There are a surprising number of good places to eat and drink for such a small city as Sion. The basics are taken care of at the various self-service places including a Manora within the Placette department store on Avenue du Midi, and a huge Migros supermarket and diner west of the station on Avenue de France.

Rue du Grand-Pont in the Old Town is lined with attractive, pleasant little corners to sample something nice. Grotto de la Fontaine, at no. 21 (closed Tues & Wed), is a Ticinese-style inn serving fresh pastas, pizzas and Ticinese stews and risottos (menus Fr.15); La Croix Fédérale, at no. 13 (027/322 16 95; closed Mon), specializes in mouthwatering fish dishes; while the Brasserie du Grand-Pont, at no. 6 (027/322 20 96; closed Sun), is a solid, down-to-earth place to have a good square meal and a carafe of local wine. Tucked away through a back door at 10 Rue du Grand-Pont and up some stairs is Le Grand Ballif (027/322 65 70; daily 6–11pm), a white-tablecloth place serving delectable Greek specialities (menus Fr.25).

To the east, and well out of the hubbub on steep, cobbled Rue des Châteaux, there are two excellent places very close to each other: L’Enclos de Valère, at no. 18 (027/323 32 30; Oct–April closed Sun & Mon), has a big shaded terrace on which to enjoy its classic gourmet cuisine (menus Fr.25), while just about next door is the Cave de Tous Vents (027/322 46 84; May & June closed Mon & Tues), an atmospheric vaulted cellar in a thirteenth-century building that opens in the evenings only for quality raclettes, fondues (including an alcoholic Fondue Bacchus) and sampling of local wines; menus are Fr.25. The best restaurant in Sion is the Supersaxo, Passage Supersaxo (027/323 85 50; closed Tues), serving refined nouvelle cuisine at a premium.