The story
Nuance is a modern cuisine restaurant at 23 rue des Cordeliers in Bayonne, Recommended by the Michelin Guide in 2026. It occupies the Petit Bayonne space that was once L'Inattendu.
Brice Goeuriot and Margaux Le Baillif met at École Ferrandi Paris, then worked at Choko Ona in Espelette. Their kitchen follows the day's harvest from local producers, fishermen and winemakers, and the menu is carte blanche, adjusted for allergies and intolerances. Le Fooding listed the restaurant in 2026, praising the technique and creative compositions behind its Basque-rooted cooking.
Le Fooding describes a quiche Lorraine-style tartlet with braised cos lettuce and a siphoned Mornay sauce. It also mentions Normandy scallops with brown butter squash purée, and roasted pigeon with a thigh parmentier. Dessert is a thin apple tart with lemon balm sorbet. Dinner menus run four courses at €69 or six at €89, with a three-course lunch at €44 on Thursdays and Fridays. Elixir pairings, with or without alcohol, are offered at each level. The room has exposed stone walls, white marble and a patterned tile bar.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
In the Petit Bayonne neighborhood, L’Inattendu gave way to a more Nuance(d) approach by Brice Goeuriot and Margaux Le Baillif, two École Ferrandi alums who honed their skills at Choko Ona in Espelette, and who are currently making the local Basquitude vibrate with their first-rate techniques and creative compositions. The space? It’s warm and welcoming while still feeling refined: exposed stone walls, white marble, Brotherwood furniture, a patterned tile bar, wallpaper designed by Laur Meyrieux… all orchestrated by Le Vivier architecture studio. As for the carte blanche menu prepared by the duo: an incredible quiche Lorraine-style tartlet made with braised cos lettuce, slices of smoked bacon, lardons, nasturtium jus, plus a siphoned Mornay sauce and pork jus; delicate scallops from the Normandy coast, in their sauce and surrounded by clams, brown butter squash purée and spaghetti squash marinated in a mix of marigold oil and finger lime; before a breathtaking roasted pigeon with a reduction, pigeon thigh parmentier, potato pancakes and grapes deglazed in Joko – a wine fortified with cider brandy from the Domaine Bordatto. To finish the meal? A refreshing thin apple tart with an apple compote and raw cream layer, plus lemon balm sorbet. // Gérard Roubeix
Location