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Le Bistrot d'Antoine
27 Rue de la Prefecture
tel 04-93-85-29-57

Reserve! Reserve! Reserve! It took us eight attempts to get a table in this rustic and charming restaurant. But it was worth the wait. What was one of the best kept secrets in Vieux Nice now books out solidly even on Tuesday lunch in low season. The best tables are upstairs or outside in summer. The Bistrot offers excellent wholesome French cuisine at reasonable prices. Main courses are between € 10-20. But if you can secure a table, take advantage and have all three courses. There is also a well stocked wine cellar.



Chez Palmyre
5 Rue Droite
tel 04-93-85-72-32

An institution in Vieux Nice, this 80 year standing family run restaurant recently caught the attention of the New York Times. Now, more than ever, it's a prize indeed to secure a table at this tiny, relaxed, and friendly family-run restaurant. Serving very simple and unpretentious Niçois cuisine, your order is taken and shouted back to the kitchen. Often you are so close to your dining neighbours, meeting new friends is inevitable. With three courses for just € 13, most diners are expected to opt for the set menu.



Il Vina Ino
33 Rue de la Buffa
tel 04-93-87-94-25

Modern yet authentic Italian restaurant. No pizzas here; the owners concentrate on simple pasta and meat dishes. As with any good Italian chef, the success lies less in the originality of the dishes and more in the quality of the fresh ingredients and perfectly cooked pasta. This is a refreshing alternative to the multitude of Italian pizzerias. The décor is also contemporary, and the staff friendly and attentive. An average dish is around € 13.



Au Vieux Four
1 Rue Emmanuel Philibert, off Rue Cassini
tel 04-93-89-00-89

Pizza Chef Pascal Fritsch was awarded for his Pizza Campagnarde, the best pizza in the Côte dAzur, and the second best pizza in France for 2006. Baked in a real wood stove (Au Vieux Four means "by the old oven"), the very reasonably priced pizzas come out with a delicious paper-thin crust. If pizza is not for you, they also do good meat dishes and fantastic scallops. Whoever makes the tiramisù should also win an award. Temptingly displayed in the chiller cabinet, it is absolutely melt-in-the-mouth delectable and should not be missed. Tiramisù literally means "pick me up", and this version delivers! Closed Sundays and Monday evenings.



Sapore
19 Rue Bonaparte
tel 04-92-04-22-09

This 30-seat bistro is always packed with the contented vibes of chattering diners, this slick restaurant offers original tapas choices and a decent, reasonably priced wine list. It fuses Spanish-themed cuisine with a Niçois twist. Duck, tomato, basil, and artichoke brushcetta is offered alongside the tapas menu. Whilst the chef, Anthony Riou, did a stint at the Hôtel Negresco, he certainly isn't taking the same course as La Merenda's Dominic Le Stanc. There is a very hip, almost techno-vibe atmosphere about the place and the food, whilst still excellent, runs alongside the vibe rather than taking centre stage. Eight tapas dishes costs € 28, or you can eat à la carte for € 4-6 a dish. Booking essential on the weekends.



Bar de la Bourse
Rue Pairolière, just off Place St-François
tel 04-93-62-38-39

Open lunch times only, and popular with the locals, there are no frills here, just cheap and plentiful well-cooked traditional Nice cuisine such as onion tarte, daube, and pasta. Don't be put off by its tiny entrance. It is reasonably sized once inside with a restaurant area downstairs and upstairs on a mezzanine. Do be prepared to wait for a table. But with three courses for less than € 15 and a fantastic atmosphere (be prepared to shout over the din), it's worth the wait. Closed Sunday, Monday, and evenings.



La Table Alziari
4 Rue Francois Zanin
tel 04-93-80-34-03

Sometimes the simple menus are the best, and this is one of those times. The family-run business that serves the famous Alziari oil offers up mouth-watering lamb daube, as well as pâtes au pistou, tuna and white bean salad, sardines farcis, and braised veal. The homemade chocolate cake is also yummy. The best thing about La Table Alziari is, of course, the can of Alziari oil which sits majestically on your table. Soak up a vol-au-vent, and drizzle away. Closed Sunday and Monday.



Bien Venue
Rue St-Franâois
tel 04-93-79-84-40

A friendly bistro run by two brothers from Stoke, England, this is the place for you if you fancy some well-crafted food with a French theme, but also a familiar English core. There is an abundance of choices with eight starters and more than a dozen main courses, including crispy duck, lamb cutlets, monkfish, venison, and rainbow trout. You can wait in the bar area if all the tables are taken, as they usually are at weekends, The "early bird" set menu between 7 and 7:45 p.m. is fantastic value at under € 20.



Bar du Coin
Corner of Rue Droite, just off Place St-François
tel 04-93-62-32-59

Great pizzas between € 7.50 and 10.80, and also good salads and fresh pasta. We highly recommend the "kits", essentially a set menu of food and drink. Try the € 14 Kit Provençal for a Provençal pizza (our favourite), a half litre of red wine, and a goat's cheese and honey dessert. A real bargain. This friendly bistro also does pizza to take away and decent cocktails.



Café Indien
35 Rue Pairolière
tel 04-93-85-62-57

This family-run business is Matthew's favourite stop for a gourmet coffee. The owner, Bernard, roasts and grinds coffee beans from around the world, including Ethiopia, Jamaica, Mexico, and Guatemala, on the premises, and sells all sorts of tempting coffee to take away. There is a decent selection of organic coffee. You can also buy coffee infused with orange, vanilla, and nutmeg, to name a few. They also sell an impressive selection of teas, chocolates, and regional fare. Closed Monday.



Shalimar Restaurant
Rue Biscarra, just off Jean Médicin
tel 04-93-13-95-78

A fantastic authentic Indian restaurant with an impressive menu (also in English). Add to this the complimentary aperitif and digestive, impeccable service, pleasant music, a no-smoking section, and immaculate toilets, and we think it's fair to say that this Indian restaurant is one of the best we have ever been to. You can take three courses from € 22. It also offers take away. Open seven days a week.