Restaurant Fou de Fafa

My mom was back in the USA and found this little restaurant for me to try on my one night in Avignon - and let me tell you - it was beyond amazing! I had the spicy prawn soup with coconut, ginger and lime - perfectly balanced! I also had the fish of the day with squid ink risotto and I know I will be dreaming about this! The fish had a nice crispy skin while still being moist, and the risotto was simply perfect! Antonia took wonderful care of me, service was impeccable and her wine suggestions were delicious. If I ever pass through Avignon again I will be going here.

Possibly the best restaurant we went to on our three-week Europe trip. All 4 dishes shown in pictures are excellent. And the price to quality ratio - unbelievably good. There are already a lot of other reviews about food but I'd like to compliment the lady who run this place. She is born for this job. We have a saying in Mandarin 如沐春风 （as if bathing in the spring breeze), that is exactly how I felt when talking to her. Thanks for this wonderful dining experience.

Exceptional experience! The food, wine, service were all exceptional! It is no wonder this place is fully booked at all times! The waitress (who I believe is also the owner) was very accommodating, explained each dish and wine very well and made us felt right at home.

This restaurant was incredible! The starters could've been mains with how big the portions were and how well they were cooked. I thought the trout was cooked perfectly and had such a nice pairing with the beetroot and yogurt. The pork and cod mains were also amazing. The cod was buttery soft and melted in your mouth, while the pork had the perfect amount of chew and marbled fat. The sauces and accompaniments were a great match. Lastly the service was extraordinary! Antonia was the host and owner, and she was so helpful and kind throughout the night. We had to leave early to catch a train, and she made sure she had the bill ready, packed our dessert to go, and checked us out right on time. I would return in a heartbeat given any opportunity!

We had the most lovely dinner here. The owner who runs front of house is so warm, kind and inviting! She brings a levity to the restaurant and makes the experience that much more enjoyable. The food was phenomenal, we kept adding courses because it was so good. One of our favorite French dining experiences all around. Go here if you're in avignon and reserve in advance!

We tried to walk in but it was fully booked so we were suggested to make a reservation for the next day. The next day when we arrived, she recognized us, warmly greeted us, and asked about our day. The food was amazing, and service was superb. Highly recommend.

An exceptional dining experience from start to finish! The service was top-notch, and both the fish and chocolate creme brulee were absolutely delicious. If you're in Avignon, this restaurant should be at the top of your list.

We had a really nice time, the service was very friendly. The food was also good, we tried to taste many things, chocolate creme brulee was tasty as well but I’d prefer the classic one.

Located in the small town of Avignon, the interior is very peaceful and calm. The ambiance is relaxing and no loud noise or such. Our server was very relaxed and she talked slowly and was very understandable. It was very nice and accommodating that there was an English translation for the food menu. Pan fried chicken breast (5/5): magnificent! Generally not a big fan of pesto but I don't know what magic was put to make the dish so flavorful and delicious. The mashed potatoes had an awesome texture. The chunks of potatoes were a nice touch and offered good diversity texture wise. Tuna capaccio (5/5): wow was this an amazing start. The flavor was balanced very well. The balsamic complimented the oil well. Pan fried tiger prawns (4/5): quite delicious. The cream sauce was very well done. Creamy and not overwhelming in flavor. Simply perfect! Chocolate creme brulée (5/5): the perfect way to end the night. Just be advised that the flavor was very strong and sweet. The hard carmelized sugar layer on top was so beautiful that I almost didn't want to break it. The custard was so creamy. Our time here did not feel rushed whatsoever. I had a very pleasant dining experience. Tap to pay is accepted here. Overall, Fou de Fafa is a great place for some fine dining. The menu items are selected well and have a good variety. The food was delicious and the server was so patient and kind. Highly recommended. This place gets an A from me!

Husband and wife team serving up incredible dishes and personal/hospitable service. Best meal and dining experience we had in Avignon. This would be my first stop when I return.

We enjoyed our dinner at this quiet air conditioned restaurant with inside and outside seating. They accept online reservations which are necessary on weekends. It is run by a lovely English woman so if you need a little break from French it's nice. Many English speakers go there but that does not mean the food is lower quality. The food is French and delicious with generous portions and great sides . The chocolate creme brulee was more popular at our table than the Banan- offey. We would visit again even given the many choices in the city.

This establishment is just fabulous as Antonia our hostess and owner made this experience exceptional

We loved everything about this place - Ambience, service, and most importantly the food. The starters - salmon tartare and seasonal salad - and the main course - chicken in the coconut sauce - were our favorite meal in France. I would highly recommend Fou de Fafa to anyone in Avignon.

We loved this place! We were able to get in for a table for 2, and ordered from the delicious prefixed menu. The food was delicious -- so flavorful, and delicately created. The hostess/maitre'd was super busy but right on top of it, perfect timing and very friendly and professional. She got us everything we needed. She was really great! We would definitely come here again! Ordered: Seared Scallop Appetizers, Pork Entree, Fish of the Day Entree, Creme Brûlée Dessert (All Amazing!!)

KenScale: 8.25/10 When planning for our honeymoon, I struggled to decide where to stay in southern France. In the French Riviera area on the east, it was easier; I knew one day in Nice is probably warranted, and among the little villages, I had my eyes on Eze for a while. What about the Provence area on the west? There were so many options, from cities such as Arles (known for its spectacular Roman ruins) and Aix-en-Provence (one of the quintessential Provencal towns) to smaller villages like Les Baux and Gordes. I ended up settling with Avignon, primarily known in history as where popes used to reside, largely because the wine tour that I arranged had a pick-up available in the city. Btw, if you are in Provence, a wine tour of the Rhone Valley area is a must, and if you are looking for one in English, I highly recommend the one that Olivier Hickman does (check out his website wine-uncovered.com). Avignon turned out to be so much more, however. My wife Jun and I greatly enjoyed the bustling and youthful environment of this city with a wall surrounding it; Avignon also happened to be hosting a world-renown international films festival, so the center of the city was even more energetic with crowds looking to participate or act in one of the shows happening (Jun and I probably picked a dozen flyers even though we didn't understand what the shows were about as the flyers were all in French). What about dining experience in Avignon? I was debating among multiple restaurants for our first night in the city, and went with Fou de Fafa because the photo of the restaurant looked very cozy. Indeed, when we showed up, we had this feeling of dining at a friend's place in France as guests, with unpretentious décor that makes you feel very much welcomed. Fou de Fafa also delivered some very delicious food too. When we entered the restaurant, we were greeted by one very nice French lady who was working solo. The food at Fou de Fafa is not particularly groundbreaking if you are looking for the next great haute cuisine dining experience, but where the restaurant makes the difference is its thoughtful execution that leads to more satisfaction than you expect. Pan-fried tiger prawns in satay sauce had a nice Asian touch, and worked well with fresh coriander and cashew nuts for a pleasant starter. Jun and I ordered two main dishes, one a duck breast and the other a dourade, and we enjoyed both dishes. The pan-fried duck breast had a spot-on texture (as anyone who reads my reviews would appreciate, we are very picky when it comes to duck dishes because of how much Jun loves the bird's meat in general), and was accompanied by raspberry, stir-fried vegetables and mashed potato. The seasoning was also well-balanced and didn't feel overpowering. Dourade was also quite aptly cooked, and worked beautifully with saffron risotto and fresh tomato salsa underneath. We both thought the seasoning on the risotto was a little bit stronger than we had hoped, but the fish helped to somewhat neutralize it. For dessert, banoffee pie with banana, caramel and whipped cream is a must-order; it was a pure decadence that looks simple but packs a ton of delightful sweetness. I placed a reservation at the restaurant through my credit card concierge service a couple of weeks in advance; the dining room is not big (and strangely, half the tables were filled with Asian diners, so we jokingly thought that maybe a popular food blogger from Korea or China must have visited this place and really liked the food here), and we saw that the French lady who was serving our table was turning away walk-in customers so do make a reservation in advance. You will be able to find a ton of gems from the reasonably priced wine list; the southern Rhone Valley region that is close to Avignon is famous for its Chateauneuf-du-Pape reds, but after drinking a sensational bottle of Gigondas at Fou de Fafa, I feel like I should invest more in collecting these often underappreciated wines more. As noted above, the atmosphere of the restaurant works perfect if you are looking for a quiet dining experience where you get to spend some quality time with your loved ones. Fou de Fafa is the type of restaurant that makes dining in France so reliably satisfactory; the soulful cooking at this restaurant will make your visit to Avignon worthwhile.

Amazing staff, wine and food. Our best meal, by far, in all of Avignon. The waitress is very helpful and friendly. They only turn each table once per night so she has to disappoint many people. Everything we had was amazing.

Lovely food with fresh produce. Good vegetarian options - important for my meat-free partner who really appreciated that they provided a vegetarian amuse bouche, and specified that the cheesecake was not vegetarian as it contained gelatin. Highly recommend!

Earned one of my rare 5.0's. Reservation can be made on Facebook--we made one before leaving for France. The four of us dined here on our seventh and final night in Avignon. Great capstone for a wonderful visit. SERVICE: 5.0. Attentive and delivered with a smile. (Fluent French and English.) AMBIANCE : 5.0. We chose the table farthest in the back, which was very comfortable and private. Every table (other than the one closest to the entrance) positioned well for intimacy. While we were there the man at the table next to us got down on his knees with a ring, and the woman obviously accepted. We couldn't hear any of what was said but it was nonetheless apparent. FOOD: 5.0. Both a culinary and a visual treat. Main Dishes - Canard Magrit (duck leg) with raspberries and mashed potatoes: 5.0. Duck was outstanding, and many times better than what I had in another Avignon restaurant a few days earlier. The potatoes equally delicious. - Vegetarian dish (eggplant, polenta, caprese salad.) 4.5. salad texture and simple taste perfectly complemented the complexity of the rest of the plate. - Salmon dinner: 4.0 Appetizers - cold tomato soup: 5.0. Wow! - crispy goat cheese salad: 4.0. Dessert - caramel/banana/biscuit/cream: 5.0 - Tiramisu: 4.5 - Pana Cotta with strawberry: 4.5 House red wine: 4.0. Great value!

Thankfully I Had booked this restaurant one week in advance because when we arrived there it was fully booked. The place is pretty and very tastfully decorated. There was one woman serving and hosting (owner maybe?) she was very nice and welcoming. She spoke French and English. The menu is simple and it really take advantage of the local products. Every single dish was delicious. I had chick pea cream with local vegetables and the fish of the day. My husband (sorry I forgot what he had as appetizer haha) but he had the lamb after and also said it was delicious. We didn't order dessert as the dishes were generous on the portion size. It was a very enjoyable dinner. I recommend it if you want to have a calm dinner during your trip to Avignon with your loved one or family

What an amazing meal! While traveling through Avignon we refer a lot to our Rick Steves guide as travelers and he didn't let us down. The food here was amazing and I argue that it was the best meal we had on our Rivera/Provence trip. The restaurant was super cute and our hostess was amazing. While we have been practicing French as a language for a few year we still struggle - our host was wonderful and although offering to use English to help us she helped practice our French with us! The food was divine and I believe it is food typical of the Provence region. How could you go wrong with that and pair it with a rose wine that was made only a few miles away?!! Scallops were light and the sauce was great! The chicken was well done and it was the best gnocchi I've ever had!

One of our favorite meals in France and certainly a great value. Very welcoming service and well-spaced tables with simple yet beautiful interior. The food was all delicious! Be sure to reserve ahead to avoid disappointment.

MAGNIFICENT... As we drove into Avignon on on a cold rainy October evening, we hoped this place would be as cozy, comfortable and endearing as we had heard through reviews of others. Our expectations were exceeded, the woman who runs this place is the most profoundly brilliant British woman on the planet. She understands customer service, kindness and magically delicious food preparation at such a high level we were in awe. We came back the next night, and the food was just as good if not better, and her wine recommendations were even more specific to the food pairing than the night previous. The highlights were her squash soup and the duck. She did something with the duck where the outside of it with seared in such a way that it almost tasted candied, I was in heaven!!!! Do yourself a favor and book a table in advance, and go more than one night to experience both sides of the menu... You will thank me and yourself for the rest of your life...

When they are fully booked, they are very rude. No explanation, just tell you to look at the board. Don't care how good the food is, bad service.

From start to finish, an absolutely lovely dining experience. The food was perfection. The ambiance was cozy and charming. It was a welcome escape from the craziness of the festival going on outside. The host/waitress could not have been more kind and patient. Did I mention the food was perfection?! We had tuna tartare, mackerel, steak, duck (best I've ever eaten), banoffee, and the cheese plate. We asked for a wine suggestion and she chose perfectly. AND a three-course meal is only €33! If you find yourself in Avignon, make a reservation at this place. You won't be disappointed.

The restaurant is amazing. I found it from Tripadvisor. The restaurant also has amazing reviews there too: 4.5 stars. The waitress is english. Sometimes it helps to have someone explain menu in details. I had beef capriccio for appertizer and duck for my entree. The food portion is big. I was full without dessert. Both dishes are great. The restaurat is small. 6-7 tables in total. At one point (~8 pm), she needed to put the sign that the restaurant was full and only guests with reservations can come in. That's pretty early for a restaurant. I would recommend this place again & again

Absurdly good. Arguably the best meal of a long trip. On arrival asked for a recommendation for a local place for that night at the front desk of the hotel. We were told that he would try to get us a reservation at Fou de Fafa but they filled up very quickly. A walk around the neighborhood showed us that it was right around the corner and had an appetizing menu. Getting back to the hotel, we found that we did indeed have a reservation. And, indeed, when we showed up there was a sign at the front saying that all of the seats for the night were full. We were not, honestly, prepared for this meal. Our server (also the owner with her husband, who does the cooking, if I am reading the articles correctly) was incredibly friendly and switched effortlessly between French and English as we struggled with the language. She recommended wines and dishes as we pored over the menu. Quick rundown of the dishes on offer that night that the three of us tried. Delicious crusty bread with everything Apps: Cream of Cauliflower soup and Beet Salad Main Plates: Roast Duck, Filet in Mustard Sauce, and Leek and Cheese Potato Cake (vegetarian, though none of us were meat-averse it looked so fantastic) Desserts: Cheese Plate, Apple Bread Pudding, and Gluten Free (flourless) Chocolate cake +plenty of wine While the veg offering alone wouldn't have blow me away as a main plate, nothing was anything short of astoundingly good. Not a single dish where all of us didn't try it and pause in wonder. Prices are certainly not everyday, but nothing close to what a restaurant with this level of quality could get away with if it wanted to be more pretentious. Bonus points for the Flight of the Conchords reference, if I weren't already giving it a perfect score!

Could not have been better. Service and food were both perfect. My wife and I had a wonderful and memorable time. I've never had fish that good before. Price is also very reasonable for such a nice place.

I heard great reviews about this restaurant but was most disappointed when I walked in with my two teenager daughters and within five seconds of greeting the hostess was told they were full for the rest of the evening. It was at 8:30 pm and there were empty tables. The couple that was just seconds ahead of us was seated immediately.

Great restaurant, the food was excellent and the service outstanding. Making reservations using their Facebook page was a breeze.

Recommended place from many people before we arrived in Avignon. Clearly the best meal in France so far (after 10 days, including Paris and Braine). Atmosphere is clean lines and well done. Relaxing. Service is exceptional. Timing on dishes was perfect. I had the pork...fabulous. Definitely call ahead as 4-5 couples turned away while we were there. English spoken very well.

Make a reservation! We sat in front and watched the hostess turn down several couples while we dined and it was like on a Tuesday. Speaking of the hostess, she was delightful and attentive. The star of the night (as one would hope) was the meal. Outstanding from start to finish and in such a charming setting. You won't be disappointed.

Fantastic food. Fantastic service. Great great English skills. Global inspire French cuisine. Would go again.

Terrific restaurant run by a husband (chef) and wife (front of the house) team. Delicious food. Definitely need reservations.

LOVE THIS PLACE!! Had 5 Course Prix Fixe Menu and the food tastes great! It's a small cozy home-style restaurant and the service is absolutely amazing. Don't miss it if you're visiting Avignon :)

Fafa- who knows what it means but the food is great and the couple who run it are the nicest ! He's the kitchen and she's the front of the house. Everything we had was amazing and she helped us pick a bottle of wine to go with. We didn't have a reso so we showed up at 6:30 right when they opened. Early by French standards but we were so tired from cycling for 10 days so it worked for us. You must come here- you won't be disappointed!

A favorite. I wish I lived around the corner. It's small but comfortable. The food is well presented, the service is very good and everything is delicious and arrive in bigger servings than expected.

Wouldn't call the venue classy but the food and service were. Co-owner, wife of the cook was our host and server and she was very professional. She spoke flawless French and English. The food was exquisite, a gourmets delight. Highly recommend.