Auxerre eats like northern Burgundy — Charolais beef, escargot, andouillette sausage, jambon persillé, and quantities of the local wine. The restaurants along the river quays and in the old town are mostly traditional and reliable; this is not a city for experimental cooking. The covered market (Thursday and Saturday mornings, Place de l'Arquebuse) is the best place to buy local charcuterie and cheese.
For an introduction to the local wine without making the drive to Chablis, the wine shops along the rue du Temple and around the cathedral stock a good range of Auxerrois and Chablis labels at reasonable prices.