9 Best Local Restaurants in Toulouse

Py-r welcomes you in an intimate, chic and warm setting within Toulouse's heritage area, which keeps all the secrets of the pink city's history. While you are comfortably seated under an immaculate vaulted ceiling, you can't help but succumb to the stunning, refined flavours of this establishment – its gourmet cuisine has earned the praise of the Michelin Guide.

Here the best produce is paired with more common ones and is enhanced by the chef's perfect mastery of cooking methods, fine attention to detail and inventiveness. Try the lotte fève (monkfish with beans) and elderflower, small lobsters, peas and lemon-mint, or suckling lamb, onions and green beans. There aren't any complicated formulas there, only elegantly prepared delicacies and meticulous service.

Saint Sauvage entices most of all with its tasteful decoration and cosy atmosphere on a quiet street little off the beaten track in the city centre. Well-proportioned lighting and the perfect balance created between velvet sofas and transparent chairs form an ambience full of character and that's warm, elegant and contemporary.

In this chic brasserie, the dishes are generous and beautifully presented. For example, you might enjoy a parmesan butter biscuit accompanied by mozzarella balls, parsnips and cucumber as an appetizer, followed by a grilled rib-eye steak and chestnut mousse. To end on a sweet note, try their île flottante au butternut (floating islands of meringue in light butternut custard). The menu is full of originality, and the service lavish. It's all you need to share good times either as a couple, as a family or with friends.

L'Os à Moëlle is a friendly restaurant that spotlights regional specialities in the Matabiau neighbourhood of Toulouse. It’s north-east of the city hub and a half-hour's walk from the city's historic centre. In the afternoon, expect delicious daily specials in fixed menus. In the evening, you can also eat à la carte, with delights such as foie gras maison (homemade duck liver pâté), un cabecou rôti (roasted goat milk cheese from southwest France) with jambon de canard (duck ham), accompanied with a walnut salad, and a cocotte de ris de veau (veal sweetbread roast) in sweet wine or a cassoulet au confit (cured meat dish).

When the weather is nice, sit on the terrace and enjoy your meals facing the south-western sun. The restaurant has a private space that can accommodate 25 guests for parties and gatherings in addition to the main dining room which seats 55.

La Madeleine de Proust, in the Saint-Aubin neighbourhood on rue Riquet, east of the historic centre, evokes sweet childhood memories. Take the time for a meal on a patina table, listening to the comforting tick-tock of a sideboard clock, surrounded by vintage toys, as your everyday cares slip away. There are various menus, all named after the author Proust's famous works and they are intended for 2.

After you've placed your order, the irresistible old-world aromas fill the dining room, and elegant, refined dishes pass before you, preparing you for an explosion of flavours. Of course, children are welcome. Families also enjoy the prompt service and greetings from the establishment's owner, who has a knack for making everyone feel comfortable. On some evenings, jazz groups come to warm things up even more in an already convivial atmosphere.

Restaurant Le Restaurant, located a stone's throw away from la Place du Capitole, is a pleasant, laid-back spot serving local Toulouse favourites. It’s ideal for setting the world aright with friends, indulging in a little time as a couple or enjoying yourselves as a family. Its menu is small, but it should be seen as a sign of quality. A fixed menu of starter, main and dessert is offered every afternoon at an attractive price, showcasing local produce fresh from the marketplace.

The portions are generous and nicely presented. It's enough to bring a broad smile to your lips and the service matches the quality of the food. Discreet, friendly and attentive, ensuring your enjoyment. Try from ravioles de veau parfumées à la citronnelle (veal ravioli flavoured with lemongrass) to foie gras mi-cuit (seared duck liver pâté), through to steak de thon (tuna steak) and onglet de bœuf (tenderloin of beef) with little sautéed potatoes, and lastly, pain perdu (bread pudding) with a caramelised apple.

The gourmet restaurant Michel Sarran, located on Boulevard Armand Duportal in Toulouse, charms patrons with its refined and elegant setting. Admire the discreet yet sought-after decoration of this unique spot, and allow the quality of the vegetables (one of the rooms opens onto a magnificent interior garden) and the natural wood and stone, say it all.

While sitting comfortably on the chairs decorated in colourful fabric, you'll feel at home. The various fixed menus cover a wide price range and are served to the whole table. And of course, food and wine combinations are available too. You could also put yourself entirely in the owner's hands and opt for the surprise meal. But be aware, this is a highly popular establishment, so think of booking several months in advance.

Bibent has an enviable location in the heart of the pink city and charms with its magnificent Belle Époque decor. Set in a historic Toulousian brasserie that the current and famous owner, Chef Constant, restored to its former glory, its frescoed ceilings fitted with gold moulding, large mirrors, crystal chandeliers and upholstered sofas give it an incredibly classy feel. The afternoon fixed menus are equally tempting and reasonably priced. Kids aren’t forgotten, either.

From deviled eggs (œuf mimosa) to slow-cooked meat casserole (cassoulet montalbanais), lobster-stuffed cabbage (chou farci de homard) and veal sweetbreads in puff pastry braised in sweet wine (feuilleté de ris de veau braise), every dish served here will awaken your inner foodie. If you still have room for dessert, sample the famous chocolate tart and try to unearth the secrets of the one who brought South West France to Paris.

Le Pavé des Minimes is a restaurant in Toulouse that features seasonal flavours that you can sample à la carte or from one of the gourmet fixed menus. It’s located a stone's throw from the Canal du Midi and to the north of the city centre in the upscale Claude Nougaro quarter. You're welcomed into its authentic Toulousian building where you can find a fire crackling in the fireplace in winter months. When it's good weather, you might prefer to relax on the charming terrace around the pool.

At lunchtime, the day's special dishes may be served as from a fixed menu at very attractive prices. Families can enjoy some specially created dishes for young visitors. Everything is prepared in-house and based on fresh, local products. Take your pick from salad of duck liver pâté, gizzards, tomatoes, cheese and eggs (salade gersoise) to smoked salmon and salmon filet cheesecake (cheesecake aux deux saumons) or grilled cuttlefish (seiche à la plancha).

The gourmet restaurant L'hippi'curien is a place that lends itself to discovering the local flavours of South West France in Toulouse. It’s housed in a welcoming building near Toulouse's Hippodome la Cépière racecourse. The cuisine comes from the best seasonal products prepared by its highly talented chef, with utmost respect given to the local culinary heritage.

At lunchtimes, a market-fresh cuisine graces the tables. In the evening, eat à la carte or from the gourmet fixed menu that offers you three courses with 2 choices for each. On warmer, sunny days, it's pleasant to sit on the shaded terrace of this lovely house, which can also accommodate all your family or business events.