Dining & Nightlife on the Côte d'Azur

The cuisine of the Côte d'Azur is Provençal-Ligurian — olive oil instead of butter, fish instead of meat, herbs instead of heavy sauces. The region has some of the best restaurants in France, but also fantastic everyday cuisine.

Typical Dishes

Socca — the chickpea flatbread from the wood oven, Nice's soul on a piece of paper. Hot, crispy, salty. From €3 on the Cours Saleya.

Salade Niçoise — the original: tuna (raw or canned), anchovies, hard-boiled eggs, green beans, olives, tomatoes, peppers. Never potatoes, never cooked vegetables! Every chef in Nice has a firm opinion about it.

Pissaladière — onion tart with anchovies and black olives on bread dough. The counterpart to pizza, but sweeter and more intense.

Ratatouille — stewed vegetables (eggplant, zucchini, peppers, tomato) with herbs of Provence. Every grandmother has her own recipe.

Bouillabaisse — the legendary fish soup from Marseille also has a tradition on the Riviera. At least three different fish, saffron, rouille (garlic-chili mayonnaise), and croutons. In good restaurants from €35 per person.

Pan Bagnat — "bathed bread": a round roll soaked in olive oil, filled with Salade Niçoise ingredients. Nice's perfect picnic food. From €5 in bakeries.

Restaurant Recommendations

€ Budget (main course under €15)

Chez Pipo, Nice · Rue Bavastro 13 — The best Socca in town, since 1923. Plus Petits Farcis (stuffed vegetables) and Vin de Bellet. No frills, great.
€8–14 · Tue–Sun 11:30–14:30 and 17:30–22:30

La Zucca Magica, Nice · Quai Papacino 4bis — vegetarian restaurant at the harbor, run by a South African chef. Set menu (€25) with 5 courses, all with pumpkin. Reservation needed.
€25 menu · Tue–Sat 12–14 and 19–22

€€ Mid-range (15–35€)

Le Safari, Nice · Cours Saleya 1 — Institution at the flower market since 1961. Salade Niçoise (€15), grilled sea bass (€24), bouillabaisse (€38). Terrace overlooking the market.
€15–38 · Daily 12–23

L'Épicurieux, Antibes · Rue du Docteur Rostan 14 — Bistronomy in the old town: creative Provençal cuisine, daily changing menu depending on market offerings. Lunch menu €22 (2 courses), evening à la carte €25–35.
€22–35 · Tue–Sat 12–14 and 19–22

€€€ Upscale (from €35)

La Petite Maison, Nice · Rue Saint-François de Paule 11 — one of the best restaurants on the Riviera, famous for its Petits Farcis Niçois and grilled sea bass. No Michelin star, but every local chef eats here. Reservation weeks in advance needed.
€45–80 · Mon–Sat 12–14:30 and 19:30–22:30

Le Plongeoir, Nice · 60 Boulevard Franck Pilatte — spectacular location on a former diving platform over the sea, on the cliffs below Castle Hill. Mediterranean cuisine with sea views that take your breath away. Cocktails from €14, main courses €28–42.
€28–42 · Daily 12–23 (summer)

Nightlife

Nice — nightlife is concentrated in Vieux Nice (bars on Rue de la Préfecture and Rue Benoît Bunico) and the Port (trendy bars on Quai des Docks). Popular addresses: Wayne's Bar (rock pub, Rue de la Préfecture 15, free entry, beer from €6), Le Shapko (live music, Rue Rossetti 5), High Club (Nice's largest nightclub, Promenade des Anglais 45, entry €15–20 incl. drink).

Cannes — more glamorous: Le Baôli (beach club & club, Port Pierre Canto, entry from €20, the Riviera's celebrity density), Gotha Club (in the Palais des Festivals, €30 entry).

Monaco — dress code everywhere: Jimmy'z (the legendary club in Sporting Monte-Carlo, entry from €30, cocktails from €25), Buddha Bar Monte-Carlo (in the Hotel de Paris, cocktails from €20).

Saint-Tropez — in summer: Les Caves du Roy (in Hôtel Byblos, the most exclusive club on the Riviera, no fixed entry ticket — you have to "fit in," champagne from €350 a bottle), VIP Room (most prominent guest list, entry from €25).