International Special Awards 2023EstablishmentInternational selection

Villa Pinewood

Anne & Thomas Cabrol

Payrin, France

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Hidden Gems Award

Restaurants worth going an extra mile for

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Venture to Payrin-Augmontel, a small commune in the Tarn, south-east of Castres, and your reward is Villa Pinewood, a unique restaurant from chefs and sommeliers Thomas and Anne Cabrol, known for their tremendously popular No.5 Wine Bar in Toulouse. Here, their 15-course menu truly celebrates local producers, and the Cabrols are on hand during the evening to share more about the ingredients - 95% are from Tarn and 80% within 20km. There might be mushrooms with bay and wild herbs, cep and hazelnut pâté, and pigeon cooked on a flambadou with lard and Périgueux sauce. The wines are outstanding, it often seems the dish has been matched to the wine instead of the other way around, and at €89 this is a great value excursion.