The visitor’s guide to great places to eat and stay in Nice

France has never been short of fantastic places to eat, whether you’re looking for a Michelin-féted gourmet extravaganza or a simple neighborhood bistro serving classic dishes like moules mariniere or steak-frites. Nowhere is this truer than in Nice, where you’ll soon discover that you’re spoiled for choice.

There’s a warm welcome in the hotels too, from ultra-trendy boutiques to classic rooms that will give you a taste of the high life. So, take a look at our line-up of the best restaurants and the finest places to stay in Nice that will ensure you an unforgettable visit that’s packed with style.
 

Hotel Windsor

Sitting right on the Promenade des Anglais and boasting over 100 years of attentive service, you might imagine that the Hotel Windsor could be set in its ways. Yet this is a hotel that has never rested on its laurels, and behind the 19^th-century exterior lies a fashion-forward respite incorporating many fantastic design elements.

Art lovers will be in heaven at a hotel where the owners have asked celebrated artists to give each room a unique personality with their own take on interior décor. This means that the rooms differ wildly, ranging from cozy to minimalist with some that are totally over-the-top. Even the elevator has had a makeover. And with a lush garden, fantastic pool and hammam, this is a hotel that fine-tunes every last element to make sure it delivers a truly unique experience.

There’s a pleasant restaurant on site too, offering standard, vegan and gluten-free menus. Alternatively, you can leave the hotel and stroll to Le Bistro Dalpozzo for Riviera classics served in a relaxed and very welcoming atmosphere.
 

Salads and socca

Nice has a number of signature dishes that you can’t leave the city without trying. Luckily, they’re so ubiquitous that you won’t have to go far to find them.

Socca is a thin pancake made with chickpea flour that is as delicious as it’s simple. Grab a portion on the street with your choice of topping to see what all the fuss is about. You’re also in the birthplace of the Salade Nicoise, that timeless combination of lettuce, fine beans, tuna, anchovies, olives, tomatoes and eggs. Again, it’s hard to escape its presence in Nice, but it can be fun to hunt down some modern variants, with chefs putting a twist on the tried and tested.

Find the very best of these local favorites at Bistrot d’Antoine on Rue de la Prefecture. Unpretentious it might be, but it elevates the salad and other hearty Nice dishes through the use of the very best locally sourced ingredients.

Having feasted on French cuisine, you can sleep it off at the nearby Hotel Aston La Scala. This grand 4-star stay offers stunning views from its rooftop pool and is handy for the beach, Promenade and the old town.

Gluten-free Nice

Much of France works overtime to preserve its long-held food traditions of local produce and ‘terroir’, meaning ‘the land’. However, it’s also becoming increasingly accommodating to people with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. While there’s no local organization certifying the restaurants, many have alternative menus, or will be happy to prepare a separate dish for you if you ask for it ‘sans gluten s’il vous plait’.

Make time to stop off and dine at Keisuke Matsushima – which puts something of a unique twist on some classic French dishes. The chef and décor are Japanese, but the kitchen turns out modern variations on a number of French classic dishes.

At the other end of the scale, you’ll have the chance to visit laid-back cafés and bistros that cater to not just celiacs, but other food intolerances too. Caju in the old town has a vegan focus and gluten-free options, while Pôp-ô-Thym in Cours Saleya specializes in galettes. For another healthy meal option, drop by Koko Green vegan and raw café on Rue de la Loge – everything here is organic, home-made and gluten-free and they’re especially good at making delicious desserts.
 

Nice in grand style

Few luxury hotels in Nice come with a view as romantic and breathtaking as the Hotel Negresco. This is a hotel in the grand old tradition, open since the early 20th century and with a modern art collection rubbing shoulders with Louis XIII-period interior flourishes. The hotel boasts a private beach, open only to guests, as well as two stunning restaurants.

The casual but elegant option is Café de la Rotonde – known for its artistic setting and good food. On another level, however, is the Michelin-starred Le Chantecler, possibly the best restaurant in Nice.

This is high-end dining carried off with aplomb – as it should be when main courses hover around the 75-euro mark and the wine cellar boasts 15,000 bottles of fine vintages. They also offer a special children’s menu – after all, you’re never too young to be introduced to fine dining and at 55 euros for two courses, it’s something of a bargain.
 

Room with a view

While there’s no denying the prime location occupied by Le Meridien Nice on the popular Promenade des Anglais, it perhaps doesn’t have the most aesthetically pleasing exterior.

What is does have, however, is a sought-after address and amazing sea views (along with very comfortable rooms, of course). It also has La Terrasse, a restaurant which offers a wonderful panorama of the sea and the curve of the Bay of Angels. The food is uniformly excellent but it’s the view from your table that will really have you coming back for more.

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