Loft de la Tarasque

I go one to three times a week and love the feel of Rue des Teinturiers, with its cobbled street and pleasant summer setting. It’s lovely to sit on the terrace or in the quiet dining room with a glass of wine Marie has chosen to go with the daily special. This seasonal restaurant serves traditional, generous, healthy food that’s genuinely delicious. The ingredients are fresh and organic, and the service is friendly and quick.

We used this as our base during the festival. It’s in a great spot by the water, surrounded by trees. The homemade drinks were delicious, and so were the food and ice cream.

We were in Avignon working with a theater company, and since La Tarasque was across the street from our theater, we went there often at first. The food was decent when the festival began, though expensive given the lack of table service, the wobbly, uncomfortable tables and chairs, and the long queues at the counter. The staff were often slow and inefficient. As the festival went on, the food got worse, with smaller portions and lower quality. The owners were unfriendly and didn’t communicate with us. It seemed clear they weren’t interested in building customer loyalty, since they make plenty from passing trade. We’ve switched to other restaurants nearby, where there are thankfully much better options, and we won’t be back next year. The artists and the festival bring business to this place, and I think it should be grateful and more welcoming to the companies spending a lot of money there.

A lovely little place to eat in Avignon, with fresh produce and excellent Ventou beer. Great value for money!