A Guide to Eating and Drinking in Nice
- Nice Information
- Eating & drinking in Nice
- Night life in Nice
- Getting around in Nice
- Things to do in Nice
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Home to the distinctive ‘Cuisine Niçoise’ - French food at its mouth-watering best, fused with some Italian influences - eating out in Nice is a delight. The city offers an impressive range of choices, from solid budget options to luxurious Michelin-starred fare.
Most people will be in some way familiar with the local cuisine thanks to the ‘Salade Niçoise’, a tasty salad of boiled eggs, tuna, anchovies and olives. Other local favorites include ‘pissaladiere’ – a delicious onion tart - and the local fish soup, ‘bouillabaisse’.
The Old Town is practically overflowing with charming little restaurants. And although the streets around Cours Saleya (and up to Place Rossetti) are likely to charge a slightly higher price than the residential parts of the city, somehow you don’t really resent it.
The pricey strip of cafés, bars and restaurants that runs along the Promenade des Anglais is, however, probably best avoided unless you’re absolutely determined to hold out for that sea view.
Less scenic, but a little easier on the wallet, are the restaurants on Rue Biscarra (off Ave Jean Medecin). Seafood is also understandably popular in Nice and there are a cluster of excellent (and less touristy) places over by the fish market on Place St-Francois.
A good way of saving money is by going for an affordable regional dish called ‘socca’. This savory pancake made with chickpea flour is a popular snack with locals, and many places serve it counter-style for a significant saving.
And if even the cheapest options stretch your budget to breaking point, the market at Cours Saleya is overflowing with top-class, fresh produce perfect for a day on the beach or a picnic in Place Massena.
Alternatively, there are a host of other takeaway options that are similarly budget-friendly. Of these, the most filling is that French staple the rotisserie chicken, which is available all over town. Combined with a baguette, and perhaps a tomato, it’s a veritable feast.
All in all, though, Nice - like France in general - is a fantastic place to eat out. Sitting under the canopies on the street, watching the passing crowds on a warm summer evening, it’s hard to avoid the feeling that, somehow, this is the way it was meant to be…