Top Rated Restaurants & Cafes in Toulouse

Tucked away at the back of a bistro, the Bijou is somewhere between a café-theater and a concert-café, putting on various shows including one-man turns and a capella singing. If you enjoy the latter, there's a monthly session with Toulouse society the Joueurs de Voix, during which you can join the artists and sing along on stage. You can witness a lot of talented and upcoming musicians in the local music scene performing here. The interiors are modest and homey and the menu includes interesting options like Tuna Steak in the crust of cereals and Burger Bijou XXL.

This building has one of the most beautiful old brick facades in Place Saint Georges, and is so popular that reservations are essential. The dinner menu features smoked salmon, grilled duck breast and more. Most dishes feature products from the South West region, scallops and soles from Normandy, lamb from Pyrenees, duck from Gers, and pork from Quercy. Save room for dessert, Restaurant Emile has delectable desserts! A favorite among locals, the restaurant tends to get crowded during weekends.

This exceptional brasserie, named after the nearby Fine Arts school, is located on the beautiful banks of the Garonne. It is known mainly for its shellfish stall, from which you can choose your oysters. The set menu offers fish soup or foie gras salad, steak with anchovy cream or confit de canard (duck preserved in salt). The la carte menu includes a special Beaux-Arts sauerkraut.

Monsieur Georges is the right place to be if you are looking to try something interesting and new. For starters, this place is on four different levels, each with rooms where you can either lounge with a drink or enjoy a traditional French meal made from original recipes that date back generations. The decor in this place is stunning, contemporary, and chic. One level will have various abstract art all over the walls, while another area has arched white brick ceilings and walls that are brilliantly lit by candles.

The long Rue Riquet links the Corn Exchange (today restored into a magnificent concert hall) to the lanes of Jean-Jaurès. This is where you find La Madeleine de Proust whose décor, as you would expect, evokes memories. Did you once play with a garage full of miniature cars? Or was it a teddy bear in whom you confided all your sorrows? Here you can rediscover your childhood before your very eyes in the company of these familiar old friends. However, don't forget the food you came here for! In fact that would be difficult because the dishes are enticing: velouté chaud d'ortie à l'ancienne (old-fashioned hot nettle soup), artichauts de Jérusalem au citron (Jerusalem artichokes with lemon), bavettes de boeuf et crêpe de patates douces (slices of beef with sweet potato pancakes) followed by spicy home-made bread with verbena ice cream. That's Léonie's set menu. Otherwise, there's veal cooked in milk with garlic or roast cod and traditional vegetables.

One of the more interesting spots in Toulouse is La Voile Blanche, which is near a lovely beach, has a shaded terrace, pool, hot tub, and a full cocktail bar spread over 8000 square meters (86,111 square feet) of space. While you explore the venue, you will also notice waterfalls and straw-built looking architecture. Walk from the white sand beach into a restaurant that is decked out with elegant and exotic decor. La Voile Blanche is a marvelous place to visit during the summer, since the days are relaxed, and the evenings are spectacular! Be sure to call ahead for hours, since they change from time to time.