The following as experienced by us or by our crack gourmet hit-team, David and Mel
Auberge St Roch
This is our closest eatery and arguably Beaumes’ fine dining restaurant. Don’t be put off by the ordinary exterior and the unprepossessing décor inside. We came here for a special occasion and were impressed by the wonderful food and drink and the friendly, efficient service. We started with champagne cocktails, one flavoured with strawberry and lavender and the other with fig and lavender. My starter was beautifully presented coquilles St Jacques, followed by Black Angus beef, (very rare, as advised by our kind but firm waitress), and for dessert a Black Forest Gateau cake with birthday candles but thankfully no singing. Finally we asked for coffees, and these came compliments of the house. We had a delightful evening and will be returning to the Auberge St Roch asap.
Lou Castelet
20 Avenue Jules Ferry, Place du Marché, Beaumes de Venise. Village centre. Good, all-round café. Beer and omelettes etc. TV screens for sporting events. Popular with cyclists and walkers. Emergency rosé stop par excellence.
Le Relais des Dentelles
210 Avenue Jules Ferry, Beaumes-de-Venise. Good French restaurant, especially Sunday lunch. Also Called Amerigo Vespucci for some reason.
La Table des Balmes
31 Place de l Eglise, Beaumes-de-Venise. Up by the church. Or “regular”; nice venue in the heart of the village. Had an excellent lunch sitting outside in the summer. Good menu and reasonably priced.
Nearby
Bistrot de la Gare
1570 Route d’Aubignan, 84870 Loriol du Comtat; tel. 04 90 35 69 71.
Excellent, traditional French home cooking. Limited menu. Popular with locals. Favourite venue.
See under Activities – Via Venaissia
Côté Vignes
A very pleasant restaurant about 1 km from Beaumes on the road to Lafare; turn off left at signpost just before the bridge over La Salette. Set right in amongst the vines it offers a very relaxing and attractive environment and the food’s not bad either. Lunch and dinner, set menus and à la carte and good range of local wines.
We had the three course lunch at €17 with salmon crumble (crumble de saumon sauce siam), cod in green sauce (filet de lingue et crème de petits pois), and rhubarb cake (financier à la rhubarb) washed down with very nice, very pale Vacqueyras St. Hilaire rosé. Delicious. Prompt and friendly service.
Quiet first time we went but buzzing and great family atmosphere second time (jour férié).
Le Nez, Gigondas
This is a very small wine bar – so booking is a must – but it shares its kitchen with the next-door Michelin starred something-or-other and is a gastronomic treat for the price of a mid-range bottle of champers. The wine list is of biblical length in comparison to the food menu, which has something of a ‘take-it-or-leave-it approach. We covered 80% of what was available to eat with our mixed plate of starters, ranging in complexity from an asparagus gazpacho to a raw cherry tomato, a cucumber and feta salad and bull casserole with rice for mains, and a chocolate fondant/soufflé for afters. Our very obliging and patient waitress suggested an appropriate wine pairing, and did not disappoint. If we were not towing a baby and/or eager to get on to more (free) wine, we could have settled in for hours.
Du Verre à L’Assiette, Gigondas
Excellent restaurant by the main square with very good plat du jour and range of local wines. The saving refuge if you have just done the Gigondas walk (see Activities).
Hotel Crillon le Brave
A few kilometres east but exceptional. Worth the trip for a special occasion. Dine outside for tremendous view of the Rhone valley. Have been a couple of times for lunch; impeccable…
Restaurants recommended but not yet tried.
Séguret
Côté Terrasse, 219 Rue des Poternes, 84110 Séguret. +33 4 90 28 03 48
Le Barroux
Gajulea, 201 Cours Louise Raymond, 84330 Le Barroux. +(33) 04 90 62 36 94
Beaumes de Venise
Le Dolium, 228 Route de Carpentras, 84190 Beaumes-de-Venise (attached to the wine co-operative). 04 90 12 80 00
Gigondas
L’Oustalet, 5 Place Gabrielle Andéol, 84190 Gigondas. 04 90 65 85 30
Carpentras
Chez Serge, 90 Rue Cottier, 84200 Carpentras. 04 90 63 21 24