| Cheap Car Rental Nice | | | | starter (entree), then a main course (plat principal), |
| Restaurants in Nice range from cheap and cheerful to | | | | then a pudding (dessert). It could also be a starter |
| Michelin-starred. If your hotel or apartment is in the | | | | and a main OR a main and a pudding plus a glass of |
| centre of Nice or Old Town, you will have a wide | | | | wine. There are a few 2-course menus on offer too, |
| choice of where to eat in Nice all within walking | | | | usually starter plus main OR main plus pudding, I've |
| distance, not including the hundreds of fast-food | | | | seen some offering a quarter pichet of wine instead |
| cafes and bars and numerous boulangeries. | | | | of a pudding. there's so many combinations, it pays |
| Most of the restaurants listed have been reviewed in | | | | to have a good look around and often by ordering |
| detail on my pages. For individual reviews, please click | | | | two different sets of combinations from the same |
| on the photos or 'more info' or use the dropdown | | | | restaurant you can feed 2 adults and a child for the |
| menu on the left. | | | | price of just 2 set menu. |
| For restaurant locations, use - enter the road name, | | | | We have done this quite successfully, the daughter |
| 'Nice' and 'France' for a good, printable map. A road | | | | has had my starter and pudding, I've just had a main |
| number will pinpoint the restaurant precisely. | | | | course and the husband has had a starter and main |
| The restaurants we return to every time are (in no | | | | and the wine option instead of pudding, so for the |
| order) La Tapenade, Chez Palmyre, Bar de la Bourse, | | | | cost of two set menus plus the carafe d'eau we've |
| Chez Juliette, La Grange, Rene Socca, La Barque | | | | all been fed and watered. The french verb for |
| Bleue and La Colombe d'Or (St Paul de Vence). If we | | | | sharing is partager. Sometimes with a child, you can |
| could brook the expense, I should like to return to La | | | | ask for a plate, une assiete, and say 'ont partage' - |
| Petite Maison, Le Comptoir, Le Tire Bouchon and my | | | | 'we are sharing' |
| new favourite, Jouni de la Reserve. I have so many | | | | If you do want the set 2 or 3 course 'menu' or |
| places I haven't written about yet with an equal | | | | 'formule', make sure the waiter knows this and order |
| number on my to-do list. | | | | all the courses at the beginning, including the pudding |
| I have been writing up my restaurant tips in since | | | | if you can cope with this, as we have been charged |
| September 2003 so expect some changes like | | | | invididually for items as though they were 'a la carte' |
| increased prices; I have made a few amendments, | | | | and have paid a lot more, especially as we tend to |
| not all. | | | | share out two formules between the three of us. |
| Most of my tips are based on restaurants as | | | | The words 'a volonte' on the menu mean 'eat as |
| opposed to fast-food kiosks and boulangeries. I will | | | | much as you want' ie you can keep re-ordering the |
| be recommending these places in due course - they | | | | same dish at no extra cost. One of the restaurants |
| often provide the freshest food and the best price - | | | | on the far side of Nice Port offers mussels a volonte. |
| superb for picnics. | | | | Also, on the Cours Saleya, the restaurant Bistro |
| There is a free guide to the restaurants in Nice from | | | | Romain offers carpaccio of beef or salmon a volonte. |
| the | | | | Carpaccio is thin-sliced raw meat or fish, usually |
| Tourist Office They can send it to your home | | | | served drizzed with plenty of olive oil and sometimes |
| address before your trip to Nice. Not every | | | | parmesan shavings too. |
| restaurant is listed, but it gives you a good start with | | | | By the way, something else I've noticed. I love the |
| addresses and telephone numbers; ask for the free | | | | Nicoise Salads but they often appear on the menus |
| map too. | | | | as an 'entree' or starter. I've been worried about |
| I am always on the look-out for great places to eat | | | | choosing it for my main course as I used to think it |
| in Nice, especially if they are close to my studio ie | | | | may be rather small. This has never been a problem, |
| within walking distance of the Port area. Please email | | | | I have ordered these entree salads at many |
| me your recommendations - I'm after good quality | | | | different restaurants now and, so far, they have all |
| AND value. Better still, join the website - it's free and | | | | easily been main-course sized. So if you see |
| add your tips for everyone to share. | | | | something on the entree list that you would like by |
| Tips for eating in restaurants | | | | itself for your main course, just order it, I'm sure it |
| Good idea to book in advance, the day before or | | | | will be enough. It also explained to me why some of |
| even the same morning will probably do, either pop in | | | | the entrees seemed so high in price; they really are |
| or telephone. | | | | main-course sized portions. |
| It's an early start for lunch - get seated at 12 noon, | | | | If one person orders an entree or starter as their |
| 12:30pm at the latest to get the restaurant of your | | | | main course and another person orders a main |
| choice but don't expect to eat before 7.30 - 8 pm in | | | | course, make sure your waiter knows to serve both |
| the evenings. | | | | at the same time or you will take turns to watch |
| Address the waiter/waitress as 'Monsieur' or | | | | each other eat. We have been caught out this way a |
| 'Madame', never 'Garcon' - this is now out of date | | | | couple of times. The French for 'together' is |
| and considered very impolite. Start off with | | | | 'ensemble'. |
| 'Excusez-moi' or 's'il vous plait' to attract attention. | | | | If you see a pudding you fancy, it is ok to reserve it |
| Ordering a carafe d'eau gets you free tap water - | | | | at the start of the meal - the popular puddings |
| they prefer (obviously) to sell you a bottle of water- | | | | disappear rapidly so have a look in the display counter |
| usually the sparkling Badoit - we've paid up to 3,50 | | | | if you get the chance. |
| euros for half a bottle. If you want the free water, | | | | Don't expect a children's menu, although I have |
| ask very clearly for the carafe, if you just ask for | | | | noticed an increase in restaurants offering them and |
| water, you'll be given a choice of fizzy 'gaz' or still | | | | many restaurants won't serve half-portions for |
| 'sans gaz' and then you will feel too intimidated to | | | | children, although they are usually happy enough to |
| then ask for the free carafe, so get the words out | | | | give a empty plate so that a child can share bits |
| first! | | | | from the adult. Don't forget you nearly always get a |
| Some restaurants will offer an aperitif first, so unless | | | | basket of French bread with every meal so this, plus |
| you want pre-meal drinks, often a 'kir' (white wine | | | | perhaps an extra plate of chips is enough for two |
| and cassis) be ready to say no, just the menu please. | | | | adults sharing their food with a child. |
| Alternatively, order your wine to come straight | | | | In Nice there will be something a child will like - pasta |
| away, but if the service is slow, you may end up | | | | and pizza is always a good bet. Be careful ordering a |
| ordering a second bottle. | | | | burger though as you will need to specify how you |
| A cheap way to order glugging wine is to order a | | | | like it cooked or it will arrive quite pink in the middle. |
| pitchet - this is a jug with the local house wine, can | | | | My daughter will eat pink beef but other children may |
| often be good.A pichet is a litre, half a pitchet is half | | | | be put off. |
| a litre, etc. | | | | Don't be fooled by the word 'pate' on the menus, it |
| We have found beer to be extremely expensive in | | | | means pasta and not what I think of as pate - thick |
| Nice, up to 8 euros a glass. I would stick to the | | | | fatty meat paste. I think there may be a crucial |
| house wine and a carafe of water to get the best | | | | accent or two missing, but you get the idea. |
| value from restaurants. Buy beer from the local | | | | The french for medium is 'a point' , 'bien-cuit' is well |
| supermarket and enjoy it at your hotel or apartment | | | | done or 'pas bien cuit' - NOT well done should sort |
| before you head off to a restaurant. | | | | out a steak. 'Bleu' or 'saignant' means still mooing (or |
| When you buy beer in a restaurant, there are | | | | neighing) |
| different ways to order it, often you ask for a | | | | 'service compris' sometimes written at the bottton of |
| 'pression' which is draught beer, either a | | | | the bill as 'sc' - now on all menus (I think it is |
| 'demi-pression'- half a litre or a 'formidable' - a litre, | | | | compulsory now) means service, at 17.5%, is included. |
| the name says it all. Or, order bottled beer by brand. | | | | We usually still leave a tip, but not as much as we |
| What you might consider to be the menu ie the list | | | | used to and certainly not the usual 10-15% you might |
| of food is called 'La Carte' and not Le Menu. Le Menu | | | | add to a UK restaurant bill. Really, an acceptable tip is |
| refers to a set-price meal of two or three, | | | | the change in your pocket up to about 1 or 2 euros. |
| sometimes 4 courses. This is also known as the | | | | For exceptionally poor service, leaving just 1 cent as |
| 'formule'. A daily special, the 'plat du jour' or dish of | | | | a tip is more effective than no tip! If you have |
| the day may be chalked up somewhere. The | | | | exceptional service, then leave whatever you want. |
| 'formule' or 'menu' with or without the 'plat du jour' | | | | Put any extra tip on the tray with the bill and not |
| will be displayed with the ordinary Carte, often on a | | | | directly to the waiter which would be considered a |
| separate piece of paper or chalked up somewhere. | | | | bit vulgar. |
| Ask, if you don't see it as it often gives the best | | | | A coffee after a meal will always be an espresso |
| value, certainly much cheaper than ordering a la carte. | | | | unless you specify otherwise. I've recently started |
| The plat du jour will be freshly made and the best | | | | asking for a cafe 'americain' which is an espresso |
| item to order; this is often as good a way as any | | | | topped up with hot water, the same price |
| when choosing a restaurant; when you're strolling | | | | (USUALLY, but I have been caught out a couple of |
| past a group of restaurants, just go for whatever | | | | times) but lasts a bit longer. Also called a 'cafe |
| plat du jour takes your fancy. | | | | allonge'. Espressos seem to cost between 1,50 - 2,30 |
| Usually the formule or menu will give a choice of 2 or | | | | euros,once you start on Cappucinos, the prices start |
| 3 items for each course so you can usually put | | | | to creep up, expect to pay around 4- 5 euros. |
| together something you'll like. Sometimes a coffee or | | | | Non-smokers (like us). All I can say is, try and sit |
| a glass of wine or a drink ('boisson') will be part of | | | | outside. You will be in the minority and deeply |
| the formule or set-price menu sometimes as an | | | | unpopular if you make a fuss or expect a |
| alternative to a pudding. For example, a typical | | | | non-smoking section. I know this is the cowardly way |
| 3-course menu may offer a Salade Nicoise or Beignet | | | | out but who wants to antagonise the staff before a |
| Sardines (battered sardines) as a first course or | | | | meal? |
| entree, then a choice of gnocchi and daube (Italian | | | | We have noticed an increase in the number of |
| dumplings and stew), or Spagetti Bolognaise or | | | | wandering musicians, particularly near the touristy |
| moules frite (chips and mussels) as a second or main | | | | restaurants in the Old Town. They start playing near |
| course - plat principal and then ice-cream, creme | | | | you, and believe me after a couple of nights, you |
| caramel or the patisserie maison (cake or pastry of | | | | know the repertoire and order of play. You are then |
| the day) as the third course or pudding - dessert. | | | | asked for money. It's up to you, give if you want, I |
| This will cost on average between 12 and 20 euros | | | | do sometimes. I never buy from the hawkers who |
| per head for the 3 courses at most of the touristy | | | | plant cigarette lighters and other items on your table |
| restaurants in and around the Old Town. | | | | then come back to close the sale. There are also |
| It's worth having a good look around at the various | | | | tumblers and beggers, if you want to avoid all this |
| set courses on offer, not only is it the best value, | | | | then eat inside the restaurant or go to the local off |
| you can aften find a combination that suits, for | | | | the tourist track restaurants instead. |
| example, a 3-course menu for 12 euros could be a | | | | |
