If, like me, you're the sort of person who believes that wine and near-continuous intake of bread,…read moremeat and cheese are the only things we really need in life, then let me just take a second to congratulate you on making it to this Yelp page. After a turbulent start to our first trip to Aix-en-Provence in which our cab driver exited the vehicle mid-trip to brawl with a band of local youths (with our back-seat protests and gentle reminder to turn off the meter sadly unheeded), Le Vieux Tonneau was in the right place at the right time for we weary travelers in grave need of a bucket of wine. The charcuterie and cheese platter that was set in front of us after a short wait may very well be the closest thing to a religious experience I will ever have. It took me a long time to learn how not to openly weep when in close proximity to brie, but this one really tested my emotional fortitude. Don't be surprised if you find yourself, as I did, forgiving the bartender/meat-slicer his trespasses--ahem, man-bun--in tacit recognition of the beautiful spread he will put together for you. The wine was red and that's all I have to say about that. Also, hat tip to the waiter who must have seen the two of us trying to ration off our last slice of bread like we were on the freaking Mayflower and promptly came to our rescue with an extra basketful. Merci, sir. Merci. Pro tips: When others call LVT a "hidden" gem, believe them. Google Maps is dead to me after the wild goose chase into all the nooks and crannies of Aix it sent us on in search of this place. Best to just pinpoint Rue des Chaudronniers on a map and dust off the old-fashioned (#rip) walk-until-you-find-it method. And one final word to the wise, be prepared to break out your New York elbows in order to secure a table on a Friday or Saturday night. I won't say for certain that the couple that arrived after us and who we nearly bowled over on the way to an open table was bordering on elderly, but they weren't NOT old. They definitely had some fight in them, though.

My go-to wine bar in Aix. The selection is wide and the service is friendly, plus the basement…read moreseating area is perfect for large groups to hang out and catch up. Otherwise, smaller groups can enjoy a cozy ambiance upstairs by the bar or out on the patio. If you're a little hungry, the cheese plate is divine.

A delightful, intimate wine and tapas bar with an agreeable host and an excellent kitchen. Tapas…read moreare of Creole variety, with a Provencal touch. We had ardoises "Elliot" and "Creole," both of which pleased us greatly. A very good wine list with several fine bottles of Cote de Provence. A lovely terrace on the lively Forum des Cordeurs invites one outside of a pleasant evening. A great place to spend a late afternoon and night.

From the owner: Bar tendance Place des Cardeurs Chez Lucienne est un restaurant situé place des Cardeurs. Il…read morepossède de nombreuses facettes : c'est un bar à tapas, il propose également des spécialités corses et réunionnaises. Chez Lucienne est également un bar à vin. La décoration du lieu est tendance et réalisée avec goût. L'établissement possède une jolie terrasse, avec un bar extérieur.

Fantastic!! Best we've had in Provence! The croquet monsieur truffle/ham was excellent…read more Everything was fresh and well prepared. We didn't leave a single crumb on our plates!! Our bottle of 2008 Vignelaure was a great value. Highly recommended. We will definitely be going back!

From the owner: Le retour aux sources El Primo plaira aux amateurs de vins. Cet endroit chaleureux et convivial est…read moreune cave à vins ouverte la journée, associée à un bar à vins le soir. Pour accompagner votre cépage servi au verre ou à la bouteille, des tapas froids ou chauds sont servis. Les charcuteries proviennent d'Espagne ou de Corse et les fromages sont présentés au plateau. Le décor est original avec ses grands frigos vitrés qui conservent les bouteilles derrrière un grand comptoir convivial où l'on peut s'attabler à plusieurs. Les soirées s'animent au El Primo avec les retransmisions de match et les apéros du mercredi où les cocktails sont à prix réduits. Petit plus, la formule vin, chacuterie, fromage est aussi proposée à emporter.

Visiting Aix as an American tourist. Friendly staff that spoke English. We ordered the assorted…read moreseafood plate, duck skewers, and sangria. Everything was delicious. They gave us a free aperitif of some Spanish liquor that topped off the night.

I'd been meaning to check out La Cita, a new tapas place, ever since it opened on Valentines day…read more2011, decorating its chalk menu board with kitchy hearts offering special priced couples menus (cue single woman gag reflex). I finally got around to eating here a few days ago with my best friends in town from the U.S. in tow, and it was love at first sight and bite. You'll be charmed by the authentic feel of a cozy Spanish tapas joint, and if the weather agrees you can sit outside at one of the giant wooden barrel 'tables.' Inside, massive legs of jamon hang from the bar, earthy wall tones and Spanish themed décor add to the ambiance. Our server came over with the menu, hand delivered on a chalk board from table to table. It turns out that La Cita is a family affair, our waitress the aunt of the young couple that quit their corporate day jobs to open the joint. The menu was divided into three sections, ascending by price. From column A, we sampled the Pan Tomate (bruschetta), Pan Jambon (ham and bread), Patatas Bravas (fried potatoes in spicy, creamy tomato sauce) and Omelette Espagnole (egg and potato fritatta). All were excellent, and reasonably priced at €2-4 each. From the sea, there were mussels and calamari, and an Iberian cheese plate to finish the meal. The seafood and cheese were slightly more expensive at around €6-8 per plate, but made up for the extra price in quality and larger portion sizes. And what Tapas meal would be complete without a pitcher of Sangria? We ordered a liter of the red stuff, full of juicy alcoholic fruit, not too sweet, and at €8, a steal to get the three of us happily buzzed. When the bill came, we had our attentive server split it in three, and my jaw nearly dropped that the total bill for 8 tapas plates, a liter of booze, and 2 hours of enjoyable dining came out to €15.80 per person, the price one could expect to pay for an entrée at most of the "restos" in Aix. Before leaving out server came by to wish us a great rest of our vacation and a safe return for my visiting friends, sealing in my 5 star review for La Cita, and guaranteeing that I will be visiting again.

One of my best restaurant experiences on my entire trip to France!…read more I sat outside on a beautiful, sunny day. I ordered the vegetarian salad, which was one of the best salads I've ever had in my entire life. Just gorgeous greens, tomatoes, shaved carrots, and perfect, plump sundried tomatoes, in a thick balsamic dressing. Simple but just right! The fries stole the show though, they were DEFINITELY the best fries I have EVER had!!! Patatas bravas... thick-cut fries heavily seasoned with herbs-de-Provence... IN Provence!!! SO, SO, SO delicious!!!! Not to mention, my order came with a generous basket of yummy French bread, which came in handy to sop up the balsamic dressing. The food was so good and the waiter was so friendly that once I was done, I couldn't resist ordering an espresso to finish off my meal. I'm glad I did! The waiter brought me out some French nougat that he INSISTED I try (yes, I'm vegan... but I will try a nibble of vegetarian things from time to time), and he poured me a shot of honey rum that he said was great for sipping. I sipped my shot of rum... and he poured me another one! (The waiter was doing this for the customers around me, too). The guy waiting on me was so, so, so nice... even without the free rum and nougat. The service here was above and beyond, I recommend this place whole-heartedly even without the free goodies. It's a small place, there's not much room to sit inside, and not much space outside either. There's also not much on the menu, especially for vegetarians, but it's great to have a few items that you have perfected, and that's what you'll find here. Also, it was very inexpensive!!! I was happily surprised! If you are in Aix-en-Provence, you MUST come here!!!

From the owner: Restaurant espagnol avec terrasse en plein cœur d'Aix en Provence,…read moreCuisine méditerranéenne maison, chaque jour le chef vous propose un plat du jour,une grillade et un poisson à base de produits frais. Ici, on mange, on boit, on sympathise. Spanish restaurant with terrace in full heart of Aix-en-Provence, Mediterranean home made food, every day the chef proposes you a today's special, meat grill and fish plate with fresh products.

We had some refreshing Mojito's and an assortment of tapas. I know one of them was a guacamole,…read moresalami, prosciutto, salsa, potatoes and other items, but I don't recall the teat. All the tapas were all decent, but nothing special. The The drinks were the best part of the meal. It was another beautiful day here in aix en Provence, actually all the days I was here it was beautiful and sunny. It's a beautiful little city with lots of cute and intimate cafés.

Came here for dinner and sat indoors. The smoking section is outside and they keep the door open…read more At first there was little smoke coming in but then the outside tables filled up with plenty of smokers which made the dining experience not pleasant. It felt like back in the 70's and 80's when smoking was more prevalent in stateside restaurants. I had already ordered my food so I could not leave. I had the pork meatballs and the fried potatoes brava. Tasteful, the meatballs came out lukewarm and the potatoes could have had more garlic. The service was good. I don't recommend unless you are a smoker then you will enjoy the experience.

Arrived from Paris, super hungry, absolutely delicious handmade pasta onsite; gnocchi and spaghetti…read moreequally perfect. Best meal in days!

Wow, the food is truly fantastic! Could not believe how all the dishes we had ordered for our lunch…read morewere so flavorful. So lucky my husband and I stumbled upon this restaurant. It was probably the best chicken dish I have ever eaten at any restaurant and the poached egg was equally delicious. I wish I could take this restaurant with me everywhere.

Lovely lunch at Grenache for 4 of us. Two of us took the tapas menu and two took the 3 course…read moremenu. Tapas was delicious, wonderful combinations and colors. The 3 course menu was excellent....the 2 takers raved about the quality, freshness and flavors. The owner Pierre is a sommelier. His wine selection is very good and prices are reasonable. Pierre is the original co owner of the Alcove Restaurant in Aix en Provence. Now, on his own, he continues to provide high quality food, wine and charm. This is not too be missed!!

From the owner: El Vino Loco propose sur Aix en Province une large gammes de vins Argentins, Chiliens et Brésiliens…read moreainsi qu'une carte de Tapas (Empenadas, Céviche, Gaspacho...) et de Viandes Grillées (Noix d'Entrecôte Argentine).