7 Best Restaurants in The Dordogne, France

No detective work is needed to find this popular spot—just follow the trail of local gourmands who make a beeline to this classic Périgord restaurant for its delicious cuisine and romantic ambience. Set in Périgeux's old town, you'll dine under vaulted stone walls almost as old as the Saint-Front cathedral a few steps away. Be sure to order the house-made foie gras served with passion fruit confiture or roasted duck breast with caramelized apples and cassis-"perfumed" spring vegetables. Everything here is homemade and seasonal so the menu changes frequently. Be sure to reserve ahead.

A scenic 10-minute drive from the Grotte du Grand-Roc, this proudly authentic restaurant deep in the Périgord countryside is the perfect finale to a day of exploring. Guests are whisked to a long table to feast on seasonal dishes, many hunted or foraged from the chef's property. Prepare yourself for nettle soup; heaping platters of house-cured ham; wild boar terrine with homemade cornichons; confit de canard with forest cèpes; beef cheeks stewed in local red wine; and a hearty walnut cake topped with elderberry, rose, or pine confiture—all for €41, including all the wine you can drink, coffee, and a digestif. It's truly an experience not to be missed, for a price that can't be beat.

This contemporary, centrally located restaurant draws gastronomes from near and far with its top-notch seasonal menu. Jean-François Dive's creative market-driven cuisine features artfully presented dishes with a knack for highlighting the natural goodness of vegetables—scallops simmered in celery and endive with chestnut puree and cèpe oil, or poached foie gras with a truffle-infused consommé of Jerusalem artichoke and fennel. The elegant, contemporary dining room is tranquil and relaxing, and the large outdoor terrace offers pleasant views of the square. If you're lucky enough to be here during truffle season, the all-truffle menu is well worth the splurge.

Cahors's finest dining establishment is befittingly set within the medieval Château de Mercuès, where you'll enjoy stellar views of the Lot Valley as you tuck into your gourmet meal. Here traditional technique meets contemporary cuisine in the able hands of Michelin-starred chef Julien Poisot, who pays homage to the bounty of the Lot Valley in dishes highlighting local flavors like black truffles and cêpes, house-made foie gras, Quercy saffron and lamb, and, of course, the best Cahors Malbec wines. When the weather is nice, the terrace in the main courtyard is a lovely place to dine and take in the views.

A timeless atmosphere and delicious, great-value cuisine are the hallmarks of this family-owned restaurant and inn set in a charming 17th-century house that's been serving traditional Périgord specialties for more than 50 years. Tuck into terrine of foie gras with homemade chutney, roast leg of Quercy lamb, or Pyrénées trout served gravlax-style with dill, pink peppercorns, and preserved ginger, before finishing with a perfect cheese plate favoring the local goat cheeses. At €21 for a three-course lunch or €32 for a four-course dinner, it's a value too good to pass up.

You can't miss this restaurant's bright red facade that faces the town's covered market (the origin of many of the ingredients of your meal here). A place that takes "locally sourced" seriously, you'll find not only the names but the French zip codes for each item on the menu: white asparagus from Mr. Duret with Périgord walnuts; foie gras from Cahors-based Maison Rougié; and butter from Maison Baechler, all the way to your after-dinner espresso. But the real test of quality is on the plate, a test this warm contemporary dining room passes with flying colors.

This welcoming Michelin-starred dining room is the region's best bet for an excellent gourmet meal. Add exceptional prices on the prix-fixe menus (€62 for four courses to €105 for a seven-course meal) and beautiful panoramic views from both inside and out and it's well worth making a detour. Dishes—cod with a pleasingly tart sauce of capers, cornichons, and tarragon; tender Salers beef baked in a sesame crust; line-caught sea bass with candied kumquat mousse, buttery multicolor carrots, and citrus-lacquer beets—are scrumptious and beautifully presented. Desserts sound so good it's hard to choose, but you can't go wrong with a towering Grand Marnier soufflé.