Nice delicacies

Situated on the idyllic Cote d’Azur, the city of Nice represents the essence of Provencal France. Its daring architecture, splendid panoramas and picturesque beaches attract millions of tourists every year. From a day at the beach to a crazy night at the club or a delightful day spent in the company of Henri Matisse’s or Marc Chagall’s works, there is noting the port of Nice will refuse you (for more details on Nice historic sights and attractions, check out this Nice Travel Guide).

Whether you visit Nice for its history and culture or you’re there just to have some fun, the one thing you shouldn’t miss is the Provencal cuisine. The mouth-watering aroma of balsamic vinegar and the blessing in a drop of olive oil, can transform a bunch of fresh vegetables into a culinary delight, like only the Mediterranean cuisine can create.
The lavender and aromatic plants fields that flourish all over Provence are magically converted into the most refined perfumes, natural soaps and essential oils. Here are some useful tips that would guide you through Nice’s gastronomy, splurge restaurants and local products.

Nice gastronomy

Many of the French dishes that make the pride of luxury restaurants all over the world have their origin in Nice. But only here you can try an authentic ‘ratatouille’ (vegetable stew), ‘farcis’ (stuffed vegetables), stockfish or ‘salade nicoise’ (Nice salad). Fish and sea food represents a main ingredient in the ‘cuisine nicoise’, together with aromatic plants and spices like oregano, thyme and rosemary.

Fine Dining

The best place to taste all these goodies is, of course, some Nice restaurant. Some of the most popular Nice restaurants that serve local and Mediterranean dishes are Restaurant du Gesu, Don Camillo, L’Aphrodite or L’Escalinda. If you are willing to try something really different, pay a visit to Terres de Truffes, whose dishes are all based on truffles.
For those gourmands that are attracted by innovation and fusion cuisine, I suggest trying one of the following luxury restaurants: L’Univers, Oliviera, Le Chantecler at Hotel Negresco or Le Safari.

Farmer’s markets and local products

For those who are spending more than a week in Nice, it could be a fun experience to try some local recipes on their own. All they have to do is by a recipe book and shop for organic ingredients at one of the local markets.  Nice’s Flower Market (Marche aux Fleures) and Vegetable Market (Marche aux fruits et legumes) are known all over the country for the quality of their products.
For fresh fish and sea food, try the fish market at Saint Francois, open daily between 6 am and 1 pm. These are also ideal places to go bargain hunting, in search for Nice’s best spices, dairy products and scented honey.

If you’re looking for a place to inspire you, the best choice would be to blend into the crowd of tourists that are strolling up and down the Mache de Cours Saleya, Nice’s most popular tourist market. Here you will be able, to smell, taste and touch the pure essence of Nice, from perfectly ripen tomatoes to home-made soaps.

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