12 delicious local foods to try in Nice

If you’re anything like me, the first thing you do when planning a vacation is look up the best places to eat.

And when it comes to food, the French know what’s up.

If you’re looking to tantalize your taste buds with some new and interesting French foods, Nice is the place to be.

Unsure what foods to eat in Nice?

Lucky for you, I’ve compiled a list of some of my favorite French Riviera foods for you to try during your next visit! 

From succulent seafood and creamy cheeses to famous local favorites, there’s something for everyone to enjoy in this beautiful city by the sea!

Socca

Socca is a crispy chickpea pancake that you can find on the streets of Nice, and it’s what I’m craving right now just thinking about it.

This savory snack is popular throughout southern France, so you’ll be able to find it at many of your favorite spots around town.

It’s cooked in a cast-iron skillet with just olive oil, salt, and pepper.

It’s got the perfect amount of slight crunch on the outside, with a soft, fluffy center.

The best part? It takes less than 30 minutes to whip up at home!

Ratatouille

Ratatouille, (and no, not the Disney movie), is a famous mix of cooked vegetables, such as eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini and bell peppers.

It’s what I imagine the easiest to make gourmet dish would be.

This classic Provençal dish has been around for years and is what I like to think of as a staple in all French kitchens.

You can find it served cold or warm, and it’s what I’d recommend if you’re looking for a light but satisfying meal.

Another great thing about ratatouille? It can be made in advance and eaten hot or cold all week long!

It’s what I like to call the perfect “meal prep” dish.

Pissaladière

Any time someone asks me what to eat in Nice, this is one of the first things I suggest to them.

Pissaladière is what we would consider an “upscale” pizza.

The crust is made of bread dough, so it has a nice flaky crispness on the bottom but it’s what I call “pillowy” on top since it doesn’t have that normal crunchiness of a regular pizza crust.

The luxurious toppings are what really make this dish stand out, though.

It has a base made of dough, with caramelized onions, ripe tomatoes, fresh thyme, olive oil, black olives, anchovies and sometimes capers for an extra little hint of salt. It can be served either hot or cold, so you could even have it for breakfast if the mood struck.

For what is essentially a bunch of ingredients thrown together on top of bread dough, this dish is incredibly complex in its flavors.

It’s what I like to call the French version of an “open-faced pizza” and what you need to try while vacationing in Nice.

It’s what I love about French food – what seems like an unlikely combination of things somehow comes together to create what I consider the perfect bite.

Salade niçoise

Salade niçoise is what I’d consider the “perfect” summer salad, and another must try food you must eat while in Nice.

From what I can tell, it has what seems like an endless combination of ingredients that all come together to create what you’ll find to be a very light and refreshing dish.

Although fresh tuna isn’t what you’d exactly say is super cheap, what it lacks in affordability it more than makes up for in flavor.

The tuna is what I consider to be the star of this dish, so don’t skimp on buying the best quality you can find.

You’ll also need ripe tomatoes, boiled new potatoes, Nicoise or kalamata olives, large green beans, hard-boiled eggs, and what I consider to be the “cherry on top,” anchovies.

For what seems like a salad that has way too many components, it’s actually one of the easiest to make!

Although this salad derives from this sunny city on the French Riviera (hence the name), it can be found in just about any restaurant or cafe all throughout France.

Petits farcis

These provençal stuffed vegetables are what I like to think of as the perfect comfort food.

They’re what I’d consider what you should order when in Nice… especially if you’re trying to be healthy but still want something that feels very satisfying.

Each little “stuffed” vegetable has its own flavor and brings with it a variety of textures, so they make for what I consider to be the best bite.

Although you can order these served either hot or cold, what’s great about them is that they’re also very easy to make at home!

You don’t even need a recipe; just chop up what you like (I would recommend using whatever vegetables are in season) and mix it with what I think makes the best stuffing for this dish: bread crumbs, garlic, onion and a dash of thyme.

Throw it in a baking dish with what you consider to be the “cherry on top” – grated cheese – and what you have is what I consider to be one of the most satisfying French dishes!

Pan bagnat

Pan bagnat is what I consider to be what you should order if you’re looking for a light but satisfying meal in Nice.

This what I like to call the “beach sandwich” can be served hot or cold, so it’s what I’d recommend even if you’re not staying close by the beach and want something to hold you over from lunch until dinner.

It starts with the most essential ingredient that makes up a good sandwich – a crusty baguette.

Next, top it with the “cherry on top” of this dish: ripe Niçoise olives, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, and what really makes this an A+ dish in my book – canned tuna.

Once you have all the main components of what makes a good pan bagnat, what you need to do is dress it up with what the French call “aïoli” – garlic mayonnaise.

Et voila!

Daube niçoise

This hearty stew is a popular type of comfort food in Nice.

Daube is a traditional Niçoise beef stew cooked in red wine, mixed with potatoes and often cooked carrots or celery.

This beef stew is most often eaten in the winter months, but it’s still a delicious meal option for when you’re still craving comfort food during the summer.

If you’re looking for a tasty, hearty yet satisfying dish, look no further than the potatoes and daubed beef!

Tourte aux blettes

Although this dish is considered to be a type of traditional French food, it has an unexpected twist.

Instead of the usual potatoes and cheese, this dish uses Swiss chard to get its unique flavor.

Tourte aux blettes is made from: bread crumbs, raisins and what gives it its Swiss chard flavor – diced apples. This pie is then topped off with an unlikely ingredient that adds that unique twist – Swiss cheese.

The Swiss cheese not only gives this a surprisingly different take on what you usually find as traditional French food, but I’d also say that what makes it so surprising is how much flavor there is with each bite.

This sweet and savory combination is perfect for a good taste of traditional French food with a modern twist.

Ganses

Ganses is a type of cake that’s very popular in the south of France, most notably in Nice, usually at carnivals or festivals.

Ganses is also known as beignets de carnaval, or “carnival doughnuts”.

They are made with choux pastry and then deep fried, giving them a fluffy, melt in your mouth texture. The Ganses are then lightly sprinkled with powdered sugar and served.

Though these delicious treats can be found almost anywhere in France, what distinguishes the Ganses found in Nice versus the rest of France is their distinct orange floral flavor.

Ganses in Nice are often made with orange marmalade inside, giving them a sweet and slightly bitter taste.

Moules et Frites

Moules et frites, or mussels and fries, are a common dish found in Nice.

Moules, also known as mussels, are a traditional seafood from the Nice area and are what you’d typically find at a classic French bistro in the area.

What’s great about moules is that they’re inexpensive yet flavorful, making them the perfect meal option for seafood lovers on a budget like me.

They are typically served with fries, hence the frites, which just adds to what makes this dish so special.

Les huitres

Oysters are a staple dish all throughout France, but most commonly along the coast.

Nice is probably one of the best places to order fresh oysters, due to their location by the sea offering plenty of fresh oysters to choose from.

Oysters are commonly eaten in France during the Christmas holidays, as the winter is when they are most in season.

Don’t be surprised to see this dish at holiday dinners this Christmas, but if you can’t make it to France in the wintertime, don’t worry – they are available all year round!

Rosé

Rosé all day, baby!

Rosé and the French Riviera go together like peanut butter and jelly.

It’s the one thing that you can find almost anywhere in Nice – from bars to cafes to restaurants to wine shops.

What makes rosé so special is that it’s a very versatile drink, you can get cheap bottles while still having good quality wine, or even splurge on a high-end bottle and have some truly exquisite drinks.

In the summertime on the French Riviera, it’s basically mandatory to order rosé when spending time outside or at the beach – it just goes too well with everything good about the summer, especially spending time with friends on the Promenade.

If you’re visiting the French Riviera, expect to eat well. The French Riviera is a foodie’s paradise. There are plenty of famous dishes that originated here and it’s hard to pick just one favorite!

From seafood to cheese, from desserts and wine to the most famous dish of all time- the croissant- there are plenty of tasty opportunities waiting for you when you visit this beautiful region.

Which dish will you try first?