Capital of the southern French region of Occitania, the alluring city of Toulouse boasts broader gastronomic flair than most others in the country.
Ever since the Visigoths made it their own capital in the 15th century, small helpings of outside influence have shaped Occitan culture, which visitors to Toulouse today find expressed mainly through food. What’s more, a thriving aerospace industry (Toulouse is home to Airbus HQ) and an influx of tech companies have brought a worldly edge to the city, meaning global cuisine and modern food trends are well represented.
As everywhere in France, locally sourced ingredients of unimpeachable quality form the bedrock of Toulousain cuisine. Blue-veined cheese from Roquefort, black truffles from the woodlands of Occitania, garlic as pink as the buildings of la Ville Rose (or “the Pink City,” Toulouse’s nickname) and cocktails tinged with the medicinal-sweet taste of violets engage the senses with every course.
It’s a near-impossible task to condense the city’s considerable culinary riches into a few paragraphs. Yet since someone has to do it, here’s a sampling of where my friends and I love to eat and drink in Toulouse.
Breakfast
Right around the corner from the Pont Neuf and the Fondation Bemberg art museum, Peacock is an ideal spot for a healthy breakfast before setting out for the day. Homemade pecan cookies are good for a light bite; when I want something packed with goodness, I’ll opt for the artfully presented granola and fresh fruit bowls. The Saturday brunches here bring the best ambiance to Peacock’s vaulted ceiling space.
For a market breakfast made up of samplings of fine cured meats and cheeses, head down to Marché Victor Hugo or the stalls on Place du Capitole bright and early on a Sunday morning. This is a time when I plunge into the crowd rather than avoid it, in order to watch, learn and discover the best dégustations from the many local gourmets. For every other day of the week, drop by Salon Cacao’T to try the buttery kouign amann (a Breton-style pastry with caramelized butter and sugar).
Coffee
When I find a place that does coffee exactly how I like it, I stop being intrepid. That’s why I’m mostly caffeinated by Café Papiche when I’m in Toulouse. You will nonetheless find plenty of other excellent cafes in and around the Carmes neighborhood, such as Le Café Cerise, with its lovely staff and neat little mezzanine seating area. The fountainside location of The Flower’s Café on Place Roger Salengro – with its vehicle-free people-watching – makes it a top spot for a relaxing coffee break. And the pear crumble is exceptional.
Toulouse’s salons de thé (tea houses) provide a great alternative to its cafes, and many have a charming ambiance. The cute wooden tables, warm lighting and flowery porcelain at Bapz make it a cozy place for a catch-up with friends. Across the Garonne River, L’estaminot in Saint Cyprien (only two stops west on the Metro red line from Capitole) is in effect a trendy tea room in a library – without the noise restrictions.
Lunch
Chefs at the five restaurants on the upper floor of Marché Victor Hugo use the central food market’s fresh produce to create much-loved lunches. Although you may have to jostle for a balcony table (or if your command of French is up to the task, have to make a phone reservation ahead of time), these are without doubt the best lunch spots in the city. For me, Au Bon Graillou is the pick of the bunch, with a seasonal three-course menu usually priced around €24.
L’Oncle Pom takes a potato-forward approach: you select your preparation option first (think gratin, or french fries), before choosing a meat or fish dish to accompany your preferred tuber style. (Culinary pragmatism at its finest.) If you thought that was unusual, the bric-a-brac-filled room only elevates the quirk.
For something on the go, head to Rue Pargaminières, where Vietnamese-fusion eats such as bò bún (usually made with noodles, veggies and French-style beef) offer a quick good-value meal; I recommend either Chez Tran or Chez Nicô. Later in the day, the street becomes the go-to late-night grub hub for students, thanks to the low prices and late opening hours.
Aperitivo
Despite its pink appellation, Toulouse is also known as the City of Violets. Cultivated in the region, these fragrant, delicate flowers have made their way into the city’s culinary toolkit, most readily as liqueur de violette, often used in cocktails by innovative mixologists at such bars as Le Loup Blanc. If you’ve developed a taste for the purple stuff, you can buy bottles from La Maison de la Violette, a shop in a barge on the Canal du Midi.
That classic southern France tipple – the anise liqueur pastis served over ice – is ubiquitous throughout Toulouse. Chez Tonton’s legendary happy hour (times vary depending on the day) offers a buy-one-get-one-free glass of Ricard for €2.50 – as well an enviable location right on lively Place Saint-Pierre.
Dinner
In Toulouse, I regularly seek out hearty regional classics such as cassoulet, particularly in the colder months. Considered to be the classic Toulousain dish, cassoulet pairs local sausage with duck confit slow-cooked in its own fat; the rich duo is then simmered in a stew of white beans, lamb and pork belly. Given the dish’s popularity, you’ll find cassoulet champions at all price points. To taste it at the Michelin Guide level, swing by Restaurant Emile (booking in advance is essential for a seat on the terrace). A good place to pair it with people-watching is at the belle-epoque bistro Le Bibent, on the central Place du Capitole.
The city’s culinary spots are perhaps surprisingly inclusive of such dietary preferences as vegan and vegetarian. You can banish all hunger completely at the all-you-can-eat buffet at La Faim des Haricots. While the offering varies by day, it often includes homemade savory tarts.
Bar
As a part-time musician, I naturally gravitate to places with good music. Rock classics and 20 beers on tap make La Tireuse truly top notch. The bar happens to be located on Rue Pargaminières, a minute east of Place Saint-Pierre, which is completely surrounded by pubs and bars with terrace seating and a fine ambiance from apéro-o’clock until close. Le Bar Basque has been around for ages, as has Chez Tonton (mentioned above).
Fat Cat is a very different vibe: it’s a smooth lounge with some seriously good cocktails. I tend to visit whenever there’s live jazz on. When I’m in the mood to visit a traditional French bar, especially when I’m the company of someone who’s not from France, Au Père Louis is about as authentic as it gets. Le 5 Wine Bar is the place to try a bottle of Braucol Rouge from nearby Gaillac, which is one of France’s first wine-producing regions.
