L'Imparfait — Restaurant in Bergerac

Restaurant L’Imparfait: Elegance Without the Attitude

L’Imparfait is that rare restaurant that manages to be stylish and classy without drifting into the territory of hushed voices and raised eyebrows. Its dining room, with bare perigourdian stone walls and tastefully restrained décor, sets just the right tone: chic without shouting about it. The calm, warm lighting adds to an atmosphere that is immediately welcoming and quietly sophisticated—the perfect backdrop for what turned out to be a truly exceptional meal.

Service here deserves particular mention. Our waiter struck that fine balance between professionalism and warmth, attentive without hovering, and clearly knowledgeable without a hint of condescension. His recommendations on wine pairings were spot on, each choice elevating the food rather than competing with it. It’s the kind of service that quietly assures you you’re in safe hands, and it never once missed a beat.

The meal itself was, quite simply, perfection. The five-course menu découverte (€54) offered dishes that were not only unusual but unique—food that surprises you, delights you, and never once feels contrived. I won’t give away too much detail, as discovery is half the pleasure, but one standout was an amuse-bouche of gazpacho with a foie gras crème brûlée: playful, refined, and executed with such confidence that it set the tone for the entire evening.

In a world where fine dining often comes with inflated prices and a heavy side of pretension, L’Imparfait is refreshingly different. Yes, it is a higher standard, and yes, it is worth the price—but the price itself feels more than reasonable given the quality of what is offered. At €54, the menu is not just fair, it is generous.

L’Imparfait doesn’t need to boast, because it quietly achieves what so many restaurants aim for but few deliver: an experience that lingers long after the last glass of wine is finished. If you appreciate fine food, fine wine, and a higher standard delivered with grace rather than pomp, this is where...

Exceptional food and service, from flavor to plating to ingredient combinations — not a weak note among the dishes. Seriously some of the best food in the region - and it’s Michelin guide recommended for a reason.

The restaurant is nestled into a charming street so there’s no vehicle traffic to disrupt dining.

A lot of other reviewers writing in English claim to have issues with the staff if they didn’t speak French. We don’t speak a word of French and multiple staff were able to communicate with us just fine in English - although I could see if you have very detailed requests it could take a moment or some google translate to figure things out.

For 50 or 60 euro the tasting menus are an outrageously good value and offer superior food to that of restaurants we’ve tried around North America for twice the cost! Seriously just go here...

Walked past this restaurant and the place was completely empty bar one table outside. It was 7pm and thought looked like a nice place to eat in even though it was quiet. Asked the waitress if she had a small table either inside or outside as it was empty. Her response was NO, had we booked? We were travelling through Bergerac for one night. Of course we hadn’t booked, we weren’t asking for a room for the night. She kindly fobbed us off and carried on serving her French customers on the only table that was taken. We happily found another restaurant not far from here that was accommodating to English customers and it was packed. It seems if your English, some restaurants would rather turn you away than seat you and take your money. I would avoid this restaurant and certainly wouldn’t recommend it to anyone especially if...