Restaurants
We have used the following symbols to give an idea of the price for a three-course dinner, without wine, or the most commonly taken set-price menu:
€€€€ over 60 euros
€€€ 40–60 euros
€€ 25–40 euros
€ below 25 euros
Nice
L’Ane Rouge €€€ 7 quai des Deux-Emmanuels, 06300 Nice, tel: 04 93 89 49 63, www.anerougenice.com. The most reputed of the portside venues, where Michel Devillers serves inventive starters and more classic mains; an emphasis on fish, and surprisingly gutsy flavours. Good, rather formal service. Closed Wed and lunch Thu.
Auberge de Théo €€ 52 avenue Cap de Croix, 06100 Nice, tel: 04 93 81 26 19, www.auberge-de-theo.com. This cheerful Italian trattoria, with an amusing rustic decor of hayracks, farm implements and Neapolitan crib figures, is one of the rare restaurants in Cimiez. Authentic dishes include mixed antipasti, pasta with swordfish, beef tagliata and little babas doused in limoncello. French and Italian wines. Closed Sun and Mon.
Le Boudoir €€€ 10 rue Chauvain (off Espace Masséna), 0600 Nice, tel: 04 93 87 55 54, www.leboudoirnice.fr. Very stylish restaurant with a slightly Baroque decor specialising in truffles and foie gras served in many original ways. Extensive wine list. Open for lunch and dinner. Closed Wed.
Citrus €€€ 7 rue Sainte Reparate, 06300 Nice, tel: 04 93 16 27 93, www.citrusnice.fr. Conveniently located in the Old Town, this small cosy restaurant specialises in Mediterranean cuisine. Chef Philippe Limoges serves up mouth-watering, mostly French dishes, with a twist, including excellent chateaubriand, steaks and duck. Closed Tue and daily lunch.
L’Escalinada €€ 22 rue Pairolière, 06300 Nice, tel: 04 93 62 11 71. The two whitewashed dining rooms and much-prized terrace are always packed at this Vieux Nice shrine to traditional Niçois specialities, where timeless recipes include sardines à l’escabèche, stuffed courgette flowers, gnocchi, plus a very good lemon meringue tart. No credit cards.
Flaveur €€–€€€ 25 rue Gubernatis (off boulevard Dubouchage), 06000 Nice, tel: 04 93 62 53 95, www.restaurant-flaveur.com. The Tourteaux brothers, formerly of Hôtel Negresco and Keisuke Matsushima, have brought the Provençal and Japanese influences to their own outlandishly decorated restaurant. Lightly poached salmon with avocado and Granny Smith salsa gives a taste of what’s to come. Closed Sat lunch, Sun and Mon.
Le Fonétic €€€ 107 Boulevard de Cessole, 06100 Nice, tel: 04 92 07 04 71, www.lefonetic.com. Try a sea bass fillet with rice and ratatouille or frogs legs at this not very touristy restaurant serving traditional French dishes with a modern twist. Good wines; attentive service. Closed Sun.
Grand Café de Turin €€ 5 place Garibaldi, 06300 Nice, tel: 04 93 62 29 52, www.cafedeturin.fr. This seafood brasserie has been shucking oysters for over a century, drawing a faithful Niçois clientele despite sometimes grouchy service. The speciality is lavish platters of fruits de mer, where oysters, crabs and prawns are accompanied by some rarer treats, such as the violet (sea potato) and oursins (sea urchins) in winter.
Keisuke Matsushima €€–€€€€ 22 ter rue de France, 06000 Nice, tel: 04 93 82 26 06. Japan meets Provence with brilliant young chef Keisuke Matsushima, who trained with some of France’s top chefs. Subtly lit slate tables and geometrical lines provide a suitable setting for his beautifully presented creations – think green, purple and wild asparagus with lemon froth or scallops with truffles, peas and wasabi. There’s a good-value lunch menu if you want to sample his style. Closed Mon and Sat lunch and Sun.
Lou Pistou €€ 4 rue Raoul Bosio (by the law courts), 06000 Nice, tel: 04 93 62 21 82, www.loupistou.com. This old-fashioned bistro with checked table cloths and colourful posters on the wall paying homage to Beaujolais Nouveau is a favourite with locals who pack the small dining room to savour well-prepared Niçois cuisine. Closed Sat–Sun.
La Maison de Marie €€ 5 rue Masséna, 06000 Nice, tel: 04 93 82 15 93, www.lamaisondemarie.com. Set back from the street with tables in a quiet courtyard or in an elegant dining room. A stylish take on French and Mediterranean favourites ranges from foie gras, stuffed sardines and herb-encrusted lamb to pasta with scampi. Look for some good Corsican bottles among the Provençal ones on the wine list.
Restaurant du Gesù € place du Gesù, 06000 Nice, tel: 04 93 62 26 46. Cheap and cheerful local and Italian specialities in a picturesque setting in the shadow of the Eglise du Gesù in Vieux Nice. On warm days, munch a pizza – reputedly the best in Nice – on the terrace and watch the world go by. Closed Sun.
La Roustide €€€ 34 rue Beaumont, 06000 Nice, tel: 04 93 89 69 60, www.laroustide.fr. Small restaurant with a modern Provençal decor. The chef specialises in artful truffle dishes. The five-course tasting menu is really worth a try. Closed Mon and Sun.
Le Safari €€ 1 cours Saleya, 06000 Nice, tel: 04 93 80 18 44, www.restaurantsafari.fr. This market-side brasserie is a Niçois institution, with a great people-watching terrace. Friendly high-speed waiters serve pretty good renditions of local specialities (salade niçoise, rabbit, artichoke salad), plus grilled meats and wood-oven-cooked pizzas.
Yolo Wine Bar €€ 10 rue du Maréchal-Joffre, 06000 Nice, tel: 04 93 88 53 07. Large, stylish open-plan bar with a great atmosphere. An extensive wine list plus a selection of sushi, cheese and meat platters. Hip lounge music.
Cannes
Astoux et Brun €€ 27 avenue Félix Faure, 06400 Cannes, tel: 04 93 39 21 87, www.astouxbrun.com. This famous seafood venue behind the port is extremely popular for both its oysters and grandiose shellfish platters and for the people-watching opportunities outside.
Aux Bons Enfants € 80 rue Meynadier, 06400 Cannes, tel: 06 18 81 37 47, www.aux-bons-enfants-cannes.com. In a busy backstreet between the port and the market, this simple bistro has been in the same family since 1934, serving comforting home-cooked regional food such as grilled sardines and herby Sisteron lamb with courgettes or Swiss chard. Closed Sun–Mon. No credit cards.
L’Assiette Provençale €€ 9 Quai Saint-Pierre, 06400 Cannes, tel: 04 93 38 52 14, www.assiette-provencale.fr. Located in Cannes’ old port, this moderately-priced restaurant serves up excellent Provençal fare. Three-course set menus available for €26 and €31 are really worth a try.
Le Bistrot des Anges €€ rue de l’Ouest, 06110 Le Cannet, tel: 04 92 18 18 28, www.bruno-oger.com. A short walk from the Musée Bonnard, this stylish bistro in an 18th-century farmhouse is the more affordable of celebrated chef Bruno Oger’s two restaurants. The terrace of the Ange Bar is the perfect place for pre- or post-meal drinks.
Le Relais des Semailles €€ 9–11 rue St-Antoine, Le Suquet, 06400 Cannes, tel: 04 93 39 22 32, www.lerelaisdessemailles.com. White linen and exposed stone walls provide a pretty setting at this upmarket bistro on Le Suquet’s main street. The emphasis is on seasonal ingredients from Forville market. Modern Provençal dishes might include grilled squid in frothy seafood sauce and roast veal with artichokes. Good if pricey wine list. Closed Mon lunch.
Table 22 €€–€€€ 22 rue St-Antoine, Le Suquet, 06400 Cannes, tel: 04 93 39 13 10, www.restaurantmantel.com. An acclaimed gourmet spot in the Old Town for chef Noël Mantel’s elegant southern cooking, such as stuffed vegetables, courgette-flower fritters and fish baked in sea salt. Closed Tue–Wed dinner and Mon.
La Table du Chef €–€€ 5 rue Jean Daumas, 06400 Cannes, tel: 04 93 68 27 40. Small restaurant off the rue d’Antibes where fresh produce from Forville market is transformed into delicious Mediterranean cuisine – like sea bass with crystallised lemons. Closed Sun, Mon and Tue morning.
La Tonnelle €€–€€€ Ile Saint-Honorat, 06414 Cannes, tel: 04 92 99 54 08, http://tonnelle-abbayedelerins.fr. Take a boat trip out to the smaller of the two Lérins Islands for a waterside lunch with wonderful views over the coast. Don’t forget to try the wine made by the monks of the Abbaye de Lérins. A cheaper snack bar is open from May to September.
La Toque d’Or €€ 11 rue Louis Blanc, 06400 Cannes, tel: 04 93 39 68 08. A small friendly restaurant run by two young chefs. A great place to try beautifully served French food. The famous “chocolate bomb” dessert is not to be missed. Open for lunch and dinner. Closed Mon.
Monaco
Café Llorca €€€ First floor, Grimaldi Forum, 10 avenue Princesse Grace, 98000 Monaco, tel: +377 99 99 29 29, www.cafellorca.mc. Stylish restaurant, bar and tea room complex from one of the Riviera’s best-known chefs, Alain Llorca. The traditional menu includes salt-baked cod followed by chocolate and raspberry tart. Open for lunch only.
Café de Paris €€€ place du Casino, 98000 Monaco, tel: +377 98 06 76 23, www.montecarlosbm.com. A faithful recreation of the original Belle Epoque bar and brasserie, next to the Casino. Great people-watching on the pavement terrace, plus a restaurant with 1900s decor and slot machines. The crêpe Suzette was invented here, they say. Serves food all day.
Castelroc €€ place du Palais, Monaco Ville, 98000 Monaco, tel: +377 93 30 36 68, www.castelrocmonaco.com. This institution in Monaco-Ville, with cheerfully frescoed dining room and terrace facing the palace, is the place to try Monaco’s Italianate specialities, such as stocafi (stockfish). Closed Mon.
Joël Robuchon Monte Carlo €€€€ Hôtel Métropole, 4 avenue de la Madone, Monte Carlo, tel: +377 93 15 15 15, www.joel-robuchon.com. Joël Robuchon has exported his luxury tapas formula from Paris to Monaco in the hands of emissary Christophe Cusset. Dine on a variety of beautifully prepared, inventive mini dishes, such as artichokes with squid and chorizo. Closed Wed.
Le Louis XV €€€€ Hôtel de Paris, place du Casino, Monte Carlo, 98000 Monaco, tel: +377 98 06 88 64, www.ducasse-paris.com. One of the most glamorous restaurants in Europe. Sumptuous decor and immaculate service. The acclaimed cooking by Ducasse, now in the hands of his protégé Dominique Lory, takes Mediterranean cooking to the heights of haute cuisine. Advance booking necessary. Closed Tue, Wed and Thu lunch (open Wed in July–Aug).
La Montgolfière Henri Geraci €€€ 16 rue Basse, 98000 Monaco, tel: +377 97 98 61 59, www.lamontgolfiere.mc. Simple yet exquisite dishes by chef Henri Geraci are always prepared from fresh local ingredients, so the restaurant’s menu changes seasonally. Fusion of French and Asian cuisine. Closed Wed and Sun.
La Note Bleue €€€ Plage Larvotto, avenue Princesse Grace, 98000 Monaco, tel: +377 93 50 05 02, www.lanotebleue.mc. This excellent beach restaurant with stylish decor is a relaxed place for lunch under a parasol. Well-prepared, modern Mediterranean-style dishes include plenty of grilled fish. On summer weekends there are free jazz concerts in the evening from quality ensembles.
La Petit Bar €€ 35 rue Basse, 98000 Monaco, tel: +377 97 70 04 97. This lovely little restaurant in a pedestrianised street in old Monaco is an ideal place to taste authentic Mediterranean fare. Popular with locals and tourists alike. Closed Sat. In winter dinner by reservation only.
Pulcinella €–€€ 17 rue du Portier, 98000 Monaco, tel: +377 93 30 73 61, www.pulcinella.mc. Tucked away down a side street off the boulevard du Larvotto, this Monaco institution has been serving up Italian food to racing drivers, film stars and the jet set for more than 30 years.
Quai des Artistes €€€ 4 quai Antoine I, La Condamine, 98000 Monaco, tel: +377 97 97 97 77, www.quaidesartistes.com. Decorated in the style of Parisian brasseries, with a terrace overlooking Port Hercule, this restaurant specialises in traditional Mediterranean cuisine with a special focus on seafood.
Stars ’n’ Bars €€ 6 quai Antoine I, La Condamine, 98000 Monaco, tel: +377 97 97 95 95, www.starsnbars.com. Burgers and Tex-Mex are the name of the game at this popular American restaurant and sports bar. There are inside and outdoor tables overlooking Port Hercule. A friendly welcome for all from small children to racing drivers and pop stars. Service all day.
Le Tip Top € 11 avenue des Spélugues, Monte Carlo, 98000 Monaco, tel: +377 93 50 69 13. The sort of jovial old-fashioned restaurant and bar that surprisingly does still exist in Monte Carlo. It feeds steak and matchstick chips, plates of spaghetti and pizzas to local workers at lunch and to absolutely everyone (including, to judge from the photos behind the bar, Formula 1 drivers and Prince Albert II) in the dead of night.
Cagnes-sur-Mer
Josy-Jo €€€ 2 rue du Planastel, 06800 Haut-de-Cagnes, tel: 04 93 20 68 76, www.restaurant-josyjo.com. In an old village house where Modigliani and Soutine once stayed, self-taught chef Josy Bandecchi has made home cooking an art. The speciality is char-grilled meat, followed by Menton lemon mousse or dark chocolate cake. Closed Sun and Mon.
Vence
Les Bacchanales €€€–€€€€ 247 avenue de Provence, 06140 Vence, tel: 04 93 24 19 19, www.lesbacchanales.com. Contemporary decor and modern Mediterranean cooking in a 19th-century building near Matisse’s chapel. There’s a year-round events calendar including live jazz on Friday evenings. Closed Tue, Wed and Thu lunch.
Mougins
La Place de Mougins €€€–€€€€ place du Commandant Lamy, 06250 Mougins Village, tel: 04 93 90 15 78, www.laplacedemougins.com. Chic bistro in an old village house where each month the chef designs a menu around a specific local product such as a peach or tomato. Alternatively, try something from the carte like roast lobster with fig butter followed by Grand Marnier soufflé. Closed Tue and Wed.
Le Rendez-Vous de Mougins € place du Commandant Lamy, 06250 Mougins Village, tel: 04 93 75 87 47, www.rendezvousdemougins.com. Amid the cluster of restaurants on the village square, the Rendez-Vous serves simple Provençal food in a convivial atmosphere, 365 days a year.