A Guide to Eating and Drinking in Marseille

  Marseille Seafood

When it comes to eating and drinking, travelers are in for a surprising treat in Marseille. The city is home to some of the country's best cooking, and for those who like their food rustic or fishy - or both! - this is very much the place to come. 

A variety of local specialities stand out: 'tapenade', a paste of olives and capers, is high on the list, while 'bouillabaisse', which is a fish-based soup served with a garlic-saffron sauce known as 'rouille', is wonderfully tasty and can be enjoyed at the majority of restaurants in the city, from budget to top-end. 

Wine-lovers should sample the rosé for which Provence is fameous. Heading to the Panier district of town should see most visitors right, as it has many small, superb winebars and relaxed eateries to choose from. 

Marseille nightlife is generally lively, spilling over occasionally into the raucous. At the more laidback end of things are the bars in the Panier district where terraces open up the streets to revelry in the summer months.

Alternatively, for a more hectic night out, there are a couple of places to choose from on Rue La Maronnaise, some of which even have their own stretch of beach on which to sit sipping cocktails in the early evening - the perfect way to wind down after a long day's sightseeing. 

A similar all-day experience can be enjoyed at quai de Rive Neuve in the old port - although this time without the beach. There are a couple of wonderfully relaxing bars to hang out in by day before, with the sun setting into the sea, Marseille's nightlife begins to get going.

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