NORMANDY - France 2014 - page 406

Côté Resto saddles up on the left side of Ste. Catherine Church and serves a top se-
lection of seafood (including seafood choucroute and real cheesecake—not served togeth-
er) in a classy setting. The value is excellent for those in search of a special meal (€23
two-course menu , €28 three-course menu , great selection, closed Thu, 8 Place Ste. Cather-
ine, tel. [phone], www.cote-restohonfleur.com ) .
Le Bréard serves exquisite modern French cuisine presented with care, style, and
ingenuity. Book ahead, then savor a delicious, slow meal in a formal yet appealing set-
ting—all for a fraction of the price you'd pay in Paris (€29, €45, and €55 menus, but
only higher-priced menus Fri-Sat, closed Mon-Tue, 7 Rue du Puits, tel. [phone],
www.restaurant-lebreard.com ).
Au P'tit Mareyeur is whisper-formal, intimate, all about seafood, and a good value.
Reservations are particularly smart here (€35 four-course menu, closed Tue-Wed and Jan,
4 Rue Haute, tel. [phone], mobile [phone], www.auptitmareyeur.fr , friendly
owner Julie speaks some English).
L'Homme de Bois combines great ambience with authentic Norman cuisine and de-
cent prices (€21 three-course menu with few choices, €24 menu gives more choices, daily,
a few outside tables, 30 Rue de l'Homme de Bois, tel. [phone]).
La Commanderie, specializinginpizzaandcrêpes(€10-12),iscozyandwelcoming
(daily July-Aug, closed Mon-Tue off-season, across from Le Corsaire restaurant on Place
Ste. Catherine, tel. [phone]).
Le Gambetta is a good place whose sincere owners limit the selection in order to
preserve the freshness of their products—it's a different set of options every day (€24
menus, closed Mon-Tue, 58 Rue Haute, tel. [phone]).
Travel Coffee Shop is an ideal breakfast or lunch option for travelers wanting
conversation (in either English or French) and good food at very fair prices (Thu-Tue
8:00-19:00, closed Wed, 74 Rue du Puits).
Dining along the Harbor: If the weather cooperates, slide down to the harbor and
table-shop the joints that line the high side. Several places have effective propane heaters
that keep outdoor diners happy when it's cool. Although the cuisine is mostly mediocre,
the setting is uniquely Honfleur—and, on a languid evening, hard to pass up. Take a stroll
along the port and compare restaurant views, chair comfort, and menu selection (all of
these places look the same to me). Then dive in and remember that you're paying for the
setting, not the cuisine: Stick with basic dishes such as crêpes, omelets, pizza, or pasta.
If you decide to eat elsewhere, at least come here for a before- or after-dinner drink—see
“Nightlife,” below.