The 10 Best Restaurants In Brest, France

Located at Brest’s bustling port, La Maison de L’Océan aptly serves delicious seafood dishes in a stylish, marine-themed space. Start with small dishes like homemade foie gras with langoustines and scallops or freshly harvested mussels in creamy sauce before mains like locally caught poached ray wing with caper beurre noisette or La Maison de L’Océan’s signature fisherman’s cotriade (a stew of fish and potatoes). The restaurant’s seafood platters, the largest of which is the Royal Océan and comes with crab, oysters, langoustines, lobster, whelks, winkles, clams and shrimp, are also very popular and available to eat-in or takeaway.

A fixture of Brest’s dining scene for over 25 years, Le Khyber focuses on classic Indian and Pakistani cuisine. Entrées like onion bhaji and keema samosa and Le Khyber’s specialty tandoori starters kick-start patrons’ authentic dining experience. Its main dishes have something to suit every taste from spicy lamb vindaloo to a mild shrimp korma and several vegetarian-friendly dishes including mattar paneer and aloo gobi. Dessert offerings are equally authentic with options like kulfi (an Indian ice cream recipe with milk, cream, pistachio and cardamom) and suji halva, a semolina-based sweet treat with almonds and coconuts.

Elevating the humble burger beyond a mere fast-food staple, the grub at Le Comptoir du Burger is a decidedly gourmet affair. Thirteen different burgers, all of which are served with house-made fries, are offered, including signature varieties like the Uncle Sam topped with cheddar, smoked bacon, sautéed onions and tomato-tarragon tartare sauce and locally inspired burgers like the Iroise topped with Breton cheese, sausage from Molène and onions. Any of the restaurant’s burgers can be substituted with a vegetarian patty, and for younger diners, Le Comptoir du Burger offers a child-size portion that comes with a drink and a house-made brownie.

A meat lovers favourite since first opening its doors 16 years ago, Le Boeuf sur le Quai is the place to go in Brest for a fix of steaks, pork, lamb and other meaty treats. Located in a cozy, quirky space just a stone’s throw from Château de Brest, the restaurant boasts details like cowhide-covered walls and an open grill where guests can see their food being cooked. As its name suggests, Le Boeuf sur le Quai’s specialty is beef, think steak tartare, juicy prime rib and beef carpaccio, but there are plenty more options for hungry carnivores to choose from including sausage, grilled duck and spit-roasted lamb shank.

The brainchild of Chef Romain Pouzadoux and his wife Charlotte, L’Imaginaire is a smart and stylish restaurant with an innovative, eco-friendly ethos. Ditching traditional set menus in favor of a more exciting and seasonal approach to dining, L’Imaginaire offers guests ‘surprise’ menus of either three, six or nine dishes crafted from available produce. Though the restaurant’s menus change frequently with the seasons, guests can expect creative plates like langoustine ravioli with tarragon bisque and pigeon with dried fruit, salsify and barberry, while its equally tempting dessert offerings have recently included an indulgent chocolate tart.

Le Potager de Mémé’s focus is simple. Hearty, homemade French cuisine crafted from local, organic and artisanal produce. Open for lunch six days a week, the homey restaurants offerings include soups, pies and salads served alongside seasonal plates like sausage and Loqueffret beef casserole and winter vegetables. On Friday and Saturday evenings, Le Potager de Mémé opens for dinner with delicious dishes like Pollack with lemon sauce and smoked salt or blanquette of veal made with beer from Tri Martolod in nearby Concarneau. Stick around for dessert, there are options like artisanal cheese plates and molten chocolate cake from which to choose.

For deliciously authentic Thai cuisine in Brest, look no further than Thai Phuket. Opened in late 2014 by owner Yurong Zhang, a native of Thailand who ran successful restaurants in Paris for a decade before moving to Brest, the restaurant serves up tempting entrées like tom kha kai (chicken soup with coconut milk and galangal) and green papaya salad followed by mouthwatering mains including spicy green curry with chicken, baby corn and eggplant and grilled duck with spinach and tamarind sauce. House specialty dishes include classic pad Thai with prawns, while its dessert menu, featuring traditional sweet treats like khao tom mad, a dish of sticky rice, taro and banana, offer the perfect ending to an authentic Thai meal.

Inspired by owner and chef Daniel Daoulas’ travels across the world, the menu at Le Bouche à Oreille is brimming with eclectic dishes and global flavors. Two cozy, intimate dining rooms welcome guests to try inventive entrées like lentil velouté with foie gras and fresh coriander or chicken skewers marinated in an Indian-style sauce. Le Bouche à Oreille’s mains dishes include the likes of duck breast with cocoa and pepper sauce and filet mignon of pork stuffed with goat cheese and olives. Weekday lunch and weekend dinner discounts are also offered alongside tempting desserts like chocolate and salted caramel butter tartlet.

As Brest’s only Michelin-starred restaurant, Le M is a must-try for any self-respecting foodie. Located in a beautifully styled mansion boasting ample rooms and a picturesque terrace perfect for summertime al fresco dining, the restaurant is helmed by experienced restaurateur Bruno Diabaoui and chef Philippe Le Bigot and offers seasonal menus showcasing the very best of Brittany grown produce with a distinct contemporary twist. Le M’s current winter menu features appetizers like locally harvested oysters and shellfish in a spicy citrus jus or smoked duck foie gras with apple, while mains include pigeon with crispy leg confit and monkfish medallions with onion broth and caramelized endives.

Nestled on the edges of Marina du Chateau, L’épuisette boasts some of the best views of Brest’s busy port. Inside, it’s a stylish but quirky little joint decked out in a distinctly beachy motif where you can opt to sit in a stylish dining room overlooking the marina or booths styled like beach huts. Naturally, seafood dominates L’épuisette’s menu with plenty to please pescatarians, from paella with shrimp, chorizo and scallops to cod au gratin with aioli and potato puree, but meat lovers fear not, there is plenty of meat-based dishes too including duck shepherd’s pie and juicy T-bone steak with fries.