Ever since chef Jean-Luc Rabanel (formerly of the organic hotspot La Chassagnette, in the Camargue) opened this tiny, elegant bistro on a quiet side street in Arles, the waiting list for reservations keeps getting longer. Highlights from his all-natural 17-course tapas menu include a tomato marshmallow in gazpacho, polenta and fresh Thai-style tuna, a spectacular Aix-inspired dessert (white chocolate with anis, black olives, fennel confits and nut ice cream), or a strawberry fritter in fresh passion fruit soup.

This charming country-style restaurant sits in the midst of a peaceful truffle farm, yet is minutes away from the A8 highway. Expect authentic Provencal recipes—from truffles with potato and eggs and foie gras—and more refined dishes including blue lobster with truffle chips, roast pigeon with truffles, spinach and snails, and truffle-studded chocolate creations. The varied menu also includes classics like roasted sea bass with zucchini “spaghetti” and spicy coquilles Saint Jacques with crispy garden vegetables, plus an impressive wine list of local vintages. Don't forget your bathing suit for a refreshing after lunch dip in the pool, just below the dining terrace.

Set back at the foot of a canyon, surrounded by green oaks and a dramatic gorge of red cliffs, this elegant restaurant is run by long-established Michelin one-star chef, Philippe da Silva and his wife, Martine. Be forewarned: this is the place for guiltless gorging on da Silva's refined and authentic regional dishes, so expect to linger at the table for a while. (Unsurprisingly, there's a helipad for government officials and sports and film stars to drop in incognito for lunch.) Highlights include homemade chestnut bread, foie gras ravioli in creamy sauce topped with shaved parmesan and truffles, perfectly cooked sea bass with wild girolles mushrooms, and wildly creative desserts, like a dark chocolate cigar-shaped pastry topped with whiskey foam.

On a narrow street tucked away behind the Palais de Justice and the Cours Mirabeau, sits this white-on-white modern gastronomic haunt. The Michelin-starred Pierre Reboul is known for his subtly experimental molecular cuisine. Signature tasting portion dishes include a lobster éclair with fresh goats’ cheese, fresh pan-fried foie gras with passion fruit and green apple spaghetti and creative desserts like a raspberry yogurt-filled millefeuille served with a fromage blanc sorbet.

Ideal for the less adventurous, next door is Reboul’s new, brightly-colored and affordable bistro, “Le Petit pr” featuring classic dishes inspired by the chef’s grandfather’s recipes, ranging from Mediterranean sea bass with asparagus risotto to pineapple pain perdu (French toast) for dessert.