In a country where food is so important and every town has its own, proudly served, local speciality, then you know there will be no shortage of restaurants. Nice is still a fishing town and as a consequence, fresh fish plays a big part in the cuisine. You will also find parts of its history and culture reflected in the food too with specialities including; stuffed vegetables, socca (a type of pancake made from chickpea flour, Salade Nicoise, grilled sardines and the ubiquitious wood fired pizza and pasta dishes.
Some Suggested restaurants in Nice
Le Pain Quotidien 3 Rue Louis Gassin, Nice
Tel
:
+33 (0)493 629432
Pain Quotidien is to be found just on the edge of Nice's flower market, the Coeur de Saleya. It is a bright airy restauarnt with a beautiful wooden interior and long bench tables that lend themselves to very long lunches with large groups of friends. The menu is interesting combinations of sandwiches, salads and pastries. It's old fashioned food with a modern twist.
Nissa Socca Rue Sainte-Reparate, Nice
Nissa Socca is an old school pizza and pasta joint. It is tucked away in a little side street in Nice's Old Town. The decor is warm and cosy, like a provencal kitchen. The food is equally unpretentious with excellent wood fired pizzas and typical Nicoise dishes.
La Voglia 2 Rue Saint François de Paule, Nice
Tel
:
+33 (0)493 809916
Fax
:
+33 (0)493 850578
Le Voglia is situated in the Old Town of Nice, just on the edge of the Coeur de Saleya. It is a new restaurant, with modern design and busy atmosphere. The food is good quality modern Italian, with an emphasis on quality, quantity and presentation. It's a popular place as the queues out the door would suggest, get there early to secure a table.
Bienvenue Place Saint-Francois, Nice
BienVenue is buried deep in the Old Town of Nice near the fish market. The decor is modern and stylish and the food is a cut above the ordinary with a great menu and well prepared food. The cosy little bar area is perfect for a digestif and the service always comes with a smile.
L'Allegro 4 Place Guynemer, Nice
Tel
:
+33 (0)493 566206
Fax
:
+33 (0)493 563828
L'Allegro is tucked away on a street leading into the Nice's Port. It's not a place that you would necessarily happen across but it is certainly worth searching out. The decor is elegant, Venetian and perhaps sombre and the food is spectacular. Hand made pastas are prepared in front of you and served with only the best ingredients. A must for special occasions and romantic trysts.
Karré Noir 73 Quai des Etats Unis
Tel
:
+33 (0)493 539554
Fax
:
+33 (0)493 534756
Karré Noir is a restaurant, lounge bar and nightclub situated on the main stretch of Nice Promenade des Anglais and backing onto the Old Town. The food is modern mediterranean and the styling is chic and international. Open in the evenings for dinner and stays open late for after dinner drinking and dancing, a complete night out. English spoken.
La Claire Fontaine 3 Rue Centrale, Nice
Tel
:
+33 (0)493 623094
La Claire Fontaine is in Nice's Old Town. Bright and cheerful it fronts onto the Place Rosetti, a charming square in the heart of the Old Town. The food is cheap and cheerful, pizzas and local dishes including seafood. Convieniently close to one of the best ice cream places in Nice too.
Delhi Belhi 22 Rue Barillerie, Nice
Tel
:
+33 (0)493 925187
Indian cusine might not be your first choice of food when you are visiting Nice or the South of France but there are only so many pizzas and pasta dishes that you can take. Delhi Belhi is the ancedote to overdosing on 'typical Nicoise fayre'. The interior is pure eclectic Indian Kitch, in an old stable, and the food is spectacular. Great value, great service, great food.
Bar a Viandes 34 Cours Saleya, Nice
Tel
:
+33 (0)493 626042
Bar a Viandes is in Nice's famous flower market, Coeur de Saleya. In any other country it would be a 'backlash restaurant' to vegetarianism. Here it is simply a restaurant that is an 'ode to meat'. Select your country and cut of choice and the chefs will cook it to perfection. Outside seating and a great location mean it is hard to miss.
Le Samourai 41 Quai Etats Unis, Nice
Tel
:
+33 (0)493 807162
Situated on Nice's Promenade des Anglais, near the Old Town this restaurant is perhaps not what it seems from the outside. It looks a litle bit out dated and is unfortunately close to a tacky oriental fast food joint but the cusine is Japanese, the style is Hibachi (cooked in full and flamboyant view) and it is well worth a visit if you are suffering from pizza fatigue.
Boccaccio 7 Rue Massena, Nice
Tel
:
+33 (0)493 877176
Boccaccio is to be found in Nice's pedestrian shopping zone of Rue Massena. It scores points for dramatic and flamboyant decor with golden angels and curling frecoes. The food is fresh fish and seafood with a good reputation. Fresh fish always comes at a price, no matter where you choose but it is one of the specialities of Nice.
Grand Cafe de Turin 5 Place Garibaldi, Nice
Tel
:
+33 (0)493 622952
Cafe de Turin is located in the Old Town of Nice and has been there since the 1950's. The decor is unique with an authentic zinc bar and a great outdoor terrace. Famous for its seafood, the fish is always fresh and the prices are reasonable for the quality.
Restaurant du Gesu 1 Place J?sus, Nice
Tel
:
+33 (0)493 622646
Restaurant Gesu is one of the most popular restaurants in Nice. The food is above average, typical pizzas and pastas but the price is below average. It means getting a table can be hard and watch out for pricey desserts but persevere and you'll have a good and cheap meal, a perfect combination.
Pamir 1 Rue Sainte Claire, Nice
Tel
:
+33 (0)493 808349
Nice is well known for its ethnic mix. The North African influence is very evident in restaurants throughout the town. The Pamir is restaurant specialising in Afghan cuisine. The ambiance is particularly special with seating arranged around low tables and lots of floor cushions. A unique and quality dining experience with extremely genial staff.
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"There are so many restaurants in Nice that it's really hard to choose a good one. The Coeur de Saleya is the main tourist area so you kind of feel that you won't be able to find the best or the most authentic Nicoise food here. The competition is so hot though that actually the standard of the food and the quality of the service in Nice is pushing up and up all the time. Le Voglia arrived and with queues out the door each night they have set a new standard of service and dining experience.
Nice is getting chic. The French Riviera has always been known as being 'fabulous' but Nice has always been a little bit rough and ready, not so glamourous and definitely not as 'dressy' but there are some news places opening up that mean you can now actually get dressed up and go out for that 'South of France' experience.
If the queue at Le Voglia is too long then you could try Karré Noir on the Promenade instead. It is quieter but decor is similar in style, clean, modern and chic. The english and French speaking staff are very friendly and the food is modern mediterranean with an emphasis on presentation.
Karré Noir has the complete night out experience with the new nightclub 'base' operating on Friday and Saturday nights. Music is international hits, R&B, pop and a little bit of disco on occasion. It's a bit different from the usual dark and dingy French clubs which are hard to find and, if you do, you often regret it. It's great to have the choice."
"L'Escalinada, suitably named due to its climbing terrace, is a definate must for any tourist interested in traditional French gourmet. Situated at the very back of the old town, this quaint and typically French restaurant serves some strange alternatives, yet curiously enticing dishes that will seldom fail to disappoint even the harshest critic.
As a resident of Vieux Nice, I find it difficult to break away from the uniform 'pizza-pasta' menu that is available in the majority of venues offered to the tourist in Nice. The Italian influence in the old town is undeniable, yet, l'Escalinada stands stoically by its' firm French roots, offering only a French menu while contradicting itself by offering a friendly and accommodating staff (the latter being a unique point in itself, especially within Nice).
The menu is predominantly meat-based, serving a surprising amount of red meat, rabbit and other heavy dishes. However, the vegetarian shall not be neglected, as most of the best meals on the menu are based on vegetables of the mediterranean variety, most notably, the fleurs de courgettes starters (also served as a main), a light yet very tasty introduction to what can be consumed as the experience continues. My personal choice of dish was rabbit served with a garlic and olive oil coating and the chef did not spare on the portion offered. My partner in crime chose veal with a heavy mushroom sauce, accompanied by tagliatelle and fresh warm bread. The dessert menu was recited to us by a very personable waiter, and I chose a strawberry tart that was light and deliciously summery.
And the food did not need to compensate for the small yet carefully chosen wine menu, which varied from light to medium white's and rose's to the heavier red's that fitted the beef dishes perfectly. The meal was also accompanied by apertifs and small nibbles to tempt the palette, aswell as subtle candle and flower arrangements so as to help the diner to relax and enjoy the soft atmosphere.
Overall, a very pleasurable experience that would satisfy any appetite. For me, the presence of genuine Nicois punters settled my questionning on whether it was definatly the real thing, or just a money-spinner to pull in the tourists. In short, a must-do if visiting Nice. "
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