7 Places Where Locals Love to Eat in Montpellier

Atipico welcomes you with what it calls a "bistrochic restaurant". Enjoy its modern and uncluttered setting with an emphasis on plants, giving you the feeling that you're enjoying your delicious meal in a winter garden. In the summer, the rustic, shady greenery of the terrace is ready to welcome you.

The lunchtime set menus are very affordable as well as the à la carte suggestions. Œuf parfait (French slow-boiled eggs), burger of the day, monkfish tail roasted in butter and chocolate spheres are only a small glimpse of the amazing food you'll experience here, from starter to dessert. And dishes change to follow the seasons. Special mention is necessary for the wine list of exceptional local vintages.

Ripailles is a typically French restaurant with its chequered tablecloths, stone walls and rotisserie. In this restaurant, found in the centre of Montpellier on a small, welcoming and shady square, you're treated to poultry, lamb shoulders or roasted suckling pig accompanied by fresh, seasonal produce, all prepared on site.

Boudin (blood sausage) tatin, homemade duck foie gras, pan-fried steak tartar, but also roasted camembert with Morteau sausage are among the delights served here, in generously sized portions. Vegetarians and lovers of sweet peccadillos aren't forgotten either. And the extensive wine list promises a good time for wine lovers.

Found in the Arceaux neighbourhood, Le Réfectoire is a friendly, trendy bistro, subtly blending antique furniture with touches of modernity. Sit comfortably at one of the wooden tables, leave the '60s-inspired patterned wallpaper behind and take a look at the menu, which gives pride of place to regional produce and gourmet recipes.

The menu of the day that's excellent value for money. The chef has no shortage of inventiveness to enhance the simple or more noble produce found at the market: Jerusalem artichoke velouté, grilled duck breast a la plancha served with fondant apples, and aubergine confit and Catalan cream flavoured with lavender will easily bring joy to your taste buds. Sprinkle it all with a good dose of friendliness, and the result is a most exquisite gastronomic break.

Restaurant Leclere offers sincere and frank cuisine in Montpellier's old town. From the moment you arrive, Restaurant Leclere will charm you with its refined, contemporary setting. Then, dishes cooked fresh from what's available allows the chef firstly to express his considerable talent and creativity, then to touch you and bring out unexpected experiences.

While waiting to taste the food, take the time to watch this gastronomic virtuoso and his team work their magic. Whether in the dining room or on the terrace, the number of tables is very limited. Be sure to book early enough to enjoy these fine dishes in all their glory of freshness and quality.

Les t'OCqués invites you to take a seat on mismatched, multicoloured chairs or on comfortable benches trimmed in colourful fabric. In a cheerful room, you'll enjoy a colourful menu, based mostly on fresh, locally produced ingredients.

The menu changes seasonally, but to give you an idea of the creativity of the owners, here's an overview of the dishes served here: beef Parmentier confit with sweet potato, fish of the day accompanied by fresh tagliatelle with shellfish and a Kaffir lime sauce, white chocolate mousse and more. Vegetarians and people who are gluten intolerant are catered for as well. For them, the chef modifies his recipes or lets his imagination run wild to create, for example, an amazing roasted squash with creamy gorgonzola or a refreshing kiwi smoothie.

Chez Delagare welcomes you in a sober and modern setting. Dark wood panelling, subtly balanced lighting, geometrically patterned flooring and modern, slightly vintage furniture make up a warm decor, without too many frills. The decoration is to the point, as is the cooking, but with subtlety and refinement.

Like the rest of the menu, the homemade street food, with its caramelised pork belly or its tourteau cake and toasted brioche, is a real treat for the eye as well as the taste buds. The wood-fired kitchen and the originality of the trimmings, including sweet potato fries, perfectly convey the idea of friendship and gastronomic research that brings this place to life. A menu is also offered, but only in the evening, and only for a whole table.

Pat'Daniel's is a highly friendly and offbeat restaurant where the whole menu has the taste of Jack Daniel's. You've barely settled and you already feel at home and can't wait to taste some amazing specialities with a generous dose of Tennessee whisky.

For example, there's the foie gras flavoured with Jack Daniel's Fire, for starters. Then, as a main course, the succulent cider-preserved lamb shank with Jack Daniel's Honey. To finish, be tempted by the Gentleman Jack tiramisu.