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L'essentiel
Review
About
Travellers' Choice
2024
MICHELIN
View more on MICHELIN Guide
MICHELIN Guide: Good cooking
Nestled at the foot of the castle, this beautiful tuffeau-stone house sports charming dining rooms (parquet floors, exposed rafters and bare stone walls) and peaceful little patios. Chef Anthony Vaillant crafts food in the zeitgeist, jazzed up by a scattering of deft creative touches: start with a medley of asparagus and green peas, enhanced by a citrus fruit flavoured dressing followed by fabulously fresh cod flanked by a curry sauce and velvety mashed potato. Extremely attentive service. Regional tipples take pride of place on the wine list. An enjoyable culinary experience!
Read more on MICHELIN Guide
Features
CUISINES
French, European, Healthy
Meal types
Lunch, Dinner
PRICE
$$$$
FEATURES
Accepts Credit Cards
Dog Friendly
Highchairs Available
Outdoor Seating
Private Dining
Reservations
Seating
Serves Alcohol
Street Parking
Table Service
Location
Street Parking
Does this restaurant have private dining rooms?
Save this restaurant
Hours
Opens in 23 min
Sunday
Closed
Monday
Closed
Tuesday
12:15 pm - 1:30 pm7:15 pm - 9:00 pm
Wednesday
12:15 pm - 1:30 pm7:15 pm - 9:00 pm
Thursday
12:15 pm - 1:30 pm7:15 pm - 9:00 pm
Friday
12:15 pm - 1:30 pm7:15 pm - 9:00 pm
Saturday
12:15 pm - 1:30 pm7:15 pm - 9:00 pm
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4.7
297 reviews
Excellent
226
Very good
49
Average
16
Poor
5
Terrible
1
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Colin S
8 contributions
Sept 2024 • couples
We cycled to Saumur and had researched this restaurant beforehand. We popped in for lunch and very glad we did. The restaurant is overlooked by the caslte and just out of the town centre. It's beautiful inside and even though we were in cycling clothes they were fine with it (lunch time). Food was excellent and great value for this level of quality. The two of us had 2 courses, 2 glasses of wine, bottle of water, we also got an amuse bouch and some petit four at the end (64 euros in total) . If you don't speak french the staff speak enough english to get you through without any problem. We were there about 2hrs and it was a lovely place to be, much better atmosphere than the town centre square restaurants. This was our best meal of the week in the Loire and there was some good competition !!. You won't be disappointed if you go here.
Written 9 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Doric
Salisbury776 contributions
Mar 2024 • couples
A repeat visit a year on because this place offers what we want: proper French food, decent wine at good prices, served efficiently in a very pleasant dining room. The “essential” 3-course dinner menu is €39 and you can add three restaurant-selected wines for a bit more. The presentation is terrific, the service slick. We enjoyed ourselves once again.
Written 30 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SailaJerome
Helsinki298 contributions
May 2024 • couples
On the occasion of a cycling trip across the Loire for my darling's birthday last May, the chance of the stages had led us to Saumur, and especially to the "Essential". I had spotted this restaurant on TA for very good reviews and booked a table very upstream. But once in, we took a monumental slap! A clean design with discreet chic, ultra-pro and very nice service, a remarkably tasty cuisine, both by the quality of the ingredients used and by the successful combination of different flavors. But the star of the show is the cellar. Thanks to the sommelier of the house (a great guy), we tasted a "Bourgueil Grand Mont 2020" to fall to the ground (at the time of our visit, the restaurant had only 6 bottles in the cellar due to a very restricted production, the wine being sold live). Just for this bottle, we were definitely conquered by this house, and will absolutely return if again passing through the city.
Essential.
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Written 5 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
beno_tb49
Angers35 contributions
Mar 2024 • couples
A very small square of foie gras coated in spices that completely distort the taste with a very small square of bread, also very sophisticated, with a bizarre taste and so compact that it's impossible to cut! The fish is ok but the side dish is very spartan and not very tasty. Wine by the glass distributed at the discretion of the owner as the bottles empty…. A feeling of not being finished, stuck on a small table in a separate room, it's no longer at all the charm of the Minstrels that I knew in the past. Very average value for money.
Written 29 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nicola P
1 contribution
Sept 2023 • couples
We liked the restaurant the first time we visited.
2nd time round we were met with a sour face when we arrived no idea why and a rather grudging attitude about where we wanted to sit.
The wine waiter was not at all friendly and rather abrupt. I suppose being able to speak French and fully understand peoples moods and manners does reflect on how we review things.
The food was pretentious and no flare or imagination shown. There are only so many pretentious micro vegetables one can eat! The cheese served from a chariot was delivered in such tiny quantities that it was difficult to distinguish one from another. Clearly the instruction from Management was keep the portions tight. Ok we understand that but I’m talking about a sliver not a piece of cheese. Desserts were not at all memorable.
There was a very strong steer towards the more expensive wines from the Sommelier.
The Sommelier argued (incorrectly) that our pronunciation of the name of a French Chateau was wrong - it wasn’t. We speak French. It was very bad form.
Written 23 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jerseyman1
Jersey538 contributions
Sept 2023 • couples
Went for dinner last night, staying in nearby hotel. Really warm welcome from all the staff, beautiful refined venue in quasi rustic style. It has a Michelin knife and fork award.
A few glasses of champagne helped us choose our meal. There are several “menus” giving a reduced price if you choose three, four or five courses. We had four and between us enjoyed Jeune egg, Legumes, beef, chicken cheese and a soufflé and chocolate dessert. All the food was spot on, and swerved with a smile, and only a slight nonplussed shrug when we asked for dessert before the cheese….I think we went into the Mad English category at that stage
As well as champagne we had a bottle of Bourgogne Giradin and a lovely and quite light Cote du Rhone.
We had a really enjoyable evening in this busy restaurant, and despite being full the timing and friendliness of the delivery of our meal was impeccable
And the cost? 240 Euros for a couple, including service, with the food being 88 Euros. The quality, service and price of this meal puts our recent experiences in U.K. and Jersey restaurants into perspective, badly so.
If you visit Saumur go here, it’s great
Written 22 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marelgo
Amsterdam118 contributions
July 2024 • couples
Sometimes a restaurant hits every good chord. The location near the center at the foot of a castle (don't know which one) is already special, but the hospitality and refined dishes top it off. Especially when you look at the price / quality. When are you surprised by a ‘sympathetic’ bill these days? We chose the fish dishes in the menu and cheese and homemade ice cream for dessert. Everything was incredibly tasteful. Coincidentally, they also had one of our favorite local wines on the menu. And when we saw a thunderstorm coming they rained a taxi for us within 5 minutes.
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Written 11 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
PeterPietro
Horndean458 contributions
May 2024 • couples
We'd been looking forward to visiting this restaurant since being unable to get a table on our brief visit to Saumur in September 2002 and had taken the precaution of booking for dinner on our latest visit. We left feeling disappointed.
We chose the menu La Tentation plus a supplement for a fish main course. On arrival we had glasses of Cremant de Loire and chose the formule three glasses of wine to accompany the courses.
The service was generally attentive but inconsistent. The delivery of the wines was not coordinated with the delivery of the courses. We'd almost finished the main course before its matching wine was delivered. When we'd finished the meal and wanted to get the bill there were no waiters or waitresses around to ask.
The asparagus starter we both enjoyed but the main course of roasted monkfish (rather dry), parmesan tuille and vegetables was uninspiring in presentation and content.
The most enjoyable course was the souffle, glace and liqueur.
Written 15 June 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Philippe B
1 contribution
Jan 2024 • family
The quantity is more than reduced compared to the price and the wine list is not visible. The sommelier advises you and you discover the price on the bill! (€196 for 4 with starter/main course/dessert + an aperitif glass and a bottle of Loire water)
Written 20 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Laurent COPPAT
Angers14 contributions
Jan 2024 • couples
Quality lasts over time and that’s why we travel 60 km to come and eat at l’Essentiel. You never leave hungry and the dishes are always tasty. The wine list allows you to find what you're looking for and the prices are clearly displayed (no offense to some!) For people who criticize the quantities there are mass restaurants where you can find a sauerkraut or a side of fried beef at wishes but it will certainly not be the same type of cuisine! personally it suits us well and we always come out feeling satisfied. For the price it's difficult to find the same quality for 38€.... already 2 McDonald's menus are 25! Special mentions for the staff who are always perfect and that also counts when returning to an establishment. Well done !
Written 1 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
NewGulliver
Tours7 contributions
Sept 2024 • couples
Beautiful atmosphere and excellent service from well trained staff.
The meal was excellent, beautifully presented and tasty, but if you expect to be full after your meal, you will be disappointed. Try somewhere else.
My only disappointment was that there were only expensive wines available, no white or red house, and 25 euros was expensive for us for a lunch. I can understand that this is the business model of such a restaurant but there are many good restaurants in Saumur that offer good wine by the carafe or by the glass.
However, the experience was very pleasant and we hope to return. The overall Award was higher than we would normally expect for a midday meal, but it was a superior restaurant. Make it a special occasion.
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Written 12 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gagui86
Poitiers51 contributions
July 2024 • couples
Very nice establishment at the foot of the castle. The terrace is nice, the room is tastefully decorated, the menu varied and very well cooked, the team with little care.
The combination between the refinement of the dishes and the simplicity of the service is perfect!
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Written 21 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
911prentonpark
Somerset303 contributions
Apr 2022 • couples
We rate our meal here probably amongst the top 20 we’ve ever had! It was superb in every respect and this small atmospheric restaurant deserves its Michelin recognition
We were staying 3 nights at the Hotel Anne d’Anjou and I had assumed this was the hotel restaurant and asked them for a reservation on our first night. I hadn’t looked up any details and only on arrival did I discover it’s actually owned and managed independently of the Hotel and indeed whilst part of the building has separate access.
Staff were perfect. Engaging and friendly without being OTT. We chose one of the taster menus which came with various amuse bouche extras. The scallop essence was especially good. Our starter was foie gras followed by the most perfectly cooked lamb I’ve tasted. My soufflé was equally accomplished and my wife’s cheese board offered a wide choice of well presented local produce. Wine list was comprehensive and reasonably priced. We chose a local Saumur wine.
There is clearly a master chef in place here. We tried to book again before we left but alas the restaurant was already fully booked. You would be very lucky indeed to get a table here without a reservation.
Only one problem occurred when my bill was increased 10x by an erroneous decimal point. I even signed it off! However this was spotted immediately by the staff and a refund instantly made. The final bill represented really excellent value.
We would love to return and recommend L’essentiel most highly.
Written 5 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nadine B
59 contributions
Sept 2024 • couples
bistronomic restaurant perfectly located in a quiet street of Saumur
the menu "essential" at 39 euros is a faultless; the accompaniment of dishes / wines allows to vary the tasting
negative point: the gin and tonic ( 9,90 euros per gin + 4,80 bottle of schweppes ) Award!
2 euros extra for foie gras is petty
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Written 19 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Pachayou
Paris1171 contributions
Nov 2023 • family
A little disappointment given the rave reviews. The service is perfect, efficient and attentive. The room is pleasant, not too noisy. The disappointment concerns the contents of the plates 🍽️. Without being exceptional, the flavors of the dishes are pleasant, more to the eye than to the palate. Furthermore, despite a moderate appetite, the portions are small for the price, €38 for the E+P+D menu.
Written 12 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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