Day 3158 (Friday) 30th January 2026

This is Petite Afrique beach in Beaulieu

 

and this is Beaulieu town.

I found this article about Riviera wine and food, today I will post the food section and tomorrow I’ll do the wine.

Mini Food and Wine Guide of the French Riviera

How can you do an overview of the art of living on the French Riviera without talking about its gastronomy? It’s impossible. But above all, we are going to try to be very precise, because French Riviera gastronomy, and especially Nice cuisine, has its aficionados, ready to do anything to defend the integrity of the original recipes.

French Riviera cuisine is rich and delicious. Its foundations are olive oil, aromatic herbs, garlic and certain spices.

In this list of French Riviera food are some of the most appetising specialties of Nice whose mere mention should tickle food-lovers taste buds. This list will certainly not be exhaustive, but it will allow you, at first, not to make a « Parisian » face while browsing the menu of a restaurant, sitting in the sun of the French Riviera:

La salade Niçoise, queen of Nice food.

Mainly composed of raw vegetables tuna, (tomatoes, beans, green peppers, artichokes, anchovy fillets, radishes, hard-boiled eggs, olives, salad leaves, etc.). The whole sprinkled with olive oil and a dash of lemon. Be careful, no vinegar.

Les petits farcis.

Small (petit), because they must be prepared with young vegetables. Eggplants, peppers, tomatoes or zucchini flowers are filled with a stuffing whose recipe is kept in the safes of the Société Générale in Nice. This delicious specialty of French Riviera cuisine can also be the highlight of your aperitifs, as it can be eaten on the go.

La bourride.

The bourride is to the Côte d’Azur what bouillabaisse is to Provence. So, is more or less the same thing, but careful, never ask for a bouillabaisse when sitting in a restaurant in the French Riviera. La bourride is rich fish stew made with the catch of the day or several types of fish (white fish like bass, mullet and monkfish) and shellfish, is slowly cooked in a broth laden with saffron, garlic, high-quality olive oil, a brunoise of vegetables, served with garlic croutons, and a good mortar-based aioli.

Le pan-bagnat.

Among the food of the French Riviera, we cannot fail to mention the pan-bagnat. You may call it a sandwich, but it is a very special one: this typical sandwich from Nice is the only one with a protected designation. It is a special round bread, cut in 2, soaked in olive oil, hence its name meaning « wet bread ». It is then garnished with the same ingredients as the Niçoise salad, but every Niçois thinks he or she has the « real » recipe!

La soupe au pistou.

The pistou soup is a delicious vegetable soup whose ingredients are: green, white and red beans, zucchini, potatoes, pine nuts and tomatoes. The soup is flavoured with pistou: a paste made of basil and garlic, crushed in olive oil, and grated parmesan. The pasta is then dipped in it (usually coquillettes). You can’t be considered a full-fledged Niçois if you haven’t tasted this piece of French Riviera food at least once in your life.

La ratatouille.

French Riviera food is healthy and made with fresh, local products. The ratatouille is no exception. It is a healthy, fragrant and economical dish. Its ingredients are full of sunshine and the Mediterranean: zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes and peppers. Purists fry each of these ingredients separately in olive oil. Then, this beautiful little world simmers for a long time in a casserole with garlic and herbs from Provence. An absolute delight.

La merda de can.

We are sure you’re familiar with gnocchi, the homemade pasta from Italy. Throughout its history, and for various reasons, Nice has had dealings with the kingdoms and lordships of the Italian peninsula, and there’s still evidence of this in the food of the French Riviera. One among other, la merda de can (in French merde de chien, in English Dog’s poo, to use an euphemism). This green gnocchi from Nice are made with chard greens, potatoes, flour and eggs. You eat them with melted butter, sage leaves and grated Parmesan cheese.

La socca.

La socca is another example of French Riviera food which bears witness to Nice’s centuries-old links with Italy. Called farinata in Italy, this king of hearty pancake-like is made with chickpea flour and enjoyed with a simple a sprinkling of pepper. Perfect with a glass of rosé wine, the socca can make either a light meal or an aperitif highlight. There are also socca crisps – delicious. Our favourite spot for socca is Socca Tram, in Libération district.