Food in Nice, France to Eat for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Undoubtedly one of the best things about visiting France is the food. Ohhhh the food. Nice has fantastic food offerings to choose from, so, without further ado, here are my recommendations for food in Nice, France to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
This post contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Breakfast Food in Nice, France
100% of the time for breakfast we pick up breakfast pastries from a boulangerie. There are a lot of breakfast options that are common among boulangeries and all are delicious, but I am personally fond of a croissant aux amandes (croissant sliced and filled with an almond cream) or a torsade (a flaky pastry twisted and stuffed with custard, and often chocolate chips).
Matthew usually gets a croissant or a pain au chocolat (a flaky pastry with two lines of chocolate inside). No recommendations for specific bakeries – they are everywhere and are all delicious!
Drinks:
–Drinkable yogurt. The yogurt drinks in France are top notch. You can grab these from a grocery store or one of the many little bodegas scattered around the city.
–Freshly squeezed orange juice. Most grocery stores have a little machine you can use to fresh squeeze it yourself – it’s so fresh!
Food in Nice, France for Lunch
I’m a big fan of the French picnic, and it’s a great way to enjoy a breezy and cheap meal. Matthew and I are pretty laid back lunch people and really embrace the casual lunch while traveling, so picnics work really well for us. Our best picnic lunch suggestions are:
A cold picnic
Pick up fruit, raw veggies, cheese (If you don’t know what to get, start with camembert, brie, boursin, or comté), and/or dried meat from a grocery store or the market, and a baguette from a boulangerie. You can buy baguettes from grocery stores, but boulangerie ones tend to be so much better so unless you are crazy limited on time, I would prioritize boulangerie baguettes.
Tip: Make sure you grab whatever utensils you need from your Airbnb. I personally usually bring a few plastic utensils with me from home for trips like this because I know I’m going to be doing a lot of picnics.
Tip: Two big grocery store chains in Nice are Monoprix and Carrefour. Search either of these on Google maps to find one closest to you.
Boulangerie takeaway
You’ll find every neighborhood is dotted with boulangeries, and almost all of them sell a variety of lunch options. There are of course a variety of breads and bread products, but also several “hot” options, including house made sandwiches, quiche, or “pizza” slices.
Food from the market
Every market usually has at least one vendor with a rotisserie set up and meats sizzling. You can’t go wrong with whatever meat looks good to you, and if they have potatoes cooking in the meat dripping, you absolutely must get some of those, too. Add some fresh produce or artisan breads and you’ve got yourself a meal. And you absolutely have to get oranges! The absolutely juiciest, most delicious oranges I’ve ever had were in Southern France.
Marché Aux Fleurs: Cours Saleya, open every day except Monday
Cafés
There are numerous little cafés that offer small meals and a chance to get a drink and food while watching the crowds. Alternatively, you can visit one of the many eateries along the Promenade and eat on their section of the beach while enjoying the sun and waves.
Whatever you choose, find a seat on the beach, the Promenade des Anglais, in Le Jardin Albert I, or another green space or square for a relaxing meal.
Also read: Ten Things To Do and See in Nice
Food in Nice, France for Dinner
If you’re wondering where to eat in Nice for dinner,
I recommend Les Garcons. Their menu changes monthly, but when we were there, I had fettuccine in a camembert sauce, Matthew had duck, and we shared a pistachio crème brulee. Divine. You will also get the very French experience of the neighboring table being 8 inches from your own. Don’t think of it as cramped, think of it as European.
Les Garcons: 3 Rue Centrale
If you want to try a regional specialty (which, of course you do!) in a more laid back setting,
go to Chez Rene Socca for socca and pissaladiere. Socca is a pancake-like savory dish made from chickpea flour. I’ve really only seen it in this region and you should definitely try it. Pissaladiere is similar to pizza, with thicker crust and toppings like black olives and onions.
We had a great night at Chez Rene Socca. It has a fun, communal setting and is more like a food stand, where you place your order at the counter and then find a table to eat at on the sidewalk. Chez Theresa is also a popular socca spot.
This is some of the best food to eat in Nice because you get to experience the regional cuisine!
Address for Chez Rene Socca: 2, Rue Miralheti
Address for Chez Theresa: 28, rue Droite (open 9am-3pm)
What to Eat for Snacks and Dessert
Angea Nice: Any French patisserie (pastry shop) is cute by definition, but Angea Nice went next level with pink walls, mosaic tiles, and adorable pink and white seating. On top of that great decor, they have a variety of macarons. including a giant macaron sandwich stuffed with gelato. Suffice it to say, it’s worth a stop.
Address: 6, rue de la Poissonnerie
Fenocchio: Fenocchio is a gelato stand situated right in the heart of Old Town at Place Rossetti. The gelato is smooth and flavorful. (And popular. Don’t be surprised if there’s a line.)
Address: 2, Place Rossetti
Glacier Rossetti: Situated on the other side of Place Rossetti is this little stand that sells gelato (albeit with a slightly smaller selection) and crepes.
Address: Place Rossetti
Pro tip for if you’re feeling extra: If you are going the picnic route, or if you’re cooking dinner and need cheese to go with your home-cooked meal, instead of getting cheese from the grocery store, head into a fromagerie (a cheese shop) for the absolute best cheese. You can ask the fromager (cheese maker) for suggestions and recommendations and specify how big of a slice you would like. They’ll wrap it up in paper and the whole experience just feels – and tastes – so authentic.
Fromageries in Nice & near old town that I’ve been to and recommend:
La Ferme Fromagere: 3 Rue Maccarani
Lou Froumai: 4 Rue Sainte-Reparate
Via Latina: 12 Boulevard Jean Jaurès
Practical Information for Visiting Nice
Where to Stay
We loved our stay at this conveniently located hotel to Old Town and the Promenade des Anglais. It was within easy walking distance to everything you could need to do in Nice. It’s around the corner from a boulangerie AND a fromagerie (yesss!), and the rooms have mini-fridges in them (which isn’t a given in France), perfect for storing all the cheese and yogurt drinks you’re going to try!
Transportation
If you are staying within the city of Nice, your own two legs or the tram/bus system will be plenty for transportation around the city.
If you are doing to do day trips to surrounding cities and spots in nature, then you will need to take either the train or get a rental car. I do a full breakdown on what transportation option is best for which situation in my article about best things to do in Nice – head over there for all the details!
Final Thoughts
No matter what food in Nice, France you choose, you are going to eat so well. Happy eating!
Read more!
Our favorite things to do in Nice
Aix-en-Provence: The City of Fountains
What to Eat in Aix-en-Provence
Hiking the Calanques of Cassis
Visiting Pont du Gard: An Old Roman Aqueduct
Exploring the Sentier du Littoral of Antibes
Pin for later!
