If it’s just a day trip, you will probably confine yourself to the historic and very picturesque centre/ St Malo intra-muros which is ultra-touristy but not as tacky as some other places i.e. Mont-Saint-Michel tend to be. Be prepared for a very large number of fellow Brits. Most visitors gravitate to one of the many crêperies and indeed crêpes are emblematic of Bretagne. It’s very difficult to single out just one crêperie in St Malo… even the bad ones are pretty good, especially if you are a foreigner. As a Parisian with lots of crepes under my belt over the years, I like A la Duchesse Anne (new owners, vastly improved), Grain Noir (but contemporary décor rather than the folklorique stuff that appeals to many foreigners), La Tourline on a picturesque little square loaded with other more “custesy” but less good restos, and, probably the most well-known and justifiably excellent guidebook reputation, Le Comptoir Breizh Café.
St Malo is also famous for its fish and shellfish. I tend to go to one of the beach or seaside restaurants for fish and can only recommend L’Ancrage in St Malo intra-muros. If you are willing to shake off the tourist dust and have the time to take a taxi to Cité d’Alet (about 2 km south St Malo intra-muros), I’m a big fan of La Corderie overlooking the bay and the 14th-century Tour Solidor.
If you want more gastro Michelin-starred places, Méson Chalut in St Malo intra-muros is superb. Some very creative riffs on trad Breton cuisine. But reservations probably required.
