The Kitchen
Racine is the work of Kazuyuki Tanaka, a Japanese-born, French-trained chef who opened the restaurant on Place Godinot in 2016 and turned it into the hardest table to book in central Reims. He won the restaurant's first Michelin star in 2017, and Racine holds two stars in the 2026 Guide — a rare two-star outside the big French cities, recognised by Les Grandes Tables du Monde in 2025.
Tanaka cooks creative French with a Japanese hand: exact knife work, controlled temperatures, and plating that feels closer to Tokyo than to Champagne. His signature savoury plate is the Bresse pigeon from Miéral, served with avocado, grapefruit and onion; the langoustine with Sturia beluga caviar, fennel and green apple is the other dish regulars come back for. The menus run from a €140 lunch (Menu Suki) through the €190 Daisuki of signature dishes to the €290 Menu Kazuyuki, with a caviar-and-truffle Menu Marine at €420; the Champagne-led pairings are the natural match.
The wine list leans, inevitably, into Champagne — Tanaka has close ties to several of the region's grower-producers — and reaches into serious Burgundy and a sake selection unusual for Reims. Service is precise, warm and fluent in English. The dining room is small and the kitchen sits behind a low pass, so book four to five weeks ahead for a weekend.
Why This Is Reims’s First Date Pick
For a first date, Racine gets the register exactly right. The two Michelin stars make it an event without the heavy formality of Les Crayères; the room is small and low-lit enough to feel like your own corner of the city; and Tanaka's plates — the pigeon, the langoustine and caviar — hand you something to talk about with every course. The pacing runs five to eight courses across roughly two and a half hours, which gives a first date room to find its rhythm. Sit, order the pairing, and let the evening unspool.
Not For
Skip Racine if you want a big, buzzy night out — it is a hushed, tiny room built for two people focused on the food, not for a loud group celebration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Racine worth it?
Yes, if a two-Michelin-star tasting menu is what you came to Champagne for. Kazuyuki Tanaka's cooking is among the most precise in the region, and Racine is widely held to be the hardest reservation in central Reims. Menus run from a €140 lunch to €290 in the evening, so it is a splurge — but a focused, serious one rather than a grand-hotel spectacle.
How hard is it to book Racine?
Book four to five weeks ahead for a weekend; weekdays and lunch are a little easier. Racine is a small room and reservations go quickly once they open, so set a reminder for the booking window. Lunch — the €140 Menu Suki — is the smartest way in if the dinner tables are gone.
What should I order at Racine?
You order by menu rather than à la carte. The signatures to look for are the Bresse pigeon from Miéral with avocado, grapefruit and onion, and the langoustine with Sturia beluga caviar, fennel and green apple. The €190 Daisuki is built around Tanaka's signature dishes; the Champagne pairing is the obvious match in this town.
Is Racine good for a first date?
Very. The room is small, low-lit and quiet, the two stars make it an occasion, and the long tasting gives a first date time to settle. Every course gives you something to discuss, and the service is warm without hovering. If you want big and boisterous, look elsewhere — Racine is built for two people who want to focus on each other.
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