Philippe Etchebest’s 4th Bordeaux restaurant — a deliberate step back into the great French brasseries: white tablecloths, a dessert trolley, dishes carved and flambéed tableside. Chef Kevin Brousse’s menu runs to pâté en croûte, Pyrénées lamb and crêpes Suzette.

Two Michelin stars. Jérôme Schilling — Meilleur Ouvrier de France 2023 and Bocuse d’Or-winning coach — sets a table dressed by Maison Lalique: crystal, Fürstenberg porcelain, Christofle napkin rings.

Over a decade as a Bordeaux institution. Fabrice Moisan’s list runs to 1,300+ references; the food is generous French bistro classics, often served in cocottes.

Grittier end of town, a long zinc bar with a clear view of the grill. Seasonal produce — white asparagus from Blaye, Marmande tomatoes in summer — and a list best chosen by owner François Pervillé himself.

Wine first, food to follow — sommelier Sarah Bodianu (ex-Yam’Tcha) runs the list; chef Gaëtan Robert brings technique from Pierre Gagnaire and Akrame. Menus arrive in record sleeves. Dinner only.

Taiwanese food and serious wine, opened by sommelier Marco in 2023. A 400-reference list, fait-maison cooking, and bar stools made from wine corks.

A Saint-Pierre neighbourhood favourite since 2017, run by siblings Louis and Pauline. Short, seasonal menu; a well-above-average list leaning toward lesser-known regions. Nab the pavement table.

This is what boutique luxury with an affordable price-tag looks like in Bordeaux. Occupying a handsome 19th-century building in one of the city’s most sought-after residential quarters, the hotel has been sensitively restored — original architectural details preserved, comfort layered in without fuss.

The leafy avenues of the Jardin Public are moments away, and the city’s best restaurants are within easy reach on foot. It is, in short, a well-judged base for anyone who prefers their Bordeaux without unnecessary theatre.

Philippe Starck’s transformation of the former Calvet wine cellars. 97 rooms, a 45-metre heated pool, and Masaharu Morimoto’s first European restaurant.

Opposite the Grand Théâtre; 172 rooms dressed by Jacques Garcia. Le Pressoir d’Argent holds two Michelin stars.

In a nutshell, an 18th-century townhouse right in the centre of Bordeaux, with 27 rooms each named after a different château — a detail that tells you something about where the owners’ loyalties lie. Christophe and Marianna Grant-San José decorated the rooms themselves, mixing stone walls and old parquet with Philippe Starck furniture and pieces by Kartell and Eichholtz.

A hundred-year-old chestnut tree shades the courtyard where the wine bar sits; the terrace, the rooftop, the small pool and spa are there when you want them. The wine list in the bar is no joke, aided by the fact that the sommelier knows what he’s talking about. As a base for exploring both the city and the vineyards, this ticks a lot of boxes.

Set among two hectares of vines in the historic hamlet of Bages, COMO Cordeillan-Bages is a 19th-century château at the very heart of the Médoc. Created in close collaboration with the Cazes family, owners of the legendary Château Lynch-Bages, the intimate 28-room property brings together contemporary design by Italian designer Paola Navone and a gastronomic restaurant guided by Fabien Ferré — the youngest chef in France to have led a three-Michelin-starred kitchen.

Members enjoy access to Château Lynch-Bages and are within easy reach of three of Bordeaux’s five First Growths. Open seasonally from March to November.

Set within Château Smith Haut Lafitte. Forty individually conceived rooms and suites; La Grand’Vigne holds two Michelin stars.

Silvio Denz’s 1er Grand Cru estate, reimagined in 2018 as the first Sauternes property open to overnight guests — 13 suites, Lalique crystal throughout, Jérôme Schilling’s two-Michelin-star kitchen.

Discreet, chauffeured transport with a fleet of owned Mercedes — S-Class saloons to minibuses. Marc Nollet’s drivers have backgrounds in luxury hospitality and the wine trade, most fluent in English and well-versed with international guests.

A former publican turned wine devotee, Andrew launched An Englishman in Bordeaux in 2024 to share his adopted city and region with anyone who loves life, history and a good glass of wine.