Tables with the best views in Toulouse
Looking for a restaurant that will blow your mind (but not just your mind)? Rooftops, sunny terraces, "guinguettes" or green spaces, here is our selection of gourmet restaurants with breathtaking views.
Ma Biche sur le Toit
Perched on the top floor of the Galeries Lafayette shop, Ma Biche sur le Toit is a brasserie with a breathtaking view of the rooftops, brickwork, towers and monuments of the city centre. On the outdoor terrace, with a drink in hand as the sun sets, the atmosphere becomes unforgettable. At the table, Michel Sarran's menu focuses on fresh produce and a cuisine that blends French gastronomy with Asian flavours.
Au Pois Gourmand
Ugo Plazzotta has taken over the family restaurant and, in homage to the spring vegetable that lends its name to this eatery, he likes to offer his customers a refined and generous cuisine. The icing (or petit pois) on the cake is the restaurant's lovely and unique decor, whether you are seated inside the beautiful brick bourgeois building or on the terrace by the Garonne, surrounded by nature.
La Table du belvédère
The restaurant is located on the 8th floor of a tiered building built in the late 1960s. The terrace, which is open in summer, overlooks the stadium, the Garonne and its tree-lined banks, and touches the immensity of the Toulouse sky, with the Pyrenees Mountains looming on the horizon on clear days. A panorama that makes you (almost) forget about your meal. In the restaurant and bistro, Chef Gilbert Trantoul also hits the heights with his gastronomic dishes.
How would you like a view of the River Garonne?
The River Garonne is a wide and tempestuous waterway that flows through the very heart of the city. It really is the place to be: in summer numerous guinguette bistros are set not far from its banks and allow diners to soak up the sunshine and the views.
Before or after a show, to have a drink or share a few small plates prepared with fresh ingredients, go to the bistro located inside the Théâtre Garonne with its gentle views of the river, its banks and the Pont des Catalans bridge.
Not far from the centre of Toulouse is Le Clapotis, a restaurant where you can order fresh fish and seafood. Here at the water's edge you could almost be in the countryside.
(Floating) Islands
The île du Ramier is an ensemble of islands at the centre of two branches of the River Garonne in the very heart of Toulouse. In summer, the guinguette L’Écluse sets up tables and parasols at the tip of the island, under the cooling shade of the age-old trees. All year round, the Émulation Nautique and Le Rowing, restaurants that are just as convivial as their respective sailing and tennis clubs, offer their shaded terraces to those who want to sample fabulous meats and fish grilled over a wood fire.
Heritage takes centre stage
A well-placed table with a view of an emblematic monument offers the promise of wonder for the eyes and the taste buds. Le Grand Café Florida and Le Bibent are veritable institutions and both stand on the majestic Place du Capitole. You can sit down and admire this landmark square as you enjoy the great classics of local gastronomy.
There’s also L’Occitania, a boat-restaurant that sails along the lovely green waters of the Canal du Midi providing a stunning array of different views. Finally, le Moaï and la Noria lend themselves beautifully to sweet or savoury delights at the heart of the green spaces of Le Muséum and the Jardins du Muséum.
A tablecloth without the table?
Are you one of those people who love seeking out a patch of grass and an unobstructed view to lay down a tablecloth and have a picnic or to nibble on a tempting snack as you go on your merry way?
You don’t always need a table upon which to lay out a tablecloth. Toulouse has so many gardens and parks that provide unmissable views to enjoy whilst you picnic.
