Symbiose Restaurant Epernay — Restaurant in Épernay

When you come to Epernay you understand two things.... There will be great food, and there will be even better Champagne! Symbiose is both of these things. As a brand new restaurant people need to be patient with the wine list as it improves over time. The foundations are amazing however, and the greatest of wine connoisseurs must appreciate a solid foundation for a wine menu. Symboise has done this with their selections, from affordable common and grower producers to amazing finds like Jacques Selosse. While Selosse is going to run you into the mid 100 euro area it is well worth the investment, since how often are you in Epernay?

You can choose from an assortment of "Pick your own" style Prix Fixe menu. Prices are moderate considering the rest of Epernay, but I can guarantee that their prices will increase as time goes on and people find out how amazing this spot is. The value is absolutely present here. We started with a pumpkin soup for my wife and Foie Gras for me. After completing the Foie Gras (and soaking every last bit of it up off the plate) I struggled through my awful french to ask Justine (the host/owner/server/bartender) for a second plate of Foie Gras served after the main course. She seemed shocked, but I was so excited about the Foie Gras that I couldn't just have one plate. I have had Foie Gras many times and in many places, and this is the best I have had yet! The pumpkin soup was good, however personally when it comes to choosing between the two you should go with the Foie Gras!

For the entree we selected two different things again. I chose the Poultry dish that had chicken, and my wife chose the Filet (steak) option. Both were fantastic, and were well executed when it comes to flavors. Nothing that was overpowering, and yet if you don't eat like your in the military (scarfing your food down), then you enjoy the development of so many subtle flavors over your palate. I was impressed with both my wife's and my dish. I would not hesitate to order both again.

At this point I ate my second helping of Foie Gras, which was still just as amazing as the first round, and my wife enjoyed the fromage (cheese) selection. The cheeses were well selected, and portion was perfect for a single person.

Last but certainly not least was the dessert. We enjoyed a pineapple/fruit dessert with vanilla ice cream, and a chocolate dessert with mascarpone. There were many other details that I am now forgetting, but if you are still reading you understand that its possible my mind had just been blown and I had forgotten the details. The desserts were amazing, and the perfect cap on a great dinner.

Along with the beginning we opted to order the Ratafia de Champagne (which was sourced from a grower just 20 minutes driving to the south of Epernay), and it was incredible. We opted to not have champagne since we had a magnum waiting for us when we got back home (I know ... sometimes life is just hard!). By the end of the meal we got to converse with the chef and his wife who were the only ones working in the restaurant, and I can only imagine when it is busy they are working their tails off! Luckily Sunday is a slower evening to enjoy dinner, but with that said I would advise anyone to have a little bit of grace when reviewing this place understanding the amount of work, effort, and energy these two are putting into their restaurant.

Bottom Line: These are two young people who have a passion to bring exquisite food, wine, and atmosphere together so that anyone willing to experience a meal at their restaurant will leave with a full belly, great memory, and changed outlook on what a meal can mean. I will never hesitate to recommend, come back, or sing the praises of this restaurant! I thank Maxime (the chef, and Justine (the server/bartender/host) for an experience I will not...

We had made a reservation for a group of six but unfortunately had to cancel about 30 minutes before the scheduled time. We called the restaurant directly to inform them, understanding that this wasn’t ideal, but also assuming that by notifying them, we were doing the right thing.

What we did not expect was to be charged 312 euros — a policy that was not communicated to us during the cancellation call. Had we been told, we would have at least had a chance to understand or discuss the terms. Instead, the charge was made without any explanation or warning.

Following this, I called the restaurant again to understand what had happened. I ended up speaking with the chef, who was not only unhelpful but surprisingly unprofessional, going so far as to make personal accusations. It was an unpleasant and disappointing experience that left us with a very poor impression — not because we were charged, but because of how it was handled.

I understand that restaurants have policies to protect their operations, especially for larger bookings. But transparency, communication, and professionalism are just as important. Sadly, all three were missing...

We had the introduction menu on a Saturday for lunch. The atmosphere of Symbiose was very simple and unassuming. We were greeted by the waiter who was kind but due to just being alone the service was a bit slower than expected. We completed the introduction menu in 2.5hrs.

The food was amazing, we had oysters as an addition to the introduction menu starters. For starters we loved the tuna and the snails. For mains both the fish and the veal were great, we preferred the fish. For dessert, we opted for the cheese platter and the chocolate mouse. The cheese platter was just enough quantity and of good quality. Meanwhile the chocolate mouse with vanilla ice cream was a perfect end to a gastronomic experience.

For drinks we had 1 glass of white wine, 1 red wine and 2 roses. Wine glasses ranging from €6-€8 per glass. All of them were really good.

Definitely a restaurant to come back to when...