A Taste of the Côte d'Azur: Nice's Essential Food Experiences

If there's one non-negotiable experience in Nice, it's an early morning visit to the Cours Saleya market. As someone who's religiously particular about ingredient quality (occupational hazard of being a fitness professional), I was immediately struck by the market's vibrant display of regional produce.

Arrive before 9 AM when the morning light bathes the striped awnings in a golden glow, and you'll find yourself amid a sensory overload of colors, aromas, and sounds. Local producers arrange their stalls with artistic precision—pyramids of fuzzy peaches, bundles of lavender, and glistening olives in every shade of green and black.

On my first morning, I followed my nose to a small vendor selling socca—the quintessential Niçoise street food made from chickpea flour. Watching the vendor pour the batter onto a sizzling copper plate and expertly maneuver it until golden and crisp was like witnessing culinary choreography. The resulting flatbread, sprinkled with black pepper and served on parchment paper, offers a nutty, savory flavor that's deceptively simple yet impossible to replicate outside the region.

Beyond socca, don't miss the opportunity to assemble a picnic of local specialties. I spent an embarrassingly long time selecting the perfect pissaladière (caramelized onion tart topped with olives and anchovies), fresh chèvre, and sun-ripened tomatoes that taste nothing like the watery imposters we get back home.

For those who appreciate having the right tools for food exploration, I've found my insulated market tote to be invaluable for keeping purchases fresh while navigating the market and perhaps heading to the beach afterward for an impromptu picnic.

Growing up in Los Angeles, I developed a deep appreciation for seafood, but Nice takes it to another level entirely. The city's relationship with the Mediterranean isn't just geographical—it's fundamental to the local culinary identity.

For the ultimate luxury seafood experience, I made a reservation at Restaurant Le Chantecler at the legendary Hotel Negresco. The tasting menu featuring local catches prepared with classical French techniques was nothing short of transformative. The red mullet, a fish I'd previously overlooked, was served with its crispy scales intact over a delicate fennel purée—a textural masterpiece that justified the splurge.

For something more casual but equally authentic, La Merenda remains my favorite discovery. This tiny establishment with no phone or credit card machine (yes, seriously—cash only and reservations made in person) serves the most honest bouillabaisse I've encountered. The rich saffron-infused broth arrives separately from the seafood and comes with garlicky rouille and crusty bread for a DIY dining experience that feels both rustic and refined.

If you're staying in accommodations with kitchen access, don't miss the opportunity to prepare your own seafood feast. The fish market section of the Liberation Market (north of the old town) offers the morning's catch at prices far below what you'd pay at restaurants. I spent one evening preparing sea bass with local olive oil and herbs on the terrace of my rented apartment—sometimes the simplest preparations let truly exceptional ingredients shine.

When enjoying seafood in Nice, the perfect pairing is undoubtedly a chilled local rosé. I've become particularly fond of those from the nearby Bellet appellation, which offer minerality and complexity that beautifully complement the Mediterranean flavors.

While Nice embraces its coastal identity, the city's culinary heart also beats to the rhythm of Provence. Moving beyond the waterfront restaurants that cater to tourists, I found that the true soul of Niçoise cuisine lives in the narrow alleyways of the Old Town (Vieux Nice).

At the recommendation of my Airbnb host, I ventured to Chez Palmyre, a family-run institution that's been serving traditional Niçoise cuisine since 1926. The restaurant's fixed-price menu changes daily based on market availability, and the dining room feels like someone's grandmother's house—complete with vintage photographs and well-worn tablecloths.

Here I encountered my first authentic salade niçoise, which bears little resemblance to the versions served internationally. The traditional preparation contains no lettuce or boiled potatoes but instead features raw vegetables, hard-boiled eggs, anchovies, and olive oil—simple, balanced, and revelatory.

Perhaps the most emblematic dish of Nice is the daube niçoise—a slow-cooked beef stew enriched with red wine, orange peel, and olives. At Acchiardo, another Old Town gem operated by the same family for four generations, I experienced this dish as it should be: tender enough to eat with a spoon, deeply flavored, and served with fresh pasta to soak up the rich sauce.

For those looking to recreate these flavors at home, I recommend picking up authentic Niçoise ingredients at Oliviera, a specialty shop where the passionate owner, Nadim, offers tastings of regional olive oils and will pack them securely for travel. I brought home a bottle of their extra virgin olive oil that's become my kitchen staple for everything from salad dressings to finishing dishes.

The most surprising culinary revelation came in the form of socca chips—a modern, crispy interpretation of the traditional chickpea flatbread. These addictive snacks pair perfectly with a pre-dinner pastis (the anise-flavored aperitif beloved throughout southern France) while people-watching at Place Garibaldi.

As someone who typically maintains a disciplined nutrition regimen, I have a confession: Nice completely dismantled my willpower when it came to desserts. The city's sweet offerings reflect its unique position between French refinement and Italian indulgence.

My first indulgence was at Fenocchio in Place Rossetti, an ice cream institution offering over 90 flavors that range from traditional (pistachio, chocolate) to distinctly Provençal (lavender, thyme-honey) to downright adventurous (tomato-basil, olive oil). After extensive "research" across multiple visits, I can confidently recommend the fig-honey as the perfect expression of Mediterranean flavors in frozen form.

Beyond gelato, Nice offers several distinctive sweet specialties worth seeking out. Fougasse is a sweet olive oil bread flavored with orange flower water and studded with nuts and anise seeds. The best version I found was at Boulangerie Blanc on rue Droite, where they bake it in the traditional diamond shape with decorative cuts that resemble an ear of wheat.

For something more refined, the local patisseries showcase French technique with Mediterranean ingredients. At LAC (an acronym for Les Agitateurs Chocolatiers), I discovered their signature chocolate-dipped candied orange peel—a sophisticated nod to the region's citrus heritage. Their artisanal chocolate gift box makes for an excellent souvenir that captures the essence of Riviera flavors.

Perhaps the most memorable sweet experience was stumbling upon a tiny shop specializing in tourte de blettes—a uniquely Niçoise dessert that combines Swiss chard with pine nuts, raisins, and apples in a subtly sweet pastry. It sounds bizarre but represents the waste-not philosophy of traditional cuisine, where the line between sweet and savory isn't rigidly defined.

The perfect ending to a meal in Nice isn't necessarily a dessert but rather a digestif of Limoncello (reflecting the Italian influence) or the local specialty, Liqueur de Cédrat, made from the citron fruit that grows along the coast.

If there's one French tradition I've enthusiastically embraced during my European life, it's the apéritif—that magical hour when the workday ends and evening begins with light drinks and snacks. Nice elevates this ritual to an art form, especially during summer when the extended daylight hours seem to stretch the possibilities for leisure.

The quintessential Nice apéro experience happens at Les Ponchettes, a string of bars and cafés along Cours Saleya that transform from market stalls during the day to buzzing social hubs by evening. Here, I discovered the simple pleasure of ordering a glass of local rosé (crisp, pale, and bone-dry—nothing like the sweet pink wines often sold abroad) alongside a plate of socca chips and tapenade.

For something slightly more upscale, the rooftop bar at Hotel Aston La Scala offers panoramic views of the city and sea. Their signature cocktail—the Negroni Niçois—substitutes the traditional sweet vermouth with a local bitter orange liqueur, creating a refreshing aperitif that perfectly captures the city's Franco-Italian heritage.

Nice's wine scene deserves special attention, particularly the local Bellet appellation. These vineyards, perched on the hills overlooking the city, produce limited quantities of distinctive wines that rarely leave the region. At La Part des Anges, a wine bar and shop near the port, the knowledgeable staff guided me through a tasting of Bellet's unique varietals like Braquet (used for rosé) and Folle Noire (for reds).

For those looking to elevate their home wine experiences, I've found that having proper glassware makes a significant difference. My wine glass set has enhanced my appreciation of subtle notes in everything from robust reds to delicate whites.

The most authentic apéro experience came from following the locals' lead: purchasing provisions from Libération Market, then heading to Promenade du Paillon—the sprawling urban park—for an impromptu picnic. As the evening cooled and the fountains illuminated, sharing chilled wine and local cheeses with new friends embodied the relaxed Mediterranean lifestyle that makes Nice so captivating.