PROVENCE - France 2014 - page 947

Le Galoubet is a popular local spot, blending a cozy interior, traditional French
cuisine, and service with a smile, thanks to owner Frank. It's the most expensive of the
placesIlistonthisstreetandtheleastflexible,servinga€29 menu only.Ifit'scold,aroar-
ing fire keeps you toasty (closed Sun-Mon, great fries and desserts, 18 Rue du Dr. Fanton,
tel. [phone]).
Bistrot à Vins suits wine-lovers who enjoy pairing food and drink, and those in
searchofagoodglassof vin .Sitataconvivialcounteroratoneoffivetableswhilelisten-
ing to light jazz (book ahead for a table). Affable Ariane speaks enough English and of-
fers a limited selection of simple, tasty dishes, though she talks of retiring (you may meet
new owners and a new menu ). Her savory tartes and fresh green salad make a great meal
(€10-16),andthewines—manyavailablebytheglass—arewellpriced(indoordiningonly
from 18:30 to 22:00, closed Mon-Tue, 2 Rue du Dr. Fanton, tel. [phone]).
And for Dessert: Soleileis hasArles'besticecream,withall-naturalingredientsand
unusual flavors such as fadoli —olive oil mixed with nougatine. There's also a shelf of
English books for exchange (daily 14:00-18:30, across from recommended Le 16 restaur-
ant at 9 Rue du Dr. Fanton).
Other Places near Place du Forum
(See “Arles Hotels & Restaurants” map, here . )
At La Cuisine de Comptoir, welcoming ownersAlexandre andVincentofferlight tartine
dinners—adeliciouscrossbetweenpizzaandbruschetta,servedwithsouporsaladforjust
€10 (a swinging deal—the brandada is tasty and filling). Watch le chef at work as you sip
your €2 glass of rosé in fine glassware and enjoy the lively ambience of this cool little bis-
tro (closed Sun, mostly indoor dining, just off Place du Forum's lower end at 10 Rue de la
Liberté, tel. [phone]).
La Pizza des Thermes, an inviting eatery a few blocks north of Place du Forum,
serves good pizza and pasta for €10-13 and has comfortable indoor and outdoor seating
(daily, 6 Rue du Sauvage, tel. [phone]).
Café de la Major is the place to go to recharge with some serious coffee or tea
(closed Sun, 7 bis Rue Réattu, tel. [phone]).
Near the Roman Arena
(See “Arles Hotels & Restaurants” map, here . )
For about the same price as on Place du Forum, you can enjoy regional cuisine with a
point-blank view of the arena. Because they change regularly, the handful of (mostly) out-
door eateries that overlook the arena are pretty indistinguishable.