Chez Ingalls
Chez Ingalls: the sheltered courtyard on rue Vaugelas
Our take
A family-run address, open since 2004, that keeps its shaded courtyard and seasonal cooking on an even keel year after year. We go back for the tuna tataki and for how quiet the terrace stays, just steps from the busy centre.
Two streets back from the canal, the street-front of Chez Ingalls doesn’t give much away. It’s the courtyard behind it that built the reputation: a shaded terrace, tucked out of the foot traffic, where people have been eating away from the noise for more than twenty years. The family who has run the place since 2004 serves seasonal French cooking, no fuss attached.
What to order
Sesame and white miso tuna tataki comes up in most reviews, alongside local lake trout and house foie gras. The menu changes with the seasons and mixes tartares, risottos, fresh fish and homemade desserts; the Nelly Burger and the rib of beef both have regulars asking for them by name. A single set menu and a chalkboard formula make it easy to eat lighter, at lunch or in the evening.
The terrace
The planted, shaded private courtyard is the main draw: tucked away from the crowds along the canal, it stays pleasant even in the height of summer. The house also has a handful of smaller rooms for groups and family meals. Continuous service from noon to 10pm, every day — unusual enough in the old town to be worth flagging.