Communal dinner in SJPP somewhere that I'm not staying?

[JustJack]

I booked a bed at Gite Makila, but they don't offer dinner. As this will be day 0 for me, I wouldn't mind having some company for dinner. Do any of the gites allow people to join their communal dinner if they aren't staying there?

Alternatively, are there some good options for casual places for dinner where it's comfortable dining alone? In other words, not a formal french restaurant, but something extremely casual. If it was a larger city I'd be looking for a market or similar where I could get some takeaway food, but I assume that's not an option in a small town like SJPP.

Dinner dining suggestions (with an English menu) would be most welcome!

 

[J Willhaus]

Café Ttipia Bar Restaurant · 2 Pl. Floquet, 64220 Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France

★★★★☆ · French restaurant

goo.gl

We ate at this place. On the river. Here is the menu. It isn't in English, but you can probably figure it out.

Notre carte - Café TTIPIA

MINCED LAMB 40$ Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet veniam subitus nubis TTIPIA NOS ENTRÉES KABOCHA SQUASH 17$ Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet veniam subitus nubis TTIPIA Nos plats SESAME TOFU 25$ Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet veniam subitus nubis TTIPIA Nos desserts @arrokainferme, c’est une histoire de famille...

cafettipia.com

 

[trecile]

There are plenty of casual places where you can dine alone comfortably.
I would invite you to join me and my group for dinner on the 14th, but you just changed your start date to the 16th! However, that's one of the purposes of our calendar threads - you can message those who are starting on the same date from SJPdP and ask them if they would like to meet for dinner. I would probably wait a couple of months, as people are adding their names each day.

 

[estorildon]

I have always enjoyed Hotel Centrale

 

[Kathar1na]

I booked a bed at Gite Makila, but they don't offer dinner. As this will be day 0 for me, I wouldn't mind having some company for dinner. Do any of the gites allow people to join their communal dinner if they aren't staying there?

No. They don't have a licence to operate as a restaurant, and while I guess that guests might bring a friend in some exceptional circumstances, it consider it more likely that you might find other pilgrims with whom to go to a restaurant than pilgrims who stay at a gîte and could or would invite you.

Alternatively, are there some good options for casual places for dinner where it's comfortable dining alone? In other words, not a formal french restaurant, but something extremely casual. If it was a larger city I'd be looking for a market or similar where I could get some takeaway food, but I assume that's not an option in a small town like SJPP.

Saint Jean Pied de Port is a tourist destination and has a wide ranging offer of restaurants and eateries for many tastes and purses. Google Saint Jean Pied de Port à emporter or even pizza saint jean pied de port take away. As far as I remember someone was recently raving in a thread about excellent pizzas that you can get from a machine in SJPP.

 

[JustJack]

I would invite you to join me and my group for dinner on the 14th, but you just changed your start date to the 16th!

Darn, I would have loved to have joined you. Flights were considerably cheaper if I flew one day later.

 

[Kathar1na]

I have always enjoyed Hotel Centrale

This is the one with the view of the river, isn't it? I second that. I've been there twice. The first time, because all the restaurants that offered mainly Basque cuisine or local cuisine were either closed on that day or fully booked. I remember it as not particularly expensive, friendly, pretty casual, jovial, good à la carte offer, great location of course, but ... perhaps ... not what the OP envisages ...?

 

[JustJack]

This is the one with the view of the river, isn't it? I second that. I've been there twice. The first time, because all the restaurants that offered mainly Basque cuisine or local cuisine were either closed on that day or fully booked. I remember it as not particularly expensive, friendly, pretty casual, jovial, good à la carte offer, great location of course, but ... perhaps ... not what the OP envisages ...?

View attachment 140833

It looks lovely, and if my family was with me it would be great. But perhaps not quite as casual as I had in mind for dining alone. Perhaps if I meet some other pilgrims.

 

[J Willhaus]

You are going at a popular time of year and there will be a scad of pilgrims in town. You may even meet someone on the bus or train on the way or at the pilgrim office when you arrive. Unless you are walking in winter, you will always be in view of other pilgrims especially on your first day or two. Strike up a conversation and ask if someone wants to share a table with you. When you stop along the way, it is common to sit with other pilgrims at cafes and bars during coffee breaks, lunch, etc. No reason why you can't get started early meeting others.

 

[JustJack]

You are going at a popular time of year and there will be a scad of pilgrims in town. You may even meet someone on the bus or train on the way or at the pilgrim office when you arrive. Unless you are walking in winter, you will always be in view of other pilgrims especially on your first day or two. Strike up a conversation and ask if someone wants to share a table with you. When you stop along the way, it is common to sit with other pilgrims at cafes and bars during coffee breaks, lunch, etc. No reason why you can't get started early meeting others.

Makes sense. I will have to work hard on breaking out of my usual Canadian private shell. Striking up a conversation with a stranger, or inviting a stranger to share a table isn't common behaviour in my circles. But getting out of my comfort zone is what this experience is all about, and I recognize that the camino world differs from the real world back home. Thankfully.

 

[J Willhaus]

Makes sense. I will have to work hard on breaking out of my usual Canadian private shell. Striking up a conversation with a stranger, or inviting a stranger to share a table isn't common behaviour in my circles. But getting out of my comfort zone is what this experience is all about, and I recognize that the camino world differs from the real world back home. Thankfully.

You can do it! I believe in you!

 

[estorildon]

This is the one with the view of the river, isn't it? I second that. I've been there twice. The first time, because all the restaurants that offered mainly Basque cuisine or local cuisine were either closed on that day or fully booked. I remember it as not particularly expensive, friendly, pretty casual, jovial, good à la carte offer, great location of course, but ... perhaps ... not what the OP envisages ...?

View attachment 140833

My first Camino I stayed at Centrale. The staff in the restaurant did their utmost to see that I was overfed for my first day up the mountain. I have been back there several times while I was living in Biarritz and can not say more about how much I appreciate their trout and various salad plates while dining on the terrace on the river. It is definitely 5 star.

 

[Zordmot]

You are going at a popular time of year and there will be a scad of pilgrims in town. You may even meet someone on the bus or train on the way or at the pilgrim office when you arrive. Unless you are walking in winter, you will always be in view of other pilgrims especially on your first day or two. Strike up a conversation and ask if someone wants to share a table with you. When you stop along the way, it is common to sit with other pilgrims at cafes and bars during coffee breaks, lunch, etc. No reason why you can't get started early meeting others.

You can start in Bayonne if you have a layover there between trains. There are a couple of busy restaurants across the street from the train station. Smile and ask if you can join other pilgrims at their table. I’ve done that twice and began conversations that lasted well into the Camino. For me, the Camino atmosphere begins in Bayonne.

 

[mario juan]

Maybe you can cancel your booking ?? If not maybe forego it and book somewhere that has communal meals, in my opinion it would be worth it as the people you meet on your first night in St Jean are often the people you’ll bump into for the next 4 weeks..

 

[giteportesaintjacques]

I have always enjoyed Hotel Centrale

It hasn't opened after Covid

 

[Elvis]

Makes sense. I will have to work hard on breaking out of my usual Canadian private shell. Striking up a conversation with a stranger, or inviting a stranger to share a table isn't common behaviour in my circles. But getting out of my comfort zone is what this experience is all about, and I recognize that the camino world differs from the real world back home. Thankfully.

Jack, you will lot's of people to have dinner, breakfast, and lunch with all the time. Take it from a fellow Canadian.

 

[Sue127]

No. They don't have a licence to operate as a restaurant, and while I guess that guests might bring a friend in some exceptional circumstances, it consider it more likely that you might find other pilgrims with whom to go to a restaurant than pilgrims who stay at a gîte and could or would invite you.


Saint Jean Pied de Port is a tourist destination and has a wide ranging offer of restaurants and eateries for many tastes and purses. Google Saint Jean Pied de Port à emporter or even pizza saint jean pied de port take away. As far as I remember someone was recently raving in a thread about excellent pizzas that you can get from a machine in SJPP.

There is a do it yourself pizza box machine, very generous helping, great if you arrive at a time when restaurants are closed

 

[J Willhaus]

There is a do it yourself pizza box machine, very generous helping, great if you arrive at a time when restaurants are closed

Sadly, @JabbaPapa reported the pizza machine was out of supplies when he was in town a few weeks ago.

 

[DwainS]

I booked a bed at Gite Makila, but they don't offer dinner. As this will be day 0 for me, I wouldn't mind having some company for dinner. Do any of the gites allow people to join their communal dinner if they aren't staying there?

Alternatively, are there some good options for casual places for dinner where it's comfortable dining alone? In other words, not a formal french restaurant, but something extremely casual. If it was a larger city I'd be looking for a market or similar where I could get some takeaway food, but I assume that's not an option in a small town like SJPP.

Dinner dining suggestions (with an English menu) would be most welcome!

i'am reading this thread with great interest as i'am staying at this same Gite on May 17 and at 64 years old consider myself a little shy at meeting new people. Was going to book a private room in SJPP but purposely booked at a Gite so maybe I could meet people on my first day. Well that's my game plan anyway.

 

[Sue127]

Oh, dommage. I used it in July 22 when arriving with a hungry grandson. Was perfect. We sat and ate by the archway, down the hill from the Pilgrim Office. Just what a hungry teenager needed.

Sadly, @JabbaPapa reported the pizza machine was out of supplies when he was in town a few weeks ago.

 

[BROWNCOUNTYBOB]

I echo Estorildon's recommendation of Hotel Central. Cindi and I stayed there during our last two caminos. Our private room overlooked the river with tremendous views of the mountains. Our room even had a small terrace above the river, where we enjoyed wine before dinner. Christine was a superb one person show that greeted us, allowed us to store our backpacks until our room was ready, checked us in, told us where the closest laundry mat was located, and waited on us for dinner. The dinner was a bit pricey (as was our room), but well worth it and the dinner was delicious. When we reserved a room for our 2021 camino, we requested the same room that we stayed in 2019 and Christine made sure this was available for us during 2021. One of the best places we stayed at during our last two caminos. Bob​

 

[Rick M]

i'am reading this thread with great interest as i'am staying at this same Gite on May 17 and at 64 years old consider myself a little shy at meeting new people. Was going to book a private room in SJPP but purposely booked at a Gite so maybe I could meet people on my first day. Well that's my game plan anyway.

For first timers, the whole social aspect of the Camino can look very intimidating. What you will figure out very quickly is that you are part of a group of people just like you, who are also alone in an unfamiliar place, attempting a fairly challenging task, without much real knowledge of what lies ahead. This is a powerful cocktail for creating a sense of shared experience. I have found the Camino is the easiest place to meet people, because of the sense that you are all in this together through the uncertainty, rain, language and custom issues, and the reality that everyone is on Camino for some reason. For introverts, the real hazard is that it's TOO easy for people to strike up conversations and build relationships. Relax. There is no chance whatsoever that you will not meet lots of people, unless you don't want to. After all, they are all thinking the same thing. By day 3 you are waiving people over to your table to join you for morning cafe. Or they are waiving at you.....

Nobody stays a stranger on the Camino for very long.