This Michelin-starred institution, located in a vine-covered old manor just north of the city, got a fresh update when the former owner’s son, Mathieu Pérou, took over four years ago. With his sister, Anne-Charlotte, in charge of the dining room, the 28-year-old chef and his team serve up inventive dishes with ingredients sourced from nearly 40 producers around the Erdre river — from lamb and seaweed to freshwater fish — a commitment that earned them a Green Star (in recognition of sustainable cooking practices) from the Michelin Guide in 2021.  [$$$]

When you’re not in the mood for a full-fledged wine bar or bistro experience, there’s this cave à vin and delicatessen. The wines are natural and biodynamic, the terrine is homemade, the tourtes vary week to week, and the rotisserie chicken and pommes dauphines are a fixture of Sunday afternoons in the neighborhood. Eat in or take it all to go with jars of jam, preserves, condiments, and a week’s worth of local produce. [$]

At British chef Dominic Quirke’s 7-year-old neo-bistro — among the city’s first — you’ll find a celebration of local terroir mixed with nods to his preferred foreign cuisines (often through sweet-sour combinations). Incorporating ingredients sourced from the region’s best fishermen, butchers, and growers, dishes may range from hake pad thai dressed with cauliflower and zucchini to spiced lamb tortellini with chickpeas in a chorba-style soup. Last-minute reservations can be tough to snag, so plan ahead. [$$]

One of the city’s leading fine pastry shops is run by yet another pair of former Parisians who wanted a change of pace (and perhaps a less-saturated sweets scene). Chef Julien Merceron brings years of experience from À La Mère de Famille and the Michelin-starred kitchens of Ritz Paris, while florist-turned-pâtissier Gérard Porte lends his aesthetic sensibility to a seasonal collection of revisited classics, including the Saint-Honoré or tarte tatin; a variety of shortbread cookies, chocolates, and candies; and a tea salon where you can (and should) dig into locally roasted coffee, Brittany ciders, or tea. [$]

Ingrid Deffein and Guillaume Decombat took over a creperie and turned it into one of the city’s most promising neo-bistros with an elegant but not overly designed style. The couple keeps your attention on the food, which is as visually arresting as it is eclectic. Much of the food pays homage to the region: Vegetables are sourced from Les Vergers du Bois Macé, northeast of the city, and fish from the Atlantic Coast, an hour’s drive away. Expect bright pairings like tomatoes cooked several ways and served with black olive tapenade and yuzu tapioca; a perfect soft-boiled egg on a bed of asparagus and smoked croutons; or line-caught white tuna in a tiger’s milk marinade and topped with apricots and almonds. [$$]

After years spent working for the Michelin-starred chefs Gérald Passedat and Alexandre Mazzia in Marseille, Lucie Berthier Gembara brought a bit of that Mediterranean flavor back to her hometown to open this casual neo-bistro in the city center. Dishes change regularly throughout the seasons, but you can expect a year-round focus on vegetables and fish. There might be green gazpacho with fresh goat cheese coated in summer savory; smoked pollack with roasted broccoli, black gnocchi, and squash in a saffron sabayon sauce; and for dessert, homemade labneh topped with za’atar and fig-olive tapenade. If the weather allows, request a table on the terrace and book the Grand Voyage menu for six courses that demonstrate Gembara’s range. [$$]

After 10 years in Paris, chef Jean-François Pantaleon left the city behind (along with his much-loved neo-bistro Coretta) for the Graslin neighborhood in the center of Nantes. In 2017, he opened his new gastronomic bistro in a stunning space with exposed brick, oversize mirrors, and velour banquettes, and he earned his own Michelin star in 2021. Dishes rotate regularly, but you can bank on the chef’s signature ris de veau, grilled on one side and tender on the other, served with seasonal vegetables. Reservations are highly recommended. [$$]

The more casual sister restaurant to chef Anthony Nguyen’s Izakaya Joyi, this sliver of a ramen bar with nonstop service stays busy throughout the day. Choose among pork, chicken, or vegetable broth for the excellent iekei ramen (homemade from local rice flour, of course), and load up on gyoza and/or chashu don too. Then place your order and snatch the first barstool available at the counter; the space fills up fast. [$]

It’s no surprise that chef Romain Bonnet previously worked under the tutelage of Pierre Gagnaire in Paris; Bonnet’s style is bold and creative, and he’s got a particular gift for teasing out ingredients with a blend of savory, sweet, sour, bitter, and spicy flavors. Hence the name Omija after a Korean berry known for combining those five flavors harmoniously. Expect dishes such as spider crab from Loctudy in amontillado with minty sunchokes and an eclair filled with mandarin cream and Yunnan tea.  [$$]

A combination bakery, specialty coffee shop, and all-day cafe, this creative spot fits into the spirit of the Île de Nantes perfectly. Locals flock to the minimalist space with big windows and clean lines for honey sourdough croissants, a variety of breads (from country loaves and focaccia to Japanese milk bread), seasonal tarts, brioche, bostocks, and cookies. There are also a variety of savory dishes like soups, toasties, pizzas, and smørrebrød with smoked rainbow trout, ricotta, sumac, radishes, and pickles. Perhaps the only thing on the menu that isn’t local is the coffee, which comes from New Zealand’s Allpress Espresso. [$]

This hybrid space on the Île de Nantes is a sourdough bakery by day and a bar-restaurant by night. Come for the bread and stay for the salads and hot dishes made from organic produce (look for the veggie grilled cheese on house bread). Then come back at night for creative cocktails, local craft beer, natural wines, and tapas-style nibbles. [$]