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    L'Essentiel

    4.5 (31 reviews)
    Ultra High-EndFrench

    L'Essentiel Photos

    L'ESSENTIEL ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating

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    Cod
    Erin D.

    We ate here last night; I always love pre fix dinners. This one was quite affordable for our standards, either 37€ or 45€ depending on the main course you preferred. I actually liked the options better on the cheaper option and went with that. Overall, the service and presentation were fantastic. English menus and English speaking wait staff. The dessert was my favorite meal, but the appetizer and main course left much to be desired. While they were good and I ate it all, I felt that the tastes conflicted each other. For instance the cod had a heavy tomato compote under it that was great, but it really didn't pair well with the turnip purée under the vegetables. So that part seemed odd to me, although still an enjoyable meal.

    Chicken with artichokes, olives& a creamy sauce.
    Miranda B.

    Our AirBNB host recommended L'Essentiel as a fine dining experience, and since he knows the town, we went with his recommendation. We didn't have a reservation, but got decidedly lucky, nabbing a table outside in the lovely garden area. The one English-speaking waitress of the evening and an English menu assisted us with the meal. I'm honestly not quite sure how the menu worked in terms of what was "included" or not, but we both had an amuse-bouche (a small complimentary "appetizer" from the chef), a "real" appetizer, entree (chicken, fish), and dessert. And also a pre-dessert (which seems like a fine idea). The pacing was just right - a bit leisurely, but not enough to have us itching with impatience. The patio was fairly quiet but lively, and just right on a warm summer evening. Though I'm mostly a "chocolate only" dessert lover, the trio of desserts featuring raspberries (with some chocolate) was spectacular visually, and the taste, particularly of the spun cotton-candy-like dish, was intense. We hadn't been sure we'd end up here, and in my opinion, we were underdressed for the beauty of the place and the other customers (I was wearing black Italian pants that are fine for travel but still seemed too casual for here). Had I planned ahead, it would have included a dressier top or even a summer dress or skirt. Ties not needed, but this isn't the spot for grunge, that's for sure.

    Sramana M.

    An outstanding meal, no doubt. True to the Provencale philosophy, we lingered, savored, and took our own sweet time. And the people at the restaurant loved us more for it, rather than less. The egg with truffles was sublime, memorable. We were four, and got to taste multiple dishes on the menu, all equally fabulous. The wine was also outstanding, and according to Jean-Michel, had some great value listings. Not my specialty, but felt damn good on the palate. The presentation is lovely, rendering the experience one of the highlights of a wonderful trip. We promptly recommended to other friends who were headed to Avignon the same week.

    The Chicken on a potato mash
    Paul D.

    The service was excellent, zucchini flowers for entree were outstanding, the rack of lamb was unbelievably tender enhanced by an excellent pesto sauce. The chicken was also delicious and full of flavour. If there was one slight negative it was the fact that the restaurant was too hot and they did not use the air-conditioning. Unfortunately if you are a non smoker like us you have to avoid the outdoor fresh air dining options that are full of smokers and stick to the inside dining options.

    Gaspatio shooter with roasted chiken, seasoned perfectly

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    10 years ago

    4.5 star. Good food. Worth the money. Pri fixe Menu $48 a tab bit pretentious. Make reservations!!

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    13 years ago

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    EAT

    EAT

    4.8(14 reviews)
    0.1 km

    Our tour stopped in Avignon for two hours and we decided to have lunch during our time there…read more Thanks to the Yelp community found excellent recommendations for EAT. Per other reviewers, it is not far from the main square and in an alley off of a main commercial street. It has a modern and simple elegance and they featured a daily lunch special and regular starters, mains and desserts. It was a limited menu yet all the options were compelling it was hard to choose. My wife had the daily special of a white fish and potatoes in a bouillabaisse broth. It was amazing with notes of cinnamon and coriander. I had the chuck roast with artichokes and carrots. It was comforting and reminded me of a stew my grandmother used to make. The wine options were limited as they were all house options yet the red paired well with my entree. We did not have dessert but the options sounded delicious (chocolate mousse with caramelized peanuts, basil crème brûlée,etc.) The owner was helpful and professional. We would go back in a heartbeat and highly recommend. The meal further endeared us to the charming city of Avignon.

    Wonderful meal and ambiance... Small place and menu but everything we had was delicious and…read morereasonably priced. The chicken dish was the group's favorite. Only 1 server when we were there but he was very efficient. This was best meal we had in Avignon. Highly recommended.

    Photos
    EAT
    EAT - Pea Basil tagliatelle

    Pea Basil tagliatelle

    EAT - Pasta with peas and tomato

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    Pasta with peas and tomato

    Fou de Fafa

    Fou de Fafa

    4.5(34 reviews)
    0.5 km
    €€€

    Located in the small town of Avignon, the interior is very peaceful and calm. The ambiance is…read morerelaxing and no loud noise or such. Our server was very relaxed and she talked slowly and was very understandable. It was very nice and accommodating that there was an English translation for the food menu. Pan fried chicken breast (5/5): magnificent! Generally not a big fan of pesto but I don't know what magic was put to make the dish so flavorful and delicious. The mashed potatoes had an awesome texture. The chunks of potatoes were a nice touch and offered good diversity texture wise. Tuna capaccio (5/5): wow was this an amazing start. The flavor was balanced very well. The balsamic complimented the oil well. Pan fried tiger prawns (4/5): quite delicious. The cream sauce was very well done. Creamy and not overwhelming in flavor. Simply perfect! Chocolate creme brulée (5/5): the perfect way to end the night. Just be advised that the flavor was very strong and sweet. The hard carmelized sugar layer on top was so beautiful that I almost didn't want to break it. The custard was so creamy. Our time here did not feel rushed whatsoever. I had a very pleasant dining experience. Tap to pay is accepted here. Overall, Fou de Fafa is a great place for some fine dining. The menu items are selected well and have a good variety. The food was delicious and the server was so patient and kind. Highly recommended. This place gets an A from me!

    Husband and wife team serving up incredible dishes and personal/hospitable service. Best meal and…read moredining experience we had in Avignon. This would be my first stop when I return.

    Photos
    Fou de Fafa - Chocolate creme brulée

    Chocolate creme brulée

    Fou de Fafa - Pan fried tiger prawns

    Pan fried tiger prawns

    Fou de Fafa - Tuna capaccio

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    Tuna capaccio

    L'Essentiel - french - Updated May 2026

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