Restaurant in Porticcio, France
Corsica's strongest case for serious dining.
Le Charlie earned its first Michelin star in 2025 under chef Martin Weghofer, making it the most credentialled restaurant in Porticcio. Set within the Bella Vista hotel, it operates at the €€€€ level with a modern cuisine approach that takes Corsican terroir seriously. Book 4–8 weeks ahead for summer visits — tables are scarce and the trajectory here is upward.
Le Charlie is the strongest case for destination dining in Porticcio. Set within the Bella Vista hotel complex in Grosseto-Prugna, it earned a Michelin star in 2025 after holding a Michelin Plate in 2024 — a trajectory that signals a kitchen operating with real ambition rather than coasting on a resort location. If you are travelling to the Gulf of Ajaccio and prepared to spend at the €€€€ price tier, this is where to book. The question is not whether it is good; the question is whether you can get a table.
Chef Martin Weghofer leads the kitchen at Le Charlie, and the cuisine is classified as Modern — which in this context means a technically driven approach that takes Corsican ingredients seriously without leaning on folklore. A Michelin star on an island where serious fine dining options are genuinely scarce carries more competitive weight than the same award in Paris or Lyon. The 4.8 Google rating across 50 reviews reinforces the consistency picture: this is not a venue that peaks for critics and disappoints regular guests.
The hotel setting matters practically. Bella Vista is a property with suites and private maisons, which means Le Charlie draws a clientele that is largely in-residence or specifically making a journey from Ajaccio and the surrounding coast. That shapes the room: expect an atmosphere that is composed rather than buzzy, better suited to a long dinner with wine than to a quick table turn. For explorers who want context with their food , who want to understand what Corsican terroir tastes like when handled by a kitchen with European technical training , this format rewards patience.
On the drinks side, a hotel-based Michelin-starred restaurant at the €€€€ level in France will typically carry a wine list weighted toward French regions, with Corsican AOC wines given prominence given the geography. Corsica produces compelling bottles , particularly from Nielluccio and Vermentino , and a kitchen at this level should be presenting them with some intelligence. If the bar and wine program matches the ambition of the food, and the 2025 Michelin recognition suggests it does, this is a venue where the full-evening format (aperitif, tasting menu, wine pairing, digestif) is the right way to experience it. Arriving just for a single course would miss the point. For Porticcio bar options beyond the restaurant, see our full Porticcio bars guide.
Booking difficulty is high. A freshly starred restaurant in a resort location with limited covers operates on tight reservation windows, particularly in the Corsican summer season running June through September. Expect demand to significantly outpace availability during peak months. If you are planning a summer trip, treat this like a Paris two-star: secure the table before you book your flights. Off-season , October through May , the window may be more forgiving, but confirm the restaurant is operating before planning around it, as hotel restaurant schedules can shift in low season.
Dress expectations at a Michelin-starred hotel restaurant in France at this price point trend toward smart-casual at minimum, with many guests likely dressing more formally given the occasion. There is no hard data from the venue record on a stated dress code, but arriving in resort beachwear would read as a mismatch for a room operating at this level.
For broader context on where Le Charlie sits in French fine dining: the Michelin star puts it in a cohort that includes France's most celebrated addresses. Restaurants like Mirazur in Menton, Flocons de Sel in Megève, and Bras in Laguiole show what happens when a kitchen commits to its regional setting over the long term. Le Charlie's trajectory , from Plate to Star in a single cycle , suggests a kitchen that is still accelerating rather than settling. On the Mediterranean coast, AM par Alexandre Mazzia in Marseille is the obvious point of comparison for modern cuisine rooted in southern French produce. Le Charlie is the Corsican answer to that conversation.
For travellers building a broader Porticcio itinerary, classic cuisine is available nearby at L'Arbousier, which offers a different register if you want more than one serious dinner during a stay. The full Porticcio restaurants guide covers the complete picture, and the Porticcio hotels guide is worth consulting if you are not already staying at Bella Vista. For context on the wider region , wineries, experiences, and beyond , see the Porticcio wineries guide, experiences guide.
Among other Michelin-starred addresses in France worth benchmarking against, Auberge de l'Ill in Illhaeusern, Assiette Champenoise in Reims, and Troisgros in Ouches all demonstrate what sustained Michelin performance looks like at different price points. Alléno Paris au Pavillon Ledoyen sits at the opposite end of the ambition scale , a three-star Paris institution , useful for understanding where the star system plateaus. Au Crocodile in Strasbourg and Paul Bocuse in Collonges-au-Mont-d'Or round out the classical French reference points. For those whose fine dining travels extend further, Frantzén in Stockholm and FZN by Björn Frantzén in Dubai show where modern cuisine is heading internationally.
The bottom line: Le Charlie is the most credentialled dining option in Porticcio, operating on an upward trajectory, and worth significant advance planning to secure. Book early, dress appropriately, and give it a full evening.
Book as early as possible , ideally 4 to 8 weeks ahead for summer visits (June to September), when Corsican resort demand peaks and a freshly starred restaurant will fill quickly. In shoulder or low season, a 2-week window may be sufficient, but verify the restaurant is operating before planning around it, as hotel restaurant schedules can vary off-season.
Within Porticcio itself, L'Arbousier offers classic cuisine at a different register. If you are willing to travel to the broader Gulf of Ajaccio area, the options expand. For a comprehensive picture of the local dining scene, the full Porticcio restaurants guide is the right starting point. Le Charlie remains the only Michelin-starred option in the immediate area as of 2025.
Yes, at the €€€€ tier, the 2025 Michelin star provides the clearest available signal that the kitchen is delivering at a level that justifies the spend. A 4.8 Google rating from actual diners reinforces that. On an island where fine dining at this technical level is rare, you are not paying a Paris premium for something you could find on every corner , you are paying for the only restaurant in the area operating at this standard.
Smart-casual is the safe floor. Given the Michelin-starred hotel setting and €€€€ pricing, most guests will dress more formally , think evening wear rather than resort casual. There is no stated dress code in the venue record, but arriving underdressed at a French fine dining room of this standing would be conspicuous.
Specific current menu items are not available in our data, so we cannot make dish-level recommendations. What we can say: at a Michelin-starred modern cuisine restaurant at this price point, the tasting menu format will give you the most complete picture of what chef Martin Weghofer's kitchen is doing. Ask the team about Corsican wine pairings , the island's AOC wines are a legitimate part of the experience here.
Almost certainly yes, if modern tasting-menu dining is your format. Le Charlie's Michelin recognition is based on the full experience the kitchen presents, not on à la carte ordering. For a restaurant at this level in a hotel setting, the tasting menu is how the chef communicates the most coherent version of the food. If you are travelling specifically for this dinner, do not short-change it by ordering à la carte.
It is well-suited to a special occasion dinner: Michelin-starred, hotel-based, €€€€ pricing, and a setting that encourages a long, unhurried evening. The composed atmosphere of a resort restaurant works in its favour here , this is not a loud, packed city dining room. If your occasion calls for a serious dinner with real cooking behind it rather than just an expensive address, Le Charlie fits the brief.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Booking Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Le Charlie | Modern Cuisine | €€€€ | Hard |
| Alléno Paris au Pavillon Ledoyen | Creative | €€€€ | Unknown |
| Kei | Contemporary French, Modern Cuisine | €€€€ | Unknown |
| L'Ambroisie | French, Classic Cuisine | €€€€ | Unknown |
| Le Cinq - Four Seasons Hôtel George V | French, Modern Cuisine | €€€€ | Unknown |
| Mirazur | Modern French, Creative | €€€€ | Unknown |
Comparing your options in Porticcio for this tier.
Book at least 4 to 6 weeks out, particularly for summer visits when Corsica's tourist season peaks and the Bella Vista hotel fills its own dining room. Le Charlie's 2025 Michelin star will only increase demand, so earlier is safer. If you're planning around a specific date, don't wait.
Porticcio has limited direct competition at this level — Le Charlie is the most credentialled option in the area for Modern Cuisine with Michelin recognition. For comparable fine dining elsewhere in France, Mirazur in Menton (three Michelin stars) is the obvious escalation, but that's a different trip entirely. Within Corsica, Le Charlie sits at the top of its category.
At €€€€, Le Charlie is priced at the top end for Corsica, but the 2025 Michelin star provides a clear external benchmark that the kitchen is operating at a level that justifies it. If you're already staying at Bella Vista and want one serious dinner on the island, yes — this is the right call. If you're travelling specifically for the food, weigh it against three-star options on the mainland before committing.
Le Charlie holds a Michelin star and operates within an upscale hotel complex at €€€€ pricing, which points to a dress expectation well above casual — think polished resort wear at minimum, and formal or business attire to be safe. Corsica's summer heat means linen suits and elegant dresses are the practical answer. Check directly with the restaurant if you're unsure, as the hotel concierge can confirm current expectations.
Specific menu items are not available in the current record, so no dishes can be recommended here without risking inaccuracy. What is documented: Chef Martin Weghofer runs a technically driven Modern Cuisine kitchen that earned a Michelin star in 2025. Ask the restaurant directly for current signature dishes or seasonal highlights when you book.
Menu format details are not confirmed in the current record, but a Michelin-starred Modern Cuisine kitchen at €€€€ in a hotel setting almost always centres its offering around a tasting format. If a tasting menu is available, it's the format best suited to experiencing what earned the 2025 star. Confirm the current menu structure when booking.
Yes — the combination of a 2025 Michelin star, a high-end hotel setting in Porticcio, and €€€€ pricing positions Le Charlie squarely as a special-occasion restaurant. It's the kind of meal that works for a milestone dinner, an anniversary, or a deliberate treat at the end of a Corsican trip. Book a table with advance notice and mention the occasion when reserving.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
