French Beach Culture and Italian Food Come Together in Nice

Even among the most enchanting of villages in the French Riviera, Nice sparkles in a mesmerizing light that has made it a favorite of some of the most romantically minded poets, artists, and chefs over the years. French painter Henri Matisse was so famously captivated by the city after arriving in 1917, he decided to never leave, claiming the destination as his “muse.” Monet, Picasso, and Chagall all had similar feelings toward this Côte d’Azur city, entranced by its unmatched beauty and French coastal culture, but also its incredible food and wine scene.

Niçoise cuisine has always been a marriage of historic influences from where it sits on the French and Italian border, with Provençal recipes and Italian staples showing their colors through traditional Niçoise recipes. The pancake-like chickpea bread socca is cooked over a wood fire to give it a rustic smokiness, and Chez Thérésa at the Cours Saleya market in old town still makes it the same way since the restaurant began as a socca stand in 1925. (Be warned: They often sell out before 1 p.m.). Nice’s favorite sandwich, the pan bagnat, is brushed in olive oil, and authentic renditions, like the one from Lou Balico, fill the buns with tomatoes, radishes, broad beans, a purple artichoke, hard-boiled egg, tuna, local olives, and anchovies.

Finding a restaurant labeled with a “Cuisine Nissarde” designation, is a great way to discover authentic Niçoise recipes, but even without the label, many chefs use the abundance of Nice’s local Mediterranean flavors to craft memorable bites and dining experiences. Chez Acchiardo checks both boxes, proudly serving Niçoise specialties from its enclave in the old town. The family-run restaurant has a vaulted wine cellar in the basement with a few tables for a more romantic setting to savor plates like ravioli Niçois à la daube Provençale, a meaty ravioli swimming in a slow-cooked stew of beef.

Just at the base of the dreamy Colline du Château park, the scene at Le Patio is very chic, with its terracotta-tinted terrace soaking in the sun’s rays. The indoor spaces are equally as charming for a mid-day formule (i.e., starter, main course, and dessert) or a romantic evening (reservations recommended). The menu plays off the Mediterranean’s sea and sun, with ravioli in a black olive foam and fish filets in saffron butter sauce, while the newly opened cocktail bar serves classics and signature creations, like the Parisian Mojito or the Champagne-forward French Kiss.

Maxime Potfer, frequently recognized as one of France’s best bartenders, always dreamed of opening a cutting-edge cocktail bar in his hometown of Nice, and now his dream, Bar Povera, is among the chicest places to sip in the region. There’s a menu, of course, but it’s just as exciting to let the bar team get creative with a new concoction while savoring sweet and salty bites of his renowned pompe à l’huile (a lightly sweet, brioche-like local bread) sandwiches.

Like the painters and poets of old, chefs from around the world have been drawn to this seaside village, such as South Africa’s Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen, whose old port restaurant, Restaurant JAN, earned him his first Michelin star. His most recent location, Le Bistrot de JAN, offers the same signature style in a romantic yet relaxed atmosphere with shareable plates — like Sole Meunière à la Grenobloise and La Tourte au Poulet with Truffle Sauce — and surprising combinations — like his Mediterranean ceviche with apple and Bergamot water, his crispy salad with bacon and pine nuts, or even his chocolat choux with rooibos custard.

Claudio Marsico and Jacopo Marini are the Italians behind one of the port district’s trendiest restaurants, Marmar. The cuisine is Mediterranean with local — mostly organic — products, yet there is no real menu since chef Marsico bases each day’s offerings from what he finds fresh in the market or the sea. Two simple chalkboards, one outside and one beneath racks of natural and organic wines, outline the daily menu. (Expect lines any day you see “risotto” written in chalk.)

For more than a century, a sweet finish to any visit to Nice has entailed a sweet nibble from Confiserie Florian, which, among its range of hand-crafted chocolates and Provençal confiture, is best known for incorporating edible flowers into confections. Candied violets and rose petals are sold by the bag and sprinkled throughout the chocolate bars and elegant gift boxes. Affogatos at FRISSON and Caffé Orso, or even just an artisanal scoop of crème glacée from Arlequin Gelati, offer the best chances to sample Nice’s gelato/glace fusions.