The food we love
Don’t underestimate our little village’s restaurant offering – it may be limited, but it’s good (and getting better!). The surrounding villages, nearby Pézenas, and not too far afield offer a wide variety of great eateries that cater to all tastes and budgets. Here are a few of our favourites (not necessarily in order of preference). If you come across a gem of a place, please let us know so that we can include it here for other South to South visitors to enjoy.
Tête d'Anchovies, Caux
For a fun evening at home you can’t beat a good pizza pool party, and the best place to get the best pizza, is our village’s very own Tête d'Anchovies. (Photo: Facebook)
A few meters away on the main road, it is conveniently situated but what makes it even better is the quality of Camille and Dorian’s pizzas.
Camille has more than 10 years’ experience working in kitchens in Bordeaux, London, and Sète. Her passion is evident in the delicious pizzas she creates, as well as her quirky monthly specials where she experiments with different flavours. Dorian is a trained marine biologist and the wind in Camille’s sails.
They’re super lovely, as their pizzas (dinner); pastas, focaccias and paninis (lunch), salads and everything else Camille cooks up. You can also eat there, which is lovely on a warm summer’s evening.
Contact them
Tête d'Anchovies
20T Republic Square
34720 Caux
Tel: +33 4 67 26 42 59
Chez Paul, Pezenas
Pezenas has a number of good restaurants and while we’re not experts on them, Chez Paul is certainly one we would recommend. (Photo: Facebook)
The menu offers something for everyone and produce is by and large from local producers, so you know it’s going to be fresh.
One of the many plus points is the shady, tree-filled outdoor area that is summer time eating at its best – especially at night when it’s oh so romantic.
We had a pork dish when we were there in May 2021 and it was delicious. Rich but not overly so – in fact, it was pretty much perfectly balanced.
The food is outstanding, the wine list is extensive, the ambience is great, and the service is attentive.
Another plus is that it’s on the edge of the old town so there’s parking nearby. Don’t forget to reserve a table – it’s a popular place and you’re sure to find out why.
Contact them
Chez Paul
9 rue Albert Allies
34120 Pezenas
Tel: +33 4 67 26 61 99
MDL Matthieu de Lauzun, near Nizas
We went on a date night and returned converts to the master skills of Michelin star chef, Matthieu de Lauzun, This gem of a place is situated between Pezenas and Nizas in the priory of Saint Jean de Bébian. According to the restaurant’s website, the priory owes its name to Bébianus, a Roman centurion who received this land in the 1st century as a reward for his 25 years devoted to the war for the expansion of the Roman Empire. It was at this time that the first vine crops appeared in Bébian. Subsequently, it was the Cistercian monks who cultivated the vine after the fall of the Roman Empire. In 1150 they built the chapel that can still be admired today.
Ok, that’s the setting. What Matthieu and his team have done to it is nothing short of awe-inspiring: very elegant, super stylish, and utterly gorgeous. The space is grand in proportions but still manages to be warm, cosy, and welcoming.
I can wax lyrical about the food – it’s totally deserving of pages of oohing and aahing. But no-one says it better than Chef Matthieu himself, and I quote from his website:
Always in this desire to make you live even more emotions I aspire, with advancing age, to more freedom in my kitchen. This is why I offer you a real experience of discovery through menus where you will have the opportunity to taste more recipes than before. In this new format, I wanted to share with you a culinary stroll through my favorite products, my childhood memories after which I always run tirelessly and to offer you a real discovery of my cuisine. My meetings and my travels in recent years have considerably enriched my vision of the cooking profession. Each emotion, each memory is unique and I have a lot to share Because cooking is a matter of love, generosity and sharing, I want to take you with me for a moment.
Does that tempt you? Go ahead and be tempted! You can choose from a four, five, or eight-course menu that will take you on a journey of taste explosions. These can either go with wine pairings or not.
We chose the four-course menu, with wine pairing. Each delectable bite was explained by a suited and tied (very handsome) waiter, and the sommelier gave us a short low-down on the wine we enjoyed.
The food was exactly what one would expect the Michelin people to hand out stars for: almost too beautiful to eat, but of course one does and one is not disappointed by any of it. In fact, one is quite floating on a cloud of deliciousness.
The whole experience was incredible: the outstanding service, stunning cutlery and crockery, and attention to detail complemented the quality of the food to make our date night one to remember – and one to repeat!
*There is a bistrot version of MDL in Caux. We didn’t have time on our last trip to try it out, but we’re so proud of our little village for being home to such a stylish addition. Go try it – it’s about a three-minute walk from the house you’re in – and let us know what you think. We’ll be back in Caux soon and will hotfoot it to Le Bistrot for sure!
Contact them
MDL Matthieu de Lauzun
Priory of Saint Jean de Bébian
Route de Nizas
34120 Pézenas
+33 4 99 47 63 91