Gastronomy and food in Nice Cote d' Azur

La Salade Nicoise

A successful trip includes discovering the local gastronomy.

Fresh salads, grilled fish, seasonal vegetables, local wine... Nice's cuisine is above all a simple and sunny cuisine which honours the products of its soil. Olive oil is used in all culinary preparations as well as aromatic plants such as basil, garlic, thyme or rosemary... Healthy and light, the olive oil is harvested on the hills of Nice and pressed at the mills, still in operation. Some estates open their doors for you to discover their know-how and taste their products.

The Bellet hill and vineyards in Nice Cote d'Azur

On the Bellet hill, you can take an unusual tour of the various wineries that produce one of the oldest “appellations contrôlées” and that work organically, or even bio-dynamically, the three colours of wine. Between the sea and the mountains, the Bellet vineyards cover some fifty hectares at an altitude of between 200 and 300 metres on the western slopes of Nice. Go and meet about ten winegrowers, each of the estates is very different, châteaux, residences, clos, farmhouses... What do they have in common? The love of wine and the quality of the product.

Harvest in Nice Cote d' Azur @OTM NCA  J. KELAGOPIAN
Harvest in Nice Cote d' Azur @OTM NCA J. KELAGOPIAN

Nice's cuisine or Cuisine Nissarde

Among the many experiences, don't miss the tasting of Nice's cuisine. Valued and protected by the label “Cuisine Nissarde, respect for tradition”, Nice's gastronomy is now part of France's intangible cultural heritage and is the subject of an application for inclusion in UNESCO's Inventory of the Intangible Heritage of Humanity. This cuisine also favours short circuits and local products. All the diversity of this local cuisine can be savoured in a small bistro, a large table or on the terrace, accompanied by a view of the port or Old Nice.

Flower market in Nice Cote d'Azur @AGENCE MEDIA - H 265 OTMNCA
Flower market in Nice Cote d'Azur @AGENCE MEDIA - H 265 OTMNCA

Start your discovery of Nice's cuisine by visiting the markets. Classified as an exceptional market in France, the Cours Saleya market in the old town is a pure delight for your senses. You will also be able to taste specialities on the spot, such as socca (a chickpea flour cake to be eaten as soon as it comes out of the wood fire), pissaladière (a kind of tart with cooked onions), delicious stuffed vegetables or fougasse (a brioche delicately flavoured with orange blossom).

Tasting of local specialties and products in Nice Cote d' Azur @OTM NCA J. KELAGOPIAN
Tasting of local specialties and products in Nice Cote d' Azur @OTM NCA J. KELAGOPIAN

Cooking lesson with a chef

What better way to learn about Nice's cuisine than to take a class with a chef? Learn with him how to make a good daube à la niçoise, a sweet chard pie or tasty gnocchi. You will also be able to enjoy a unique experience in the heart of the kitchen of a chef who welcomes you to his home, for a very convivial class concept.
Tourte de Blettes@OTM NCA  J. KELAGOPIAN
Tourte de Blettes@OTM NCA J. KELAGOPIAN

After a tour of the Cours Saleya market, head for his flat, a five-minute walk away, to prepare dishes full of flavour with him... Then sit down to eat!

Salade Nicoise @OTM NCA  J. KELAGOPIAN
Salade Nicoise @OTM NCA J. KELAGOPIAN

Many establishments are committed to offering 100% home cooking, such as the “Maîtres-Restaurateurs” who sublimate local produce thanks to their know-how and talent. Others take particular care with their organic, vegan or gluten-free menus and the friendly, well-cared-for atmosphere of their rooms.

In Nice, your taste buds are in for a treat!