Enjoy traditional local cuisine in upmarket restaurants throughout Old Bordeaux and Chartrons. Head to the riverside for livelier, affordable ethnic and fusion restaurants and popular bars open till late. Sample acclaimed Bordeaux wines, local aperitifs like Lillet, and tasty Bordeaux treats like vanilla and cinnamon canelés cakes.
Choose from a wide range of traditional gourmet restaurants in Old Bordeaux and neighbouring Chartrons serving robust regional fare. Dine on duck, foie gras, river fish and wild boar, together with rich, tasty wines from famed Bordeaux vineyards. There's a livelier, more eclectic and affordable restaurant scene, including plenty of ethnic restaurants, around place de la Victoire and along the riverside quays of the Bastide district. You can also dine before you party at restaurant-clubs in the Bassins à Flot docks.
At a Bordeaux restaurant, always opt for fixed-price menus or formules for more affordable eating. All restaurant prices include service, so you don't need to tip unless you feel you have had excellent service. You'll find most Bordeaux restaurants open from 12pm-2pm and 7.30pm-9.30pm, but you can eat at any time of day in scores of cafe bars serving simple quick meals. Book well ahead for the gourmet restaurants of Old Bordeaux.
Enjoy drinks, snacks and people-watching at popular cafe bars in all the attractive squares of Old Bordeaux. You'll find a youthful scene at bars, day and night, around place de la Victoire. For a party mood, especially at night, head to music bars and discos in South Bordeaux, especially on the riverside around Quai Paludate. Enjoy smarter late-night bars with entertainment close to place de la Bourse and Quai des Chartrons.
