Our Top Relaxed Restaurants in the Luberon, Featuring the Fresh, Local and Authentic Cuisine of Provence
- rebeccacoulliais
- Jul 14
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 25
The Luberon is a food lover's paradise. While it is lovely to splurge on a special meal once in a while, mostly, our guests ask us for recommendations for restaurants with a relaxed atmosphere, with an authentic Provencal vibe, using fresh, local produce.
This is a curated selection of our favourite restaurants in Provence, specifically around Saignon, updated in 2025. They are in no particular order.
We think that it always best to book ahead, especially for larger groups. For our Villa Vauvert guests, we are happy to take care of your restaurant reservations for you, please don't hesitate to ask. We also propose a private chef service for our guests, for the evenings you would really rather stay by the pool.
CAFE DE LA GARE - BONNIEUX
This is a genuine French bistro, at the foot of the beautiful village of Bonnieux, just 20 minutes from Saignon. Sitting opposite the now redundant Bonnieux train station, Cafe de la Gare has been around for over 100 years. It is steeped in history as revealed by the ancient frescos decorating the walls of the restaurant. It has been serving authentic Provencal food for decades.
With lots of indoor seating and a large shady terrace outside, it is great for lunch or dinner. Daily menu is 25 euros
BAR DES AMIS - VILLARS
This relaxed, friendly restaurant is everything that you imagine it to be. Lovers of authentic French cuisine and inventive recipes, this one is for you! Reasonable prices, outside seating overlooking the town square, super friendly staff, interesting menus with a modern twist on traditional French fare with amazing local and seasonal produce, that really show case life in Provence. Villars is 15 minutes from Saignon.
LORENZO PIZZA VAN
Not a restaurant, but a food truck. Lorenzo sets up in a different Luberon village each evening. Perfect for an evening when, frankly, you just don't feel like getting out of the pool.
Pop up to Saignon on a Saturday night and pick up a steaming hot, authentic Italian pizza, you won't regret it! The best pool side fare for a hot summer evening. You can also find him on Monday and Friday night in Apt, Tuesday in Saint Saturnin, or Wednesday in Caseneuve. Closed on Thursday. Don't forget to call an order ahead, he regularly sells out!
LE COMPTOIR DE BALTHAZAR - SAIGNON
A charming, little restaurant, typical of Provence, in the heart of Saignon village, just opposite the picturesque church. The setting is lovely, tables nestled under the shade of a leafy awning, and the food is good. A small menu, with just a couple of choices, reasonable priced and fresh, local produce. It is a relaxed affair, but very small so best to book ahead. Gluten free alternatives are possible, but as the menu is very limited, it is best to book ahead and tell them. They will happily organise suitable alternatives. Best market to plate food in town.
LES BELLES LURETTES - CERESTE-EN-LUBERON
We love les Belles Lurettes for a relaxed lunch or an aperatif in the evening. But how many times have we said that and then ended up staying for dinner as well?! Coming here is like stepping back in time to a sleepy french village, in the heart of Provence. The food, the welcome, the decor are authentic and charming.
The menu is small, the main star being focaccia and home made dishes like quiche and salad. The food is fresh and the dishes home made. The welcome is second to none, if relaxed is your vibe, this is your place!
And did I mention, literally everything (from your glass to the pictures adorning the walls) is for sale?
LE BISTRO DE LA CITADELLE- MENERBES
Domaine de la Citadelle, a beautiful vinyard in Menerbes, has two restaurants: le Bistro and le Tayac. La Table Agricole Tayac is a gourmet restaurant. Le Bistro is exactly what it claims to be- a lovely restaurant nestled in the Citadelle winery, an authentic French bistro serving local, fresh, seasonal produce.
In summer they open the terrace, which gives a beautiful view of the Luberon. The food is good, the wine is good and the service is great-perfect Provence!
Why not also take the time to do a wine tasting, or visit the corkscrew museum (sounds weird, but it is actually pretty interesting!) as well. This is the perfect end to an afternoon or morning of visiting vinyards, and perched vllages such as Menerbes, 30 minutes away.
These are just some of our favorite places, stay tuned for more addresses, or check out some of our former posts for best aperative spots, best fine dining or wineries we love.
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