Restaurants:

Top Price:

Le Chantecler at the Negresco Hotel.

37, Promenade des Anglais, Tel: 04 93 16 64 00

12 – 2.30 and 7-10.30pm daily

Two Michelin stars……

But around €40 for lunch (€55 including wine) although double that in the evenings.

Memorable food for special occasions. Excellent reputation; Old fashioned, rather formal service and ambience.

Mid Price:

L’Acchiardo

38 Rue Droite (at the far end of Cours Saleya, Old Town)

Tel: 04 93 85 51 16

Noon-1.30, and 7-9.30pm  Mon- Fri and Sat lunch.

No Frills – a good family run small restaurant. The plat du jour is well worth having. Reasonably priced wines.

Le Safari

Cours Saleya, at the far end, north side.

A better than average general restaurant on the market place.Well known for seafood. Need to book in the evenings for tables inside, in the winter – very pleasant ambiance and service. 

La Rotonde at the Negresco

37, Promenade des Anglais.

Open all day, until late. No need to book.

Brasserie-type menu in completely over-the-top fairground setting, with automatons working at intervals. Food from the Chantecler kitchens – pasta excellent. Worth a trip, if only for the trip to the loos, via the Negresco salons, with largest Baccarat chandelier in the world and huge Aubusson carpets.

Brasserie Flo

4, Rue S Guitry (Behind Galeries Lafayette)

Tel: 04 93 13 38 38

€9.50 to €28. Open until 1am.

Large traditional French Brasserie, in converted theatre, with kitchens on the stage.

Excellent traditional service, and well known for seafood. Good Prix fixé lunchtime menu.

Lower Price:

Le Tire Bouchon

Rue de la Prefecture, just behind the Cours Saleya, old Town.

Tiny, family run place about 8 feet wide, but with an additional room behind, if full.

Very good value cheaper menus, South West France cuisine, friendly.

La Merenda

4 Rue de la Terrasse (turn left just before the Cours Saleya )

No telephone!  No Credit cards!

Tiny place with traditional Nicoise cuisine, run by Dominique le Stanc, who was head chef at the Chantecler.  Closed weekends and school holidays.  €25-30.

Definitely need to book, but call in late morning, see what’s on the (hand written) menu and stay for lunch.

Grand Café de Turin (and Petit Turin)

Place Garibaldi, top end of the Old Town.

A Nice institution, and as French as it gets.

Specialist Seafood restaurant, serving only Crustaces-Oysters, Oursins, Crevettes, Crabs, Lobsters and many others yet to be identified- but NOT fish!

Very high quality food in basic surroundings – rows of tables. Most shellfish sold by the half or whole dozen. All 3 sizes of Crevettes are superb. Go for Fine Claire Oysters if a novice…  Surprisingly reasonable prices.

Bars:

Queenie

Next door to the Palais. Despite the name, a very pleasant bar, reasonably priced snacks and music in the evenings. Football available on TV during the day…

Klomp

Rue Ste Reparate, old town, just past the Cathedrale Sainte Reparate.

Large Dutch-run bar with live bands, vast range of beers – table service.

Good quality groups playing middle of the road music in the early evening – 9 til midnight.  Younger crowd after midnight.

Waynes (Bar / Restaurant)

15, Rue de la Prefecture, Old Town

Run by UK ex-pat Wayne. Always full. Mainly English/American food - very good value. Live music every evening (mainly rock). Major sports events on big screen. Internet Access. Open daily, 10am to after midnight...

Subway

19 Rue Droite, Old Town

Soul and Rock music, club atmosphere. Not overpriced.