Béziers is a historic mid-sized town in the South of France, and it’s a great place to spend some time. However, wandering through the picturesque little streets of one of the oldest cities in France might make you hungry! It just so happens that this lovely town hosts some excellent restaurants. Below you will find my selection- in random order- of my top 9 favourite restaurants in Béziers, in case you are in need of gastronomic inspiration.
1. Pica-Pica
Fabien Lefebvre, former Michelin-starred chef at Octopus, decided to return to his roots by opening restaurant Pica-Pica in Béziers. Located on a corner of the spacious Place Jean Jaurès, it is an excellent asset to the town. On the menu? High-quality tapas and other beautiful dishes with an eye for detail. It’s a shared-dining concept, although sometimes this might be difficult… You can enjoy your lunch or dinner on the beautiful terrace. However, I also love eating in their sophisticatedly designed interior with its warm colour scheme mixed with modern artwork, designer lamps and a classic black and white chequered floor. The lunch menu, served on weekdays, is between 24 and 29 euros. You can also eat à la carte, where you have a choice of dishes to share (from 2.50 to 26 euros). When the night falls, you will be treated to a free light and music fountain show on the Place Jean Jaurès.
2. Le Chameau Ivre
Life is too short to drink bad wine, as they say in France. However, sometimes it might be a bit difficult to choose which wine to go with your lunch or dinner. That’s why I like to eat at a wine bar, where they know their wines. One of my favourite ones is Le Chameau Ivre in Béziers. They stock thousands of bottles of wine (!), and they know how to pair each one with their great food. Le Chameau Ivre, which means ‘the drunken camel’, lies in the heart of Béziers. Robust concrete walls combined wonderfully with the use of wood for the furniture and wine racks. And once you enter the restaurant, it’s the open kitchen that immediately stands out. Here, chef Yohann Roussiere and his team cook up their aesthetic dishes, highly respecting sustainability, and the origin of the ingredients.
3. La Maison de Petit Pierre
Chéri and I have had dinner numerous times at the innovative restaurant La Maison de Petit Pierre, run by chef Pierre Augé, winner of the French edition of Top Chef in 2014. As he is named after his father, he quickly became known as ‘Petit Pierre’ to avoid confusion. Hence the name of the restaurant located near the arenas: La Maison de Petit Pierre. The restaurant works with set menus. Their 3-course lunch menu, served from Monday to Thursday, is excellent value for 26 euros. And for dinner, you can choose between a 4-course menu (46 euros) or a 6-course one (76 euros). Most of the time, we want it all. As Le Petit Pierre is a very popular restaurant, you have to make a reservation well ahead of time.
4. Les Bons Amis
Picture this: a small square in the middle of a historic Southern French town with invitingly set tables under gently swaying leaves while the sound of tinkling glasses and friendly murmuring surrounds you. In Béziers, you can find this exact setting at the charming restaurant Les Bons Amis. You can come here to have a tasty burger or fish and chips. Or you can try one of the other lovingly prepared dishes on the menu or on the daily changing blackboard. The Place des Bons Amis- the Good Friends Square- is only a few steps from the Saint-Nazaire Cathedral in the heart of Béziers. And that’s the view you get from the alluring terrace. Food-wise you’re at the right place too. The owners are passionate about their restaurant and serve their homemade dishes without any fuss. They are inviting, and it’s like dining with friends while having a simple but delicious meal.
5. Ô Petits Bontemps
Sometimes you find a hidden gem in an unexpected place. I mean, who would think of fine wining and dining next to Béziers library?! The building itself is quite nice, but the surroundings don’t really shout ‘go out and have a delightful lunch’. But you can! As in 2016, Chef Olivier Bontemps and his wife Emmanuelle opened their brasserie Ô Petits Bontemps. And it has been fully booked ever since! Most of the time, Chef Olivier will welcome you in person. It’s always a pleasure to go and have lunch at Olivier and Emmanuelle’s familial restaurant. As they have a family themselves, they like to share out their quality time wisely and only open during the day for lunch. Or you can come in to have a treat with your tea or coffee. You can even ask them to mark a special occasion with their catering service. The menu (26 euros for three courses) changes daily, and each dish is prepared with love and attention. I always love the little messages written on some of the plates and, of course, the signature flowers.
6. Osakaya
If you are looking for a great Japanese restaurant in Béziers, or even the region, you should visit Osakaya. This sophisticated eating venue, run by Chef Ping Zhang and his team, serves the best sushi, sashimi, maki, yakitori, and their signature rolls, using only fresh ingredients. He has already participated three times in the French Sushi Championship, where he came second in 2019. We are so lucky to have such a talented chef in Béziers! The serene and elegant dining room is divided into two parts with a harmonious use of wood in the modern wall decorations, floors and tables. And the beautifully plated dishes are a feast for the eye and the palate as well. The restaurant has several set menus, or you can eat à la carte. It is also possible to order takeaway.
7. Les Dames des Halles
When looking for a good place to eat in a French town, chances are high that you’ll find something in or around Les Halles. Like in Béziers, where you’ll find the restaurant Les Dames des Halles opposite the covered market. Of course, it’s run by women, host Karine and chef Rahma, to be precise. Their cheerful mindset sets the tone for this happy place, shaking up your taste buds with simple, spot-on food. You can sit comfortably inside the small restaurant. But why would you when the hubbub happens outside? A mix of colourful tables and French bistro chairs are scattered across the pavement, transforming it into an open-air dining room. Jaunty notes raise the mood while the night slowly falls on Les Halles and the beautiful surrounding facades. On the menu, you will find a fine selection of shellfish, small bites, and salads. Or you can order some meat or fish which you cook on the spot on a hot stone.
8. L’Alchimie
If you follow my blog, you have probably understood by now that Chéri and I like testing out new restaurants. However, we also enjoy returning to places that have withstood our (my…) test. L’Alchimie is one of those restaurants because of its appealing menu and homemade food. And even the original interior has been partly made by the owner! I like how the wooden panels of the table tops are extended to the ceiling and completed with ambient lighting. Whether it’s lunch or dinner time, with or without kids, winter or summer: we always enjoy our meals here. Another big plus is that you can now benefit from a sunny terrace. It makes it a great spot to watch the calm rhythm of Southern French life go by. Especially when combining it with beautiful Mediterranean flavours on your plate and in your glass.
9. La Cave Chez Max
Only a small stroll from Béziers’ centre- and next to French resistance hero Jean Moulin’s birth house- is a restaurant that makes my heart sing. La Cave Chez Max marries love and fresh farm ingredients into honest dishes. Add biodynamic wines from their cellar and craft beers to this, and you will have an authentic experience. Served with good humour and enthusiasm, you’re in good hands with owner Jacques Pons and his cheerful team! Although the walls are entirely black, colourful touches like the cobalt blue tables and green plants give the whole a young energy. The bar and open kitchen are prominently present in the back; after all, this is where the magic happens. Max doesn’t work here, by the way; it was Jean Moulin’s codename during the Second World War. And the cave- wine cellar- in the restaurant’s name comes from La Cave Saint-Martin in Roquebrun, Jacques’ father’s first restaurant, where he worked as well.
