Lutz Engelmann of the Auberge du Cedre put us on to this charming café come bistro in central Nîmes between the arena and the maison Carrée. Vintage Café is just off Rue Fresque that goes north from the Place du Marché. The dining area is small and cosy and the welcome warm. The menu comes on a blackboard that offers three courses for 22 € with a range of ingredients and styles. At lunch there's a two course 10 € menu of the day (formula express). From the latter a salad of soused sardines and sesame seeds was fine and a home made faggot (caillette) with lentils just the business.

From the more sophisticated main menu small pimentos stuffed with brandade along with courgettes were good and lieu (coley fish) came fan fried with excellent ratatouille and a timbale of rice with peas. Desserts were interesting and included pain epice with chocolate glace and prunes plus a rhubarb, cherry and custard cup. There's no wine list with a well chosen wine of the moment available from each of the main local regions. The very local Cosieres de Nimes red was excellent.

Service was friendly and the atmosphere had a good dose of that rare intimate feel to it. Overall a hit.

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