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
Planet Sushi 42 boulevard Jean-Jaures 06300 Nice, France
» Tel
:
+33 (0)497 080808
Planet Sushi is the latest Sushi restaurant to open in Nice. Sushi is widely available in Nice but it has never been a particularly popular food choice until now. Planet Sushi have hit the nail on the head with a funky modern sushi bar, young staff, cool vibe and great food. Part of a larger chain with branches in Paris, Ibiza and Miami it has a perfect mix of traditional favourites and some new food combinations. It is popular and busy which is always a good sign in a fish restaurant. Nice has discovered sushi for the first time and we like it. Take out also available and great lunchtime snack boxes for a super cool beach picnic. Internet ordering is an option too and delivery during the off season. Don't expect home delivery during August.
Saison 17, Rue Gubernatis, 06000 Nice
» Tel
:
+33 (0) 493 856904
» Email
:
info@saison-nice.com
Saison is a new restaurant in Nice that is the creation of Michelin starred chef Keisuke Matsushima. Matsushima has a renowned gourmet restaurant on Rue de France in Nice that serves Mediterranean food with an Asian twist. Saison is his way of introducing the Nicois to Japanese food. Fantastic service in stylish minimal Japanese setting and fantastic food. Expect to find sushi, sashimi and wonderful noodle dishes of the like you'd find only in Japan. A cheaper more accessible route to an incredibly talented chef.
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 Jesus, 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.
La Maison de Marie 5, Rue Massena, Nice France
» Tel
:
+33 (0)493 821593
» Email
:
nfo@lamaisondemarie.com
An atmospheric good quality restaurant in Nice, not always an easy thing to find. Tucked away behind a main shopping street on Rue Massena it has a beautiful terrace and the food is excellent. Typical Nicoise dishes, fish meat and pasta's but done with style.
Renting holiday Accommodation in Nice
If you are interested in holiday accommodation in Nice and want to browse the rental apartments or villas that are available to book through Riviera Rental Guide then please use the menu below or 'Browse Rentals' in the main menu.
To get some further ideas and tips browse through some of our other sections, what to do in Nice or waht to see. Insider tips holds a few secrets to getting the most out of your stay while the Holiday Central will put you in touch with other visitors and help you keep track of all your holiday photos and videos. You will also find lots of useful phone numbers and addresses in our Riviera Rental Guide directory.
Beautiful large two bedroomed apartment in the heart of Old Nice. This is the perfect apartment for visiting this famously exciting and romantic city. The apartment is newly fitted out and delightfully appointed.
A beautifully appointed large studio in a gated art deco haven with direct access to the Promenade des Anglais. Enjoy al fresco dining on the balcony with sea views overlooking the private gardens.
Charming four-bedroom apartment, ideally located in the old town of Nice, overlooking the Flower Market. Within walking distance of shops, restaurants, cafés, beaches and the famous promenade des Anglais.
"La Bistro Antoine is a fantastic, tiny restaurant in the Old Town in Nice. We realised that we were extremely lucky to get an impromptu table when we tried to go back several times during our two week stay in Nice. The food was just what we had been looking for in Nice and it all felt a bit more 'real' than all the flower market restaurants. Next time we will be reserving our table in advance."
"I know you don't really come to Nice to eat Japanese food but we had the most wonderful meal at Kamogawa on Rue de la Buffa. It's very quiet and refined but the food was just stunning."
"Really excellent food is now available at the Snug and Cellar bar just beside Place Rosetti on Rue Droite in Old Nice. They only use fresh ingredients with no refridgeration and a new menu every singly day. If you want to know where the international locals go to eat, this is the place. "
"We had an amazing meal in Matsushima on Rue de France. It's so easy to walk by, you hardly notice it on the street but it is one of the most stunning meals I've ever eaten. I don't know if he has Michelin stars but it is a gastronomique experience. We had the degustation menu with the sommeliers choice, unforgettable. A really creative menu with amazing flavours and combinations that wasn't pretentious or overwhelming. It's expensive but I thought it was worth it."
"I like La Favola a lot. It's really cheap and extremely high quality. It's really an Italian Restaurant and feels like that with really professional Italian waiters buzzing about. My favourite. La Favola is on the extreme Western end of the Cours Saleya on the right as you look west away from the hill and with the sea on your left."
"We tried BienVenue in old Nice and found it to be very modestly priced with very good quality meals. We got to know John the owner who was very helpful an gave us lots of advice on things we should see while we are there. The restaurant is entirely English speaking."
"There are so many restaurants in Nice that it's really hard to choose a good one. The Cour 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 décor 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 definite 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 aperitifs and small nibbles to tempt the palette, as well 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 questioning on whether it was definitely the real thing, or just a money-spinner to pull in the tourists. In short, a must-do if visiting Nice. "
Bedrooms: 4
