Several cheap brasseries and restaurants huddle around the station, but by far the most attractive area to look is St-Leu, be it for quality, appearance or general ambience. Two favourite places are in the pretty, cobbled place du Don directly below the cathedral, with room to sit outside in good weather. The Soupe à Cailloux serves delicious cuisine, including regional dishes, for a reasonable price (weekday lunch menu at €11, other times from €15; closed Mon in winter), and is consequently very popular. The equally attractive As du Don, across the square, does a formule for €18 while just over the canal by the pont de la Dodane is Amiens' best gourmet restaurant, Les Marissons (tel 03.22.92.96.66; closed Sat lunch & Sun; menus from €40, carte from around €50). Also try La Couronne at 64 rue St Leu (closed Sun dinner & Sat; €16, 20 and 27), where delicious food at reasonable prices is served in pleasantly sober surroundings. Bars and pubs abound in the area.For eating in the upper town, the handsome T'chiot Zinc (closed Mon lunch & Sun; menu at €14, plats for €8), conveniently located at 18 rue Noyon, opposite the station, serves traditional country fare. A total contrast is the hip Tex-Mex Steak-Easy at 18 rue Metz-l'Évêque, with an aeroplane hanging from the ceiling and guacamole, spare ribs and other un-Gallic fare on the menu (around €14 for a meal). For one week in late March Amiens bursts into life for its annual international jazz festival; on the third weekend in June, the local costumes come out for the Fête d'Amiens, the best time of year to visit the hortillonnages; and in November there's a cinema festival. Traditional Picardy marionnette (cabotans) performances take place (July & Aug Tues–Sun; Sept–June Wed & Sun) at the Théâtre de Chés Cabotans d'Amiens, 31 rue Edouard David: call Théâtre d'Animation Picard (tel 03.22.22.30.90, www.ches-cabotans-damiens.com) for reservations – tickets are around €9. To purchase or take a look at hand-made marionnettes, you should visit the workshop of Jean-Pierre Facquier at 67 rue du Don.
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