Restaurants in Angers

A request on Tom Cannavan's award-winning wine-pages for good places to eat in Angers, reminded me that the two best restaurants – Le Relais and le Petit Comptoir – in the centre of the city don’t have websites so aren’t listed amongst my links.

Although it is an important city, Angers has curiously few really good restaurants. However, I’m happy to recommend these two in the centre of Angers:

Le Petit Comptoir
Address: 40, Rue David d' Angers, 49100 Angers
Tel : 02 41 88 81 57
This tiny restaurant, just off the Boulevard Foch, now offers the best cooking in Angers. Run by Laetitia et Stéphane Cosnier, who worked in some of the top restaurants in Paris, before opening Le Petit Comptoir in April 2005. The cooking is modern French and there is a small list of well-chosen wines both from Anjou and elsewhere.
Booking is essential.
Useful information: Open every day except for Sunday and Monday. Lunchtime from €14 (one dish) – €19 (entrée and main dish). €26 menu in the evening.

Le Relais
Address: 9 Rue de la Gare, 49100 Angers
Tel: 02 41 88 42 51
Email: c.noel10@wanadoo.fr
Web: www.destination-anjou.com/relais
Run by sommelier Gérard Pelletier and chef Christophe Noel, Le Relais has long been one of Angers few good restaurants offering well executed, good value cooking. Good list of local wines carefully served. Service can be slow when they are busy. Essential to book have seen many turned away over the years because the restaurant has been fully booked.
Useful information: Menus: €18-€40.
(Details taken from Wine Travel Guides: www.winetravelguides.com)

Ate at the apparently fashionable Favre d’Anne in early February 2007. I wasn't impressed – a triumph of style over substance. It does, however, have a great view across the Maine.

View across the Maine towards the centre of Angers

The Auberge d’Eventard (www.auberge-eventard.com) is on the northern outskirts of Angers while, on the island of Béhuard near Savennières, is the fine Les Tonnelles (www.restaurant-lestonnelles.com).