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Travel + Leisure
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Travel + Leisure
This City is the Underrated Star of the French Riviera, With Chic Hotels, Stylish Boutiques, and a Sense of Timeless Cool
If I could offer one piece of advice to someone planning a trip to Nice, it would be this: Don't tell anyone you're going to Nice. The gateway to the French Riviera, the city has long been dismissed as a way station to smaller resort towns, the erstwhile stomping grounds of Matisse, Chagall, Baldwin, and Fitzgerald. Most of the time, people are actually thinking of places like Monaco and Menton, or influencer traps like St.-Paul-de-Vence and Antibes. Or Italy, which is not in France. A dated but amusing British expression regarding the Nice airport is 'Gentlemen turn right.' To the right await the cypress-covered hills of Villefranche-sur-Mer and the coves of Cap Ferrat, the most expensive square footage in the country. But to the left is yacht-dotted St.-Tropez, so to an outsider, this is a baffling piece of local sociology. Either way the message is clear: one drives away from Nice; one does not loiter in the gateway. These people are, in fact, the ones missing the boat. Le Negresco hotel's dome, seen from the Promenade des Anglais. For my flight from New York, I downloaded Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, the 1988 comedy starring Steve Martin and Michael Caine that takes place in the fictional Nice enclave of Beaumont-sur-Mer. The film was a reminder of the city's outdated clichés: a place where a con man could live lavishly by relieving shoulder-padded women of their fortunes. A plausible premise, inspired by history. During the 19th century, Nice was a winter destination for the European aristocracy. When the French instituted paid annual leave in 1936, it became a popular summer destination and, by the end of the 20th century, a port for people allergic to living modestly (or, in the immortal words of Somerset Maugham: 'A sunny place for shady people'). By the start of this century, however, Nice had fallen out of fashion, both with discerning tourists seeking exclusivity and with younger Europeans, who associated the place with their parents. Now the tide is turning once more. New hotels, restaurants, shops, and bars staffed by passionate locals and patronized by an in-the-know clientele have begun to push Nice back into the spotlight. The crown jewel of this renewed glamour is Hôtel du Couvent, an 88-room, monastic-chic hotel housed in a 17th-century former convent. Situated on Castle Hill in the city's old town, the property had been neglected since the 1980s. About 10 years ago, Valéry Grégo, a financier turned hotelier, visited the site at the behest of Nice's mayor. Grégo was so inspired by the historic structure that he would eventually sell his collection of boutique hotels around France and spend the next decade meticulously restoring the convent and its 2½-acre grounds. The dining room at Maison Joia. After entering the hotel grounds (with four buildings, it's more of a campus), I walked through a stone passageway into a courtyard surrounded by tiered gardens and was presented with a freshly baked madeleine at reception. Then I was escorted past the on-site bakery, library, and apothecary (yes, apothecary) by one of the hotel staffers, who explained that her uniform—head-to-toe oxblood cotton—was a tribute to the Visitandine nuns who once lived on the property. My tower suite featured shuttered windows on all sides that cried out to be flung open. I obliged, leaning the upper half of my body out the window, scanning the sun-faded rooftops and, in the distance, an ultramarine strip of ocean. This, I thought, is a view with a room. From left: A veranda at Hôtel du Couvent; a housekeeper at the Hôtel du Couvent. Hôtel du Couvent's austere design is another nod to the function of the original building, with unpretentious furnishings and a generous use of taupe. Every fixture and texture—be it the ecru sofa or the hefty square dining table—is precisely tailored to the space, and special touches like fresh flowers, silver bar accessories, and vintage books provide decorative flair. Exploring my airy suite, I found I could hold New Nice and Old Nice in the palm of my hand: little balms and lotions from au courant perfumer Azzi Glasser and pistachio marzipan from the 200-year-old confectionery Maison Auer. The courtyard at the Hôtel du Couvent. Nice itself dates back to 350 B.C., and many establishments mix the past with the present. But I don't know that I've felt the imprint of the old and the new in a city as clearly as I did during my stay at Hôtel du Couvent. And to make it extra apparent that I'd arrived at Nice's hotel of the moment: I had taken a surreptitious picture of a fashionable couple in business class who deplaned ahead of me (her with a softened Goyard tote, him with some manner of satchel I was sure I could sell for rent money), only to see them again, sharing a bottle of rosé in the courtyard as I left to explore the old town. Perhaps the most surprising aspect of Nice's new, refined energy is where that energy is concentrated: in the touristy heart of Old Nice, amid the souvenir shops, alongside street performers playing 'Every Breath You Take' on the electric guitar. There are cool new restaurants like Lavomatique, an eight-table bistro with bar seating where thirtysomething patrons spill out into the street late at night, gossiping and laughing after consuming vegetarian small plates. Or Frisson, an ice cream parlor/coffee shop/concept store started by former Colette employees that served a 'detox' sorbet (kiwi, apple, and spinach). Or Marinette, a bright boulangerie that I visited three gluttonous mornings in a row for its cinnamon rolls. I paired them with coffee from Cafés Indien, which roasts its own organic blends. From left: A sitting area at Hôtel du Couvent; breakfast at the hotel. There are also carefully edited gift shops like Trésors Publics, which has become a New Nice institution. 'We believe in the renewal of the old town,' said Nicolas Barbero, the shop's cofounder, who grew up in Cannes, about a half-hour to the west. Each winter, Barbero and his business partner, Antoine Bourassin, travel around the country selecting French products (candles, sandals, tooth-fairy boxes) that give their store a feeling of assemblage as much as curation. Many of the manufacturers of those items have been in business for centuries. From the outside, Trésors Publics looks like a set piece from a Wes Anderson film. From the inside, it traffics in what Barbero calls 'the real local,' with a story behind every French-made item. Barbero has also noticed what he calls 'the return of good tourism'—visitors who appreciate the authenticity of Nice beyond the sunny beaches. He credits not only the city's vibrancy post-pandemic (when many Parisians moved south to the city) but also a fatigue with über-trendy destinations. 'You see people going to Ibiza, Mykonos, and Croatia and that's fine,' he said. 'But maybe they got bored paying 200 euros to see a sunset,' he added, referring to the pricey beach clubs of certain Mediterranean isles. Nice's old town. That evening, I decided to watch the sunset, free of charge, while wandering down the seaside Promenade des Anglais, with the iconic pink dome of Le Negresco hotel in the distance. I grabbed an outdoor seat at Babel Babel, a Mediterranean café and wine bar that serves snacks like hummus and chickpea fries. Behind me, I overheard a pair of girlfriends in their 20s, talking over music and the rattling sound of skateboard wheels, discussing a speakeasy in a church. After some debate, I decided to deploy my terrible French: Pardon? Church? Bar? Quoi? Yes, I had heard correctly. Even the churches of Nice are enticing a younger crowd and have a robust Instagram presence. Upon entering the stone nave of St.-Jacques-le-Majeur, I observed the usual House-of-God fare: cracked Baroque frescoes, a statue of a saint, a few earnest late-night souls creaking in pews. I was about to leave, thinking I'd gotten the wrong place, when I saw a pod of twentysomethings emerge from behind a velvet curtain next to the altar. One of them made eye contact with me, grinned, and winked. ' Oui, ' he said, ' c'est là .' Through another passageway I finally arrived at Le Bethél, a bar inside the church courtyard. There were string lights overhead, a chess game in the corner illuminated by candelabra, and older friends drinking wine. A Parisian rave scene this was not, but there was something undeniably charming about this wholesome bar (no hard liquor) drawing a multigenerational crowd. From left: Hôtel Amour Nice; Paloma Beach, east of Nice in St.-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. The truth is that, if one goes to Nice in search of over-the-top glamour, or the cultural panache of Paris, one will leave empty-handed. It's a city that is still getting its sea legs as an upscale tourist destination—or, rather, getting its sea legs back. But Nice is not interested in imitation. It's interested in embracing what makes it distinctive. It is in this spirit that new hotels like Mama Shelter Nice, Hôtel Amour Nice (from the beloved Parisian chain), and Hôtel Amour Plage (same brand, closer to the shore) have opened. Meanwhile, young chefs are reviving regional dishes to delicious effect. The elegant and meticulous Maison Joia is a prime example. The restaurant combines flavors from across France, including chef Julien Pilati's native Champagne and the Brittany of his wife, Laetitia. The standout of the cheese plate was a creamy wedge from Corsica. Bread from the couple's favorite Portuguese bakery is served to 'really open up the appetite,' as Julien explained. In Nice, most haute cuisine dishes are some manner of regional fusion (think olive oil instead of butter) but at Maison Joia, the experience is seamless. Nota bene: dining in this bright box of a space, with its single-flower centerpieces, feels a bit like being on the set of a play about a restaurant. But reader, I did not suffer. Perhaps, with time, Maison Joia will join international favorite Les Agitateurs, also in Nice, which was awarded a Michelin star in 2021. From left: The rooftop restaurant at the Anantara Plaza Nice Hotel, in France; the Promenade des Anglais. Late the next morning (turns out alcohol has the same effect on the body, even if you consume it inside a church), I took a swim in Hôtel du Couvent's lap pool, a spectacular oasis atop the gardens. I then consumed the best niçoise salad of my life ( Was it the scallions? I thought afterward, zooming in on the photograph I'd taken) while sitting in the shade of an olive tree. Then I said goodbye and packed my bags for a very different view of the city. From left: Grilled chicken with red kuri squash and amba sauce at Lavomatique; the restaurant's exterior. The Anantara Plaza Nice Hotel, which occupies a Belle Époque building that dates back to 1848, feels a world away from a former convent. The 151-room hotel and spa was renovated in 2022 and has a clublike rooftop restaurant from which I could see the planes land at Nice airport. 'You can almost scratch their bellies,' joked Gaudéric Harang, the general manager. 'Even the shops are being renovated,' he added, gesturing down at the row of luxury boutiques that included Hermès, Chanel, and Louis Vuitton. 'They reflect the elevation of luxury and what the city has to offer.' While this is an accurate metric of Nice's commercial popularity, it was wasted on someone who, until very recently, was zooming in on photos of scallions on her phone. I was more curious about his favorite local spots, since he is a local himself. From left: Fanny Vedreine and Louis Girodet, owners of the Fanfan & Loulou café; socks for sale at Trésors Publics. 'Honestly, the amount of small, very good restaurants in the old town is insane,' Harang said, lighting up, 'I love the institutions, too, like La Petite Maison. Nicole Rubi, the owner, is in her 80s. But Nice is still a hub. To be here is to use the city like that. You have to explore.' A fine point if there ever was one. As delightful as it is to plow through what's new in any city, it can start to feel like consuming the foam from a cappuccino and tossing the coffee. Yes, it was time to pluck from those well-meaning recommendations from friends who had been to the surrounding areas. Spend a day in St.-Paul-de-Vence. Go to the Matisse Chapel. Sit on the same barstools that Picasso used to sit on at La Colomne d'Or. Find Chagall's grave, then see so much mid-century art at the Fondation Maeght that you can't remember a time when you were not looking at mid-century art. From left: Giacometti sculptures outside Fondation Maeght; viewing a Chagall at the Fondation Maeght. This is to say nothing of the merits of a day spent on the area's better beaches. I am partial to the understated Plage Paloma, on Cap Ferrat, to which blue-and-white VW buses transport beachgoers from the marina. Or Plage Mala, farther to the east on Cap d'Ail, where I watched an elderly man wade into the water, smoking slim cigarettes, while a woman in a glittery bikini twisted a beach umbrella between the rocks like she was boring a hole into the earth. Perhaps the only notable shift in Nice's infamous beach culture is a reduction in toplessness, thanks in part to the prevailing presence of camera phones. But Nice proper feels like an exciting and current place to come home to after hitting the classics. On my last night, my stomach stuffed with miniature lobster rolls from the beachside restaurant L'Eden Plage Mala, skin soaked with sun—take that, anti-aging facial—I sat down for a glass of natural wine at Fanfan & Loulou. The two-year-old café and wine bar is run by a couple from Paris, Fanny Vedreine and Louis Girodet. It's beloved for not only its selection but also its origin as a wine delivery service during the pandemic. A lone bicycle was the duo's mobile wine cellar, as well as a way of getting to know their new home. From left: A sea view from the Anantara Plaza Nice Hotel; the hotel's lobby. 'We arrived three months before COVID,' Vedreine said, pouring me a glass of German Riesling called Space Dream. 'We thought, 'Okay, we have no friends and no connections. But we found such a community here.' ' In addition to running the wine bar, Vedreine is a new mother and a writer with a focus on feminism and art. I wondered if she ever missed the energy of Paris. 'I worked in nightclubs and bars and journalism in Paris,' she said. 'I have good memories. But I want to do something for myself, to live life for myself.' From left: Anantara Plaza Nice Hotel; a guest room at the hotel. As she said this, we looked over our shoulders to see three stylish Americans approaching. One of them was tearing his face away from his phone, looking embarrassed to be lost and sheepish to have missed what he and his friends were looking for: the fanfan & loulou sign painted in massive letters over the doorway. Vedreine smiled at me and excused herself to greet them. 'This is the place,' she assured them. Oui, c'est là . From left: Place Charles Félix, in Nice's old town; a cantaloupe dessert at Maison Joia. A version of this story first appeared in the August 2025 issue of Travel + Leisure under the headline "Nice Dreams ."
Scottish Sun
07-06-2025
- Scottish Sun
The underrated French city that has a ‘bit of everything' with picturesque beaches and new cheap hotels
Nice has a bit of everything. Great food, scenery and swimming NICE 'N' EASY The underrated French city that has a 'bit of everything' with picturesque beaches and new cheap hotels WITH relaxing beaches and super sightseeing – plus just a two-hour flight away – Nice on France's stunning Cote d'Azur makes for an easy sunny getaway. While it may happily soak up the glamorous associations of nearby Cannes and St-Tropez, this spot on the Med needn't break the bank. 4 The idyllic beach at Nice in the South of France Credit: Getty WHY SHOULD I GO? NICE has a bit of everything. Great food, scenery and swimming. But it never feels like you need to elbow your way through its quaint streets. It is also one of France's brightest cities, with a reported 147 days of sunshine a year making it a great choice if you want to bask in the rays while also getting a top-notch culture fix. STREETS MADE FOR WALKING? ONE of the best things about Nice is just how walkable it is, the piece de resistance being a stroll along the seafront Promenade des Anglais. As you get your steps in alongside the palm trees, look out for the iconic hotel Le Negresco, which hosted Elizabeth Taylor and The Beatles. Pack comfy shoes to walk 30 minutes up to the Colline du Chateau — a park from which you can get the best views of the city. It's smart to hop on a tram (€10, or £8.39, return) outside the airport to get into the centre after landing — it takes just over half an hour. BUCKET LIST ATTRACTIONS? THE cute Old Town comprises a series of winding alleys that have hardly changed from the 1700s and are made for wandering, complete with colourful, shuttered facades. Between the many historic squares and churches, you will find plenty of adorable shops selling handbags, jewellery and other stylish items. Or head to the flea market Les Puces de Nice, a treasure trove of affordable designer clothing. Martin Lewis gives travel advice about checking your passport Need an energy boost? Stop off at the Frisson coffee shop which serves dainty pastries and ice cream. Enjoy art at the Matisse Museum (€10, or £8.39, entry), before a free walk through the ruins of a Roman amphitheatre in the Jardin des Arenes de Cimiez. WHERE SHOULD I EAT? LUNCH on delicious Mediterranean cuisine beneath a chic, striped parasol at the laidback Hotel Amour Plage (part of Hotel Amour Nice) in a prime position on the promenade. Then retreat to the beach club's sunloungers beside the beach. 4 Hunt for bargains at the flea market Credit: Getty For a dinner you can dress up for, head to Taulissa above the five-star Le Victoria hotel. Dine on mouthwatering Provencal dishes — including plenty of fish and seafood options — with panoramic views of the city. For more of a local feel, try the friendly Rouge wine bar, whose small Mediterranean sharing plates are just as unmissable as the contents of its cellar. I FANCY A DRINK EASE into the evening with a sunset visit to Babel Babel, for a range of natural wines and a sea view. Later, Place du Pin and the adjacent Rue Bonaparte are full of bustling cocktail bars with terraces. 4 Enjoy a seaview from Babel Babel cafe Credit: Alamy WHERE SHOULD I STAY? THE Old Town is arguably best, not only for its charm but for practical reasons too — it's close to all the key sites you'll want to visit. EasyHotel Nice Old Town has had a multi-million pound refurb, and is a stone's throw from all the action. 4 Relaxing by the crystal sea Credit: Getty There is an all-you-can-eat continental breakfast buffet (£10.49, per person) — including croissants, of course — and the handy option to store luggage at €5 (£4.20) per item for up to 12 hours before or after your stay.
The Irish Sun
07-06-2025
- The Irish Sun
The underrated French city that has a ‘bit of everything' with picturesque beaches and new cheap hotels
WITH relaxing beaches and super sightseeing – plus just a two-hour flight away – Nice on France's stunning Cote d'Azur makes for an easy sunny getaway. While it may happily soak up the glamorous associations of nearby 4 The idyllic beach at Nice in the South of France Credit: Getty WHY SHOULD I GO? NICE has a bit of everything. Great food, scenery and swimming. But it never feels like you need to elbow your way through its quaint streets. It is also one of France's brightest cities, with a reported 147 days of sunshine a year making it a great choice if you want to bask in the rays while also getting a top-notch culture fix. STREETS MADE FOR WALKING? ONE of the best things about Read More on Travel As you get your steps in alongside the palm trees, look out for the iconic hotel Le Negresco, which hosted Pack comfy shoes to walk 30 minutes up to the Colline du Chateau — a park from which you can get the best views of the city. It's smart to hop on a tram (€10, or £8.39, return) outside the airport to get into the centre after landing — it takes just over half an hour. BUCKET LIST ATTRACTIONS? THE cute Old Town comprises a series of winding alleys that have hardly changed from the 1700s and are made for wandering, complete with colourful, shuttered facades. Most read in Beach holidays Between the many historic squares and churches, you will find plenty of adorable shops selling handbags, jewellery and other stylish items. Or head to the flea market Les Puces de Nice, a treasure trove of affordable designer clothing. Martin Lewis gives travel advice about checking your passport Need an energy boost? Stop off at the Frisson coffee shop which serves dainty pastries and ice cream. Enjoy art at the Matisse Museum (€10, or £8.39, entry), before a free walk through the ruins of a Roman amphitheatre in the Jardin des Arenes de Cimiez. WHERE SHOULD I EAT? LUNCH on delicious Mediterranean cuisine beneath a chic, striped parasol at the laidback Hotel Amour Plage (part of Hotel Amour Nice) in a prime position on the promenade. Then retreat to the beach club's sunloungers beside the beach. 4 Hunt for bargains at the flea market Credit: Getty For a dinner you can dress up for, head to Taulissa above the five-star Le Victoria hotel. Dine on mouthwatering Provencal dishes — including plenty of fish and seafood options — with panoramic views of the city. For more of a local feel, try the friendly Rouge wine bar, whose small I FANCY A DRINK EASE into the evening with a sunset visit to Babel Babel, for a range of natural wines and a sea view. Later, Place du Pin and the adjacent Rue Bonaparte are full of bustling cocktail bars with terraces. 4 Enjoy a seaview from Babel Babel cafe Credit: Alamy WHERE SHOULD I STAY? THE Old Town is arguably best, not only for its charm but for practical reasons too — it's close to all the key sites you'll want to visit. EasyHotel Nice Old Town has had a multi-million pound refurb, and is a stone's throw from all the action. 4 Relaxing by the crystal sea Credit: Getty There is an all-you-can-eat continental breakfast buffet (£10.49, per person) — including croissants, of course — and the handy option to store luggage at €5 (£4.20) per item for up to 12 hours before or after your stay. GO: NICE GETTING THERE: EasyJet flies from Gatwick to Nice from £38.99pp. See STAYING THERE: Rooms at EasyHotel Nice Old Town is from £85 per night on a room-only basis. See MORE INFO: See
The Sun
07-06-2025
- The Sun
The underrated French city that has a ‘bit of everything' with picturesque beaches and new cheap hotels
WITH relaxing beaches and super sightseeing – plus just a two-hour flight away – Nice on France's stunning Cote d'Azur makes for an easy sunny getaway. While it may happily soak up the glamorous associations of nearby Cannes and St-Tropez, this spot on the Med needn't break the bank. 4 WHY SHOULD I GO? NICE has a bit of everything. Great food, scenery and swimming. But it never feels like you need to elbow your way through its quaint streets. It is also one of France's brightest cities, with a reported 147 days of sunshine a year making it a great choice if you want to bask in the rays while also getting a top-notch culture fix. STREETS MADE FOR WALKING? ONE of the best things about Nice is just how walkable it is, the piece de resistance being a stroll along the seafront Promenade des Anglais. As you get your steps in alongside the palm trees, look out for the iconic hotel Le Negresco, which hosted Elizabeth Taylor and The Beatles. Pack comfy shoes to walk 30 minutes up to the Colline du Chateau — a park from which you can get the best views of the city. It's smart to hop on a tram (€10, or £8.39, return) outside the airport to get into the centre after landing — it takes just over half an hour. BUCKET LIST ATTRACTIONS? THE cute Old Town comprises a series of winding alleys that have hardly changed from the 1700s and are made for wandering, complete with colourful, shuttered facades. Between the many historic squares and churches, you will find plenty of adorable shops selling handbags, jewellery and other stylish items. Or head to the flea market Les Puces de Nice, a treasure trove of affordable designer clothing. Martin Lewis gives travel advice about checking your passport Need an energy boost? Stop off at the Frisson coffee shop which serves dainty pastries and ice cream. Enjoy art at the Matisse Museum (€10, or £8.39, entry), before a free walk through the ruins of a Roman amphitheatre in the Jardin des Arenes de Cimiez. WHERE SHOULD I EAT? LUNCH on delicious Mediterranean cuisine beneath a chic, striped parasol at the laidback Hotel Amour Plage (part of Hotel Amour Nice) in a prime position on the promenade. Then retreat to the beach club's sunloungers beside the beach. 4 For a dinner you can dress up for, head to Taulissa above the five-star Le Victoria hotel. Dine on mouthwatering Provencal dishes — including plenty of fish and seafood options — with panoramic views of the city. For more of a local feel, try the friendly Rouge wine bar, whose small Mediterranean sharing plates are just as unmissable as the contents of its cellar. I FANCY A DRINK EASE into the evening with a sunset visit to Babel Babel, for a range of natural wines and a sea view. Later, Place du Pin and the adjacent Rue Bonaparte are full of bustling cocktail bars with terraces. 4 WHERE SHOULD I STAY? THE Old Town is arguably best, not only for its charm but for practical reasons too — it's close to all the key sites you'll want to visit. EasyHotel Nice Old Town has had a multi-million pound refurb, and is a stone's throw from all the action. There is an all-you-can-eat continental breakfast buffet (£10.49, per person) — including croissants, of course — and the handy option to store luggage at €5 (£4.20) per item for up to 12 hours before or after your stay.
Times
20-05-2025
- Times
11 of the best restaurants in Nice
Nice has every ingredient to make it ripe for culinary exploration. A mountainous backdrop frames verdant landscapes of lemons, olives and tomatoes; right in front of the city, a turquoise bay opens to Mediterranean waters for the freshest sea bass and red mullet. The same geography has hooked ritzy travellers since Queen Victoria first visited nearly 150 years ago. Fine dining blossomed around the clientele. Le Chantecler in the landmark hotel Le Negresco, for example, won its first Michelin star back in 1980. The Tourteaux brothers behind Nice's most experimental restaurant, Flaveur, learnt their trade amid a constellation of famous chefs. Indeed, the city is somewhat of a training ground for culinary greatness. But it's not all starched white tablecloths and lengthy multi-coursers — Nice flavours are so sublime that some locals want cuisine Niçoise to be inscribed by Unesco. Must-eats include socca (chickpea flatbreads) and daube (beef stew). Look out for Cuisine Nissarde stickers that certify authenticity. This means a restaurant won't sully your niçoise salad by adding cooked potatoes or green beans. These restaurants — timeless to new, budget to bacchanalian — sum up Nice's sensational dining scene. Bon appétit. This article contains affiliate links, which may earn us revenue £££ | BOOK AHEAD | BAR | Best for the ultimate voyage gastronomique This is the aforementioned top restaurant in Nice's landmark hotel. Le Negresco has welcomed history's greatest guests — the Beatles, Princess Grace of Monaco, Sophia Loren — and dining in Le Chantecler amid its 18th-century decor proves you are truly somebody. Back when the restaurant earned its first Michelin star, this gilded salon was more knowing and stuffy. Today, under the patronage of young chef Virginie Basselot, it's engaging and experiential. Basselot is known to race through France on her Triumph motorcycle to seek out the best wild asparagus and Var oysters for her menus. Stroll around the hotel post-service to see artworks spanning the centuries collected by Jeanne Augier, Le Negresco's former owner and a pal of Picasso and Cocteau, or book a room for post-prandial respite. Basselot also presides over Le Negresco's newest establishment, the Beach Club, which serves lunches of sharing dishes, fresh fish and surf 'n' turf, beside the lapping waves. ££ | Best for convivial breakfast and lunch Walking into Marinette is like being welcomed into your rich Riviera auntie's private home — jam jars are filled with fruit pressées, patterned tiles adorn the floor, and original wooden beams hold up the ceiling. Breakfast platters are made to be shared. Think caramel and peanut pancakes, or homemade granola bowls. Lunch follows the same pattern. Dishes such as crispy crevettes (prawns) with dips, or ceviche of tuna, avocado and passionfruit, are plonked onto big wooden tables outside or served to comfy banquettes. In a rush? Browse the marble-topped counter overflowing with oven-fresh brioche, vegetable tartines and berry pastries. Eat your purchases on the pavement chairs outside, or carry them a few minutes' walk to the beach. £££ | BOOK AHEAD | Best for intimate, experimental dining The chef Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen has spent over a decade fusing flavours from his native South Africa (vetkoek dough balls and biltong air-dried meats) with resolutely local ingredients (tiny black olives and red mullet). Even the bread comes from Bordonnat, Nice's best bakery, around the corner, with oils sourced from the olive oil emporium Oliviera in the old town. The end result is a Michelin-starred culinary adventure. At dinner only, just 20 lucky guests are seated in an intimate salon illuminated by flickering candlelight. Van der Westhuizen studied food photography during an internship at Elle magazine so knows how to present his symphony of sweet, sharp, smoky and sophisticated courses. Can't get a table? At the same address is Le Bistro de Jan — with its glorious, thoughtfully priced mains such as truffled-chicken pie. ££ | BOOK AHEAD | Best for authentically prepared seafood Le Bistrot du Port has been a Nice stalwart since 2000 by honing a singular USP. Serving the freshest seafood right by the port, overlooking the fishing boats that landed the catch. The chef-patron José Orsini learnt his trade alongside the Michelin-starred superchef Alain Ducasse, yet his mains are minimalist takes on southern French classics. The likes of roast monkfish spiced with Corsican figatellu sausage, or sea bass fillet with cep mushrooms are emblematic. Thankfully the bargain lunch menu — featuring dishes such as home-smoked salmon and a zinging aïoli, plus a pitcher of wine, and espresso — democratises great cuisine. The outdoor chairs parked underneath an awning won't win any design awards (the focus here is fine food and punctilious service), although the interior is more formal. @le_bistrot_du_port_nice £ | BOOK AHEAD | Best for heritage flavour One of Nice's original restaurants, on a street that's four centuries old, Chez Palmyre has been serving classic local cuisine since 1926. The decor has changed little — wood panelling is paired with rough stone walls, while the retro countertop is reminiscent of cash payments in the old franc. The three-course set menu promises a bona fide taste of Nice as-was: beignets de sardines (fritters); tripes à la niçoise (offal stew); stuffed encornet (squid); ratatouille conjured from Nice's Libération market. It only took a near-century for Chez Palmyre to translate its menu into English — making this an unpretentious gem of a restaurant. • Read our full guide to France• The best of Nice ££ | BAR | Best for a relaxed taste of la dolce vita Rome comes to the French Riviera in the guise of this oh-so-fun Italian restaurant in the beating heart of Nice. Purple splashes of bougainvillaea and great golden lemons dangle above diners, who recline on funky upholstered chairs alongside sun-kissed Italian art. Lazy days kick off with steaming macchiatos from the Marzocco coffee machine and jam-stuffed croissants. At lunch and dinner, start by sinking an Aperol spritz, split a spaghetti cacio e pepe, then go halves on a French steak laden with parmesan and rocket. The prices would shock a Roman — however, Gina takes pride of place on Place Masséna, a see-and-be-seen address, so meals (aside from the weekday lunch set menu) aren't cheap. £ | BOOK AHEAD | Best for the city's finest pizza It's no exaggeration — when Les Amoureux opened its shutters in the Noughties, the algorithm gods briefly declared this cult pizzeria the best restaurant in France, and the formula continues to work. The Neapolitan husband and wife team of Ivan and Monica use traditional skills to produce their sublime evening-only service. Monica kneads then bakes the bubble-crisp dough, which she tops with ingredients from Campania's countryside — including cime di rapa (a slightly bitter brassica) and fennel-infused spicy sausage — while Ivan acts the genial host, passing pitchers of inexpensive chilled wine between tables. There's no sensation here, no Instagrammable gimmicks — just heart, heritage and smile-through-mouthfuls flavours. Book ahead on Facebook Messenger, or join the disorganised throng who are turned away, disgruntled, having failed to make a prior reservation. @lesamoureuxpizzeria £ | Best for Nice's signature dish Socca is an unleavened, pancake-style bread made with nothing more than chickpea flour, olive oil, salt and water. Nobody does this Nice specialty better than 1930s institution Chez Pipo. Their version, baked in a blisteringly hot oven, arrives nutty, smoky and dusted with black pepper. It's ordered to be ripped apart by casual diners with a chilled half litre of Côtes de Provence rosé. No eating utensils are required for most of the remaining local classics: pissaladière (caramelised onion pizza), pistou (vegetable soup) and pan bagnat (essentially aniçoise salad packed inside a crusty bun). Decor is as pared down as the prices, which start from a few euros per portion. ££ | BOOK AHEAD | Best for a Gascony-inspired meat feast The chef and front-of-house duo Jean-Michel and Marie hail from Gascony, a region fuelled by duck fat and red wine. Their intimate restaurant distils the fullest flavours of southwest France. Jean-Michel concentrates his ancestors' cuisine around crispy, unctuous duck, with his à la Périgourdine recipe a triumph of herbs, foie gras and yet more bird. Sides include generous servings of duck-fat-fried potatoes — weight-watchers beware. Finish with a Floc de Gascogne aperitif fortified with armagnac brandy. Refreshingly, La Route du Miam ('the tasty route') is sited near Nice's locals-only market, Libération, from where many of the ingredients hail. ££ | BOOK AHEAD | Best for local cuisine in timeless surrounds Acchiardo in the old town is staffed by its fourth generation of chef-owners, whose aptitude for local soul food and convivial service is unsurpassed. Eat like (great-great) granny once did on dishes such as stuffed vegetables and local rockfish; steaks and grilled Mediterranean fish are another house speciality. The atmosphere is timeless, as one might expect from the location on the original street, Rue Droite. Stone walls feature black-and-white photos that showcase Nice of yesteryear. Authenticity is everywhere, as diners chase pastis with jugs of house rosé as the decibels rise through each service. £££ | BOOK AHEAD | Best for inventive Michelin-starred dining When dining at double Michelin-starred restaurant Flaveur, a dozen adjectives spring to mind —ambitious, revolutionary, inventive, bold. Diners will not taste dishes like parsnip mousse topped with tobiko flying fish eggs anywhere else. That's because the chef-patron brothers Gaël and Mickaël Tourteaux lived a culinary childhood in the French Caribbean before cheffing — from their mid-teens — alongside the finest names in French gastronomy. Since 2009, they have perfected their skills in the same 20-cover temple of food. Today, Flaveur has become a pilgrimage for pioneering epicureans in search of Willy Wonka creations with zany titles like Iodine and Spices (a seafood starter) and Meeting of Two Terroirs (a rare synthesis of Piedmont beef and green curry). Strap in for a flight of foodie whimsy. • Great hotels in Nice• Best things to do in Nice
