Where can you find a good bouillabaisse in France? 5 spots from Paris to Toulon

Once considered a poor man's soup, bouillabaisse is now a refined dish that epitomizes the Marseille region. Where can you try this specialty? Here are 5 places you can't go wrong with.

Mathilde Bourge Published on 08/03/2024 at 12:22 · Updated on 13/05/2026

Originating in Marseille, where it is considered an emblem of the city, bouillabaisse is said to have been created in 600 B.C., during the time of ancient Greece. In the past, it was a fishermen’s soup, made with rockfish that were unsellable or unsold, cooked in a broth. The word “bouillabaisse” comes from the Provençal term “bouiabaisso,” which means “when it boils, turn down the heat.”

Nicknamed the “poor man’s soup,” this legendary dish is now prepared with freshly caught fish cooked in a court-bouillon and served with rouille, which chefs throughout Provence take great pleasure in making. From the most authentic to the most gourmet versions, here are five places to enjoy a delicious bouillabaisse, from Paris to Marseille.

Chez Fonfon, in Marseille

For one of the most authentic bouillabaisse experiences, head to Chez Fonfon, a historic restaurant near the harbor whose specialty is none other than this famous fish soup with rouille. For over 70 years, the restaurant has offered this family recipe à la carte, featuring scorpionfish, red mullet, red seabream, weever, conger eel, wrasse, and other rockfish depending on the catch of the day. The broth is made with a generous amount of garlic, celery, fennel, saffron, and olive oil, to which potatoes, rouille, and croutons are added. A hearty soup bursting with flavor!

Where? Chez Fonfon, 140 rue du Vallon des Auffes, 13007 Marseille
Read Gault&Millau’s review of Chez Fonfon

©EatIsMarseille

Baieta, in Paris

Originally from Nice, Julia Sedefdjian opened her restaurant Baieta in the heart of Paris’s^5th arrondissement. There, she serves gourmet cuisine with Mediterranean influences and has put her own spin on certain Provençal classics, such as pissaladière and bouillabaisse—which she has renamed “Bouillabaieta.” In its “2.0” version, it features octopus in parsley butter, fennel, rouille, and, of course, a highly aromatic bouillabaisse broth.

Where? Baieta, 5 rue de Pontoise, 75005 Paris
Read Gault&Millau’s review of Baieta

©TheTravelBuds

Chez Camille, in Ramatuelle

Nestled in the exceptional setting of Bonne Terrasse in Ramatuelle is Chez Camille, an authentic restaurant established in 1913 that serves authentic Mediterranean cuisine. Among the signature dishes is, of course, the authentic bouillabaisse made with gurnard, John Dory, scorpionfish, and capon, all caught in the waters of the Gulf of Saint-Tropez. The soup simmers over a wood fire according to a traditional recipe that has remained unchanged for over a century.

Where? Chez Camille, Route de Camarat, Quartier Bonne Terrasse, 83350 Ramatuelle
Read Gault&Millau’s review of Chez Camille

Le Petit Nice, in Marseille

Gérald Passedat always keeps his famous “Bouille abaisse”—a three-course fish meal—on the menu. First, raw shellfish served with thin strips of red mullet; then mid-water fish such as monkfish or weever, poached in a light saffron-infused broth, and finally deep-sea fish, such as capon or sea bass, cooked whole and served with rockfish soup, potatoes cooked in the broth, and a fisherman’s rouille. A unique experience!

Where? Le Petit Nice, 17 rue des Braves, Anse de Maldormé / Corniche JF Kennedy, 13007 Marseille
Read Gault&Millau’s review of Le Petit Nice

Au Sourd, in Toulon

In an elegant and refined setting, Au Sourd—an institution since 1862—offers cuisine specializing in wild Mediterranean fish. The restaurant naturally features its own take on bouillabaisse—served for a minimum of four people—as well as all kinds of grilled fish, bourride, and even lobsters. The hardest part will definitely be choosing!