Restaurants and Bars

Just about everyone has heard of Nice's most famous culinary export, the salade niçoise, made of fresh tomatoes, mixed greens, anchovies, tuna, beans and olive oil...but it is only the tip of the iceberg of the city's delectable specialties. Local cuisine draws from the mild Mediterranean climate, resulting in a light style of cooking based on fresh fish and seasonal vegetables. In addition to regional dining options, Nice boasts a dizzying number of restaurants serving traditional French gastronomy, seafood specialties, as well as international cuisine. If you need to quench your thirst, choose one of the welcoming taverns in the old town or a delightful sun-drenched cafe terrace...making sure not to forget the ice cream parlors.

A visit to the French Riviera really wouldn't be complete without sampling la socca—a delicious savory pancake made from chick peas. Other distinctive regional dishes include les petits farcis (stuffed vegetable parcels), morue à la niçoise (cod cooked with tomato and olives), pissaladière (which resembles a pizza made with onion rather than tomato), fleurs de courgette cuisinees (cooked baby zucchini), raviolis and pan-bagnat, Nice's twist on the sandwich using two round slices of bread soaked in olive oil enveloping a miniature salade niçoise. You can discover the flavors for yourself at Chez Simon and Au Rendez-vous des Amis, both of which have great views overlooking the city, are also worth a visit. For simpler yet equally delicious dining, check out Pipo Socca or Chez Rene. Restaurants specializing in regional cuisine are tucked into neighborhoods throughout the city...

Fans of traditional French cuisine have many dining options in Nice. Restaurants of note include L'Horloge, Epicuriens, Petite Maison, and Don Camillo. Both are centrally located and serve excellent French dishes à la carte and on set menus, in pleasant, contemporary settings. Slightly off the beaten path, the beautiful vaulted cellar of Baud et Millet offers cheese-based dishes accompanied by fine wines.

For the finest and fanciest dining, there are two restaurants in town that stand out above all others. The prestigious reputation of the Chantecler befits the palatial hotel where it is located, Hôtel Negresco. The service, the ambiance, and the cuisine are all of the highest caliber. Nice's other grand hotel, the Maeterlinck, boasts a similarly exceptional restaurant, the Melisande, which overlooks the sea. The menus in both establishments are regularly updated with fresh seasonal fare, serving dishes like lamb cutlet with mozzarella and aubergine, fillet of sole and foie gras with fresh pasta.

If you're a fan of fresh, unpretentious fish dishes, you should book a table at Boccaccio or at Coco Beach, which is located just below Mont-Boron Park near the Cape of Nice. For the best of les fruits de la mer (seafood), the Grand Cafe de Turin is in a class of its own.

Nice also has many options for those seeking international flavors. To sample the flavors of neighboring Italy, try Bistro Romain, Zucca Magica for flavorful vegetarian food, or seek out fine dining at Allegro and at Quebec, which serves wonderful pizzas and pasta that is perfectly al dente. For Lebanese, try the always-satisfying Byblos, or the Taverne Alsacienne for flavors of Alsace, the islands of the Indian Ocean at Barachois... Casbah carries patrons to Morocco, the Petite Sirène to Denmark, Raja to India, and the Transsiberien serves the cooking of Russia!

If you're hankering after liquid refreshment, the old town (Vieux-Nice) is positively overflowing with cozy, welcoming pubs like De Klomp or Master Home. The sweeping terraces at Brasserie L'F and Civette du Cours, both located in Cours Saleya, are also extremely popular. Famous for the Theatre en Niçois (a show performed in the local dialect), the Bar des Oiseaux will captivate you with its vibrant local color. Last but not least, Nice's dedicated gourmet cannot go without the flavors of Fenocchio, arguably the best ice cream parlor in town. With an endless selection of flavors, it is set amid one of the old town's charming squares, Place Rossetti, where the beautiful Cathedrale Sainte-Reparate stands.