Bagatelle Saint-Tropez

Bagatelle's Saint-Tropez outpost is on the Tamaris stretch of Pampelonne, off the Chemin de la Matarane in Ramatuelle. It is the Riviera branch of a group that started in New York and built its name on the long, loud lunch, and that is still the format: service opens at midday and the room gradually turns from a restaurant into something closer to a party as the afternoon goes on. Tables sit under canisses, the split-reed screens that filter the light without shutting it out, with a quieter garden section behind. The cooking is French Mediterranean, run by executive chef Bilal Amrani with chefs Rocco Seminara and Manon Santini, and leans on shared plates, raw fish and grilled seafood. One important change for the current season: Bagatelle states it has no beach side this year, so there are no sunbeds to book and no direct beach service. It is a restaurant and lounge rather than a full beach club at the moment. Arriving by car, there is a paid car park and valet; arriving by sea, the venue runs a boat valet. Reservations are required and worth making well ahead for weekends in July and August.