2 Best Restaurants in Bayonne, The Basque Country, Gascony, and Hautes-Pyrenees

Next to the Musée Basque, with a dining terrace over the River Nive just short of its confluence with the Adour, this unassuming and unpretentious local favorite serves honest Basque cuisine in a traditional setting. The agneau de lait (suckling lamb) and chipirons en persillade (cuttlefish in chopped parsley and garlic) are classics.

Run by members of the Tellechea family since 1715, this former stagecoach inn in the Petit Bayonne quarter serves a combination of cuisine du terroir (home-style regional cooking) and original recipes in contemporary surroundings. Michelin-starred chef Jean-Claude Tellechea showcases fresh fish as well as specialties from the Basque hills, sometimes joining the two in dishes such as the merlu rôti aux oignons et jus de volaille (hake roasted in onions with essence of poultry). The Irouléguy wines offer the best value on the wine list. Be sure to be there on time: lunch ends at 1:30.