It would be difficult to find a selection anywhere in the world of more splendid restaurants, creative chefs, succulent dishes, harmonious odes to tradition, or convincing hymns to the art of living well than these forty featured restaurants. Prominent restaurant critic Gilles Pudlowski leads the reader on a gourmet tour of France, sharing menu selections from his favorite restaurants along with the stories behind the accomplished chefs and their kitchens.

From the Carré des Feuillants nestled between place Vend?me and the Tuileries gardens in the heart of Paris to the elegant chateau of les Crayères in Champagne that takes the visitor back to another era, and from the idyllic setting of Auberge de l’Ill in the verdant Alsatian countryside to breathtaking views across the sparkling water from the terrace at Le Petit Nice in Marseille, these are legendary restaurants that bring dreams to life.