The best bars and cafés Pyrénées-Orientales

A charming tea room located in a pretty patio next to the new Rigaud museum. Teas on the menu, green, red, white, black, smoked or iced with subtle blends whose compositions I will not mention. If you prefer a coffee, don't worry, it would take too long to mention everything. You prefer chocolate, and how do you like it? Viennese, Liégeois, hot with spices or iced? In two words, P'tit Mailly is a pleasant place for a little break in the middle of the books available to customers.

Le Lézard, located a stone's throw from the Musée de la Musique, is an associative café offering a wide range of activities. As a member, you can simply have a drink or take part in one of the workshops offered: theatre, oenology, philosophy, knitting, singing, knowledge sharing, games, music... All drinks are organic and local. It is THE place for meetings and exchanges, we come there mainly to meet other people at the beginning and then to participate in workshops and/or festive evenings. A nice "alternative and militant" touch.

A drinking restaurant: that's how you could define this little nugget in the rue des Cardeurs, a pedestrian street in the old part of Perpignan, known by the local gourmets. The place is intimate, very cosy and minimalist, a bit like the owners, and above all what you find on the plate and in the glass: fresh and local high quality! The emphasis is on the origin and quality of the products. Everything is fine and delicious, charming and original. The ideal place to enjoy a good glass of wine with some crazy tapas on a quiet terrace.

Chez Mémé has become the must-see tavern in Castelnou. We don't know if it's a restaurant, a wine bar or a tapas bar, but one thing is for sure, the place and the atmosphere have a "let's go back there quickly" feel. An address that we liked to taste in the dining room or on the large terrace craft beers or local wines with friends. In this small, typical family house, Emeline offers various Catalan dishes: pan con tomate with Serrano ham, her famous patatas bravas or the unmissable Cerdanya cheeses.

Welcome to one of the oldest districts of Perpignan. Welcome to the Divine Comedy, a former convent where today they serve you asses! The speciality of the house. These "shots" which are mixtures of fruit and alcohol and are drunk ass-up send you straight to hell. The Perpignanese between 25 and 40 years old love this concept and take over Miguel's bar every weekend. Exposed stone, cayroux and subdued lighting: we love it. As for the atmosphere, "it depends on the evening, something between rock, funk and soul", says the owner.

L'Apothicaire is the ideal place to spend a good evening with friends, to taste delicious wines, to feast on aperitif boards made of fine charcuteries or rare cheeses and to learn a lot of things about the world of good food. Fred, the owner, is not shy and likes to talk about his products and tell you anecdotes. He defines himself as a "taste buds dresser". On the terrace and in the calm of the pedestrian street or in one of the two rooms with their refined decoration which brilliantly combine old and modern, we simply love it!

Au Fut distinguishes itself from other bars by its "you're the bartender" concept: take a drink, put your card in front of one of the pumps installed on each table and serve yourself, according to your desires and new meetings. Regularly, new craft beers are put forward, accompanied by planks of cold cuts or cheese. It is also the ideal place for the retransmission of football or rugby matches on a giant screen. Evenings, events and concerts are regularly organised. Everything is on the Facebook page.

Le Carcanet is a bar and crêperie with a simple and "woody" decoration, like a mountain inn. People from the village come here as much as tourists to taste pancakes or dishes, to drink local beers and especially to enjoy the most beautiful terrace of Formiguères: a series of tables overlooking the stream. The magical sound of the water running over the polished granite or lulling our ears... A mountain village without these sounds is no longer a mountain village, and Formiguères is lucky, because the river Aude flows through it.

At once an art gallery, a wine bar and a wine cellar, Chez Syl Vins surprises and enchants. More than 500 references of wines, 100 of which are natural and living wines. "I like wine without make-up", Sylvain confides to us, "I am a wine merchant but my past as a master sommelier catches up with me, I am always looking for what is rare". We discovered some delicious small vintages, accompanied by local cheeses and charcuterie. Listening to this kind, tender and modest man comment on a tasting, guiding your taste buds and your senses is pure happiness. We love it!

In the heart of one of Perpignan's most festive streets, Bruno and his team invite you to a late-night epicurean and sometimes Rabelaisian interlude. We love the spirit of the short circuit and the high quality of the fresh produce, the bobo but not too bobo atmosphere, and above all the omnipresent good humor of the team. With friends or lovers, you can enjoy refined tapas, platitos and other culinary delights. Natural wines are given pride of place. It's not unusual to come across restaurateurs or winemakers at table, which is a good sign!

If you're a fan of authentic tapas bars and intimate settings, here's a new address created recently by a guy who wants to set himself apart from "slaughterhouse restaurants". It's the only place in Argelès where you can discover original, revisited tapas and delicious charcuterie and cheese boards. Everything here is homemade, using local produce whose geographical proximity is even mentioned as a caption to accompany each dish. Gourmets know that they've come to La Fine Mousse to taste, not eat!

In "la rue des senteurs", whatever the weather, the season or the time of day, what a pleasure to sit at a table or to lean against the counter! Early in the morning, stopping to sip a little black or hazelnut is a very pleasant way to start the day. And at the end of the day, we love to find an excuse to spend some time there and enjoy some tapas. The evenings at the Bar de la Marée are popular with amateurs and 25-45 year olds, with musical entertainment with DJ on Thursdays and Fridays. "Sharing, good mood and atmosphere"!

The Dudu installed on the new "street of the thirst" of Perpignan, is a concept of restaurant where one tastes on the go: tapas, sandwiches, wraps, platitos... there is for all the tastes and all the appetites. A sort of tapas bistro-bar where a relaxed and festive atmosphere reigns. One craves for the vast terrace, the cocktails and the evenings with topic. The reception is very friendly and we also like the large and nicely decorated room. An unpretentious place where the credo is good mood and party in a beautiful atmosphere.

THE place to be for Perpignan nights. For a trendy and successful night out, we'll tell you that you have to go to the HQ. Hybrid atmosphere between a night bar and a night club, 100% chic lounge decoration, personalized musical atmosphere and a beautiful dancefloor. Between 6pm and 10:30pm, the HQ is a tapas bar where you can taste various dishes, then the second part of the evening is dedicated to music, rhythm and swaying bodies. The QG is above all a bar - club - tapas, which we recommend for wild parties!

On the terrace of the small André Grety square, you can taste at the Bar Celone season three, dishes inspired by an inspired and inventive cuisine. Julie and Nicolas will delight you first with their smile and their innate sense of conviviality, then with specialties such as the rösti of prawns with black caviar from the Pyrenees, which we fell for. The dishes are generous and tasty. Here, everything smells of the real thing and the desire to share, even the decor, a little offbeat and so endearing. We love the tapas bar atmosphere that animates the place in the evening. We love it!

Jok i Bar is the first game bar in Perpignan where you can have fun, have a drink with friends and have a snack... without losing sight of the fun and friendly spirit of the game. The concept is simple, you choose a game among the 300 proposed and you settle down at a table. The whole team is there to advise you and make you spend a good time. If you like thinking, sharing, beer and tapas... Jok i Bar is your den! Because this team moves, it regularly proposes events. All the program is updated on Facebook.

The Café Carton offers quality drinks and products, local when possible, a musical atmosphere one Saturday a month, menus that make you travel around the world without taking your eyes off the plane tree... because the terrace is installed on the town hall square in the shade of the hundred-year-old tree. In the land of the Great Rock, we fell in love with the warm welcome, the humour and the ever-present smile. There are also meetings around poetry, exhibitions, theatre, workshops and world games. Things are moving in Fenouillèdes, bravo!

Le Petit Futé has found you a real nugget that smells like the "Belgian wind" and the Catalan heat. Having disembarked from the flat country, Hélène and Guillaume have chosen the menu of difference and renewal: Alliance of the two seas in plates and glasses and above all a true welcome and a sincere smile, a bit like in the North. This couple has a heart as big and generous as the cocktails they serve you. These two gavatx (understanding foreigners for Catalans) are the guarantors of a successful evening with friends. Here are good vibes diffusers!

La Ruelle was born from a common passion: that of pleasing the customer with simple, homemade products. You can taste real home-made tapas accompanied by bottles from local producers at very reasonable prices. In terms of location, this food and drink bar is ideally situated in the small pedestrian street of l'Ange. It is fine, very tasty and full of flavours! The little extra is this terrace installed in the street with its barrels as a high table. There's a lot of people passing by, we meet friends, we invite each other for a drink... life is beautiful.

Nestled in the historic heart of the upper town of Elne, Le Casot is a wine and food bar too. And as the owners themselves say: "To actively participate in the cultural life and to highlight the local products and the human adventures behind them". Here is a beautiful concept which gives hunger and thirst. Tapas and live wine in the large room or on the terrace in the heart of the village. From September to June, the Casot is musical and welcomes local artists on the small stage on the first floor. Quite an atmosphere...

At l'Escalibar, a little bar that looks like a tavern from Star Wars, a little hidden in the medieval Perpignan, Leïla welcomes you behind her marble counter to taste wines from local producers and some natural wines. The tapas platters are simple, but effective. All this at very reasonable prices. We like l'Escalibar for its "Les Copains d'abord" atmosphere and its rock, jazz, blues and French song scene. We also like this wine bar for its popular, simple but true atmosphere. We would spend the night there!

This bar-restaurant is more than a bar-restaurant, it's a real Swiss army knife where various initiatives and energies occupy the place: 2 rehearsal booths, a hairdressing salon, a tattoo parlour, a production company (video/sound recording), and a concert stage! 4 performances per week to listen to a very eclectic music while enjoying good local and organic products, at very reasonable prices. Le Petit Futé salutes this beautiful initiative of solidarity which gives a second wind to a place that could have been destroyed.

A lovely new addition to the city center, the whole area around Place des Poilus is getting a second wind. At Bacan, you'll find street food from all over the world, served in a warm, colorful decor like the dishes on offer. The owners are proud of their bold yet simple cuisine. From breakfast at 9 a.m. to lunch at 4 p.m., you'll be seduced by the diversity of flavors. Finally, on Sundays, a super brunch awaits you in the same spirit. A new concept that's making a name for itself.

From breakfast to afternoon tea, not forgetting Sunday brunch, come and enjoy pancakes, muffins and toast to suit all tastes. Always homemade with fresh fruit and vegetables, the owners claim to offer a fun, committed cuisine that celebrates the regions of France. The mix of sweet and savory flavors is delicious, and we love the cozy atmosphere and decor. A simple place run by a very dynamic team. Not forgetting that the coffees, teas and hot chocolates (55%) are pure delight and add a very subtle touch.

l'Echoppe has come to an end, but a couple of enthusiasts have taken over and are offering a café brocante. You can buy anything, and that's no joke: you can take your own glass, chair and table if you like! In this cabinet of curiosities, you'll find everything, and Romane and Robin have some really crazy ideas. Drinking a coffee or enjoying an aperitif while browsing for bargains - that's the challenge these two young people set themselves, and the concept is a real success. The consumables are high quality and artisanal, and the wines and beers are local. A business to keep an eye on.

A place to meet, learn and exchange ideas around the flavors of coffee and tea. Céline and Christophe welcome you to an airy, light-filled space with a superb view of the Canigó! You can come here to work, relax over a good cup of coffee or tea (organic or fair-trade) or enjoy delicious poke bowls made with fresh and often organic produce. The atmosphere is both warm and intimate, and we love the modern decor. This couple took the gamble of creating a place "to make people feel at home", with 1 or 2 events every Friday evening

La Guarida is the right place for tasty drinks in a lively atmosphere. Sit at the bar with a delicious drink and melt into the nightlife. More than an oyster and cocktail bar, the Cuban cuisine offers a wide range of tasty and freshly prepared recipes. And it's not just the food or the drinks, we love the atmosphere and the various activities offered. In summer, the Guarida makes its guinguette and moves on the Avenue Torcatis on the banks of the Têt. Family atmosphere and a little overexcited, we like.

El Milagro, the miracle in Spanish, is a tapas and beer bar very Latino. It's hard to do more in the Central and South American atmosphere. You can taste tapas and Mexican beers, listen to real Latino music and party like there. Between two mojitos, admire the decoration because it is unique. One more store in the rue des Cardeurs, this pretty pedestrian street, a little secret but which attracts people around its restaurants and bars. Here, the atmosphere smells of real life. A place to discover for the animated and frenzied end of the evening.

Everyone in Collioure knows the Casa Gala and the wonderful evenings spent there in summer and winter, "improbable, unforeseen and unmissable", say the regulars. But this year, we moved to Port Vendres in a larger place facing the port. For the atmosphere and the philosophy, nothing has changed, Nico still serves an Iberian cuisine made of love and fine products. As for the cellar, your host will know how to uncork the perfect nugget among a nice choice of Catalan wine growers. We always love it! A favorite of the Petit Futé.