La Matelote in Boulogne-sur-Mer a Michelin Starred Dining Experience

Planning a visit to Boulogne-sur-Mer and looking for a romantic dining experience? Michelin starred restaurant, La Matelote, run by Chef Tony Lestienne, is for you.

After visiting Nausicaa Aquarium and experiencing everything Boulogne-sur-Mer has to offer, we were excited to discover the local foods offered at La Matelote. We had dinner at La Matelote on Saturday night after seeing the local fish market that morning, and even the stand where Chef buys his fish.

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Restaurant Review : La Matelote in Boulogne-sur-Mer

We arrived at La Matelote and were seated in a lovely, plush area of the restaurant that was both intimate and romantic, so perfect for us.

La Matelote : Starters

To start, we enjoyed three amuse-bouche. The goal of an amuse-bouche is to whet the appetite and stimulate the palate for the full meal to come. These did just that!

3 small staters, 2 in small pots and a 3rd on a spoon

We both kicked off our meal with the same starter. Seasonal white asparagus with smoked salmon, lettuce and topped with a poached egg.

French white asparagus with smoked salmon and a poached egg

La Matelote : Main Courses

I continued my meal with the cabillaud served with olives and tomatoes. I absolutely love cod and order it often. This was one of the best cod dishes I have ever had. It reminded me of one of our all time favorite recipes : Mediterranean cod.

white fish topped with tomato and served with French white asparagus

Hugo had this white fish (colin), served with seasonal vegetables. He loved his choice. I snuck in a couple of bites to and agreed that it was delish.

The majority of the dishes on the menu are fish dishes, although there are meat options on the menu as well. If you are more of a meat lover, you will be able to find the perfect dish for you here as well.

The restaurant participates in the Mister Goodfish program in collaboration with Nausicaa Aquarium which educates about the importance of eating fish that has been fished through sustainable fishing sources. In addition to enjoying tasty fish when you dine at La Matelote, you can also rest assured that the fish that is being served has been fished responsibly.

Time for dessert!

After dinner, it was time for dessert. We tried the signature chocolate parfait, on a hazelnut biscuit, created at La Matelote in 1995. It was absolutely decadent and delicious!

We also ordered a tropical fruits creme caramel with passion fruit and mango. This was a lovely exotic spin on a traditional French dessert. We highly recommend it.

French creme caramel with an orange sauce and a crispy wafer

Then it was time for coffee and miniature sweets, otherwise known as a café gourmand! I love this French tradition. No trip to France would be complete without mini lemon tarts, pâte de fruits and coffee éclair choux.

Meeting Chef Lestienne

Then we met the chef! We learned about the history of the restaurant, the menu and even took a tour of Chef Lestienne’s pristine kitchen. Chef Lestienne has had his restaurant for the past 40 years and it is clear that it is his passion. We could have stayed and talked for hours. There was so much to learn and chat about!

La Matelote is a lovely choice for fine, Michelin starred dining, in a beautiful, relaxed and romantic ambiance, for a reasonable price. We are already planning our next trip back. Hugo’s parents live about an hour and a half from Boulogne-sur-Mer and we are planning to bring them to the restaurant for dinner soon.

Have you tried a Michelin starred restaurant? Where? Which one? Share it in the comments below.