Food · Bordeaux · France
What to eat in Bordeaux
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Bordeaux, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Mariette, Public domain
Quick answer
Start with Canelé, Entrecôte à la bordelaise and Arcachon oysters. On Saturday mornings locals crowd the oyster counters of the Marché des Capucins for a dozen Arcachon oysters and a glass of white wine before shopping. Lunch is usually served from about noon to 2pm and dinner from 7:30pm; kitchens in many bistros close in between.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Canelé
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 6
- Tipping
- Service is included in restaurant prices by law.
- Food experiences
- 4
10 foods to try
Dessert · Vegetarian
1.Canelé
Bordeaux's signature small cake has a dark, caramelised crust and a soft custard centre flavoured with rum and vanilla, baked in fluted copper moulds. They are best eaten the day they are baked.
Where: Specialist canelé shops and pâtisseries across the centre, particularly around Rue Sainte-Catherine and Saint-Pierre; mini versions are sold by the bag.
Dish
2.Entrecôte à la bordelaise
Rib steak grilled and served with a bordelaise sauce of red wine, shallots and beef marrow, traditionally cooked over vine cuttings. It is usually served with frites and a green salad.
Where: Classic brasseries around the Triangle d'Or and Allées de Tourny, and wine-country restaurants in Saint-Émilion and the Médoc.
Dish
3.Arcachon oysters (Huîtres du Bassin d'Arcachon)
Oysters from the Arcachon Bay, about an hour west, are eaten raw with lemon or shallot vinegar. A local habit is to alternate them with small grilled sausages called crépinettes and a glass of dry white wine.
Where: Oyster bars inside the Marché des Capucins (busiest on Saturday mornings), the Sunday Marché des Quais, and oyster shacks around Arcachon and Cap Ferret.
Dish
4.Lamprey Bordeaux-style (Lamproie à la bordelaise)
The region's most traditional dish: lamprey eel slowly stewed in red wine with leeks and its own blood to thicken the sauce. It is rich and gamey, and is caught in the Gironde estuary in spring.
Where: Traditional restaurants in the old town and wine villages in spring; it is also sold preserved in jars in delicatessens.
Drink · Vegetarian
5.Bordeaux red wine
Most Bordeaux reds are blends: Cabernet Sauvignon dominates on the gravel soils of the left-bank Médoc and Graves, while Merlot leads on the right bank around Saint-Émilion and Pomerol. Everyday Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur are good value by the glass.
Where: Wine bars in Saint-Pierre and Chartrons, the Bar à Vin in the Maison du Vin de Bordeaux on Cours du 30 Juillet, and château tastings in the vineyards.
Drink · Vegetarian
6.Sauternes
Sweet white wine from Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc grapes affected by noble rot in the misty Sauternes and Barsac area south of the city. Locals drink it with foie gras or blue cheese as well as with dessert.
Where: Wine bars and good restaurants by the glass, or at the châteaux on a Sauternes day trip.
Dish · Vegetarian
7.Cèpes à la bordelaise
Wild porcini mushrooms sautéed with garlic, shallots and parsley, an autumn speciality from the forests of the Landes and the Gironde. They appear as a starter or alongside duck and steak.
Where: Bistro menus and market stalls at the Capucins and Marché des Quais from roughly September to November.
Dish
8.Duck confit and magret (Confit et magret de canard)
The south-west's duck tradition: confit legs slow-cooked in their own fat and crisped, and magret breast grilled pink, often with potatoes fried in duck fat (pommes sarladaises).
Where: Bistros and brasseries across the city, especially on lunch formule menus.
Breakfast · Vegetarian
9.Chocolatine
What the rest of France calls a pain au chocolat is a chocolatine in the south-west, and asking for one by the local name is part of the experience. Bordeaux bakeries also sell excellent croissants.
Where: Any neighbourhood boulangerie; ask for 'une chocolatine'.
Drink · Vegetarian
10.Lillet
A wine-based aperitif made since the late 19th century in Podensac, south of Bordeaux, from Bordeaux wines and citrus liqueurs. It is served chilled with ice and an orange slice, or with tonic.
Where: Café terraces and wine bars as an apéritif; bottles in wine shops and at the producer's visitor centre in Podensac.
Food experiences
Saturday oysters at the Capucins
On Saturday mornings locals crowd the oyster counters of the Marché des Capucins for a dozen Arcachon oysters and a glass of white wine before shopping. Arrive mid-morning and order at the counter.
Sunday Marché des Quais
Along the Quai des Chartrons on Sunday mornings, food stalls sell oysters, roast chicken, cheese and pastries, and many people make a riverside brunch of it.
Wine-bar evening
Bordeaux has many wine bars pouring dozens of appellations by the glass, from inexpensive Côtes de Bordeaux to classified growths. Saint-Pierre and Chartrons have the densest choice; ask staff for a flight of left- and right-bank wines to compare.
Château tasting day
Saint-Émilion, the Médoc and Sauternes are all within an hour; most châteaux receive visitors by appointment only, so book tastings ahead or join an organised tour from the tourist office.
Quick bites and street food
- Chocolatine — Any neighbourhood boulangerie; ask for 'une chocolatine'.
Vegetarian options
Of the 10 foods in this guide, 6 are usually vegetarian: Canelé, Bordeaux red wine, Sauternes, Cèpes à la bordelaise, Chocolatine and Lillet. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Lunch is usually served from about noon to 2pm and dinner from 7:30pm; kitchens in many bistros close in between.
- The weekday lunch formule (starter and main, or main and dessert) is much less expensive than dinner à la carte.
- Ask for 'une carafe d'eau' for free tap water with your meal.
- Many restaurants close on Sundays and Mondays, and some for part of August; check before you go.
- Wine by the glass is widely available, so you rarely need to commit to a whole bottle.
Tipping
Service is included in restaurant prices by law. Rounding up or leaving a euro or two for good service is common, and up to about 5–10% in finer restaurants is generous but optional.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Bonjour | Hello / good day |
| Une chocolatine, s'il vous plaît | A chocolate pastry, please (south-west name) |
| Un verre de rouge | A glass of red wine |
| Une douzaine d'huîtres | A dozen oysters |
| L'addition, s'il vous plaît | The bill, please |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Bordeaux famous for?
Canelé, Entrecôte à la bordelaise, Arcachon oysters and Lamprey Bordeaux-style. Bordeaux's signature small cake has a dark, caramelised crust and a soft custard centre flavoured with rum and vanilla, baked in fluted copper moulds.
+Is Bordeaux good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Canelé, Bordeaux red wine and Sauternes.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Bordeaux?
Service is included in restaurant prices by law. Rounding up or leaving a euro or two for good service is common, and up to about 5–10% in finer restaurants is generous but optional.