11 Best Restaurants in Normandy, France

Rouen's Michelin-starred sensation, l'Odas is the brainchild of chef Olivier da Silva, whose selection of four- and six-course tasting menus has earned accolades for their seasonality, inventiveness, and deep connection to the surrounding countryside. Add a sensational view of Rouen's cathedral from the sleek yet warm dining room, and this makes for a singular way to experience Rouen's top-flight cuisine. 

On the quay at the heart of Rouen's gastronomic epicenter, Restaurant Gill was Rouen's only two-Michelin-star restaurant for 36 years—until chef Gilles Tournadre famously asked to exit the system in 2020. Stars or no, Tournadre maintains his reputation for culinary rigor, working with the splendors of the Norman woods, fields, and shore: oysters, crab, scallops, lobster, and several types of fish can be found on the menu every day, along with game like hare and piglet. Signature dishes include pigeon à la Rouennaise and veal sweetbread medallions with slow-simmered leeks and potatoes with truffles. When ordering your dinner, remember to request the soufflé made with (what else?) a silky old Norman Calvados. Although the tasting menu is pricey, it's worth the splurge for a primer in one of France's great regional cuisines.

A nice change from the grand, overly formal hotel dining rooms that dominate Deauville, the relaxed atmosphere and sensational, seasonal cuisine at this contemporary eatery have made it extremely popular (and earned it a Michelin star). Charles Thuillant and Mi-Ra Kim, who met in the kitchen of Paris's Ze Kitchen Galerie, focus on lighter Asian-inspired dishes with European influences, like caramelized salmon with yuzu-flavored daikon or Wagyu beef with grilled vegetables.

Chef Sylvain Nouin's focus at this sleek little eatery is contemporary bistro fare—and what his monthly changing menu lacks in size (it fits on a small blackboard), it more than makes up for in style. The two-course set menu features dishes like a veal tagine with a confit of dates and lemon, roasted quail with celery mousseline, or tête de veau (calf's head) with an herb vinaigrette; it's a steal at €21.80.

On one of Caen's oldest streets near the castle, this half-timber 17th-century dining room—complete with stone walls, beam ceilings, and a large fireplace—showcases excellent regional cuisine. Dishes like braised chuck with creamy polenta, or duck breast with grapes and mushrooms are great options.

While not on the Mont itself, Le Pré Sale makes up for this with a tasty menu of Normandy favorites, including a preparation of salt-marsh lamb, presented roasted or grilled, filleted or as a chop. Three set menus also call attention to non-lamb dishes, like locally sourced oysters, steak with Camembert sauce, and a rich gourmet salad with duck, ham, and foie gras.

At the end of a cobbled courtyard in the city's Old Town, this restaurant's half-timber building is a vintage charmer, and the elegant dining room is cozy and hushed. Regional flourishes dominate the menu, such as lobster served in a sweet Sauternes sauce, scallops with creamed cauliflower and quinoa risotto, or panfried beef tenderloin topped with foie gras.