Forget foie gras and caviar – at Clos des Sens, the real stars are lake fish, garden vegetables, wild herbs, and whatever happens to be at its seasonal peak. Set within a small hotel overlooking Lake Annecy, this three-Michelin-starred restaurant has become a benchmark for terroir-driven dining, with menus rooted entirely in the surrounding Alpine landscape.

A celebration of the region's best producers, Halles du Haras brings together independent traders under one roof. Browse butchers, fishmongers, cheesemongers and greengrocers championing local, seasonal produce, then pull up a seat at the traiteur counter for regional dishes to eat in or take away.

Set just outside the old town in Annecy-le-Vieux, this small Italian table earns its booking-only reputation through a short menu and proper execution. The plates are part of the welcome (Italian cocktails painted across the dishware), the buffalo mozzarella braid arrives before you have decided, and the deconstructed tiramisu is the kind of finish you remember weeks later. Try the parsnip purée with espresso, an unexpected side that has converted regulars. Worth crossing town for, and worth the walk back through the lake gardens after.

The only specialty coffee shop in Annecy pouring beans from the cult Paris roaster TANAT Coffee Roasters, Drip is where the city’s baristas tend to end up on their day off. The espresso is the headline, the flat white smooth and well judged, but the affogato with peanut topping is the one to know about. It’s worth crossing town for if you care about what’s in your cup, and a good caffeine-kick wakeup.