L'En-but

A Michelin-recognised kitchen at €€ prices — L'En-but earns its place at the table

At the €€ price tier, L'En-but is one of the more credible arguments for eating well in Clermont-Ferrand without committing to a full fine-dining budget. Holding a Michelin Plate in both 2024 and 2025, the restaurant sits inside Stade Marcel-Michelin — the home ground of ASM Clermont rugby , which makes it one of the more unexpected addresses in the city's modern cuisine circuit. If you are weighing up where to spend a meaningful dinner in Clermont-Ferrand, L'En-but deserves serious consideration, particularly if value-to-quality ratio matters to you.

What the kitchen is doing

L'En-but operates in the modern cuisine register, a category that in France implies technique-led cooking with seasonal grounding rather than the comfort-first approach of a traditional brasserie. The consecutive Michelin Plate recognitions , awarded in 2024 and then retained in 2025 , signal that the kitchen is cooking at a consistent standard that Michelin's inspectors consider worth flagging, even if it has not yet crossed into starred territory. For context, a Michelin Plate means the food is considered good cooking by the Guide's standards, which in France remains a meaningful filter given the density of competition. Holding that recognition two years running at the €€ price point is the clearest signal available that this kitchen is punching above its category.

In a city where Clermont-Ferrand's most ambitious restaurants tend to cluster at the €€€€ end , places like Le Pré - Xavier Beaudiment and L'Ostal , L'En-but occupies a genuinely useful middle ground. It is the kind of restaurant that makes sense when the occasion calls for something more considered than a neighbourhood bistrot but the budget or appetite does not stretch to a multi-course tasting menu at a €€€€ address. For the full picture of what is available across the city, see our full Clermont-Ferrand restaurants guide.

The setting and who it suits

Eating inside a major sports venue is not, in France, the obvious destination for a special occasion dinner. But L'En-but leans into its address rather than fighting it , and the result is a dining room with a distinctly local identity that separates it from the more conventional restaurant spaces in the city centre. For a date or a celebratory dinner where the conversation matters as much as the food, the address provides talking points that a generic hotel restaurant would not. The combination of Michelin recognition and an unusual physical setting makes it a reasonable pick for anyone visiting Clermont-Ferrand who wants a meal that reflects the city rather than one that could be replicated in any regional capital.

Google reviewers rate it 4.7 across 605 reviews, which at that volume is a reliable signal rather than a statistical outlier. Venues that sustain a 4.7 average across 600-plus reviews in France are typically doing something consistently right in the room, not just in occasional exceptional moments. For special occasions , an anniversary dinner, a business meal with a local client, or a celebratory trip coinciding with an ASM match , the combination of location, price tier, and Michelin recognition makes a strong case.

If you are planning a broader trip, our full Clermont-Ferrand hotels guide, bars guide, wineries guide, and experiences guide cover the rest of the city in the same practical framing.

How it positions in the broader French modern cuisine context

France's modern cuisine category runs from two-seat bistrot counters to three-Michelin-starred institutions. At the upper end, places like Arpège in Paris, Mirazur in Menton, and Troisgros - Le Bois sans Feuilles in Ouches represent what the tradition produces at its most ambitious. In the Massif Central region, Bras in Laguiole has long been the benchmark for landscape-connected, produce-driven cooking. L'En-but is not competing in that tier, nor does it need to. What the Michelin Plate tells you is that within its actual competitive set , the €€ modern cuisine restaurants of regional France , it is a kitchen that warrants attention. Comparable Michelin-recognised modern cuisine operations in other French cities, such as Maison Lameloise in Chagny or Flocons de Sel in Megève, show what sustained kitchen consistency at the regional level can look like over time. L'En-but is at an earlier point on that arc, but two consecutive Plates at the €€ tier is a reasonable foundation.

Other Clermont-Ferrand options worth knowing about in the same consideration set include Apicius, Jean-Claude Leclerc, L'Instantané, and L'Écureuil.

Practical details

Reservations: Book in advance , particularly for match days at Stade Marcel-Michelin, when the surrounding area sees significant foot traffic and tables will fill faster than usual. Standard weekday availability is likely more flexible, but confirming ahead is advisable. Budget: €€, placing it well below the city's top-tier addresses for a meal with comparable Michelin recognition. Dress: No confirmed dress code in available data, but a Michelin Plate restaurant at a sporting venue in France typically warrants smart casual rather than formal attire. Groups: Contact the venue directly for group bookings; no capacity data is currently available. Location: Stade Marcel-Michelin, 107 Avenue de la République, Clermont-Ferrand , check transport options in advance if arriving on a match day, as parking and access will vary.

FAQ

• How far ahead should I book L'En-but? For a standard evening during the week, a few days' notice is likely sufficient at the €€ price tier. On match days at Stade Marcel-Michelin, book earlier , at least a week out , as demand from the stadium crowd will affect availability across nearby venues.
• Can L'En-but accommodate groups? No seat count or group policy data is available. Contact the venue directly to confirm capacity and any group booking arrangements before planning a large party.
• Is L'En-but worth the price? Yes, at the €€ tier with two consecutive Michelin Plates and a 4.7 Google rating across 605 reviews, this kitchen delivers more validated quality per euro than most comparably priced options in Clermont-Ferrand. If you want Michelin-recognised modern cuisine without the €€€€ commitment of L'Ostal or Le Pré - Xavier Beaudiment, this is the clearest value case in the city.
• What should I wear to L'En-but? No dress code is confirmed in available data. Smart casual is a safe default for a Michelin Plate restaurant at a French sports stadium. Avoid overly casual dress if visiting for a special occasion.
• Is L'En-but good for a special occasion? Yes , the combination of Michelin Plate status, a 4.7 guest rating, and the distinctive Stade Marcel-Michelin setting makes it more memorable than a generic restaurant at the same price point. It works well for anniversary dinners, date nights, or celebratory meals where you want quality cooking without a full fine-dining price tag.
• What are alternatives to L'En-but in Clermont-Ferrand? For a bigger-budget occasion, Le Pré - Xavier Beaudiment (€€€€, Creative) and L'Ostal (€€€€, Modern Cuisine) are the city's highest-ambition options. At the same €€ price tier, Le Bistrot d'à Côté offers modern cuisine in a more conventional setting. Le Duguesclin sits at €€€ and bridges the two price bands.
• Is the tasting menu worth it at L'En-but? No confirmed menu format is available in current data. Given the €€ pricing and Michelin Plate recognition, any tasting format offered is likely to represent strong value relative to starred tasting menus at higher price tiers. Confirm menu options directly with the restaurant before booking.
• What should a first-timer know about L'En-but? The address inside Stade Marcel-Michelin is the most important logistical point , factor in match-day crowds if your visit coincides with an ASM Clermont fixture. The Michelin Plate (2024, 2025) and high Google rating give confidence that the kitchen is consistent. At €€ pricing, expectations should be calibrated to skilled regional cooking rather than multi-course fine dining theatre. Book ahead, arrive knowing the stadium address, and treat it as Clermont-Ferrand's most interesting value-for-quality option in modern cuisine.