Dodue, the cuddly canteen of Bayonne

Welcome to our Summer Chronicles!

Summer in the Basque Country is much more than just scenery: it's a way of dining. People eat outdoors, order at their leisure, and linger over meals because the light is too beautiful to go inside. And this year, the season opens with a host of new restaurants just waiting to welcome you.

That's why the Basque Country Guide brought out its most prized fork, and we went to test it for you. From Bayonne to Biarritz, from Bidart to the villages of the hinterland, we opened doors, tasted the dishes, and listened to the stories. And now, we're going to tell you all about it.

All summer long, every week, find here a column dedicated to a place worth a visit. From cozy tables where you eat like you're at home, to characterful cafés where the day gets off to a flying start, to old-fashioned inns that bring back childhood memories...

No ratings, no rankings: just genuine favorites to inspire you to explore. Because the best restaurant of the summer is often the one we hadn't planned on visiting.

Enjoy your reading and tasting! 🌶️

Dodue, the cuddly canteen of Bayonne

There are places where you know, as soon as you step inside, that you're going to eat well. And feel good. Dodue, in Petit Bayonne, is one of those places.

We begin this culinary journey in the city of Bayonne (any resemblance to a rugby preference would, of course, be entirely coincidental), in the Petit Bayonne district. Dodue, a brand-new canteen-rotisserie, has taken its place in the heart of an already thriving food scene. After ten years in the restaurant industry, Anaïs now unveils a deliberately rustic and generous menu.

From Rue Pannecau, the aroma of roast chicken already tickles the nostrils of passersby, and as soon as you cross the threshold, the row of chickens browning confirms that you weren't mistaken. Aldabia Basque free-range chickens are roasting peacefully, while seasonal vegetables grill and the dishes simmer at a leisurely pace.

At Chez Dodue, it smells like grandmother's cooking, an obvious nod to the former name of the place, Chez Amatxi. The juice caramelizes gently, the plates are vintage and cheerfully mismatched, the bread arrives still warm: everything suggests a simple, generous and deeply comforting meal.

Here, people happily eat with their fingers, dip their bread without hesitation, and everyone chooses the option that suits them: a quick snack at the counter, a leisurely lunch, or a takeaway dinner when the day has flown by too quickly.

And to extend the enjoyment at home, the dishes are also available in a catering version, which you can find at Le Garde-manger, so all you have to do is sit down and relax. Not a bad way to treat yourself, is it?

Dodue is a simple and generous table, a cuisine that brings people together and a door that's always open. Here, people come to eat well, but above all to feel welcomed the way they like it: with a smile, without fuss, and the same desire to share.

📍 Cantine Dodue — 46 Rue Pannecau, 64100 Bayonne

➡️ And so as not to offend anyone, next week we're crossing the Nive and heading to Biarritz. After a particularly hectic winter and spring in terms of openings and key changes, the city is seeing a good number of new establishments emerge, ready to attract their share of curious customers looking for something new. See you next week!

Article written by Anaïs de Garbure & Xipirons.

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