The town centres of St Girons (15 minutes) and Foix (30 minutes) both have a good selection of places to eat. In St Girons we’d recommend particularly Le Bouchon and La Rotonde for more traditional food; Bacchus on Quai Gravier for something more contemporary and a lovely terrace by the river; and La Tillandsia and neighbouring Mandala Café for more casual dining, though there are plenty of others. In St Lizier, 5 minutes away, you'll find the excellent Restaurant de la Tour in the hotel of the same name, along with Le Carré d'Ange, a new 'gastronomique' restaurant (with prices to match) in part of the old bishops' palace. There's also a very good salon de thé/café, 11 Place de l'Eglise, under the stone arcades of St Lizier's main square that serves plates of local produce in various permutations (daytime only).

 In Foix just take a walk down rue Lafaurie, where tables from various restos fill the street in good weather. For informal eating we like Au Grilladou and Les 4 Saisons, plus Le Petit Creux close by. Not far away you’ll find Vertig’o, stylish and contemporary but still with a strong focus on Ariège produce. There’s also a good Moroccan restaurant, L’Atlas, with a terrace giving on to a lovely square below the chateau. Le Medieval has a sound reputation, as has Foix's most upmarket resto, Le Phoebus, situated on the river with a lovely view over the old town (there's a simpler, and cheaper, sister restaurant - En Face - over the road). 

This isn’t the place for an exhaustive guide, but to give you a flavour here are just a few of our local favourites, all (bar the last three) within 30 minutes of Grillou:

• Chez Victor, Castelnau Durban (10 minutes): a local institution, largely unchanged for 30 years or so. Very traditional food at excellent prices.
• Le Souleilla, Clermont (10 minutes): a ‘Bistrot de Pays’ and 'café culturel', serving simple, local and organic food, wine and beer. Regular music gigs and other events all year.

• Enso de Marichott, Ségalas (10 minutes): best described as a ‘duck buvette’! A wooden chalet with various terraces run by a genuinely hospitable and lovely couple who have a farm just opposite. Small but spot-on menu, with the best frites (cooked in duck fat, of course) in Ariège! Great atmosphere:open in July and August only, but unmissable. 
• Le Gardel, La Mas d’Azil (15 minutes): lovely terrace overlooking the village square at this archetypal hotel-restaurant, now in its 5th generation. Simple traditional cooking using very local ingredients. Also in Le Mas d’Azil: La Pizzéria de Mas, serving huge pizzas, salads and other dishes. Very popular – you’ll need to book in summer to get a table on the terrace.

• Le Mérens, La Bastide de Sérou (15 minutes): traditional restaurant next to the national Mérens horse centre. Good for lunch.

• Auberge d’Antan, Beauregard, St Girons (15 minutes): ‘cuisine de grand-mère’ in a lovely setting with huge fireplace. Run by one of Ariège’s best known chefs, Paul Fontvieille; very good indeed. The same team also run the Chalet de Beauregard at the ski station Guzet-Neige, open summer and winter.

• La Petite Maison, Lorp-Sentaraille (20 minutes): another chef-led resto offering ‘serious’ food, but without pretention and still at reasonable prices.

• Le Moulin, Moulis (25 minutes): some of the best pizzas we’ve eaten outside Italy – thin crust, not over-filled and cooked in a wood-fired oven. Lovely terrace overlooking the former millrace.

• La Barguillère, St Pierre de Rivière (30 minutes): traditional French bistrot meets trattoria italo-ariégeoise!
  

And finally …. three worth travelling for:

• La Gourmandine, Seix (40 minutes): Seix is a lovely village, and this is a lovely restaurant – well thought out, well cooked and well presented food at decent prices. 

• Auberge de l’Isard, St Lary (50 minutes): in the far south west of the department, on the way to the Col de Portet d’Aspet. Very typically Ariégeois food with sound local ingredients. Pretty terrace overlooking the stream.

• La Table d’Arconac, Arconac, near Vicdessos (60 minutes): almost hidden in the middle of a tiny village, you almost think you’re walking into someone’s home (actually, you are). Nothing written down, just two daily menus (with choices) described to you in person. Excellent food, very convivial atmosphere, and extraordinary value. A real gem.