With its abundance of day-trippers and hotel guests, Honfleur supports an astonishing number of restaurants, most specializing in seafood. Surprisingly few face onto the harbour itself; the narrow buildings around the edge seem to be better suited to being snack bars, crêperies, cafés and ice-cream parlours.L'Absinthe 10 quai de la Quarantaine tel 02.31.89.39.00. Imaginative restaurant housed in an eighteenth-century mansion just around the corner from the bassin. Such dishes as scallop carpaccio or foie gras in ginger nestle on menus that range from €28 up to a seven-course €61 extravaganza. Closed mid-Nov to mid-Dec. Au P'tit Mareyeur 4 rue Haute tel 02.31.98.84.23. No distance from the centre, but all the seating is indoors and there are no views. Very good fish dishes – red crab soup with garlic – plus plenty of creamy Pays d'Auge sauces and superb desserts. The main menu, at €19, includes skate marinated in coriander; for a €6.10 supplement you can enjoy lobster salad and chips. Closed Mon, Tues & all Jan. La Fleur de Sel 17 rue Haute tel 02.31.89.01.92. Elegant, formal option, with indoor seating only, offering gourmet menus at €22, €29 and €39 that are strong on meat and fish. Closed Tues & Wed. La Tortue 36 rue de l'Homme de Bois tel 02.31.98.87.91. A welcoming place near the Musée Boudin, where €15.50 buys a great-value five-course meal, and there's even a €12 vegetarian menu, consisting of apple soup, a couple of salads, vegetables and dessert. Closed Tues, plus mid-Jan to mid-Feb. Le Vieux Honfleur 13 quai St-Étienne tel 02.31.89.15.31. The best of the restaurants around the harbour itself, with spacious alfresco dining – in shade at lunchtime – on its pedestrianized eastern side. Very simple menus, but the seafood is good, as befits prices starting at €27. The only other set menu, at €46.50, offers lobster or turbot, with no meat other than foie gras. Closed Jan.
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