Pwem

We will be in Nice for 3 nights in September. Have already booked La Merenda. Need restaurants for 2 more nights. What are your favorites for 100 euro (or less) for 2 with wine. Also, what is your favorite bar with a view where you can get a decent martini?

Underhill

Our favorite restaurant is L'Ecurie, a4 4, rue du Marché in Vieux Nice.

For a bar with a great view, head to the one atop the Le Meridien hotel. The margaritas were fine; so I imagine they can do a good martini as well.

KT_Tomlinson

Our favorite, along with La Merenda, was La Zucca Magica, on the waterfront
-- very, very casual and vegetarian, absolutely wonderful food
4, bis Quai Papacino 06048
Phone: 04 93 56 25 27
Fax: 04 93 26 59 76
[email protected]

Underhill

If you like seafood--LOTS of seafood--head over to the Café de Turin, near the modern-art museum. Friends of ours who live near Grasse introduced us to this restaurant, and it was excellent. Be sure to reserve, as it's a local favorite--and order the dark bread to accompany your shellfish.

Pwem

Thank you KT Tomlinson for the waterfront recommendation. Thank you Enderhill for the 2 suggestions. I have done some reading about Cafe de' Turin, but am a little put off because the shellfish is served raw. Is that true?

Underhill

Only if you want it served raw! Some people love those platters of raw oysters, winkles, and so on; I prefer mine cooked and so order things like mussels in wine and garlic broth. There's also fish of all sorts, and it comes cooked.

Patrick

I've had some great meals in Nice, including the all time great one at the Negresco years ago, but here's an entirely different thought.

I've had pizza all over Europe and the States. I've been to three of the "top" places in Naples, Italy (HOME of pizza), but I swear the best pizza I've ever had -- and did it twice -- is in Nice at a bustling place called simply PIZZA right on the main pedestrian street of the main part of the city (not in Old Nice). It's way under $100.

Weadles

Do you by any chance like Lebanese food? We had outstanding skewers, minced lamb meatballs, and salads at a small restaurant called YA HABIBI, 6 rue du Congress in Nice. The restaurant is just off the Promenade des Anglais, very close to The Westminster Hotel and the Palais de La Mediterranee. The bill was way under $100 w/wine, and really excellent! We also loved the music!

Pwem

Appreciate all of your replies thus far.
Underhill: you have me thinking about Cafe Turin now. How does it compare with L'Ecurie. Patrick: I'll do PIZZA for lunch. Weadles: I do like Lebanese, but Nice is the beginning of our trip so we're really ready for some good French cooking. Maybe if it was at the end of the vacation...

emcass

Great suggestions! We're leaving 9/1 for 4 weeks in Provence beginning with 4 days in Nice. My questions are: Can I wear nice but casual clothes to all of these restaurants? Do you think any of them require advance reservations?

Underhill

The two restaurants are very different. L'Ecurie has typical Niçoise food: pasta au pistou, farçis (small veggies stuffed with a meat and rice mixture, topped with a tomato coulis), lamb dishes and French/Italian cuisine in general. A chilled rosé from Bandol goes perfectly with the food. The restaurant also does wonderful pizzas. Sitting outside next to L'Ecurie makes for great people-watching (and shop-watching too; there are any number along the street).

The Café de Turin is strictly seafood, with many different choices. I think I like it best at lunch time, when all the Niçois jam in for the shellfish platters.

Outside of Nice at the relatively tourst-undiscovered port of St-Laurent-du-Var is a seaside restaurant called Le St-Laurent. The menu emphasizes seafood but has other dishes, and it's very pleasant for lunch.

Intex

How did you book La Merende, last time it was walkin only. It is super casual and extremely small, but a favorite of ours.

Pwem

Underhill: Thanks for the additional info on your favorites. We are sure to visit at least one of them.
Intex: I emailed my hotel (Le Grimaldi) and asked them to make a reservation at La Merenda. They kindly obliged, and obtained a 7:00 sitting.

jh6000

Hi,Pwem,

Stayed at Le Grimaldi 4 years ago and really liked the hotel, location and proprietors. You should have a wonderful stay.

Besides La merenda, two restaurants we enjoyed were:

Restaurant LE SAFARI
1, cours saleya
06 000 NICE
Tel : 04 93 80 18 44
Fax : 04 93 62 62 14

Restaurant La Tapenade
6, Rue Sainte Réparate
tel. +33-4 93 80 65 63

Happy travels.

John H.

Pwem

John H: Thanks for the suggestions.

KT_Tomlinson

We also stayed at Le Grimaldi and really enjoyed it. Nice but casual clothes would definitely work for Le Merenda, Le Safari and Zucca Magica. Make sure you go to the Cours Saleya flower market and get socca (chickpea crepes) from Therese' stand. You'll love Nice, as well as the rest of Provence. We head back there in October and I'm already counting the weeks!
KT