When you're visiting a new region, it's sometimes difficult to know where to go for good food. Between reviews on the Internet, in specialist guides and your own criteria, it's not easy to know who to trust. And in Provence, there's no shortage of good restaurants. So how do you find the best?
How do I find the best restaurant?
Obviously, taste is subjective. However, to qualify as a good restaurant, there are certain points on which everyone can agree. A warm welcome and impeccable hygiene are essential.
It's difficult to form an objective, accurate opinion beforehand. There are a few tricks you can use to judge the quality of a restaurant. Respecting the seasonality of products is essential. If the menu changes in autumn/winter as opposed to spring/summer, your restaurant is likely to favour high-quality, seasonal products. A restaurant that is often packed can also be a sign of good quality.
The best restaurant must prepare its dishes on the spot. A menu with a multitude of choices is not a good sign, because no kitchen can prepare thirty or so dishes at the same time. With this in mind, chef Louis Rameau and pastry chef Eric Raynal, who work at Le Jardin de Berne, have decided to offer a menu that changes with the seasons.
If you're a food lover, you might like to try the chef's table at Jardin de Berne. By booking this table, you can watch the dishes being designed and laid out while sampling their original recipes.
Discover the menu of the Jardin de Berne and make a reservation to secure a table.
Should you read reviews to find the best restaurant?
To get an idea of a restaurant without actually going there, you can check reviews on the Internet and in specialist guides, or ask the locals.
You should bear in mind that the reviews available on the Internet, Google, TripAdvisor or Instagram are generally not those of professionals. What's more, there is a significant possibility of false reviews, whether positive or negative. Internet reviews can be taken into account as long as there are at least a hundred of them. In this case, pay attention to the overall rating.
Professional reviews such as those in the Michelin or Gault & Millau guides have the advantage of being independent and issued by specialists. As their work is precise and time-consuming, the guides are not always up to date and do not give an opinion on every restaurant.
Visit Michelin Guide opinion and the Gault & Millau on the Jardin de Berne!
The best restaurants work with healthy, high-quality products
The product is the basis of the quality of the cuisine. For many years now, the Jardin de Berne restaurant has been working with local produce from known sources. The three kitchen gardens on the estate supply the dishes served. The olive oil used and the wine served come from the olive groves and vineyards of the Château de Berne estate. These products are organically grown.
All other products such as meat, fish and vegetables come from local producers.
This choice was rewarded with a Green Star awarded by the Michelin Guide. For a number of years now, the Michelin Guide has been rewarding restaurants for their commitment to sustainable gastronomy.
Why not combine your meal in the restaurant with a stay in a spa hotel?
To complete your culinary experience, you can add a visit to the spa at Château de Berne. Here you can enjoy Pass combining food and care with access to an 800m2 spa, to pamper your body as well as your palate. What's more, thanks to our partnership with Vinésime, you'll have the chance to discover the benefits of vinotherapy through treatments and massages.
In addition to the restaurant and spa, Château de Berne is an exceptional place surrounded by 1000 hectares of nature. After your meal, you can go for a hike, play a game of tennis or pétanque, discover the cellar and taste the wine on site, or simply relax.
