Arles Restaurants

La Gueule du Loup on rue des Arenes is a small but excellent restaurant in old city center run by a family (couple) named Allard.

Well-prepared, thought out menu and good food with a personal touch.

Thanks again to the kind lady who is the concierge at Hotel Nord Pinus on the forum
for her recommendation and personally walking me down to this place.

Favorite Dish: Try the monkfish & squid in saffron or the filet of bull braised in red wine.
Good duck also.

Highly recommended: Here's a MAP

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Ideally situated in the heart of the Camargue, this former sheepfold was converted to a restaurant in 2000. Surrounded by an extradordinary (certified) organic garden which invites you for a delightfully colorful and aromatic stroll through the vegetables and herbs which you soon may be eating. The restaurant is also all about outdoors. It is open only Thursday through Monday and reservations are suggested. The chef, whose name has slipped my mind, formerly worked in New York. The food was excellent but the prices were too high.

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We spotted this delightful little restaurant tucked away on a corner of the street. We ate outside even though it was windy and a little chilly for the time of year. I liked the look of the place, cosy, inviting and the smell of cooking was wonderful. The restaurant was busy which is always a good sign. The locals were eating here which is another good point.

Favorite Dish: Hubby and I decided on a Pizza (as it was a Pizzeria, duh) and had a beer and a wine while we were waiting.

Pizzas were 9.00 and 8.50, pichet of house wine 3.50 and a beer 4.50, Euros 25.50 total to give you and idea of the prices for your budget.

NOTE: 10/3/03 - bummer, ... L'Olivier is FERME!
Lots of different rumors (fire, financial trouble) I heard, but none the less, it is over for l'Olivier.

Two of my favorite restaurants in France (l'Olivier/Arles and Patachou/Paris) were gone by autumn 2003. I hope I'm not a "curse" upon good cuisine.

Here is my old tip below, keeping it as this place was truly great and I don't ever want to forget it: ask the locals, they will also tell you about l'Olivier and how good it was. I HATE it when great restaurants close.10/2001
You will spend ~60 Euros for an excellent meal here at Restaurant l’Olivier. - I have tried a lot of them, and for the food, l'Olivier at 1 bis Boulevard /rue Reattu is excellent.
Ambience is very pleasant as the web site noted here will attest.
If you visit Arles and miss l'Olivier, well, .. you missed it. You had better go back.
:)

Favorite Dish: (excellent duck foie gras)

then
Pavé de cœur de filet de boeuf mariné aux herbes et poêlé, beurre émulsionné aux câpres, gratin de pomme de terre à l’ail.
A wonderfully prepared beef fillet seasoned in the style of the Provence with potatoes au gratin.

I recommend a glass of champagne or a kir royale with the foie gras and a bottle of a good local Côtes du Rhône/Chateauneuf du Pape to wash your wonderful dinner down. Les Fromages for dessert or something chocolate from the dessert cart with espresso or armagnac. Magnifique!!

A memorable world-class meal you will enjoy for approx. 60 eu/person.

Don't be put off if this restaurant looks empty from the outside...the main event is happening upstairs. The stone staircase guides you to the upper dining area which is small and cosy.We had the set menu for 21 euros which, for an appetiser and 3 courses, was excellent value.
An unusual taster of nut and carrot mousse, a sweet jammy onion and rocquefort tart, a generous portion of pork with thyme jus finished with a delicious concoction of ice-cream, meringue and chocolate liqueur.
Be aware of the wine though. We ordered a local house wine and were brought a Provencal rosé which cost as much as the food...should have looked at the wine list first!
And watch out for those stone stairs on the way down!!

Favorite Dish: The Rocquefort and onion tarte.

Brasserie and restaurant 'Le Malarte' is situated near the tourist office and only a 5 minute walk from the Arena. The food is excellent, cuisine provençale and french cuisine. The service is prompt and very friendly.

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My first meal arriving in Arles was at l'Hauture

The first thing to order as an appetizer was soup... and my love affair with soupe de poissons began.

Full with locals, (a suggestion from the concierge at my hotel when I checked in), l'Hauture was a good introduction to Arles.

l'Hauture is located almost next to Criquet, though it's address is 25 rue Emile Barre 25, Rue Porte de Laure Arles.
Bon appetit mes amis .

Favorite Dish: Soupe de Poissons must be accompanied with Sauce Rouille et Croutes (Saffron-Garlic Mayonnaise and Fried Bread with grated Gruyere cheese). You must also rub the raw garlic clove provided thoroughly over the bread/crouton.

Search the web for recipes, but have it first in Arles or if you have time, visit the city of Marseilles and have the greatest bouillabaisse in the world, the dish that is the mother of soupe de poissons.

Here is a recipe:
Soup De Poisson Recipe Source

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Excellent food just a street or two north of the Forum. All the locals in Arles cruise this avenue like sharks at 7pm to see what they are serving that evening.

My new, Arles, high-end favorite now that L'Olivier is closed.

Eat early out on the terrace at 19:30.... it fills up quickly.

During the early part of dinner, a couple of local 'musicians' crashed the terrace and started playing classical dinner music, all slightly off-key.
Everyone on the terrace was either trying not to laugh or pretending it wasn't happening, and it was actually quite funny. The bearded & slightly-strange violinist would make eye contact with the diners, nod and smile as he played (expecting a gratuity I suspect) making it even more like a situation comedy.
Sid Caesar himself could not have written & performed a more humorous bit.

After a couple of songs and a few heavy sighs from my fellow diners, our serenaders were finished and strolled up rue du Docteur Fanton, off to what I assume was another restaurant.

To me it was actually quite fun, and I would appreciate it even more next time, if nothing else to savor (along with my appetizer) the reactions of the lucky customers on the terrace.

Favorite Dish: Fois gras, Cotes de Veau, fromage,

& you can't go wrong with anything that is on the prix fixe menu.
Excellent food and service.