Cannes is known for wonderful restaurants, and its seafood options are no exception. Whether you’re looking for a casual waterfront café or somewhere to blow the budget on oysters and champagne, here’s our pick of the best that Cannes has to offer.
Fire up your fish at BFire by Maura Colagreco
Hotel Restaurant, Restaurant, French, Argentina, $$$
BFire is a new restaurant concept by Maura Colagreco at the Hôtel Barrière Le Majestic on Canne’s main promenade in Cannes. With views of the Mediterranean to die for, this is a restaurant that cooks your food à la Argentinian – over the fire. The menu changes daily, offering a couple of choices for each course, such as scallops or fresh fish. This is a place that is as happy to serve you in the restaurant as it is to bring you delicious smoky food directly to your beach lounger.
O’Key Beach is the perfect casual dining spot at the water’s edge. It’s located on the western side of Cannes, in the next bay along from La Croisette, and just past the old neighbourhood of Le Suquet. It has a private beach with a pontoon and a shady restaurant specialising in seafood and fresh fish, cooked simply. Try their seafood linguine pasta dish or their grilled fish of the day with sardines. Check out the restaurant’s Facebook page for up-to-date recipes and news.
Astoux et Brun has been serving seafood and fresh fish in Cannes since 1953. They open for lunch and dinner but you can buy fresh seafood from their shop throughout the day. They’re popular in Cannes for fresh fish (sea bass or salmon, for example), prawns and oysters. They have menus in English, Italian and German as well as an outdoor terrace. To find out the dish of the day, check their Facebook page. The atmosphere here is modern but traditional with friendly service and great wine.
Le Caveau 30 is a restaurant that prides itself on its seafood as much as its clientele – it proudly displays pictures of Brad Pitt and George Clooney, who have both been here. Despite this, prices might not always break the bank – mains start at just under €30. The restaurant serves all the local fish you’d expect but also prides itself on its bouillabaisse (the local fish stew from the city of Marseille) and Spanish paella. It’s a big place, seating over 80 people, and can get very busy.
Le Voilier in Cannes is a great all-round restaurant. They serve food all day and the location on La Croisette, at the foot of the famous Carlton Hotel, is ideal for people watching. While the menu is varied enough to suit most tastes – this is a tourist favourite – it has some great seafood choices. Fish soup to start and fresh salmon and seabass for mains as well as cod broth or spicy seabream. With a set menu starting at €20, it won’t break the bank either. It’s a good choice if you want to be in the thick of the action but don’t want to pay over-the-top prices.
La Cabane de l’Écailler is definitely the most upmarket restaurant on this list – and for good reason. It’s super chic and super expensive. This restaurant is a little outside of Cannes, but has a reputation that is worth the distance. It has an oyster and champagne bar as well as comfy tables where you can order the simpler dégustation (tasting) menu, which is priced at around €20 (to try a little of everything) or, if your wallets are deep, choose the ‘Menu Cabane’ at closer to €100 with oysters, mussels, lobsters and prawns – the latter is simply divine. La Cabane de l’Écailler is so good, it has several branches along the Riviera. The restaurant shuts early on Sunday (at 3pm) and is closed on Mondays. Check Facebook before you go for any daily specials, like their grilled wild fish with courgettes from the local Marché Forville with a carrot, celery and ginger mousse. Yummy.
