While many tables are seeing their number of seats decline, the Michelin-starred restaurants of the Dordogne continue to attract customers ready to travel miles for a plate. Between brand new Michelin 2026 plates and full rooms, the gastronomic Périgord displays a health that contrasts with the difficulties of the sector. An intriguing situation.
In Les Eyzies, in the kitchen of the restaurant Le 1862, Pascal Lombard combines smoked sturgeon, caviar, verjuice in syrup and sweetbreads. Since his star obtained in 2022, “everything has changed” for this chef who has been in place for more than twenty-five years: , explains Pascal Lombard to France 3 Nouvelle-Aquitaine.
Seven starred restaurants in the Dordogne, a track record that holds up
The Dordogne now has seven one-star restaurants in the Michelin Guide, and the 2026 list confirmed this very exclusive club, without loss or new address. In a context of declining general attendance, these houses “have the wind in their sails” and benefit from a reputation which secures occupancy, from Monbazillac to Périgueux.
For gourmets looking for a starred restaurant in Périgord, the menu reads as follows:
- Le Petit Léon – Saint-Léon-sur-Vézère
- The Tower of the Winds – Monbazillac
- The Abbey Mill – Brantôme
- The Frescoes – Monestier
- The Essential – Périgueux
- The Old Logis – Trémolat
- The 1862 – Les Glycines – Les Eyzies
“We go a little further”: what the star changes for the chefs
In Brantôme, Frédéric Murati, at the helm of the Moulin de l’Abbaye, confides feeling, he told France 3 Nouvelle-Aquitaine upon discovering his Michelin 2026 plaque. For him, the star opens the game: before insisting on the customer experience:
“Personally, I don’t feel any constraint, no stress in relation to the star,” says Frédéric Murati. Same logic in Les Eyzies, where Pascal Lombard takes on a more daring cuisine: he explains.
Modernize and open the doors: young chefs and -30% offer
Pascal Lombard also claims a cuisine that moves with the times: he admits. In these Périgord brigades, young people bring their references, their gestures, their desire to mix local produce and contemporary techniques.
To further expand the audience, the “Entre Chefs Périgord” association has launched an operation offering 30% off the bill for those under 30, throughout the month of April, in twelve gourmet and sometimes starred restaurants. In La Roque-Gageac, Bruno Marien, chef of “O Plaisir des Sens”, wants to provide access, he confides to Ici Nouvelle-Aquitaine. The action is not designed for immediate gain: With twelve houses involved, which he describes as , he does not rule out a sequel: .
How many starred restaurants does the Dordogne have?
The Dordogne has seven restaurants with one star in the Michelin Guide in 2026, spread between wine-growing villages, the Dordogne valley and the Périgueux conurbation.
Who are the main chefs highlighted in Dordogne?
Among the prominent figures are Pascal Lombard at 1862 in Les Eyzies and Frédéric Murati at Moulin de l’Abbaye in Brantôme, both awarded a star.
What is the -30% offer for those under 30 in Périgord?
The Entre Chefs Périgord association offers, throughout the month of April, a 30% reduction on the bill for those under 30 in twelve restaurants in the department.
