I inadvertently did the unthinkable. We arrived late into Vouvray and my gracious VRBO host…read moresuggested trying to get to one of the only 2 open restaurants in town before they closed at 10pm. She said not to go after 9 because they will not want to serve dinner within the last hour of being open. She also said that the French Italian restaurant across the street from Le Val Joli was very popular but that Le Val Joli is the best if I could get there in time. I made it to the restaurant by 8:45, leaving plenty of wiggle room before closing at 10. The woman who welcomed me had a puzzled expression when I asked for a table and said she would need to check with the chef. I asked her if they were still open and she said no, they were closing at 9. The restaurant still had a few tables full of people eating and she said they would still be there for awhile and that she could check to see if I could be served. I was mortified I had tried to walk in just a few minutes before they were set to close and apologized profusely, offering to come back again when there was more time. She was incredibly kind and said she would just check with the chef. The chef came out looking understandably exasperated with me but still kind. He pointed to a few things on the menu that would take less preparation time and said I could stay if I only ordered what could be prepared quickly. After driving for 5 hours, and as embarrassed as I was, I was desperate for real food. I accepted the chef's terms and ordered the foie gras, fish, and profiterole for dessert. I believe the chef is also the owner of the restaurant and while he was still clearly irritated with me, he was willing to feed me on his terms, and I was happy to be fed. The hostess may also have been an owner. She was incredibly kind and clearly wanting to make sure I was able to get food. The meal turned out to be the best meal I experienced on my trip across France. I was sad to speed-eat through this meal experience but I was determined not to be the last table at the restaurant to demonstrate to my gracious hosts that I understood I would be holding them up due to my untimely arrival. Even so, the meal was incredible. The buttery smooth foie gras melted beautifully with every bite. The fish was fresh, tender, and absolute perfection. By the time the profiterole came out, I was so satisfied by the rest of the food, I only took a bite, then ate the ice cream from the center and called it a good night. I'm certain they were unimpressed by my speedy eating skills, and I hope I didn't offend the chef who had prepared such an impeccable meal truly made to be enjoyed, not inhaled. My stomach was happy nonetheless, and the meal was one to be remembered. I just hope next time I make a stop in Vouvray, they don't remember me and I'll take the time to truly enjoy every bite of the amazing food they serve at Le Val Joli. If Vouvray is on your route through Loire Valley, or if you can make the detour, Le Val Joli is well worth the trip. Just make sure you arrive with ample time to enjoy every incredible bite! (deny knowing the woman with very rude timing who showed up on their doorstep in search of any food & was served the most memorable meal in all of Loire Valley)

Stopped here for their formula lunch while visiting wineries of the Loire. We had an excellent meal…read more& appreciated the service & atmosphere. The food and wine list were lovely.

This is the most unique and delicious restaurant of our Loire Valley exploration so far. Dinner in…read morea real cave with an atmosphere that will surprise you. Wood fired grills are used to prepare beef dishes and a burning fire for ambiance is in the center of the main dining area. We ordered the gourmet three course dinners and they were fabulously French! Nice Amuse-Bouche, wonderful bread with fresh butter, and an after dinner plate of cookies and confections were served gratis. Prices are fair and the food we had was divine. Menus are in French only. A waitress helped us with translations. Be prepared to spend over 2 hours here and savor the rich flavors of this French cuisine at an unhurried pace.

The outside aesthetics of this place is beyond breathtaking. It took me 15 minutes just to enter…read morebecause I couldn't photographing everything. Upon entering, there is a musty smell but it's to be expected when dining inside of a Cave hundreds years old. It's dimly lit and the decor is not memorable, but it's warm. The service was spot on. This was a unique dining experience i won't forget. The food was great at the time, but I don't remember it today. The location definitely left an impression.

An amazing meal in a picturesque setting in the heart of the Vouvray. The wine list is worth the…read morevisit, but the food takes you to a whole new place. A must visit.

This place was a closed and is now a Thai restaurant…read more 8/30/25 We went back to L Universe restaurant and sat outside for the French experience and it was The rain rolled over n and we watched the staff quickly move the guest to covering. And the rain stopped in 20 minutes

In Tours to see the chateaus. Found this restaurant & after going two nights in a row, felt…read morefortunate to know about it. The food was excellent both nights including wild boar terrine, cassoulet of escargot & cockles; pork cheeks & a cod dish. Dessert didn't disappoint either. Marie, the proprietress/server, was more than accommodating & made us feel at home. Easily our best meals of our 3 week vacation & one of the most reasonably priced.

Wonderful steak frites, excellent service, friendly atmosphere. The dessert selection is fantastic.read more

I'm sorry I don't get the other reviews. Only thing I can think is the chef changed…read more Positives: great location by the castle and semi attentive staff. Portions are big/fair. Based on prior reviews we had high hopes. There were 4 of us so we each tried something different. The 2 steaks/duck were super tough ( cooked med rare). We said something to the waiter and we asked if we wanted it to be cooked some more. No thx - additional cooking would make it even more leathery. Fries looked like they were cut in half, then in half, then again. Really why serve a bunch of broken potato pieces. The waiter praised the house wine, and pushed it hard but honestly it was not very good. Maybe "buvable'. A bit sour, no complexity. But heck it pairs with the steak. Sorry, but our worst meal yet in France. (Day 8) . Take your chance- hopefully your experience is better than ours. But don't say nobody forewarned you ...

It is a hidden treasure. Because of this place I decided to comment on Yelp…read more We had a fabulous dinner inside a beautifully decorated cave. The attention was excellent and prices where reasonable to low. I recommend the beef and the duck. Additionally, the desserts where excellent. Really recommend this place and it is a different experience. Bon appetite.

Had the fixed price menu. Everything was really great. Really good flavors and super interesting…read more It was a pretty good price for everything. Service was really good. I would highly recommend. The only thing that we didn't love was the dessert. But admittedly we are hot fudge sundae type of people so that dessert was probably just too refined for our tastes.

Nice french food with overal atmosfeer of 4 stars. Food was good en service also. Good place for…read morewine dine and simple food and service. Not too fancy but still good for our wishes.

From the owner: Départ Immédiat Installé à Rochecorbon, le restaurant L'Embarcadère vous invite à un départ…read moreimmédiat pour un voyage de saveurs. Les convives découvrent une cuisine du terroir autour de produits de la région, et profitent pour le déjeuner du coquet jardin ombragé.