Famous Food Dishes

France is known for its cuisine, but some of France's more famous dishes, like boeuf à la bourguignonne or crêpes Suzette have no place here on the riviera, where the emphasis is placed on fresh seafood and local produce.

Local Delicacies

Food on the riviera actually more strongly resembles northern Italian food, in some ways, than it does the heavy French food you may find to the north. Here, emphasis is placed, not on butter and cream, but on the local delicacies. Here, you will find local olive oil, cheese?especially goat's cheese, produce, herbes de Provence and tiny brown Nicois olives, all of which are used in the local cuisine.

Bouillabaisse

Bouillabaisse is a fish stew that originally comes from Marseille. Bouillabaisse contains various kinds of fish and shellfish, and while no two versions are exactly alike, every chef swears by his own and scoffs at variations. Typical ingredients include scorpionfish (rascasse), sea robin (grondin), conger (congre), monkfish (lotte), sea urchins, mussels, crab and octopus, along with aromatics, potatoes and saffron. The soup is traditionally served with croutons and rouille, a garlic butter whose literal translation?rust--comes from the red pepper that is added and gives it its color. The broth is usually served in one bowl, with the fish and croutons served separately so that the diner can assemble his own bowl of soup.

Soupe de Poissons

Soupe de poissons, quite literally, fish soup, is another traditional seafood dish on the riviera. This soup, however, is puréed and usually doesn't contain as much variety: a few kinds of white fish are used to make a broth that is then cooked with aromatics, tomatoes and some cream and then puréed. Soupe de poissons is traditionally served with croutons and rouille, like bouillabaisse, but soupe de poissons is also usually served with grated cheese on the side. This soup has become so integrated in the lives of people on the riviera that it is sold bottled in the grocery store for a quick dinnertime option.

Salade Nicoise

Summertime sees salade Nicoise?salad from Nice?on every restaurant menu. The salad is a salade composée, which in French means that it is served as a meal. Salade Nicoise is traditionally made up of tuna, tomatoes, green beans, Nicois olives, boiled new potatoes and, of course, vinaigrette.

Pissaladière

Pissaladière has been publicized as Nicois pizza: this concoction is made up of caramelized onions, anchovies and Nicois olives arranged atop pizza crust. Various herbs and spices, including herbes de Provence, are used in flavoring this pungent dish, which is available at many street stands, in much the same way that the ubiquitous pizza slice is available in the States.

Socca

Socca is a sort of Provencal crêpe, made with chickpea flour and olive oil. Socca is baked on a flat pan and then served with black pepper. Socca is sold as street food in Nice from stands in and around the old quarter.