Domaine Gayda — Local services in Limoux

After many years of dining very well at Gayda, I was totally disappointed in the overall quality and service at the new restaurant. I had invited a friend, and was looking forward to a great lunch..sad to say this was not the case. First thing I noticed was that there was simply no 'feel' of being now in an Italian restaurant. We were shown to our table and then totally ignored for 20 mins, although the place was by no means full. No grissini, or olives or small pieces of focaccia on the table to nibble at whilst waiting. A table of 10 seemed to be causing the waiters some distress....Finally a rather stressed waiter arrived and gave us the menu, and asked if we wanted an apéro. No Italian wine to be had (it IS an Italian restaurant after all...). A glass of Gayda white was served...tepid. The water arrived, tap water and tepid. The starter was tasty, but dried on the top as if standing in wait for too long. The pasta was mediocre, tomato sauce with small squares of aubergine, really nothing special. Not even a choice of dessert. The glass of red with the meal was fine. The total 60€ for a lunch for two....definitely not value for money. This was 5 months ago, and hopefully it was just a bad day, but it put me off returning again,...

The food was exceptional, and the beautiful ambiance overlooking the vineyards truly enhanced the dining experience. To further elevate this wonderful atmosphere, there is an opportunity for the waitstaff to improve their service skills. While they were courteous, it seemed they could benefit from additional training to reach a higher standard of service. For instance, adopting more hygienic practices, such as properly holding utensils and glassware, would add to the dining experience. Additionally, taking care in how menus and bills are presented, as well as enhancing both verbal and non-verbal communication skills, could greatly improve the overall refinement of the restaurant. With these adjustments, this establishment has the potential to offer an even more...

Beautiful location but could be so much more.....the restaurant itself is a bit shabby with lightbulbs missing and cable ties holding various items together. The food to start was lovely however the mains - Pork had unfortunately ended up in food poisoning for both parties who ate it. We had contacted the restaurant to inform them of this but they had not replied - hence the review now as the chance was given to rectify but sadly ignored. To add insult to injury the hand wash in the bathroom was watered down....not ideal during covid times!!! What a shame as we would have enjoyed comming back regularly. It really could be so much more, the owners are missing a treat and so had we. Won't be returning and wouldn't recommend you...