We checked out this secret Italian spot tucked up against the Château de Fontainebleau, with a terrace and a brunch offering.

Nestled in the inner courtyard of the Hôtel de Cavoye, just a stone’s throw from the Château de Fontainebleau, Gina Trattoria serves hearty Italian fare crafted by Robin Sanchez, with a lovely terrace in a quiet garden and Sunday brunch. We went to check out the place and here’s the full story.

You’ll stroll by without noticing. Behind a carriage gate on Rue d’Avon, near a door of the Château de Fontainebleau in Seine-et-Marne (77), lies a quiet courtyard, a lush green terrace of 160 m² and a Italian restaurant that deserves a little push past the gate. Gina Restaurant & Bar, tucked inside L’Hôtel de Cavoye, feels part well-kept secret, part must-visit address you’d rather keep to yourself. It’s a spot you return to for lunch, dinner, and also for the Sunday brunch that the savvy locals have already discovered.

Gina Fontainebleau: Italian cooking from a chef who cut his teeth with Alain Ducasse

Chef Robin Sanchez presents a refined, vibrant Mediterranean menu, conceived as a tribute to François I's appetite for the Italian peninsula. For nearly five centuries, a hint of Italy has hovered over Fontainebleau: as far back as 1526, François I enlisted Italy's top masters to redecorate the château, and Catherine de Médicis later organized the kingdom's most lavish celebrations. The name Gina, a discreet nod to Regina, sits within this long shared history between Fontainebleau and the peninsula.

À la carte, the antipasti are enjoyed without fuss, with a veggie version available too, the ravioli are crafted with care and the carbonara doesn’t cheat: the guanciale is right there to prove it. We’re also tempted by the burrata des Pouilles, the vitello tonnato, octopus roasted with pesto, or the rigatoni in lobster bisque. For desserts, the tiramisu with Amaretto and the Fontainebleau ai frutti di bosco (house-made fresh cheese, red berry coulis) remind us this is a spot that pays attention to the end of the meal. On the budget side, expect around 48 euros for a starter and a main, service included.

We were drawn to the Vitello Tonnato (thinly sliced veal, tuna mayo, capers, and anchovies) served with the quiet, elegant flair we associate with well-made Italian cooking. Right beside it, the Polpi Arrosto plays a different score: roasted octopus, new potatoes, pesto, olives, and pickled red onions add texture and bite—an honest, generous plate. To start well for two or more, the Tagliere di antipasti (confited vegetables, eggplant caviar, stracciatella) makes for an ideal, shareable starter you can enjoy without rushing.

On the meat side, beef lovers will relish the Polpette (beef meatballs with seasonal vegetables, tomato-basil sauce), a comforting family recipe that evokes Sunday meals in Italy. Seafood aficionados will opt for the Profumo di frutti di mare e verdure, a hearty medley of prawns, mussels, octopus, squid, eggplant caviar, and seasonal vegetables.

For dessert, it’s hard to skip the Fontainebleau ai frutti di bosco when you’re in Fontainebleau: a homemade fresh-cheese dessert draped in a red berry coulis that’s light, refreshing, and pleasantly nods to the local vibe. Die-hard traditionalists will prefer the tiramisu al caffè e Amaretto or the cannoli siciliano, crisp and filled with sweet ricotta. Either way, you’ll walk away satisfied.

Sunday brunch at Gina: Italian fare and a hidden terrace

Perhaps the strongest reason to plan a Sunday morning out in Fontainebleau: Gina’s Sunday brunch, a favorite among connoisseurs, set in a warm, welcoming setting with plenty of choices and attentive service. Available from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., at €45 per person, it spotlights seasonal produce, Mediterranean flavors, and a spirit of sharing as the throughline. A hot and cold buffet, desserts and drinks all you can eat, there’s plenty to indulge in. On the terrace when the weather cooperates, or in the bright dining room the rest of the time, the venue works just as well for a family outing or a post-stroll stop after wandering in the Château de Fontainebleau Park, which is literally just a few steps away.

How can you book a table at Gina restaurant in Fontainebleau?

The restaurant sits in the inner courtyard of the Hôtel de Cavoye, a location so tucked away that even Fontainebleau regulars might not know it. Reservations can be made directly through the Hôtel de Cavoye website or by calling 01 60 70 20 00. The dining room serves lunch and dinner daily, with Sunday brunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Access is open to both hotel guests and external visitors. The 900-square-meter landscaped garden and the terrace are accessible to people with reduced mobility. The restaurant is located at 6 rue d'Avon, Fontainebleau, just a two-minute stroll from the château’s main entrance.

Our take: Gina targets those in search of genuine Italian cooking in a setting that’s truly unexpected, away from the hustle and bustle of downtown terraces. The place works for a low-key weekday lunch, a romantic dinner, or a family Sunday brunch. The fact that you don’t stumble upon it by accident is part of its charm.

Also worth discovering in Fontainebleau

L'Orée des Sablons, the go-to bistronomic restaurant in Fontainebleau, Seine-et-Marne
From Fontainebleau in Seine-et-Marne, L'Orée des Sablons serves creative, locally sourced cuisine from chef Kevin Pernette, in a cosy setting on Rue des Sablons not far from the Château de Fontainebleau. Open since early 2025 and already listed in the Michelin Guide 2026, it’s worth digging in. [Read more]

Adma, the bistronomic restaurant in Fontainebleau with a Mediterranean flavour
Adma is the new bistronomic restaurant that opened its doors at the beginning of February 2024 in Fontainebleau, in the heart of the Seine-et-Marne region. Located at 23 rue de France, a stone's throw from the famous château, this warm and inviting venue offers French cuisine inspired by the Mediterranean basin. Behind this project, Quentin Hubert and Enguerrand Lecocq, two enthusiasts who combine culinary expertise and rigorous management, have breathed into Adma a friendly, almost family atmosphere, where you'll feel "at home". [Read more]