Restaurant de l'Abbaye (Au Petit Glouton)
Tucked into a vaulted stone dining room a stone's throw from the abbey gates, this beloved local restaurant serves the kind of honest Burgundian cooking — oeufs en meurette, jambon persillé, poulet de Bresse — that reminds you exactly why you came to this corner of France.
What to Order
Start with the oeufs en meurette: poached eggs in a glossy red-wine sauce enriched with lardons and pearl onions — a dish that looks simple but takes real skill to balance. Follow it with the andouillette grillée if you're feeling adventurous, or the safer but equally satisfying filet de sandre (pike-perch) from the Saône river served with a Mâcon-Villages beurre blanc.
The cheese trolley is non-negotiable. Ask for a small selection and the server will guide you through local Époisses, Chaource and the milder Cluny goat's cheese from a nearby farm. Finish with the tarte Tatin caramelised to the colour of old oak.
The Setting
The dining room occupies a 15th-century townhouse with exposed limestone walls and low-beamed ceilings; in summer, tables spill into a courtyard shaded by a plane tree where you can hear the abbey bells mark the hours.
Service is warm and unhurried in the way that only small French family restaurants manage. The wine list leans heavily on local Mâconnais and Côte Chalonnaise producers, with a good selection available by the 50cl carafe.
Booking and Budget
Lunch is the best-value moment: a two-course formule with a glass of wine typically comes in under €22. The full three-course menu with cheese runs to around €35 — exceptional value for cooking of this quality.
Reservations are strongly advised on weekends and during the July–August abbey festival season. The restaurant is closed on Sunday evenings and Mondays.
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