Restaurant in Avignon, France
Hard to book. Worth the effort.
Pollen is Avignon's freshest Michelin-starred address, earning its star in 2025 alongside a Michelin Remarkable distinction. Chef Michael Wilson's set menus run at €€€€ and draw on local Provençal produce in season. Booking is hard — plan weeks ahead. At this price tier it's the strongest fine dining case in the city, but it rewards proper sit-down dining only: there is no takeout equivalent here.
Getting into Pollen takes real effort. This Michelin-starred address on Rue Joseph Vernet in Avignon runs set menus at €€€€ pricing, holds a 4.8 rating across 537 Google reviews, and earned its first Michelin star in 2025 alongside a Michelin Remarkable distinction. Demand is correspondingly high. If you are visiting Avignon and serious about a single fine dining meal, Pollen is the right call — but plan weeks ahead, not days.
The editorial angle worth flagging immediately: Pollen is a sit-down-only experience. The set menu format, the level of plate composition involved, and the reliance on seasonal local produce (the kind of kitchen that makes summer tomatoes a centrepiece dish) do not translate to takeout or delivery. If you are looking for that kind of flexibility, you are looking at the wrong restaurant. Pollen rewards presence in the room. Come here for a proper lunch or dinner, or skip it.
Pollen occupies a quiet corner of Avignon's old town, on Rue Joseph Vernet — a street better known for its galleries and upmarket shops than for restaurant density. The address alone signals something deliberate: this is not a tourist-facing brasserie. The physical space reads as intimate bistro rather than grand dining room, which matters if you are returning for a second visit or bringing someone for whom atmosphere is part of the decision. You are not walking into ceremony. You are walking into a focused, relatively compact room where the cooking is the main event.
For returning visitors, that spatial dynamic is worth thinking about. A first visit is partly about orientation , understanding the menu structure, the pacing, the level of formality. A second visit lets you settle into the rhythm. Chef Michael Wilson's set menus are built around seasonal Provençal produce, and the approach changes as the market changes. A summer lunch at Pollen , the kitchen's treatment of local tomatoes has been specifically noted in Michelin documentation , is a materially different experience from what the same room offers in cooler months. If you have been once, consider timing your return to a different season rather than repeating the same menu period.
The 2025 Michelin star is the primary trust signal to weigh. Avignon has fine dining options, but a freshly awarded star at this level is not routine. The Michelin Remarkable category designation adds further weight: this is not a star awarded to a venue coasting on reputation. It reflects active kitchen performance at the time of inspection.
At €€€€ pricing, Pollen sits at the leading of the Avignon market. Whether that is worth it depends on what you are comparing against. Against other Michelin-starred dining in southern France , venues like Mirazur in Menton or Flocons de Sel in Megève , Pollen's price point is proportionate for a one-star bistro format rather than a multi-star tasting menu operation. Against Avignon's wider restaurant scene, it is a significant step up. For a special occasion meal in the city, the price is defensible. For a casual weeknight dinner, consider Sevin or La Fourchette instead.
The additional Opinionated About Dining recognition from 2023 , a publication focused on Asia-Pacific fine dining , suggests Pollen was on serious radar before the Michelin star arrived. That pre-star recognition is often a better signal of genuine kitchen quality than the star itself, which sometimes lags the actual cooking by a year or more.
Booking difficulty is rated Hard. That rating reflects the combination of limited seating in an intimate room and the post-star attention that 2025 brings. No booking method is confirmed in our current data, and the restaurant's website and phone number are not listed here. The practical recommendation: search for Pollen Avignon directly, check for a reservations platform (TheFork operates widely in French fine dining), and book as far in advance as your trip allows. Do not arrive expecting a walk-in to work at this level.
If Pollen is fully booked, La Mirande is the closest like-for-like alternative in Avignon at the same price tier. For something a step down in formality but still serious about cooking, Acte 2 and Bibendum are worth checking. For Avignon's broader dining picture, see our full Avignon restaurants guide.
Seat count is not confirmed in our data, but intimate bistro format typically means limited capacity. Groups of more than four should contact the restaurant directly and early to confirm availability and seating configuration. This is a strong special occasion choice , a Michelin-starred set menu with local seasonal produce in a historic Provençal setting covers the brief well. It is not a venue that works for large celebratory parties unless private dining options exist, which we cannot confirm without direct contact.
For visitors building a longer itinerary around serious French cooking, Pollen fits naturally alongside a trip that might also include Alléno Paris au Pavillon Ledoyen, Troisgros in Ouches, or Bras in Laguiole , all of which share a similar commitment to terroir-led cooking. Within the Provence-Rhône corridor specifically, Pollen represents a compelling reason to route through Avignon rather than treating the city purely as a transit stop. Pair it with a winery visit or local experiences to make the detour worth the logistics.
For accommodation context around a Pollen visit, see our full Avignon hotels guide. For pre- or post-dinner drinks, our Avignon bars guide covers the options within reach of Rue Joseph Vernet.
Quick reference: Michelin 1 Star (2025), Michelin Remarkable, 4.8 / 5 (537 reviews), €€€€ set menus, booking difficulty: Hard, Rue Joseph Vernet, Avignon , book weeks ahead.
Yes, for the right occasion. The 2025 Michelin star and Remarkable distinction confirm the kitchen is performing at a level that justifies €€€€ pricing within the Avignon market. If you are measuring value against other starred bistros in southern France, the price is proportionate. If you are comparing against Avignon's mid-range options like Sevin at €€€, the gap in formality and kitchen ambition is real and the premium reflects it. Where it does not justify the price: a casual meal, or if set menu formats do not suit you.
La Mirande is the closest peer at €€€€ and Modern Cuisine. For a lower commitment spend, Sevin at €€€ offers modern cooking with less pressure on the budget. La Fourchette and Italie là-bas both sit at €€ and work well for meals where you want good food without the fine dining structure. See our full Avignon guide for the wider picture.
The intimate bistro format suggests limited capacity, and large groups may be difficult to place. Groups of four or more should contact the restaurant directly well in advance to confirm seating. Phone and website details are not confirmed in our current data , search directly for their reservations contact. For groups that need a more flexible room, La Mirande operates within a hotel property and may have more configuration options.
It is one of the better choices in Avignon for a celebratory meal. A Michelin-starred set menu, seasonal Provençal produce, and a focused room on a quiet street in the old town add up to a dinner that feels considered rather than performative. It works leading for two to four people. If the occasion calls for a larger group or a more theatrical setting, confirm with the restaurant whether any private dining arrangement is available.
Set menu formats at this level typically accommodate dietary restrictions when communicated at booking, but we cannot confirm specific policies without current information from the restaurant directly. Contact them ahead of your visit , do not leave this to arrival. If you have complex requirements and cannot confirm in advance, a restaurant with an à la carte format gives you more flexibility: La Vieille Fontaine and Hiély-Lucullus are worth exploring as alternatives.
| Venue | Awards | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pollen | Pollen is a Michelin-starred upscale bistro in a quiet corner of Avignon. Open for lunch and dinner, the set menus showcase local produce in season – for our summer lunch, the delicious tomatoes...; Category: Remarkable; Michelin 1 Star (2025); Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in Asia Highly Recommended (2023) | €€€€ | — |
| La Mirande | Michelin 1 Star | €€€€ | — |
| Italie là-bas | €€ | — | |
| La Fourchette | €€ | — | |
| Sevin | €€€ | — | |
| Le Joat | — |
Side-by-side comparison to help you decide where to book.
Yes, at €€€€ pricing with a 2025 Michelin star, Pollen is priced in line with what the award signals. The set menu format built around seasonal local produce is where the kitchen earns its credibility. If you want à la carte flexibility, Pollen is not the right fit — but for a structured tasting experience in the Avignon old town, the price reflects the credential.
La Mirande offers a more historic setting inside a 14th-century cardinal's palace if atmosphere is the priority. La Fourchette is the lower-commitment option — respected locally, more accessible pricing, no need to plan weeks ahead. Sevin and Le Joat suit those who want a serious meal without the formality of a starred set menu. Pollen is the right call when the Michelin standard specifically is what you are after.
Pollen is an intimate bistro format, which typically means limited total seating. Groups larger than four should check the venue's official channels before booking — the format may not flex well for larger parties, and availability in a small room fills faster after the 2025 Michelin recognition.
Yes, and it is one of the stronger cases in Avignon for a milestone dinner. The Michelin star, the quiet Rue Joseph Vernet address, and the set menu format all support a deliberate, occasion-worthy experience. Book well in advance — post-star demand makes last-minute tables unlikely.
Specific dietary policy is not confirmed in available data, so check the venue's official channels before booking. As a set menu restaurant, advance notice of restrictions is standard practice at this level — calling ahead rather than noting it on arrival is the right approach.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
