6 Best Restaurants in Versailles, Side Trips from Paris

Worldwide chef sensation Gordon Ramsay brings his conversation-worthy cuisine to this Versailles berth. Picture exemplary entrées like ravioli of langoustines and lobster cooked in a Riesling bisque with Petrossian caviar and lime consommé, or Périgord foie gras done "2 ways," roasted with a beetroot tart and pressed with green apple and Sauternes, all available on an expensive five-course tasting menu at dinner. The Trianon's more casual, 60-seat Véranda restaurant (open for lunch and dinner) is also under Ramsay's sway, and in its black-and-white contemporary setting you can opt for his "light, modern take" on bistro novelties like radicchio and Parmesan risotto with chorizo oil. Teatime provides a delightful (and more reasonable) restorative for weary château-goers, with a French twist on high tea: scones, madeleines, and heavenly macarons.

Chef Rémi Chambard's Michelin-starred dining room at the charming "countryside" luxury hotel Les Étangs de Corot is a favorite hideaway for Paris gastronomes not only for the lovely setting, between Paris and Versailles, but for his flawless cuisine made from top-notch ingredients (veggies are from the Versailles gardens). In warm weather, the famous Sunday brunch, served in the beautiful patio garden, is an experience to remember.

There's no doubt that dining in the world's most famous palace at a restaurant conceived by the world's most famous chef is an experience worth having. Although Alain Ducasse is not actually cooking here, you can enjoy a gourmet version of breakfast, lunch, or teatime in splendid surroundings with views of the palace from the first-floor restaurant's floor-to-ceiling windows. For the best value, go for the fixed-price menus. A six-course teatime (3:30 to 5:30 pm), with both savory and sweet offerings, is a particularly pleasant option. The restaurant also hosts several exclusive candlelit dinners after palace closing hours throughout the year. Be sure to reserve ahead of time online or by phone. Several of Ore's fixed-price menus include the price of admission to Versailles, allowing you to skip the long lines.

An unapologetic carnivore, chef Alix Guiet bucks the trend for veggie-conscious cuisine in his handsome new restaurant a quick walk from the palace. The seasonal menu offers all the tried-and-true French classics—sautéed duck hearts, bone marrow on toast, veal liver, and steak tartare—from the famous meat-producing regions of France, served with your choice of delicious, artery-clogging sauce: green peppercorn, béarnaise, beurre Roquefort, etc. There's also a choice of fish dishes. The dining room, in a restored 17th-century town house, is sleek, bright, and comfortable, with wood-beam ceilings, white paneling, and tasteful artwork—and the meals served here are reasonably priced and of extremely high quality. Classic desserts (baba au rhum, brioche pain perdu) round out the meal.

The 15-minute walk from the palace gates to this cozy, well-priced bistro is rewarded by an enticing daily menu of French classics all listed on a blackboard that's brought to your table. Dishes like homemade foie gras, roasted cod, and ham with parsley sauce are made with ingredients fresh from local suppliers. Best of all is the list of 200 natural French wines, many served by the glass, and the very reasonably priced, three-course dinner menu. Be sure to reserve ahead of time, as it's very popular with the locals.