Chamonix resident Caroline face suggests some of the best places to eat whilst avoiding the tourist traps.
La Maison Carrier, Hotel Hameau Albert 1er Le Maison Carrier, my favourite restaurant, serves locally sourced, traditional French food. The setting is warm and cozy. Chef Stephane Gassot has created a wonderful menu based on a revisited version of his grandmother’s traditional cooking. I love the ‘whole pork menu,’ or, ‘the pork from the head to the tail,’ including courses made from different cuts of pork, including wild boar, pig’s trotter and bacon. It’s delicious and so French.
Le Satsuki Satsuki is the only Japanese restaurant in Chamonix, but the friendly service and delicious unfussy food make it a great choice for lunch. They have a ‘menu du jour’ for less than 10€, a steal for Chamonix.
La Petite Kitchen La Petite Kitchen, run by a very nice English couple, is near the market square and I usually head there after visiting the stalls for a full English breakfast. Far from a greasy spoon, it’s more like a chic relaxed restaurant. All the food is freshly prepared, often regional and free-range, and they have a great wine list.
Le Lapin Agile Visit Lapin Agile for their superb wine selection and some free après ski tapas. They also have a small and very well produced menu of traditional Italian food. The tasty Ligurian olive oil can’t be missed.
Restaurant Aiguille Du Midi The charming family run Aiguille Du Midi will be celebrating it’s centenary next year. The restaurant service and menu is excellent and very French. The son of the family is the very talented pastry chef. The patisserie, served on a buffet, is out of this world.
Bistrot Des Sports Created for the very first winter Olympics in 1924, Bistrot Des Sports is steeped in history and is where you can get a real flavour of French life. The bistro menu offers a classic choice of dishes that are all generous and delicious. I love their Salade Mer de Glace (salad with prawns) with a side order of chips, the best in Chamonix! A mecca for skiing aficionados, it’s a great place to talk about the snow.
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