7 Best Restaurants in Arles, Provence

Sophisticated yet comfortable, this organic restaurant, 12 km (7½ miles) south of Arles at the entrance of the Camargue, has a fetching dining room that extends to an outdoor area with large, family-style picnic tables under a canopy and overlooking extensive gardens. The mix of modern and French-country dishes on master chef Armand Arnal's prix-fixe menus are made using ingredients grown right on the property.

Tucked away under a canopy of green, this cozy local favorite serves contemporary French fare far above the usual offerings. Relax in a vintage armchair while enjoying appetizers like creamy burrata cheese with perfectly ripe heirloom tomatoes or grilled sardines with arugula and olives and entrées such as succulent guinea fowl or steak smothered in fresh morels with a side of golden frites. Seafood also factors large on the menu, and there are plenty of vegetarian choices, too. The top-notch wine list emphasizes natural, small-producer options.

Franco-Vietnamese chef Céline Pham, a talented veteran of top restaurants in Paris, headlines at this chic bistro set in a 13th-century chapel. This is a food lover's destination, not only for the seasonal dishes with subtle and surprising combinations but also for the excellent-value menus (three courses at lunch, €41; dinner, €55 or €85 with wine pairings).

Locals come to this restaurant in a former fire-horse shed for Provençal hors d'oeuvres like fried eggplant, green tapenade, chickpeas in cumin, and a slab of ham carved off the bone, perhaps followed by roasted potatoes with lamb chops grilled in the great stone fireplace. Call at least a week in advance to reserve table in summer, when you can opt for just the first-course buffet—and go back for seconds or even thirds.

You reach your table through the kitchen, bustling with chopping, sizzling, and wafting scents, which is a nice introduction to what awaits. The cooking is serious, featuring Provençal specialties such as rouget (red mullet) with pureed potatoes or caillette d'agneau (lamb baked in herbs). The four set menus are priced from €25 (lunch) to €35, so there's something that will appeal to all appetites and budgets.

This classic wine bar is ever popular for its great location and reliably good French food. The menu features modern riffs on the classics—pigs’ feet (and ears if you're lucky), ricotta-spinach dumplings with mushrooms spiked with pecorino cheese, or asparagus eggs Benedict—and the owners also have a tender spot for vegetarians. The long and well-priced list of biodynamic and organic wines by the bottle or glass makes sampling the local options a cinch.

Visionary Jean-Luc Rabanel is the culinary success story of the region—he was one of the first organic chefs in France to merit two Michelin stars and is renowned for the fresh, garden-inspired cuisine that he features in this stylish restaurant and cooking school. Menus are prix-fixe only, and the seven-dish tapas-style lunch (€65) and six-course "Emotion" dinner (€145) are unforgettable. To experience all of Rabanel's flourishes, though, try the "Signatures" eight-course extravaganza (€185; wine pairings €45 or €65). A chic, Japanese-style reception area features the five elements—water, fire, earth, air, and spirit—and ensures a harmonious meal.