The story
In February 2020, chef Julien Elles and his wife Catherine returned to where their story began. Eighteen years after meeting in Saint-Emilion, they took over Le Tertre, a restaurant already recognized as a gourmet reference for two decades. Their path had taken them to Luxembourg, where for 15 years they directed the restaurant TWO 6 TWO, but the pull of the south-west — its cuisine, its wines, its landscapes — proved irresistible.
Julien Elles' cooking is anchored in the present. He composes his menus according to the season, his producers, and his suppliers, favouring local, reasoned ingredients from both land and sea. The result is a refined, light, and vegetable-forward style that is both creative and playful. A short, frequently changing carte keeps waste minimal and focus sharp. To complement the main menu, the chef also offers a fully vegetarian menu, putting plants at the centre of the plate. This commitment to quality and seasonality has earned the restaurant a place in the Michelin guide, where it is listed as Recommended.
The restaurant seats just 28 guests in an elegant and intimate dining room. This small scale allows for the personalized, attentive welcome Catherine and Julien consider essential. The wine cellar, a monolith carved into the stone of the medieval village, holds over 300 references — a selection strong on Saint-Emilion wines but also reaching across France, with a focus on owner-grower estates. For those seeking a grand moment, prestigious bottles await, while Catherine's own discoveries from tastings offer more accessible surprises. Le Tertre’s approach to modern cuisine is one of harmony and generosity, letting each ingredient speak for itself.
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