A stone’s throw from La Plaza La-Paillotte you’ll find Le Galoubet, a recommended favorite by locals. It is a popular bistro known for its charming vine-covered pergola terrace. The self-taught chef Celine Arribart offers contemporary French bistro cuisine with a daily changing prix-fixe menu based on market-driven ingredients. (a tad pricier than its neighbor but only marginally so).
We also had a delicious lunch at Les Domaines Qui Montent along one of the main drags. Two thumbs up for the Garlicky Frog Legs and the Bobosse Pate en Croute Maison. They also have an amazing wine selection.
The Frog Legs at Les Domaines Qui Montent
Bobosse Pate en Croute Maison at Les Domaines Qui Montent
Both have incredible ambiance and food and other options can be found in the foodie guide. We’d also add that it’s always a good idea just to meander and try things. When we’re in Europe, we typically have a gelato everyday. Why not? It’s that good in Italy and France.
The Market
While no doubt, I’ve missed some restaurant gems, perhaps down an alleyway we missed or in one of the main more populated squares. As a rule, we tend to focus on drinks, coffee and sweets in the main squares since they’re often over crowded and tend to be more expensive and the food rarely lives up to the price increase. We prefer off-the-beaten path spots.
I’d call Arles a foodie city although many French people may disagree with me. Sure, it doesn’t have the glamour of Nice and other parts of the Riviera, nor is it the bustling much larger Aix-en-Provence with its countless cafes and restaurants, but it does have a diversity of options and you won’t go hungry. We did try to get a crepe two separate evenings but the only two options were both closed.
Lastly, I must mention their Saturday market, because it’s the largest one in all of Provence. Luckily, we were there for their weekly market, which is massive compared to every other market we experienced in Provence and the Alpes (we went to about seven before we hit Arles). This bazaar of sorts is a large hub of street stalls extending as far as 2.5 km selling fresh produce, crafts, jams, jellies, cheese, savory items, clothes, bags, hats, artisan wood objects and more.
What is most remarkable is the size of the savory plated options, such as their sauteed shrimp, chicken, sausage and vegetables that they cooked on the largest woks I’ve ever seen. One of the other things I’ll note is that the size of the cheese blocks and the variety of mushrooms were both the most extensive of any other market we visited in Provence. Two thumbs up! I wished we had more time here.
Arles Foodie Guide — prawns anyone?
Arles Foodie Guide — sauteed fish and chicken at the market
The Arles market
Truly, there isn’t anything you can’t find at this market, including spices, olive oils, vinegars, sausage, balsamic, soaps, and the infamous Provence sea salt.
Arles Foodie Guide: Mushrooms at the local market in Arles
Arles Foodie Guide — Cheese at the local market in Arles
SEE OUR SHORT ARLES VIDEO RECAP HERE.
DETAILS
The Weekend Arles Market (Saturdays)
8 Bd des Lices
13200 Arles
