10 Great Restaurants in Nantes

L Uni (also known as L’U.ni) is an elegant French restaurant with a glass roof above its chic and contemporary interior dining area. Menu favourites include duck and steak dishes, as well as creative specialities like foie gras with preserved lamb and tandoori-spiced veal tajine. Because it sources ingredients from local producers, its set-price menu always changes.

You may need to book in advance to dine in style at L Uni, which you can do by contacting the restaurant via Facebook. We recommend reserving a table at least 1 week in advance if you plan on visiting L Uni on Thursday or Friday evenings.

LuluRouget is one of Nantes’ most in-demand restaurants. The 1 Michellin-starred venue serves delicious dishes like raw mackerel with combawa and fried celery, tomato fondue with aubergine and liquorice, and grilled leeks. It also boasts a modern and sophisticated interior that complements its daringly original menu.

LuluRouget is on the river island of Île Beaulieu, where you’ll find attractions such as the Les Machines de l'Île art park, the Michel Lecointre Beaulieu Stadium, H Arena, and Berges Garden dans l'eau.

L'Abelia occupies a restored 19th-century villa, with multiple elegant indoor dining rooms and outdoor garden tables. Its award-winning gastronomic dishes are made with ingredients directly sourced from local markets. The menu includes modern takes on French classics, such as gazpacho with prawns, parmesan, tomato and basil.

You can reach L'Abelia in about 20 minutes from the city centre of Nantes by taking bus C1, C6, 11 or12. While you’re in the area, we recommend checking out the nearby Basilica of St. Donatian and St. Rogatian. 

La Cigale is a brasserie and historical monument that serves upscale French cuisine until late. This landmark restaurant has been delighting locals and visitors since 1895. You can enjoy croissants, brioches, and fresh juices for breakfast, followed by the likes of Charolais beef tartare and fresh scallops for lunch or dinner. 

If the weather permits, you can dine outside, but most people choose a table in the restaurant’s art nouveau interior. Besides its status as a top-rated brasserie and restaurant, La Cigale is a popular tourist destination in Nantes. You don’t usually need to book in advance, but prepare to wait for up to 15 minutes for a table.

L'Atlantide (Restaurant L'Atlantide 1874 - Maison Guého) is an upscale restaurant in Nantes. It occupies a 19th-century riverside mansion with cosy indoor dining rooms and a shaded terrace. Here, you can sample modern French dishes from tasting menus, paired with a wide range of wines While all meals are delicious, we particularly love its tasty seafood combinations.

Before visiting L'Atlantide, you might consider working up an appetite at the nearby Jardin Extraordinare. It's a disused quarry that has been transformed into a tropical paradise complete with palms, cliffs and waterfalls. For insights into the heritage of Nantes, head to the Jules Verne Museum.

Le Manoir De La Régate occupies a vine-covered manor by the Erdre. Incidentally, the restaurant sources almost all its ingredients from around 40 producers along the river, including freshwater fish, seaweed and lamb.

Le Manoir De La Régate specialises in French haute cuisine. We highly recommend booking a table in advance at this revered establishment. If you’re staying in the city centre of Nantes, the easiest way to reach Le Manoir De La Régate is by taxi or the C6 bus.

Lamaccotte stands out with its sophisticated French cuisine yet informal décor and cosy atmosphere. Here, you can sample locally produced cheeses, meats and wines, all served in creative ways. Rather than offer an a la carte menu, the restaurant has a set menu, with its talented chef telling you about the ingredients and preparation that go into the dishes.

Lamaccotte is located in the heart of the Bouffay district, just north of the Château des ducs de Bretagne. While you’re in the area, check out the Miroir d'eau dancing fountain and the Le Lieu unique cultural centre.

At L'Aménité, just as much attention has been put into the Klein blue and rococo décor and aesthetically pleasing cutlery as the menu. Though dishes change by the season, favourites include chicken liver terrine and matcha quince calamansi pavlova. No matter what you order, you can expect a long list of local ingredients and biodynamic wines.

Visit L'Aménité during lunch for a treat of 2 starters, 2 mains and 2 desserts. Or, make a reservation for dinner to enjoy the chef’s special 5-course menu. You can reach the restaurant within 5 minutes by heading west along Rue Général Leclerc de Hauteclocque from the Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul of Nantes.

At Maison Baron Lefèvre, you can enjoy French dishes that combine both new and old culinary traditions. The restaurant itself is situated inside a former warehouse, with a unique interior design matching the individuality of its menu. We can’t get enough of this establishment’s homemade caramel chocolate cake.

You can find Maison Baron Lefèvre to the west of the Canal Saint-Felix. It's easily reachable via light rail – alight at the Aimé Delrue station and walk around 5 minutes to reach the resaurant. 

Le 1 is a cosmopolitan fine-dining restaurant that brings together the cuisines of France, China, Japan, India and Europe. You can either dine in its elegant dining room or on the riverside terrace. Its eclectic dishes include buckwheat noodles with raw vegetables and round-trip beef, potato gnocchi, seabass steak with roasted cauliflower, and Charolais beef tartare.

Located in the centre of Nantes, Le 1 opens from 9 am to 11 pm. We recommend grabbing a table for lunch to avoid crowds. On Saturday evenings, you might need to wait around 15 minutes for a table.