Cannes may be more famous for its film festival than its food, but it’s a close race. Our guide will help you find the best restaurants in Cannes, much of it served with wonderful views over the Mediterranean.
La Palme d’Or, which often holds the top spot on lists of Cannes’ best restaurants, is on the first floor of the Martinez Hotel. It opened in 1985 and has won many awards since – it’s the only restaurant in Cannes with two Michelin stars. Naturally, this comes at a premium price and reservations are required. If you are looking for more affordable luxury, you might choose the five-plate lunch menu, which costs around €80 and is a great way to sample chef Christian Sinicropi’s menu. Choose between eating at the beautiful indoor restaurant or out on the terrace.
Aux Bons Enfants is a great place to enjoy traditional French food. Reservations must be made in person and the owner, Luc Giorsetti, doesn’t accept credit cards, but all of this somehow adds to the atmosphere of the place. Expect stews (particularly the local Provençal beef stew called Daube) and local seafood. The menu changes frequently, and is largely based on what’s available at the market. This restaurant is small and often packed, but it’s a firm favourite of local foodies, who swing by on their way to and from the market.
‘Bobo’ is a term coined by journalist David Brooks meaning ‘bohemian bourgeois’, and the crowd that Cannes’ Bobo Bistro draws in is as stylish as the name suggests. With its floral wallpaper, retro furnishings and fantastic organic food, this is a fashionable haunt for local urbanites. It consistently ranks highly for its atmosphere and food with a laid-back approach to service.
Like La Palme d’Or, restaurant Le Park 45 is attached to a hotel (Le Grand Hotel) and – also like Palme d’Or – it has received many awards since its opening. The view from the restaurant itself is superb and newly arrived chef Christophe Poard, from Paris, has injected new energy into the cooking. Le Park 45 serves a four-course vegetarian menu, which is unusual for French restaurants.
This simple bistro sells uncomplicated food of excellent quality. Provençal staples make up the menu, but dishes have a Cannes twist in preparation and presentation. The modern art lining the walls reflects the subtle touches of modernity in the dishes, while the menu is as lively as the restaurant itself, changing several times a week. People who like their surroundings vibrant and their ingredients local will find this bistro to be one of the best; vegetables come straight from nearby Marché Forville. UK newspaper The Telegraph calls this place ‘a classic Provençal bistro – simple, bustling, friendly and rather brighter than most’.
Among the winding streets of the old quarter of Cannes, Le Suquet, you’ll find Table 22. Chef Noël Mantel, who trained with Alain Ducasse, works hard with his wife to provide local cuisine that keeps regulars wanting more. The tapas-style nibbles at apéritif time are just what you need to take the edge off your hunger until dinner is served. The restaurant’s rack of lamb and the catch of the day are both popular choices, cooked up with whatever’s in season from the local Marché Forville.
The Brouette de Grand’mère is a bijou place that only serves one menu option for the price of €46, despite recently expanding. For that, you’ll get a welcome drink and some starters to share. Next, you’ll be served a salmon starter followed by a vodka shot. For mains, there is a selection of five local Provençal dishes with a choice of dessert to follow. Half a bottle of wine per person is included in the cost. Established in 1977, the décor is traditional and the service friendly.
Located near the Marché Forville, this restaurant – run by chefs Magali and Steven Trucco – offers unfussy Provençal cooking. Working with traditional dishes, the Toque d’Or chefs are garnering great reviews for taking their food in a new, modern direction. Try a plate of sea bass prepared in two different ways, or vegetable-stuffed conchiglioni pasta. The hollow chocolate sphere is a popular dessert, too.
People love this small restaurant for many reasons. Firstly, La Table du Chef is cosy, with just 20 covers. Secondly, the service is great and the wine list good. Thirdly, it’s reasonably priced for the quality of the food, which can be a rarity in Cannes. Finally, and most importantly, chef Bruno Gensdarm changes the menu depending on what produce is in season and and cooks it with understated elegance. Think creamy lentils with shrimp or sea bass with ginger-spiked carrot purée. Just make sure you book first.
Le Grain de Sel is one of the few highly rated restaurants in Cannes that serves food all day. Try the half-cooked foie gras or the celery cannelloni with Granny Smith apples and eel. The dinner menu includes Asian-inspired food, such as gyoza dumplings and beef tataki. This is a great place to enjoy a more cosmopolitan menu in Cannes.
