Le Royal, étape Gastronomique

Le Royal is the one-Michelin-star restaurant inside the Royal Champagne Hotel Spa, in a village on a hill above Épernay overlooking 30 kilometres of vineyards.... read more Le Royal is the one-Michelin-star restaurant inside the Royal Champagne Hotel Spa, in a village on a hill above Épernay overlooking 30 kilometres of vineyards. The hotel itself is a five-star operation that, after you book, sends you an email asking whether you’d like to arrive by helicopter or by private jet. They will, with grace, accommodate guests arriving by less interesting means. Executive Chef Christophe Raoux earned his Meilleur Ouvrier de France in 2015 and ran Ducasse openings in Tokyo (Beige, Benoît), London (the Dorchester) and New York (Benoît) between 2004 and 2009. The Japanese influence is everywhere in the food: lamb from the French Basque country gets a shiso jacket, langoustine meets wagyu in a soy-driven consommé, red mullet is sauced with sea urchin juice. None reads as fusion, just the vocabulary of a chef who has travelled. I ordered the Signature Menu. It is eight courses on paper and roughly 15 in practice. Highlights: — White asparagus from the Marne with saffron and tagetes (marigold) oil, served with a langoustine extraction. — Blue lobster cooked over local vine cuttings, finished with bergamot, shiso, and beurre blanc. — Belaun lamb from the Basque country, grilled yakitori-style, served with a salad that genuinely fought the lamb (and lost, narrowly). — A dessert built on Grand Cru Ecuadorian chocolate, champagne marc, and cacao mucilage. A few things that set this kitchen apart: (1) When the waiters pour a sauce, they leave the little metal jug on the table. (2) Real candles burn in the wall sconces throughout dinner. Open flame, dripping wax, in 2026. (3) The dining room is the Royal Ballroom, beneath a golden patinated ceiling honouring the women in Napoleon’s life. A statue of him watches you eat. Portraits of his favourite women watch him. The wine programme is run by head sommelier Philippe Marques, who looks after the entire hotel and was given a special mention by the Star Wine List of the Year France 2025 jury for the precision of his list. If you order something serious from the wine list, do engage him. He is a generous teacher. Service is warm without being theatrical. Pacing is excellent for a 15-course meal: about four hours, never rushed. The kitchen overdelivers. Two unannounced courses arrived (an abalone before the menu began, and a sorrel sorbet pre-dessert) and a tableside-grated dried caviar log featured with the red mullet. Substack “Pretty Girls Eat Guts” for the full story! Title: “Caviar Brick and the Helicopter Question”

Service was refined, attentive, and welcoming without feeling overly formal. Every dish was beautifully presented, balanced, and full of flavour, showcasing gre... read more Service was refined, attentive, and welcoming without feeling overly formal. Every dish was beautifully presented, balanced, and full of flavour, showcasing great technique and quality ingredients.

I had an incredible time at this restaurant! The food was absolutely delicious, we couldn’t stop talking about it. The only thing that was a bit of a bummer was... read more I had an incredible time at this restaurant! The food was absolutely delicious, we couldn’t stop talking about it. The only thing that was a bit of a bummer was the long wait between each plate. I think we had to wait around 30 to 45 minutes between the entree and the main course. It was way too long, and I saw other people around us getting pretty frustrated. I hope they can fix that soon because the food was absolutely fantastic! Also just so you know there is a lot of noise and you feel like eating with other people because of the table configuration, it’s not perfect but that’s fine.

Disgusting service! The food and atmosphere was fine, but the service …… read more Disgusting service! The food and atmosphere was fine, but the service ……

In Famous champagne region Reims, France . Le Royal is well placed restaurant to enjoy your evening after day routine of visiting champagne tasting and complime... read more In Famous champagne region Reims, France . Le Royal is well placed restaurant to enjoy your evening after day routine of visiting champagne tasting and compliments the whole environment. Napoleon Bonaparte has stopped off here in past so has a history too. Food was excellent and was tuned to the best of seasons fresh ingredients. Choice was excellent and my favourite was lobster linguine which was the best one I had so far. Choice of wines was immaculate and bubbly options were over the moon. Can’t miss this one if you are in the area. Do let me know if you happen to take a drive up to the place and enjoyed.