L'Imparfait

We make a point of visiting this charming restaurant every time we’re in Bergerac, and it never disappoints. The food is consistently excellent and offers fantastic value for money. While the service could have been a bit more attentive on our latest visit, the quality of the food truly speaks for itself. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a delicious and affordable meal in a relaxed setting.

I have had and still have the opportunity to eat in so many restaurants and places around the world sharing some of the best food from all countries France remains France off course and gastronomy here is part of the french DNA But……this restaurant is a must!!! Food is out of this world this is an explosion of flavours in your mouth from any dish you are ordering. Prices and services are without any comment since i could have paid 5 times the bill i have been presented. For all of you reading this do jot miss a single opportunity to lunch or dinner here it will be a travel into a world of flavour. Lionel Cren

Went here to celebrate our 40th wedding Anniversary. Decided to go for the €67 7 course surprise menu as the supplements on the €54 3 course menu brought the price up to €65. What a delight, every course was delicious. The staff were very informative and friendly, especially Thomas. Lovely warm bread too. We had a glass of white each and shared a bottle of red. The only negative I’ve got and I took a star off, was that the mise en bouche was counted as a course, whereas it’s free when you go for a cheaper menu. I feel this is a bit misleading. It would be better if they offer a 6 course menu as we didn’t realise the meal was over as we had only counted 6. Most spoke english.

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 you’ll find it.

We were in town to meet relatives and had a great 3 course lunch on a hot Monday afternoon. There was plenty of choice on the menu and it was well worth the €35 for 3 courses. The service was efficient & friendly. We were the last to leave and did not fell in the least bit rushed by the staff. They relaid the tables ready for the evening service and didn’t bat an eyelid about us overstaying our welcome! Would happily visit again! Thank you to the restaurant team for a lovely experience.

A real gem! We booked for a party of 13 and sampled nearly every item on the menu. The food was outstanding, both in taste and presentation. They have a solid wine selection. Service started off slow but picked up nicely, becoming warm and personable. I recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for local yet upscale cuisine. I’m eager to return on my next visit to the region.

I had the menu du jour which started with eggs and truffle. The grey mush that I received didn’t resemble eggs or taste like them and there was no whiff of truffle at all. Very disappointing. Like a bad scrambled tofu with zero flavour. Actually inedible. The staff assured me there was egg in it as I asked if this was infact the correct order. Liver for main was delicious with a very tasty sauce. Mash potatoes were bland and lentils unnecessary… choice of crepe or pain Perdue for dessert. Fairly unimaginative choice. Crepes were ok but sauce was way too sweet. A rather underwhelming experience for somewhere I had been excited to try.

Great special venue for food sharing with friends and family. Food great, service is good. Definitely a restaurant worth travelling to. 4 stars for service as it was a little too formal and showy for me. Heating up brandy for a mediocre apple tart was style over substance.

The restaurant is quite charming, and well appointed. There are 3 prix fixe menus to choose from, and also an a la carte menu. We found the service to be quite attentive, and there's plenty of bread with a compressed herb butter. Offering cocktails and aperitifs, there's an interesting local wine list too. We enjoyed the amuse bouche, and our main dishes were quite nice, but I found my scallops a bit underwhelming. The baba au rhum for dessert was a winner.

Perfect Sunday lunch! We loved the service, ambiance and the food was beautifully plated, and so delicious.

This place is not for tourists. If you're not a local, eating at this joint involves no conversation just curt and shortly phrased commands intended to belittle you and make you feel as uncomfortable as possible. The place is poorly staffed and the team working the tables are extremely rude. When I saw that they were allowing other patrons to charge their phone, I asked whether I could do the same. The answer was a typical, not possible. The courses, as they arrive are slammed on the table. When you remind a waiter that a glass of wine was ordered to go with a particular course you'll get in response a crude, "what do you want". If they decide to sweep the crumbs off your table the waiter will just say "lift your glass". If they need a menu, they just take it off the table without asking, regardless of whether you need it or not.

There are many restaurants to choose from in the old section of Bergerac, but I think we stumbled upon the best of them. L'Imparfait is anything but "imperfect". We chose from the menu at 26€ from which you get either a starter and main course or a main and dessert. Before you order, they arrive with bread and a little pot of pate. For my starter I picked the salade Perigord which featured a bed of lettuce and a couple of tomato slices along with a couple of slices of smoked duck breast, a kind of fried pate meat ball (very good), a roll of duck confit in a pot of honey based sauce and creme brûlée that consists of foie gras and mustard which is one of the most amazing things I have ever tasted. My main course was magret de canard, cooked rare but not raw, was hot and not lukewarm and very tender. It had a delicate wine sauce and pureed potatoes on the side. Perfect. My wife had a roll of lotte (a fish fillet rolled up and sprinkled with lardons and peppers). It sat on a bed of white beans and vegetable mousse and she declared it to be incredible. Her dessert was advertised as creme brûlée but when it arrived it also featured a glass of raspberry mousse and a ball of chocolate ice cream on a wafer cup. Two excellent coffees arrived with biscuits and chocolate truffles as extras. This was hands down our best meal in France so far on this trip.