5 gourmet restaurants on the Côte d'Azur

The Côte d'Azur is the star of the summer season, with its scattered landscapes and an array of addresses not to be missed. Whether inland or on the shores of the Mediterranean, its restaurants are the pride of France's gastronomic heritage as a whole. The terroir is vast and (mostly) blessed by the sun.

In Marseille, Passedat - Le Petit Nice

In the city of Marseille, culinary creations abound, and the Mediterranean Sea offers a vast playground for chefs. In his magnificent white setting, chef Gérald Passedat 's cuisine is dictated by what the sea offers each morning. In the dining room of Le Petit Nice (4 toques), the huge bay windows offer a breathtaking view of the blue water as far as the eye can see. This is an address to visit (at least) once in your life, and discover one of the six menus available, ranging from 195 euros for the "Retour de Pêche" to 490 euros for the "Découverte de la mer".

• Read the Gault&Millau review of Le Petit Nice (18/20)
• Corniche J. F. Kennedy, Anse de Maldormé, 13007 Marseille 7

In Cassis, La Villa Madie

The restaurant, surrounded by a few trees, offers an idyllic setting for the curious who come to discover the world of chef Dimitri Droisneau Gault&Millau d'Or Paca Corse Monaco 2017. With his wife Marielle in the dining room, they serve three menus ranging from 180 to 350 euros. They are built each day around "the mood of our Mediterranean, the growth of our gardens and orchards" they explain on their website. Lucky diners can sit out on the terrace to enjoy an open-air marine meal.

• Read the Gault&Millau review of La Villa Madie (17.5/20)
• anse de Corton, 30 Avenue du Revestel, 13260 Cassis

Au Castellet, La Table du Castellet

A little further inland, in the fiefdom of Fabien Ferré. Located a little further east, La Table du Castellet (3 toques) is a benchmark and a happy medium between Côte d'Azur and Provence. This blend offers a juxtaposition of terroirs and their products on the chef's plate. This alliance is reflected in dishes such as squid Provençal and marjoram, or pigeon excellence miéral, followed by puffed cereal and savory. Two menus are available at this grand domaine: "Expression végétale" and "Expression marine" in four or six courses, with prices ranging from 160 to 260 euros.

• Read the Gault&Millau review of La Table du Castellet (16.5/20)
• 3001 Route des Hauts du Camp, 83330 Le Castellet

In Nice, Onice

Located near the old town, between the hill of the castle and the port of Lympia, Onice (2 toques) is a novelty in the capital of the Alpes-Maritimes. At the helm of the restaurant are two chefs, Florencia Montes and Lorenzo Ragni. The two chefs are part of the Livre 109 edition 2024. Two menus, Découverte and Onice, in five and seven sequences, are available at 100 and 120 euros. In keeping with the Nice tradition, the chef's mix of terroir is divided between three origins: the sea, the hinterland and its soil, and Italy. A mix combined in their plates with creations such as gamberoni from San Remo, centrolophe from our coasts or farm-raised lamb.

• Read the Gault&Millau review of Onice (14/20)
• 5 Rue Antoine Gautier, 06300 Nice

In Menton, Mirazur

Our selection ends just 10 km from the Italian border, at the home of our 2009 Chef of the Year, Mauro Colagreco. The Argentine-born Italian chef has been at his seafront establishment for almost 20 years. Always committed to respecting the climate and other environmental issues, the chef is uncommonly careful in his choice of produce. In an interview with GQ France, he confides that he uses at least 95% local produce and has removed at least 85% of the plastic used in his kitchen. On the plate, this translates into a cuisine that relies daily on what nature provides. In total, four "Univers Mirazur" menus coexist and vary according to the day of your visit: Roots, Leaves, Flowers and Fruits, all at 450 euros.

• Read the Gault&Millau review of Mirazur (18/20)
• 30 avenue Aristide Briand, 06500 Menton