39 Best Restaurants in The French Riviera, France

Popular with both locals and expats, the four restaurants at the Paul Augier Hospitality and Tourism School, attended by 1,200 pupils and apprentices, serve lunch weekdays and dinner some evenings—and everything is prepared by aspiring young chefs. The fifth-floor La Rotonde is the most sophisticated and expensive of the three restaurants, but, still, the set lunch menu is just €35 without drinks, and set dinner menus start at €40. Note, though, that reservations are by email only.

When you've had enough of the “catch of the day" and need a good old dose of red meat—in various cuts, from rump steak to rib to sirloin XXL—this restaurant in old Antibes is the place to go. The selection includes black Angus American, Australian, or Irish beef as well as veal, chicken, and foie gras, and it's all overseen by Nicolas Rondell, head chef at the Michelin-starred Pecheurs in the Cap. You can even read about where your meat was raised, as well as its breed, age, and feeding methods. If all of this is too much, you can order pasta—you know where that comes from.

The menu at this bistro overlooking the main square in the heart of Vence evolves every two weeks to the beat of the seasons and features modern takes on French and Mediterranean classics. Try the melt-in-your-mouth lamb shank confit with rosemary, mashed truffle potatoes, and candied carrots. The hand cut frites are freshly made that morning and totally moreish. The outdoor terrace buzzes in summer and the interior has contemporary styling.

This retro restaurant opened when luxe hotel Les Roches Rouges was transformed by French hotelier Valéry Grégo, and it has since picked up one Michelin star. The dinner-only menu is dedicated to inventive regional dishes, which head chef José Bailly bases on La Cuisine Provençale de la Tradition Populaire, a 1963 cookbook of traditional recipes by René Jouveau.

Chef Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen is the first South African to be awarded a Michelin star, which he earned within two years of opening his namesake restaurant in the port. Because of this, it can be tough to get reservations to sample a menu that might feature such innovative dishes as veal cheeks, potatoes dauphinoise, potato puree, trumpet mushrooms, foie gras, and lavender mayonnaise. For the record, the bread, ice cream, and sorbet are all homemade; the eggs and milk are organic; and Jan Hendrik grows his own vegetables, fruits, and herbs.

It's hard to believe that this tranquil island is only 20 minutes from Cannes by boat, and that it's the location of a scenic, 19th-century restaurant run by monks from the Île St-Honorat monastery alongside chef Mathias Metge. You're here for the views; although the menu focuses on very fresh grilled fish, prices seem aimed at the stars (literally), and service reflects a "we're the only restaurant on the island" attitude. There is a vegan option, and cheeseburgers also on the menu.  Take the opportunity to sample the wines, liqueurs, and eaux-de-vie that are produced by the island's busy monks.

Since 1887, this café, bar, and restaurant has been a vibrant part of port life. Its famous red terrace offers a front-row seat to the glamorous comings and goings of St-Tropez, enabling you to people-watch while enjoying a coffee and a slice of the famed nougat. Peruse the dinner menu while sipping a St-Tropez spritz, with grapefruit liquor and pureed raspberries. It's open daily for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, and big nights out.

In a city where style often wins out over substance, food lovers treasure this Suquet eatery run by Noël Mantel, who, among other top-notch jobs, worked with Ducasse at Louis XV in Monaco. The contemporary setting harmonizes with the exquisitely detailed Mediterranean cuisine on the seasonal menus.

For more than 50 years, celebs holidayed and dined at Cap Estel in Èze, a private 2-hectare peninsula with all-encompassing views of the Med. And now, with chef Patrick Raingeard, whose produce comes directly from the hotel’s garden, the dining here can’t get any better. Start with the asparagus salad with creamy cauliflower and wild truffles, followed by the Charolais beef fillet à la Parillada in a “Los Lobos” red-wine sauce served with a potato-and-truffle cake. Finish it off with a banana soufflé. Vegetarian options are also available. Lunch set menus are a good value.