Bordeaux is most famous for its wine production but this port city is also home to an array of insider bistros. Here are five that are popular with locals.
Blind is a bistro with an interesting concept. The food menu is more Mediterranean and features various sharing platters. The name “Blind” comes from the blind tasting concept the restaurant offers to the guests. Diners will be asked to describe their preferred style of wine and the sommeliers will come with covered bottles or glasses of wine for you to taste blind with the food. The wine list is mainly sourced from France but also from other parts of the world. Expect to pay €5-7 for a glass and €27-35 per bottle. This is a great way to discover new wine and food pairings, making it a popular spot for locals who are keen to explore wines from Bordeaux and beyond.
Owner Guillaume Samson moved to Bordeaux from Paris and opened this convivial neighbourhood bistro near the Hotel de Ville in 2018. Open from 8am to 2am, Le Charabia offers seasonal classic French dishes throughout the day and evening. They also have an organic wine shop opposite the restaurant, where customers can buy a bottle or two and enjoy them in the bistro, for additional charge of €15 per bottle.
Cécile Lambré and Nicolas Lefevre opened this natural wine bistro in 2016 in the Saint-Pierre district in the centre of Bordeaux. Cécile is the chef whilst Nicolas is in charge of over 350 natural wines that he carefully selects from all over France and further afield from artisan wine growers.
Soif opens only in the evening during the week and serves lunch and dinner during the weekend. The menu is decided in the morning after a trip to the local market and everything is homemade by Cécile using seasonal, local ingredients.
For those who want to get a feel of a traditional, no-frills French bistro, Le Cheverus is for you. Opened in 2016 by Florence Munniq, who spent 25 years in Gabon, Africa. When she returned to France, Florence initially settled in Provence before making a move to Bordeaux to fulfil her dream of opening a traditional neighbourhood bistro offering simple and classic French food. Le Cheverus is on a quiet street near the Hotel de Ville, and during lunch service you will see Florence busily and efficiently doing everything herself in the front of house. She explains the menu and the Plat du Jour, takes orders, makes drinks, serves food – and still manages to smile. The food and wine menus are very simple and traditional, typical of a local bistro with affordable prices. A place with no gimmicks but rustic charm.
Ask any Bordeaux local for restaurant recommendations and La Brasserie Bordelaise’s name pops up frequently. Being a “brasserie”, it’s much bigger than a bistro but it offers classic southwestern dishes and boasts a large wine list with an impressive vaulted wine cellar. La Brasserie Bordelaise is popular among locals for both business gatherings and casual meals. It is spacious and even has several private rooms should you want to host your own party.
Bordeaux, known as La perle d'Aquitaine or the Pearl of the Aquitaine, is most famous for its wine production but there is much more to the city by the Atlantic Ocean. It has nearly 2,000 hectares of UNESCO World Heritage site listings and along with Valencia in Spain, it has been awarded the 2022 European Capitals of Smart Tourism for its efforts in making the city tourist-friendly while promoting sustainability and its cultural heritage. Travelling in Bordeaux is hassle-free and when it comes to eating and drinking, the only challenge is the endless choice around the city. Here are five insider bistros that are pretty laid-back and come recommended by the locals who frequent them.
