WHAT and WHERE to eat in the Dordogne Region ? Must-Try Food Experiences

In my opinion, the Dordogne Valley has the most authentic and diverse food in France.

As you might know, each french region has it’s own food specialties, which makes France such a diverse destination.

But when I think about the Dordogne, I always get hungry! This is the best place to travel if you are a food lover. And as a food lover myself, I really enjoyed writting this article.

I will show you what kind of dishes to taste, where to eat like a local and the best restaurants that are re-designing the traditional food in a modern way. This guide will help complete your itinerary in Dordogne in the most tasty way!

If you are just excited as I am, let’s dive in!

The star of any Périgord table! The traditional preparation here is mi-cuit (semi-cooked), seasoned simply with salt and pepper to let the rich, buttery flavor shine through.

Personal Experience: During my stay at Château de Monrecour, the hotel’s restaurant served a foie gras terrine with fig compote that was absolutely transcendent. The contrast between the rich, velvety foie and the sweet fruit compote created a perfect harmony that paired beautifully with a glass of local Monbazillac. I still dream about that starter!

Where to Try It: La Table de Monrecour, even if you decide not to sleep there. The quality is amazing!

Le Bistro de l’Octroi in Sarlat serves an exceptional foie gras with caramelized apples that showcases why this delicacy is so revered.

This slow-cooking preservation method produces duck legs with impossibly crispy skin and melt-in-your-mouth meat.

Personal Experience: After a day of kayaking through the “Valley of Five Castles,” we stopped at La Petite Tonnelle (in Beynac), exhausted and ravenous. Their confit de canard was revelatory – crispy skin giving way to tender meat that fell off the bone, served alongside potatoes roasted in duck fat. It was the perfect reward after a day of paddling!

Where to Try It: Le Présidial serves an outstanding confit in their beautiful garden terrace, and the atmosphere alone is worth the visit. Le Grand Bleu also elevates this rustic dish to fine dining status.

Black Truffles

Often called “black diamonds,” Périgord truffles have an earthy, complex aroma that’s utterly unique.

Personal Experience: During our visit in Sarlat, I ventured to the Saturday truffle market. The market opens early, and the serious buyers arrive at dawn. After watching the passionate negotiations, I splurged on a small truffle and brought it home, where the chef (aka my husband!) kindly shaved it over a simple pasta dish. The aroma filled the entire home!

Where to Try It: Visit during winter truffle season (December-February) and try the truffle menu at La Villa Romaine or the truffle-infused scrambled eggs at L’Adresse in Sarlat.

While truffles and foie gras steal the spotlight, the humble Cabécou goat cheese deserves its own moment of glory – and I discovered its magic thanks to Pierro, the passionate cheese maestro of Sarlat!

During our first Dordogne adventure, we stumbled into his shop and were immediately overwhelmed by the staggering variety of cheeses – easily over 100 types lined up like soldiers, each with its own story.

When Pierro noticed our cheese-induced paralysis, he enthusiastically recommended what he called a “meringue” made of Cabécou – a small, delicate goat cheese with a texture that can only be described as clouds of creamy heaven. Both my husband and I were instantly smitten, the tangy-sweet flavor lingering long after we’d returned to our rental.

Fast forward one year, and we actually planned our return Dordogne itinerary with a specific cheese-buying mission in mind!

We were thrilled to discover that Pierro’s cheese empire had expanded – he’d opened a cheese-focused restaurant (a temple to dairy if there ever was one) and established a separate selling point on Sarlat’s main boulevard. Naturally, we visited both locations, because when it comes to life-changing Cabécou, one simply cannot exercise restraint!

Shopping at the Dordogne’s vibrant markets is both a cultural experience and a feast for the senses. Here’s my market strategy for self-catering travelers:

Early Bird Gets the Best: Arrive by 8:30am to beat both the crowds and the heat. Local producers set up first, while the stands selling touristy trinkets generally arrive later.

Personal Experience: One Wednesday morning in Sarlat, I arrived at the market just after 8am and found myself shopping alongside chefs from local restaurants. I followed a chef from Le Petit Paris to a particular cheese vendor, and when I told the vendor I was following the expert’s lead, both laughed and the vendor gave me extra samples to try!

Shopping Tip: Bring your own basket or bag – it’s both environmentally friendly and marks you as someone who respects local traditions rather than a one-time tourist.

My personal strategy involves following talented chefs as they select the finest seasonal ingredients. One memorable morning, I arrived at Sarlat’s market just after 8am and found myself shopping alongside the original chef from Le Petit Paris!

Where to Eat in Sarlat: From Budget to Blowout

Budget-Friendly Gems:

• : My go-to for affordable, authentic regional dishes. Their 19€ lunch menu including a glass of wine is unbeatable value.
• Les Courtines: Perfect for a quick lunch of galettes (savory buckwheat crepes) filled with local ingredients.

Personal Experience: After exploring the cliffside villages of La Roque-Gageac and Beynac Castle, I was famished but on a budget. Le Petit Paris’s three-course lunch menu was a lifesaver – I enjoyed a walnut salad, duck confit, and walnut cake with a glass of local red wine, all for under 20€!

Gueule et Gosier: We ate here with our friends and were impressed by the quality of the food. The setting is really nice during summer when you can enjoy the terrace. It is situated on a cobble street in the old town of Sarlat.

• La Couleuvrine: Housed in a 13th-century building that was once part of Sarlat’s ramparts, they serve excellent traditional dishes with a modern twist. Try their walnut soufflé!
• Le Presidial: Beautiful garden terrace dining with refined local cuisine. Their duck breast with cherry sauce is worth writing home about.

Personal Experience: During one of our guided tours in the Dordogne Valley, our guide recommended Le Presidial for dinner. The garden setting was magical as dusk fell, with candles illuminating the ancient stone walls. Their foie gras trio starter showcased three different preparations, and it was fascinating to taste the subtle differences.

Special Occasion Splurges:

• Le Grand Bleu: Michelin-starred yet not pretentious, Chef Maxime Lebrun transforms local ingredients into art. The tasting menu is an unforgettable journey through Périgord flavors.
• La Villa Romaine: Located just outside town, their terrace offers stunning views paired with sophisticated cuisine. Their truffle menu in winter is legendary.
• Le Petit Paris: This charming restaurant boasts a spacious terrace overlooking the village square and two beautifully rustic dining rooms that capture the region’s soul perfectly. The chef – a proud local son – showcases weekly-changing regional specialties twisted with international inspiration from his travels.

Personal Experience: After a week of exploring the region’s historic sites and natural beauty, I treated myself to dinner at Le Grand Bleu. The seven-course tasting menu was a culinary tour of the Dordogne, featuring everything from river fish to local lamb to a spectacular dessert showcasing Périgord strawberries. It was worth every euro!

Just an hour’s drive from Sarlat lies Bergerac wine country, producing excellent wines that offer tremendous value:

Must-Visit Wineries:

• Château Monbazillac: Their sweet white wines have been famous since the 16th century.
• Domaine de la Jaubertie: Organic vineyard producing excellent dry whites and reds.
• Château Tour des Gendres: Family-run estate making innovative, terroir-driven wines.

Wine Pairing Tips:

Personal Experience: After visiting Bergerac, one of France’s most perfectly preserved bastide towns, I stopped at Château Monbazillac on the way back home (in Toulouse). The guided tour explained how the misty microclimate creates perfect conditions for noble rot, essential for their sweet wines. The tasting that followed was educational and delicious – I left with several bottles!

Walnut Wonderland

Walnuts are to Périgord what olives are to Provence – a defining agricultural product that flavors everything

• Liqueur de Noix: A delicious digestif made by steeping green (unripe) walnuts in wine spirits and sugar.
• Gâteau aux Noix: Walnut cake, often served with a dollop of crème fraîche or a glass of sweet wine.
• Huile de Noix (Walnut Oil): Adds a nutty complexity to salads and fish dishes. The best producers use traditional stone mills, like the Moulin de la Tour near Sarlat, where you can watch the production process.

Personal Experience: At L’Essentiel wine bar in Sarlat, I ordered a local cheese plate that came drizzled with fresh walnut oil and accompanied by walnut bread. The combination was so perfect that I immediately sought out the Moulin de la Tour to buy some oil to take home.

From Farm to Table: Producer Visits

Skip the supermarkets and go straight to the source:

Lacombe Michel serves simple but tasty food, straight from local markets and their own farm. We had dinner there during our trip in 2022, great experience! But even back then, we had to book ahead!

• La Ferme de Turnac near Domme offers duck farm tours where you can learn the traditional methods of producing foie gras and confit.
• Ferme de Vialard outside Sarlat is a working farm that sells their own charcuterie, cheeses, and seasonal produce directly to visitors.
• La Truffière de Péchalifour near St-Cyprien offers truffle-hunting experiences followed by tastings. Watching the trained dogs sniff out these underground treasures is fascinating!

Summer Night Markets: The Ultimate Local Experience

One of my absolute favorite Dordogne experiences was discovering the marchés nocturnes (night markets) held throughout summer:

Villages set up long tables in the main square, local producers sell ready-to-eat specialties, and everyone – tourists and locals alike – dines together under the stars with live music and flowing wine. It’s communal dining at its most charming!

Top Night Market Locations:

• Audrix: Thursdays in July-August
• St-Pompon: Fridays in July-August
• Belvès: Monday evenings
• Montignac: Wednesday evenings

Personal Experience: After a long day exploring the prehistoric art at Lascaux IV, I stopped by Montignac’s night market on my way back to Sarlat. I joined a table of French families and a couple from Australia, and despite language barriers, we shared an evening of incredible food, local wine, and much laughter. The grilled duck skewers and farm-fresh strawberries were standouts, but the communal experience was the real highlight.

Arrive early (7pm) to secure a table, then browse the stalls for your meal components – perhaps some grilled duck hearts, local chèvre, freshly shucked oysters, and seasonal vegetables, followed by crêpes or regional pastries.

Hidden Gems Eating Experiences

Lou Toupi – A Summer Evening Dream

We discovered “Lou Toupi” by chance while driving toward La Roque Gageac.

Following our curiosity (and growling stomachs), we discovered this seasonal restaurant that only operates during summer months. Located just before the village entrance, the beautiful open-air tent with twinkling lights creates a welcoming atmosphere as evening falls.

Its position offers lovely views over La Roque Gageac and the Dordogne River. The menu nicely balances traditional Périgord ingredients with modern twists.

If your Dordogne visit falls during summer, make this dreamy outdoor dining experience a priority – but call ahead, as the secret is definitely getting out!

Jardins de Marqueyssac – Two Dining Personalities

The suspended gardens of Marqueyssac are already a must-visit for their incredible topiary displays, but many visitors miss out on the extraordinary dining experiences available on site.

During daylight hours, the terrace restaurant offers one of the Dordogne’s most spectacular lunchtime views. Perched high above the valley with panoramic vistas of the river and surrounding castles, it’s the perfect spot to linger over a leisurely meal while soaking up the sunshine. The menu focuses on simple but well-executed regional dishes, and the true stars are the free-roaming peacocks that strut majestically around the tables, occasionally displaying their magnificent tail feathers to the delight of diners. I still laugh remembering my husband’s startled expression when a particularly bold peacock approached to inspect his foie gras!

But Marqueyssac truly transforms after dark during their famous “Marqueyssac aux Chandelles” evenings. On Thursday nights in summer, the gardens are illuminated by thousands of candles, creating a magical landscape that feels plucked from a fairy tale. These special evenings often feature live music performances, and dining on the terrace under the stars with the valley twinkling below and candlelight dancing through the gardens is an experience that will remain etched in my memory forever. We enjoyed a prix-fixe menu featuring seasonal specialties, accompanied by local wines, all served at a relaxed pace that encouraged savoring both the food and the enchanting atmosphere.

Whether by day with peacock companions or by night with candlelight and music, Marqueyssac offers dining experiences that transcend mere meals to become cherished memories.

Lacombe Michel – Farm-Fresh Authenticity

Lacombe Michel serves simple but tasty food sourced directly from local markets and their own farm. We had dinner there during our 2022 trip and found the straightforward dishes highlighted the quality of the fresh ingredients. Their duck confit was excellent, and the dessert selection impressive. Though less known to international travelers, it’s popular with locals – we had to book ahead even back then. A good choice for authentic Périgord cooking without pretense.

Sweet Endings: Périgord Pastries

The Dordogne’s dessert traditions are less famous than its savory specialties but equally delicious:

• Périgourdine Walnut Tart: A caramelized walnut filling in buttery pastry – try the version at Boulangerie Larénie in Sarlat.
• Tourtière: Not the meat pie you might know from Quebec, but a delicate apple dessert made with paper-thin layers of pastry, apples, and Armagnac.
• Fraises du Périgord: Local strawberries with an IGP (protected geographical indication) status due to their exceptional quality. Simply served with a splash of walnut liqueur, they’re the perfect summer dessert.
• Merveilles: Ribbon-like fried pastries dusted with sugar, traditionally made during carnival season but available year-round at good bakeries.

Personal Experience: On my last morning in Sarlat, I stopped by the Saturday market one final time and purchased fresh strawberries, a small bottle of walnut liqueur, and some local cream. Back at my accommodation at Le Clos du Peintre, I assembled this simple dessert on my terrace overlooking the gardens. It was the perfect farewell to a region that had utterly captivated me with its flavors.

The Dordogne might not be France’s most famous food region, but for those in the know, it offers some of the country’s most authentic and deeply satisfying culinary experiences. From market mornings to candlelit dinners in medieval surroundings, this is a place where food isn’t just sustenance – it’s a celebration of land, history, and the art of living well.