Where to eat in Nice : 6 places worth a look
Six places. Not the “six best in Nice”. We have yet to find the algorithm that measures daube to two decimal places.
This is not a ranking of the “best restaurants in Nice”. Definitive rankings are extremely convenient, particularly for the people writing them. These six places simply give six good reasons to go.
The view may be spectacular. It still cannot cook a fish.
La Mérenda
For Niçoise cooking with very little theatre.
A tiny 24-seat bistrot run by Dominique Le Stanc, formerly chef at the Negresco. Local recipes, very small room, no need for decorative fog.
The tourist office lists Tuesday to Friday opening in 2026.
Chez Pipo
For socca. No further explanation required.
Founded in 1923 and still built around wood-fired socca and Niçoise specialities. Simple, local and far more useful than a “deconstructed” version on an enormous plate.
The official site lists Tuesday to Sunday opening.
Chez Acchiardo
For a family-run classic in the middle of Old Nice.
Mediterranean and Niçoise cooking in a traditional setting. Sometimes it is a relief to order something whose name fits on one line.
Le Bistrot d’Antoine
For proper bistrot cooking with less folklore.
Rated a “Table Gourmande” by Gault&Millau in 2026. A changing chalkboard, southern flavours and the busy atmosphere of rue de la Préfecture.
Peixes
For contemporary fish once you have completed your socca obligations.
Fish and seafood with Mediterranean and South American influence, including ceviche, carpaccio, tartare and tataki. Gault&Millau gives it 12.5/20 in 2026.
The official site lists the Opéra location as open Monday to Saturday, noon to 10 pm non-stop.
Socca Tram
For socca away from the permanent theatre of Old Nice.
A straightforward option in the Libération neighbourhood. You do not need to cross the entire city every time chickpea flour becomes a priority.
What to order first
Socca to share, petits farcis, pissaladière, then fish or daube depending on where you are. And yes, chard pie can be sweet. Nice made that decision before you arrived.