiat.com
Brasserie de L'etoile at Piégut Pluviers is a nice pizzeria and brasserie with regular opening hours. They do good takeaway pizzas but you have to go to collect them. No deliveroo in these parts!
Tel: 05 53 60 30 86
L'Escale in Chalus is reliable and friendly with French food served canteen style. They actually have a website! https://www.escale-gourmande-chalus.fr/. Good to combine with a trip to the excellent Richard the Lionheart chateau - Château de Châlus-Chabrol
Tel: 05 55 78 59 59
La Chataigne in Dournazac is under new management and now has friendly owners serving good value French food.
Tel: 05 55 33 30 59
Le Moulin du Grand Etang is by the lake at Saint Estephe which gives you the opportunity to have a lovely walk round the lake followed by a high class French meal. Highly recommended.
Tel 05 53 60 41 69 website
La Jolie Guingette at La Chapelle Montbrandiex is a new venture by friends of ours. A guingette is a particular type of bar that sprang up in Paris in the 18th century. Usually by water and in the open air, La Jolie Guingette ticks both those boxes and is a beautiful place to go for a cold beer and a snack. Day passes for for the fishing lake that it sits beside are also available. It is not open every day but they have tried very hard to offer opening times that complement the surrounding businesses, so check the Facebook page before you book.
Tel 07 49 21 99 61
La Taverne is situated opposite the stunning Montbron Chateau, just a few minutes from Le Moulin. It is a beautiful setting but the opening hours are hard to pin down sometimes.
Tel: 05 55 78 75 11. Facebook page.
La Paillote du Grand Etang is a good pizzeria on the banks of the swimming lake at St Saud - a knock out location. It is open Sunday and Tuesday evenings when many other restaurants are shut, and is just a short drive from Pensol. Closed Mondays. Seating is mostly outside so not one for when its raining.
Tel: 05 53 56 19 74
