Culinary specialties of Bretagne and Dinard

The Emerald Coast and Dinard are brimming with culinary specialties thanks to our magnificent local products. Here are a few examples of our fine products that you will find close to the Clos de la Fontaine holiday rentals.

1) Seafood products:

In Dinard you can enjoy delicious seafood from our shores. Not forgetting our excellent fish.

• Bouchot mussels : From July to January, you can enjoy bouchot mussels from the Bay of Mont Saint-Michel, which are cultivated on wooden stakes (bouchots). Many restaurants serve them with various sauces (marinière, curry, cream, chorizo, Thai) accompanied by fries and a glass of dry white wine. Personally, I really like the Thai-style mussels at Le Glacier restaurant on L'Écluse beach or the grilled mussels at Atelier Morisseau next to the market.
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• Oysters: Dinard is close to the oyster beds of Cancale, Lancieux, and Fréhel. You will find both flat and cupped oysters. Flat oysters are rarer and more expensive. Oysters are best enjoyed from September to April, but you can eat them year-round. I particularly like size 3 oysters, which aren't too big. You can buy them at the market and open them yourself, or ask them to be opened for you, especially at fish shops. In Cancale, you can enjoy them right on the harbor.
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• Scallops: Scallops are harvested from October to March, the period when they are best enjoyed fresh. While they are not in season during the summer, they freeze well and can be found on the menus of many restaurants. There are numerous recipes: simply pan-fried, au gratin, but they are also delicious in savory buckwheat crepes, usually with a leek fondue.

• Breton lobster: we are fortunate that our coastline is teeming with lobster. Its flavor is more delicate than that of tropical spiny lobster. You will find it on restaurant menus, but you can also ask a fishmonger to cook it for you and enjoy it cold with a little mayonnaise.
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• Seafood platter: Finally, if you want a taste of various seafood, you can order a seafood platter.
• The brasserie L'Abri des Flots, on Place de la République, and Le Pic à Bulot in St Enogat offer some excellent ones. You can also order takeaway from the fish shop La Perle des Grèves, also on Place de la République, or choose your selection at the market.
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2) Galettes and crêpes

• Galettes : Bretons generally eat them every week. They are made from buckwheat flour and filled with savory ingredients. Classic galettes include the "complete" galette with ham, egg, and cheese; the sausage galette, which you can find at the market; and others. You can eat them in the many crêperies of Dinard or take them home (sold in bakeries, supermarkets, and at the market) and cook them in a pan.
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• Crepes : the sweet version made with regular wheat flour. You can enjoy them with salted caramel to try another Breton specialty.
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• Cider: made from apples, with a low alcohol content of 3 to 5 percent, sweet or dry, it pairs wonderfully with crêpes and galettes. For a more pronounced flavor, try farmhouse cider.
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3) Sweets:

Salted caramel: Made with caramelized sugar, salted butter, and fresh cream, it pairs perfectly with crepes. You can find it in specialty shops and supermarkets.

Crêpes dentelles, or gavottes from Dinan: light, buttery cakes with a delicate, lace-like crispness. You can find them plain, with chocolate, or filled with cheese for an aperitif. Available in specialty shops and supermarkets.

Breton butter galettes and palets: biscuits rich in salted butter, perfect to enjoy with tea. In specialty stores and supermarkets.

Far Breton: an excellent dessert made with milk, eggs, flour, butter, and prunes. Available in bakeries/pastry shops.

Kouign amann: the Breton calorie bomb made from puff pastry, caramelized sugar and lots of salted butter...

Macaron and Caroline: In the Moreau bakery on Levavasseur Street you will find excellent macarons and mini éclairs in different flavors called Caroline.

Rollinger's pastries and ice cream: Opposite the indoor pool, a shop offers products from Michelin-starred chef Rollinger. His spices, spiced ice creams, and especially his famous vanilla mille-feuille.

To learn more: check out my other publications to discover Dinard and the surrounding area. When you stay at the Clos de la Fontaine holiday rentals, I also provide you with a booklet full of tips and recommended places.

Portrait of Dinard

https://www.closdelafontaine.fr/en-GB/presentation/portrait-of-dinard.html

What to visit in Dinard: the 10 must-sees

https://www.closdelafontaine.fr/en-GB/presentation/what-to-do-what-to-visit-in-dinard-the-10-must-sees.html

The most beautiful terraces with sea views

https://www.closdelafontaine.fr/en-GB/presentation/the-most-beautiful-terraces-with-sea-views-in-dinard-saint-lunaire-saint-briac-saint-malo.html

Hiking ideas in Dinard and Saint Malo

https://www.closdelafontaine.fr/en-GB/presentation/ideas-for-hikes-in-dinard-saint-malo.html