Place Drouet-d'Erlon, a wide pedestrianized boulevard lined with bars and restaurants, is where you'll find most of the city's nightlife, such as it is. The most traditional café, Le Palais, is at 14 place Myron-Herrick, off rue Carnot, worth seeing for its Art Deco glass roof. For self-catering, there's a big Wednesday and Saturday market in place du Boulingrin (6am–1pm).Au Petit Bacchus 11 rue de l'Université. Reasonably priced traditional cooking in an interior of sparse brick floor with bare tables. Around €19. Closed Sun and Mon. Au Petit Comptoir 17 rue de Mars tel 03.26.40.58.58. Close to the Marché du Boulingrin, with traditional and inventive dishes from €15 and a menu at €26, served in beautiful surroundings – a subtle grey decor with white leather chairs. Champagne by the glass. Closed Sat lunch & Sun. Aux Bons Amis 13 rue Gosset. Excellent-value traditional French cooking. Lunchtime set menu at €11. Closed Fri eve, Sat & Sun. Boyer 64 bd Henry-Vasnier tel 03.26.82.80.80. Reputed to be one of France's finest gastronomic restaurants – with prices and style to match – Boyer is set in a restored eighteenth-century Château and equipped with a helipad. Closed Mon & Tues lunch. Menus from €165. Brasserie du Boulingrin 48 rue de Mars tel 03.26.40.96.22, www.boulingrin.fr. Charming 1925 brasserie famed for its seafood platters and fondant au chocolat (chocolate cake with runny filling). Very friendly service and a wonderful wine list. Menus at €16 and €23. Open until midnight, closed Sun. Chèvre et Menthe 63 rue de Barbâtre. A very good-value, plain establishment with an interesting range of gourmet salads from €5.50; recommended for vegetarians. Daily carte dishes might include moussaka (€7) as well as more traditional choices, plus the eponymous goat's cheese and fresh mint quiche. Closed Sun eve and Mon. La Grappa 49 rue du Colonel-Fabien. Handy for the youth hostel, this Italian is popular – particularly with families – and serves inexpensive pasta and pizzas (€8–12). Le Mâles à Bar Café 12 rue de Mars tel 03.26.09.75.69. Reims' brand new gay and lesbian bar, serving tapas in the evening and brunch on Sundays. Friendly place and varied music. Open daily from 4pm, from noon on Sun. Le Paysan 16 rue de Fismes tel 03.26.40.25.51. Serves genuine peasant dishes, copious and delicious, in suitably rustic surroundings with genuinely warm service. It's some way northwest of the station: follow rue de Courcelles, and rue de Fismes will be on your left. Menus under €16 during the week. Closed Sat lunch & Sun eve.
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