La Matelote Restaurant
For over three decades, La Matelote has been the table in Boulogne for serious seafood — chef Tony Lestienne holds a Michelin star and sources almost everything from the port visible through the dining room windows. This is the place to eat sole meunière, turbot au beurre blanc or a plateau de fruits de mer assembled from the morning's catch.
What to Order
The lunchtime Menu Pêcheur (around €38 for three courses) is the best-value entry point: it typically opens with a velouté of shellfish, moves to a perfectly timed fillet of locally caught fish and finishes with a classic French dessert. The wine list leans heavily on white Burgundy and Muscadet, both natural partners for the food.
The plateau de fruits de mer — a towering cold platter of oysters, langoustines, crab, whelks and prawns — is built to share between two and arrives with all the shallot vinegar, rye bread and unsalted butter you could want.
The Setting
La Matelote occupies a smart but unfussy room on Boulevard Sainte-Beuve, directly facing the beach and a short walk from Nausicaá. White tablecloths, attentive but relaxed service and a room full of French families on weekend lunches give it an atmosphere that feels genuinely local rather than tourist-facing.
Book a window table in advance — the sea view on a bright day, with fishing boats coming and going in the harbour entrance, makes the whole meal feel like a celebration.
Practical Notes
Reservations are essential for Friday dinner and Saturday lunch, which are the most popular sittings. A weekday lunch is easier to walk into but still worth booking a day ahead.
The brasserie section next door, La Matelote Brasserie, offers a shorter, cheaper menu with the same fish sourcing — a good option if the main restaurant is full or the budget is tighter.
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