The story
La Passerelle in Perpignan is first and foremost a family affair. For 40 years, the founders built the reputation of this gastronomic address; since 2015, their daughter Marie-Eglantine has carried the tradition forward. The common thread? Conviviality and sharing, driven by a passionate love for wine. Marie-Eglantine has turned wine into an art, pouring a Rancio sec aged in a Demi-John by pipette for enthusiastic guests—a magical blend of table pleasures and informal education that she preserves by limiting the dining room to just twenty seats.
The restaurant's name, meaning "the footbridge," reflects its setting: a place between city and river, built in the early 20th century. Arriving guests pass sublime mahogany doors and a ship's wheel that hints at travel. Cocktails are enjoyed in comfortable armchairs before moving into a dining room where a wine barrel, bonsai trees, and Scandinavian design furniture create an intimate, cocoon-like atmosphere. A private room is also available.
The menu changes with the seasons, always highlighting seafood—gnocchi of Jerusalem artichoke with violets and orange, scallops with Colonnata lard and matcha tea. Trained by her father, Marie-Eglantine delivers creative modern cuisine that is both elegant and bold. She twists a duck with cocoa, or a lemon meringue tart with jasmine and candied fruits—dishes already considered signatures. The experience unfolds in 5 or 7 courses, with a blind tasting option upon request.
A lunch menu is offered at €38 (except Saturdays and holidays), with the full menus at €78 (5 services) and €98 (7 services). The restaurant is open Wednesday to Saturday for lunch, Tuesday to Saturday for dinner, closed Sunday and Monday.
La Passerelle's quality has earned it a place in the Michelin guide as a Recommended restaurant, a natural reflection of its consistent, personal cooking. The team has also launched Orle, a chocolate and confectionery brand named after a 6,000-year-old Catalan archaeological site. Using raw cacao beans from Colombia and Vietnam, roasted and transformed on site, Orle produces croquants, rousquilles, turon, and unique spreads—available at the restaurant. It's another expression of the same philosophy: respect for raw ingredients, rooted in the Catalan terroir.
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