Nîmes sits at the meeting of Languedoc and Provence, with the Camargue to the south and the Cévennes to the north, and its restaurant scene reflects that range. Olives, anchovies, brandade de morue (salt cod whipped with olive oil), Camargue rice, taureau (bull meat) stews, garrigue lamb, and goat cheeses are all local. The covered market (Les Halles) supplies most of the better kitchens and is the best place to taste the local produce yourself.
A small group of modern restaurants — Le Bouchon et l'Assiette, Skab — has lifted the bar in recent years. Classic French brasseries and Mediterranean bistros fill the centre. Lunch menus, even at the best places, offer the best value of any meal.