De L'etoile - Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée

This restaurant is the only real kitchen in the region, full stop. While there are other descent restaurants around, they all serve the same things prepared with more or less care. L'auberge de l'Etoile is owned and operated by a couple, and the husband is the seasoned chef (with some significant time spent in well known kitchens). The food is sublime as they take great care in creating interesting variations of classic dishes using local produce mostly hand picked in village gardens and some with modern twists while respecting the contours of tradition. The wife is a charm, buzzing about the dining room with the sole objective of making every individual comfortable, happy, and well fed. We have eaten here numerous times over the years and held off on the review to ensure the quality of the food and experience remained stable: it has only increased. No wonder we heard people at several tables talking about how it was worth the trip from Monaco, Nice and even Barcelonette... Do yourself a favor and stop for lunch here, make a day of it by visiting this incredible region including the village of St. Dalmas le Selvage itself and onwards to the Col de la Bonette (highest mountain road in Europe).