The story
At 7 boulevard du Tour-de-Ville, in the small Lot village of Cajarc, restaurant Jeu de Quilles has long been a destination for those seeking thoughtful, modern cuisine. After ten years under Patrice Ponsolle, the restaurant passed naturally to chef Grégory Dattiches, a local who trained with Michelin-starred chef Pascal Bardet at Le Gindreau. The transition was seamless: Dattiches shared the same values of seasonality, terroir, and generous hospitality that defined the place.
Dattiches writes his menu on a blackboard, changing it daily according to market arrivals and the produce of local farmers. This is modern cuisine with a deep attachment to the Lot’s larder – vegetables, fish, lamb, and wild herbs appear in his cooking with precision and clarity. At lunch, a 26€ menu might offer an œuf bio mayonnaise with wild garlic and crunchy radishes, followed by confit lamb shoulder with yogurt, mint, and bulgur, or a “pêche du jour” (the day’s catch) with a chlorophyll-accented jus. Dinner expands to a 38€ menu with additional courses like grilled white asparagus with buckwheat cream and Vieux Rodez cheese, or roasted beef rumsteak with shiitake and sesame-soy sauce.
The wine list is equally thoughtful: mostly organic, with a selection of biodynamic bottles, local beers, and artisanal spirits. The team offers food-and-wine pairings to match the changing menu. The restaurant’s setting – a charming, modern space with outdoor seating – is a place where both locals and travellers feel welcome.
Jeu de Quilles has been recognised by the Michelin guide with a Recommended mention, a nod to Dattiches’s consistent, honest cooking and the quiet confidence of a restaurant that lets the ingredients speak. On a visit to Cajarc, you will find no fixed menu, no fuss – just a living, evolving expression of the Quercy region, plate by plate.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
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