10 Great Restaurants in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc

Restaurant Albert 1er at the Hameau Albert 1er Hotel offers innovative haute cuisine influenced by local traditions and seasonal produce. Fish comes from Alpine lakes and herbs are fresh from the kitchen's own garden, all simply prepared to enhance their natural flavour. Other seasonal menu items include hare with Alba truffle, veal sweetbreads and Crêpe Suzette.

Select your wine from the dedicated cellar, which holds a staggering 19,000 bottles. Alternatively, you can visit for a morning wine tasting with the sommelier followed by lunch in the restaurant. The impeccable dining room looks out over the mountains and features sinfully comfortable leather chairs.

La Télécabine is a unique restaurant modelled after a cable car station. A jaunty red cable car hangs above the entrance, while another cable car equipped with a dining table works as a booth inside. The restaurant's elevated position and full-length windows mean fabulous mountain views and lots of natural light in the exquisitely appointed dining room.

Local crowd-pleasers are on the menu, including fondue, tartiflette (a baked dish of cheese and potatoes) and cheeses supplied by a nearby farm. Other items change with the seasons, and there's a range of tapas and sharing plates to graze on. Finish your meal with their signature Télécabine cappuccino, loaded with coffee liqueur and vanilla ice cream.

La Maison Carrier may be situated in the Hameau Albert 1er Hotel, but it feels like a bucolic country farm. The wood-panelled dining room is decorated with paintings of mountain scenery and old pine sideboards, with a roaring fire in one corner, while the outdoor terrace is surrounded by the hotel's blooming gardens.

The menu emphasises slow food and fresh ingredients, featuring Hérens beef, alpine lake fish, and local vegetables. A professional sommelier can recommend the best regional or French vintage wine to go with your meal. Indulge in a little of everything for dessert, which is served buffet-style on antique tables in the middle of the restaurant.

La Piazza is a warm and welcoming Italian restaurant in the La Folie Douce Hotel. An octagonal outdoor bar where you place your order is surrounded by a sprawling terrace with panoramic views of the surrounding mountains.

The handmade pizzas are created with satisfyingly chunky crusts and piled high with toppings. Opt for a classic pizza Margherita, a melting 4-cheese pizza, spicy Calabrian salami, or one made with truffle cream. Pair your meal with an equally Italian Aperol spritz to sip on while admiring the scenery.

Panier des 4 Saisons is a quintessential French restaurant tucked away down a quiet lane in the middle of Chamonix. The cosy, wood-panelled dining room is reminiscent of a rural chalet, decorated with stylized animal heads on the walls and contemporary art. As the name suggests, dishes change depending on what's in season.

Chef Thierry Roche is a native of Chamonix and combines regional delicacies with classic French gastronomy. Try the escargot in garlic butter, French onion soup, roast lamb fillet, rump steak, or a varied cheese board of classic French cheeses. The wine list showcases some of the region's great vintages.

Chez Yang sits in the centre of Chamonix, serving contemporary and homemade Asian dishes. The décor is very traditional Chinese, with beautifully detailed wall murals and pretty hanging lanterns. Ask for a table in the south-facing conservatory to enjoy the sunshine and charming mountain views.

The extensive menu mixes regional Chinese dishes like Beijing duck and Sichuan cabbage with broader Asian options like satay shrimp or Thai spring rolls. Can't decide on a dish? Go for the tasting menu, which highlights the restaurant's specialities. If you fancy something sweet, black sesame ice cream and bubble tea are popular choices.

With its skiing photographs and antler-shaped lamps, La Calèche could be nowhere but the Alps. The restaurant is filled with treasures, from vintage advertising posters to a bobsleigh from the 1924 Winter Olympics. Regular nights of folk singing add to the traditional atmosphere.

The food is equally inspired by local traditions, with dishes like Savoy pink trout gravlax, diot (local sausages), and duck foie gras with Savoy cake. Cheese lovers will enjoy the melting fondue pots and huge half-wheels of raclette served at the table. For the full alpine experience, finish your meal with hot chocolate heaped with cream.

The unbeatable mountain scenery is the first thing you notice at Auberge Du Bois Prin, part of the hotel of the same name. Its dishes are as enticing as the views, expertly prepared by Michelin-starred chef Emmanuel Renaut. The thoughtful regional menu includes locally reared meat, vegetables from the kitchen garden, and a broad wine list featuring several great Savoy wines.

The menu is short but carefully curated, featuring dishes like Arctic char and roast pigeon with smoked aubergine. Alternatively, go for the 3-course lunch menu or 6-course dinner menu – both are inspired by whatever is fresh at the local market. The dining room has an outdoor terrace where you can drink while taking in the delightful mountain scenery.

Le Jekyll is an Irish bar serving an eclectic range of tapas-sized plates. Choose from Portuguese-style octopus, coconut chicken skewers and spicy grilled chorizo, or order a hearty burger with wedges. Vegetarians should find plenty of choices, including potato fritter burgers, oven-baked nachos, and sour cream linguine. The homemade ice cream is a highlight, too.

The cosy old stone building has an inviting atmosphere, with padded bar seats on the ground floor and a quieter upstairs area with plenty of benches. Le Jekyll is a popular spot during big sporting events thanks to its enormous wide-screen TV. Other events include live music and frequent comedy nights.

MOÖ bar cuisine is the place to go in Chamonix for inventive burgers and a tempting salad bar. French steak is ground in-house every day and topped with cheddar and caramelised onion, slices of cured ham, or crispy bacon pieces. Save room for a slice of tiramisu or carrot cake with lime frosting.

Beers include a range from local microbrewery Big Mountain, along with classic cocktails and the amusingly named Moöjito. Besides local DJs and live music, the restaurant also hosts the occasional film night. A cool cafe by day and a lively burger joint at night, MOÖ bar cuisine exudes a young, energetic, and decidedly fun vibe.