Where to eat in Annecy: what to order and where
Annecy eats Savoyard: melted cheese in every form, cured meats, and fish from the lake. Fondue and raclette are for cool evenings, and lunch menus are the better value. The old town is full of rooms for visitors, so book the better places a day or two ahead.
The short answer
- Best area to eat
- The old town for cheese rooms, and the center around Rue de la Poste and Rue Royale for newer tables.
- Order this
- Fondue savoyarde or raclette, and féra or omble chevalier, the fish of the lake.
- When to eat
- Lunch from 12:00, dinner from 19:00. Many kitchens close between services.
- Book or walk in
- Book the starred and Bib Gourmand rooms. Cheese restaurants take walk-ins at lunch.
- Tipping
- Service is included in the price. Leave a few euros for very good service.
What to eat in Annecy
- Fondue savoyardeA pot of melted Alpine cheeses, usually Beaufort, Abondance and Emmental, eaten with bread. Best in cooler months, for two or more.
- RacletteCheese melted at the table and scraped over potatoes, served with cured meats and pickles. Another cold-weather meal.
- TartifletteBaked potato, onion and bacon under melted Reblochon. Heavy, filling and found on most Savoyard menus.
- Féra du lacA white fish from the lake, usually pan-fried or baked. It is the fish most restaurants in town list as the lake dish.
- Omble chevalierArctic char, a pink-fleshed lake fish served with sauce or butter. A good choice if you want something lighter than cheese.
- Diots au vin blancSavoyard pork sausages simmered in white wine, usually with potatoes or polenta.
- ReblochonThe soft local cheese, sold at the market and in fromageries. Buy a small piece for a picnic.
- Gâteau de SavoieA light sponge cake, plain or with fruit, found in bakeries and pâtisseries.
Where to eat in Annecy, by neighborhood
Old town and the canals
Savoyard cheese rooms and brasseries around Rue Sainte-Claire and the quays. Prices rise near the water, so look at the menu before you sit.
The center, around Rue de la Poste and Rue Royale
A few streets back from the canals, with more modern kitchens and set lunches. Better value than the quays, and busy with locals at lunch.
Annecy-le-Vieux and the lake villages
Starred tables and lake views a short drive or boat ride from the old town. Plan transport, and book ahead.
Places worth a booking or a queue
-
Le Freti
€€Savoyard cheese restaurant · Old town
OrderFondue savoyarde, or raclette served from a half-wheel
A long-running room on Rue Sainte-Claire for fondue, raclette and tartiflette. It is popular with locals as well as visitors, and open every day.
- Book
- Book through its website, or walk in at lunch
Confirmed open: lefreti.fr
-
Brasserie Brunet
€€Brasserie · Centre, Rue de la Poste
OrderThe dish of the day, built from local producers
A Bib Gourmand brasserie with seasonal cooking and short supply chains. Good value for the quality, at lunch especially.
- Book
- Book ahead, especially for dinner
- Closed
- Sunday and Monday per Michelin, so check its site
Confirmed open: guide.michelin.com
-
Là-Haut
€€Modern restaurant · Centre, Rue du Baronnet
OrderThe lunch set menu
A Bib Gourmand room on the top floor of a building in the center, with a view over the rooftops toward the mountains. Straightforward cooking and generous portions.
- Book
- Book directly with the restaurant
- Closed
- Sunday and Monday
Confirmed open: guide.michelin.com
-
L'Esquisse
€€€€Fine dining · Centre, Rue Royale
OrderThe tasting menu, built from local herbs, plants and lake fish
A small upstairs dining room on Rue Royale with precise seasonal cooking. A good choice for one special dinner without going far from the old town.
- Book
- Book directly, well ahead
- Closed
- Sunday and Monday
Confirmed open: guide.michelin.com
-
Le Clos des Sens
€€€€Fine dining · Annecy-le-Vieux
OrderA tasting menu of lake and garden ingredients
A three-star restaurant in the Michelin Guide, with cooking built on its own garden and producers within 100 km. It is a special-occasion choice outside the old town.
- Book
- Book weeks ahead through its own site
Confirmed open: guide.michelin.com
Food markets in Annecy
- Marché de la Vieille VilleLocal cheese, cured meats, fruit and vegetables on Tuesdays, with clothes and goods added on Fridays and Sundays. The Sunday market is the busiest.Tuesday, Friday and Sunday, 7:00 to 13:00Source: haute-savoie-tourisme.org
How Annecy eats
- Meal timesLunch is 12:00 to 14:00 and dinner starts at 19:00. Many kitchens close between services, so a 15:00 table is hard to find.
- TippingService is included. Round up or leave a few euros for very good service.
- ReservationsBook the better restaurants for dinner, especially at weekends and in summer. Cheese rooms often take walk-ins at lunch.
- Cheese in summerFondue and raclette are served all year, but locals eat them mainly in cooler months. In July and August, the fish and salads are lighter.
- WaterTap water is safe. Ask for une carafe d'eau and it comes free.
Signs of a place to walk past
Menus with photos of the dishes, on the canal quays.
Staff calling you in from the pavement beside the Palais de l'Isle.
A fondue menu with no named cheeses, or one that comes from a packet.
Eating in Annecy: questions people ask
What food is Annecy known for?
Savoyard cheese dishes: fondue, raclette and tartiflette, made with local cheeses like Reblochon. Fish from the lake, such as féra and omble chevalier, is the other local choice.
Where is the best place to eat in Annecy?
For cheese, Le Freti in the old town. For good-value modern cooking, Brasserie Brunet or Là-Haut. For a special dinner, L'Esquisse or Le Clos des Sens.
Do you need to book restaurants in Annecy?
For the better restaurants at dinner, yes, especially in summer and at weekends. Cheese rooms often take walk-ins at lunch.
How much do you tip in Annecy?
Service is included. Round up or leave a few euros for very good service.
Is Annecy expensive for food?
It is dearer than most French towns, especially on the quays. Set lunch menus are the best value, and the Sunday market is cheap for a picnic.
Where can vegetarians eat in Annecy?
Most restaurants offer a vegetarian dish, but Savoyard cooking is cheese and meat heavy. Check the menu, and ask if a dish is made with stock or bacon.