Maison Lameloise — Restaurant in Chalon-sur-Saône

If you’re in Burgundy and want a quintessential Michelin dining experience, look no further than Maison Lameloise in Chagny.

Simply, Maison Lameloise feels like elevated home cooking served by dear friends with a warm hug. The fact that it’s over 40% cheaper compared to Le Cinq also helps your bank account.

We arranged for a car ride from our hotel in Beaune to Chagny for dinner. Upon arrival into this small town, we were greeted via a Rooster sculpture across the street from the house converted into a hotel and restaurant, Maison Lameloise. The town is quiet, devoid of tourists and it feels like you’re in a countryside town. Upon entering the house, we were greeted by the warm staff and the entire surrounding felt homey and incredibly warm. Many Michelin-starred restaurants despite their beauty can feel cold and overly lavish, Maison Lameloise is the opposite in the best way possible.

To start, they took us to the bar area to browse the wine list and Kir Royale. The best crème de cassis comes from this region and one can taste it in the Kir Royale. While the usual accompaniment of amuse bouche arrived at our cocktail table, the wine list was anything but. This is hands down THE BEST Burgundian wine list, especially by the glass I’ve ever seen. My wife and I are not big drinkers despite our love for wines and much prefer it if there are lots of great options by the glass. For restaurants, this is much more difficult as it requires storing the wine for days if not weeks beyond opening, requiring them to use a widget called a coravin to keep the wines from spoiling. I couldn’t believe the selection of wines by the glass that I could try at Lameloise. If you’re into Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, you can try wines by the glass of Etienne Sauzet (good luck trying to find a bottle of that in the US), a 1er Cru of Domaine Roumier, and the list goes on… Yes, please!

Prior to our 1st course, we were led through the restaurant into the main dining room, once again, incredibly warm and comfortable. Upon seating, it was very clear that the dining room was filled mostly with locals and the occasional die-hard foodie or oenophile that makes the trip to this house of Burgundy. One course after another, it was one hit after another, not a single dish off the mark. There were so many delicious dishes with highlights of local egg with mushroom in a creamy sauce, and freshly made brioche bread (my gosh this bread was so good that I had to force myself to stop so that I had room for the rest of dinner and asked for the leftover bread to be wrapped to go), langoustine marinated and crispy with puffed rice & rosemary celery & apple with “kaviari” caviar, the John Dory poached in jelly with asparagus, verbena mustard sabayon, and citron, to the milk-fed veal roasted with acacia flower, artichoke, mousserons, and thin veal escalope with Comte cheese. The food was delicious, local, and incredibly flavorful. Even the strawberry dessert had a stronger strawberry flavor compared to the restaurants in Paris.

The staff here were exceptional, both a balance of casual, warmth, and great care much like visiting a good friend at their home-cooked meal with their family. What does one say to such a great meal, service, and incredible selection of wines? The only thing we could say was merci beaucoup and a bientot as we’ll be back here again whenever we visit Burgundy for...

Maison Lameloise

Country: France Location: Place d’Armes, 71150 Chagny, Burgundy Cooking Style: Modern classic with traditional Burgundian influences

Go There For:

• A refined three-Michelin-star experience steeped in Burgundian tradition. • Dishes that highlight local, seasonal ingredients with flawless execution. • An exceptional wine list featuring Burgundy’s best producers.

What to Eat and What to Drink:

What to Eat: • Pan-seared foie gras with fig and balsamic reduction. • Fine tart of turbot and oysters with herb jus. • Ragout of snails with parsley butter and crispy garlic. • Pigeon lacquered with truffle jus.

What to Drink: • Pair foie gras with a sweet Sauternes. • A white Burgundy (Puligny-Montrachet) complements the turbot. • A structured red Burgundy enhances the pigeon.

Chef:

Éric Pras • Joined Maison Lameloise in 2008 and became head chef in 2009. • Worked with iconic chefs like Pierre Gagnaire, Bernard Loiseau, and Pierre Troisgros. • Philosophy: A modern take on Burgundian flavors, with seasonal, local ingredients elevated through precision and creativity.

Highlights from Critics:

• Michelin Guide: “A masterful blend of tradition and innovation, delivering pure gastronomic delight.” • Gault & Millau: Rated 18/20 for “sublime cooking and harmony of flavors.” • La Liste: Consistently ranked among the world’s top 100 restaurants.

Signature Dishes:

• Foie gras with fig and balsamic reduction. • Ragout of snails with parsley butter and garlic. • Turbot tart with oysters and herb jus. • Pigeon lacquered with truffle jus.

Overall Ratings:

Kitchen: • Ingredients & Products: 10/10 – Local treasures like Bresse chicken, Charolais beef, and Burgundy truffles. • Technique & Harmony: 10/10 – Perfect execution of classic and modern techniques. • Presentation: 9.5/10 – Elegant yet restrained.

Wine List: • 800+ references, with Burgundy as the highlight. • Excellent Champagne selection and wines by the glass (€12+). • Best Buys: Exceptional local wines under €80.

Ambiance: • Warm, elegant décor with Burgundian charm. • Tables set with high-end Bernardaud porcelain.

Service: • Attentive yet unpretentious staff led by maître d’hôtel Olivier Subtil. • Capacity: 35 covers with 15 kitchen staff and 12 in the dining room.

Extras: Optional wine cellar tours.

Conclusion:

Maison Lameloise is a cornerstone of Burgundian fine dining. Éric Pras blends tradition and creativity, delivering a memorable gastronomic journey complemented by impeccable service and a world-class wine list. A must-visit for gourmets seeking the pinnacle of...

It is somewhat difficult to write a review on this renowned restaurant and institution Maison Lameloise. Starting from the bottom line, the food and the overall experience were unique and spectecular. It's not my first time eating in a three michelin stars restaurant, so I knew what to expect in regards to the level of service and cuisine. Almost all of the dishes were masterly concepted and ensambled. The turbot dish with the sabayon sauce was remarkably fine, the amuse gueule was full of textures and delicate yet full of accented flavours, which did not cover the palate before the upcoming dishes. The wines, oh yes, the wines, were sublime (Chablis, Chardonnay, Pinot noir Grands Crus of course...). Great choices from the sommelier.As in art, also with food, it's a matter of taste. The other dishes in the degustation menu could not convince me in terms of the aromas and components harmonization. Especially the duck burgaud was a failure. A chaotic presentation and technically, I would say gently, imperfect preparation of the duck, which has accented the flavour of blood, not allowing the taste of the meat to come through. The skin was slack the rhubarbe jus didn't fulfill any role in the dich. The polenta sauce was however extremely tatsty. Another disappointment was the chocolate dessert with cardamon aroma. It was good and very intensive, but the level of originality and complexity of the dish was more of 1 star than 3. I have tasted much more sophisticated and interesting dishes in other Chef restaurants. I will not get into details about the lobster dish (why sweet jus if it comes after with the duck) and the quail egg in creme anglaise (didn't really understand this dish, the egg was 5 seconds overcooked and it didn't taste at all). Another minus point in the service was the first recommendation of the dessert wine, after indicating to the sommelier that I usually drink Gewurzraminer with the cheese, he served me a wine meursault which is completely inconsistent with my taste indication. This was quickly replaced. All in all, not everything was according to my very high expectations, but I am still grateful for this experience. I will probably not come back again, and would rather visit more modern 3 stars restaurants, that are focused on compact and round...