Sun, Socca, Savoir-vivre in Nizza

Nice is considered an exception on the Côte d'Azur. With its almost 350,000 inhabitants, the university and the lively economic and cultural life, the capital of the Alpes-Maritimes department offers all the advantages of a small metropolis and also scores with a beach right on its doorstep. In addition, there is the cuisine with its unique specialities, which are a little French, a little Italian and a little Provençal, but above all depend on what is available on the market and the chef's creativity.

Nizza
It is understandable: The magnificent Belle Epoque architecture, the winding streets of Vieux Nice, the boules players in front of the Musée Matisse and the housewives with their shopping carts on the Cours Saleya - all this exudes an irresistible charm to this day. © Valentin Pacaut

The true Classics 

Some specialities are really only available in Nice and the surrounding area: Socca, Pissaladière or Pan Bagnat are already considered exotic in Cannes and are hard to find in Saint-Tropez. On the other hand, you can find them on every street corner in Nice, but they don't taste the same everywhere. It is worth looking for the really good addresses - even if they are not always in the picturesque old town. 

Socca Nizza
Socca: Crispy, tender and spicy - nowhere do the thin flatbreads baked in a charcoal oven in a copper mould using nothing but chickpea flour, salt and water taste better than at the rather inconspicuous Chez Pipo just behind the harbour. Ideal for an aperitif with a glass of rosé. chezpipo.fr © Otmnca
Pan Bagnat Nizza
Pan Bagnat: The sandwich with tuna, tomatoes, eggs, anchovies and olive oil from Kiosque Tintin is freshly prepared on site and is considered the best in town. It's worth driving to the tourist-free Liberation district and queuing for it in front of the tiny stall. 3 Place du Général de Gaulle © Patricia Engelhorn
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Salade Niçoise: Potatoes? Green beans? Olives? Questions about the ingredients of a Salade Niçoise have always been a point of contention. In the cosy old town restaurant Lou Balico, the salad classic has been prepared for over 40 years without cooked vegetables, but with eggs, artichokes, tuna and more. loubalico.com © Patricia Engelhorn

The "couhina nissarda" is a poor people's cuisine without chichi and has been part of France's intangible cultural heritage since 2019.

Patricia Engelhorn
Journalist

The special ones 

Enough of Socca? Nice offers the whole range of culinary possibilities, from exotic dishes from Asia to pizza and pasta places to the finest star gastronomy. Among them are a few exceptional places that both gourmets and people who enjoy great locations should know about.

Nizza peixes.fr
Fresh fish: In the chic restaurant Peixes, raw fish is served in delicious ceviche variations, for example with sweet potato puree and roasted corn kernels. There is also tuna tartare and swordfish carpaccio or gnocchi with pulpo and red wine sauce. peixes.fr © Marionbutetstudio
Nizza cafedeturin.fr
Fruits de Mer: If you have a soft spot for seafood and also a soft spot for patina, you will love the 115-year-old Café de Turin. On a good day, up to 7000 oysters are consumed here - usually on opulent platters with steamed prawns, crabs and langoustines. cafedeturin.fr © Patricia Engelhorn
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Stars: The relaxed, small and uncomplicated restaurant Les Agitateurs behind Nice's harbour has received a Michelin star for its innovative, product-loving cuisine and dishes such as langoustines and fig leaves or veal with mushrooms and chocolate. lesagitateurs.com © Les Agitateurs

The Stores

The market on Cours Saleya and the completely untouristy and much better Marché de la Liberation sell everything that is fresh and delicious: fruit and vegetables, fish and cheese, olives and herbs.

Nizza Markt
Olives: Alizari has been selling olives and many things that can be made from them for almost 100 years. The bestsellers are the oil from their own oil mill, filled in decorative blue or red canisters, the tapenade and the olive oil soap. alziari.com.fr © Patricia Engelhorn
Nizza Laden
Confectionery: Maison Auer, founded in 1820, offers homemade pralines, Marrons glacés, fruit jellies and wonderful candied fruits in the most beautiful Baroque-Rococo-Belle Epoque ambience. maison-auer.com © Patricia Engelhorn

The Hotel 

It doesn't always have to be beachfront. Although people prefer to live directly on the beach, Nice's old town is also very nice. For discerning holidaymakers, there has been a magnificent new hotel there since December 2022: it occupies a Belle Epoque palace, where the city's first luxury hotel was built in 1848.

Anantara Plaza Nice Drone Exterior Hotel.jpg
Grand Luxe: You wake up and look out to sea. Those who have booked a room on the fifth floor of the newly opened Anantara Plaza Nice Hotel get a spacious terrace with a view to boot. The rooftop gourmet restaurant with Asian-inspired Mediterranean cuisine, fantastic sushi and a bar is enthroned on the top floor of the Belle Epoque palace built in 1848. © Anantara Plaza
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Date of Publication: 26.09.2023

 

Text: Patricia Engelhorn