French restaurants in Nice
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La Taca d'Oli
No wonder the bagna cauda (raw mixed veg dipped into a pot of warm tangy anchovy paste known as anchoïade)at this tiny old-town bistro dating to 1947 is so legendary: the same chef has been making it here for the past 17 years! A shared portion of bagna pan (raw red mullet and sea bream fillets dipped in hot fish soup) ordered alongside it makes a perfect supper for two.
You might almost believe you're in Italy when you sit on the terrace of this restaurant in Vieux Nice, which is located in one of the quarter's tiny streets. Here, you can enjoy delicious Niçois specialties like raviolis or petits farcies (stuffed vegetables).
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Les Épicureans
If you don't have time to visit the glamorous, pint-sized principality of Monaco, 18km east of Nice, this wood-and-white-tableclothed place overlooking a pretty fountained square brings Monégasque cuisine to you. What's more, it's so expertly prepared that Monaco's monarch, Prince Albert, comes to dine here. House specialties include barbajuans (tiny fried ravioli with gaspacho sauce) and cocottes (cast-iron casserole dishes).
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Restaurant du Gésu
Locals rave about this no-frills eating house, run with dynamism and a huge dose of wit by the most gravelly-voiced patron on the Riviera. The menu is simple - Niçois beignets (fritters) followed by pizza, escalope or homemade pasta with a choice of sauce, house speciality sauce daube (a meaty broth sauce) included. Find Gésu tucked on an old-town square in the shade of a church.
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Atelier du Goût
His full name is Jouni Tormanen but everyone knows this overtly modern, 30-something Finnish chef, under the wing of Ducasse until branching out on his own, as Jouni. In southern France since 1993, the gastronomic dynamo impresses at his 'taste workshop', Atelier du Goût, with a simple choice (but still dead tricky to choose) of three starters, three mains and three desserts.
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Le Padouk
A big address houses culinary giant, chef Bruno Sohn, who stuns palates with a cuisine oozing originality at Le Padouk, on the third floor of Palais de la Méditerranée. Be it octopus and red mullet prepared like stockfish or a sweet feast of almond jelly, roasted apricots, exotic sorbet and basil syrup, Sohn insists on throwing an imaginative twist into his cooking pot.
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Terres de Truffes
At this small, exquisite place, head chef Arnaud Leclercq uses Provençal truffles to create seasonal sensations ranging from pastry-wrapped pigeon stuffed with foie gras and truffles to brie layered with truffles, to caramel of truffles. Obviously not the place to go if you're not a fan of the Tuber melanosporum…
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L'Escalinada
Lunch under a stripy awning or dine on the candle-lit terrace with a decent bottle of wine and good, unpretentious local fare such as daube, delicious homemade gnocchi, or, if you’re game, the house speciality – testicules de mouton panés (sheep’s testicles in batter).
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Karr
Hugely popular for lunch with working 30-somethings, this spacious contemporary eating space with crowded street terrace is just the ticket for dining with a difference: think mussel soup, warm oven-baked goat's cheese with honey and almonds, lobster risotto or veal escalope with a stuffed artichoke (in season).
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La Cantine de Lulu
Lulu - Lucien Brych - is the name behind this illustrious bistro where local specialities and all the great French classics are eaten with vigour by an appreciative, regular crowd. Friday is aïoli, stockfish and bouillabaisse (order in advance)day. Lulu's Canteen is small; arrive on the dot.
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Voyageur Nissart
No frills, just good solid portions of traditional Niçois fare, served speedily and with a smile ensure this small three generation-run family bistro near the train station makes it in practically every travel guide. Going strong since 1908, its clientele nonetheless remain fairly local.
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La Réserve
Jouni Tormanen breathed new life into Nice's legendary La Réserve a belle époque building (built in 1876 as a hotel) at the port. Interior décor is pure Art Deco and the contemporary space combines gourmet restaurant with ground-floor lounge and rooftop bar.
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Le 3e
If the sheer length of dish names defeats you (or you simply want to lunch), opt for simpler Le 3e. Inside Palais de la Méditerranée, it's the lounge bar across from the terrace pool. Enjoy meats barbecued à la plancha (on the griddle).
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11e Art
A relative newbie on the contemporary dining scene, this hybrid lounge-bar-restaurant is a smart, chic affair with steely bar stools out front and sofa seating in an ultra-cool air-con interior.
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Acchiardo
Going strong since 1927, locals flock to Acchiardo for the plat du jour (daily special), a glass of wine and a load of gossip served straight up on the counter.
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