Le Bel Ami

The story

Le Bel Ami: A Michelin-Recommended Bistrot with Lebanese Flavors in Étretat

A few steps from the sea in Étretat, Le Bel Ami is a bistrot that takes appetite seriously. The kitchen turns out homemade dishes built from raw, seasonal ingredients, offered in both small and large plates meant for sharing. By day or late into the evening, the mood is convivial – a place where you can eat well without ceremony.

Look closely at the menu and you’ll notice a Lebanese touch. That’s by design: Le Bel Ami belongs to Le Cèdre Hospitality, a Norman group rooted in the founder’s native Lebanon. The connection runs deeper with the arrival of chef Serge Almachaalany in spring 2024. Born in Lebanon, he brings a cuisine that is both sincere and generous, marrying the best of local Norman produce with the refined, aromatic traditions of his homeland.

This thoughtful, original cooking has caught the eye of the Michelin inspectors, who have awarded Le Bel Ami a Recommended distinction – a recognition of its consistent quality and clear point of view. The menu changes with the seasons and the chef’s instincts. A signature dish might be Fatteh Shish Barak & Chou-fleur – chickpeas, roasted cauliflower, a creamy tahini-yogurt sauce, and delicate tortellini-like dumplings filled with spiced meat. It is a plate that tells the story of Almachaalany’s journey, from Lebanon to Normandy.

To accompany the food, the cave offers a carefully chosen selection of French, organic and natural wines, with knowledgeable sommeliers on hand to guide you. There is also a bar à vins where you can stop in for a glass and a few mezzés at any hour. Le Bel Ami is certified ÉcoTable, reflecting an engagement with environmentally respectful cooking – short supply chains, seasonal produce, and a solidarity fund that supports vulnerable populations and biodiversity. It is a restaurant that balances pleasure and principle, Norman roots and Lebanese soul. And it does so with the easy confidence of a place that knows exactly what it is.