3 Best Restaurants in Provence, France

This convivial wine bar, tucked in a corner near a pretty square in the Old Town, is the best place for tasting local wines. The selection of excellent-value wines by the glass allows you to take in (literally) the vast wealth of the Côtes du Rhône, deliciously accompanied by local cheeses, charcuterie, or salad plates.

A cave (wine store) by day and a happening wine and tapas bar by night, this is a great place to sample the famous wines of the Côtes du Rhône—perhaps a local Beaume-de-Venise, which goes nicely with the house-made foie gras. Whether you sit inside or out on the terrace, charming, knowledgeable staffers will pour samples until you've found the perfect pairing for your charcuterie or artisanal cheese plate.

Most recently the chef at Alain Ducasse's Monaco palace, the thirtysomething chef at the helm of this cozy wine bar is passionate about tracking down the best local ingredients, whether it's the juicy tomatoes with your roasted octopus salad or the Camargue rice with your succulent lamb. And he's no less scrupulous about wines, with a penchant for small natural and biodynamic producers from every region of France. It's a good idea to order several of the delicious, well-priced small dishes to taste as many as possible, but the fixed-price menus assure a great price-to-quality ratio. Be sure to reserve ahead, as the restaurant has only 20 spots and is an absolute favorite with locals.