Dérive

“Billions of blue blistering barnacles!” as The Adventures of Tintin’s Captain Haddock would say. Just a seagull’s cry from Marseille’s iconic Plage des Catalans, a crew of mixologists has docked their dazzling new vessel seaside, undaunted by the sunburned tidal wave of tourists. In their sparkling new joint – decked out with pool-blue mosaic tiling, porthole-inspired lighting and floor-to-ceiling windows, which borrows stylistic cues from their chic neighbor, the Cercle des Nageurs swim club – Jérôme Talin (co-founder of the microbrewery Zoumaï), Elsa Leblanc (formerly of Combat in Paris, the creative force behind Zéma drinks) and Enzo Arrus (ex-Gaspard and Placette) are serving up an archipelago of cocktails on tap (€10) and signature house cocktails (€13) that’ll have you ready to drop anchor. Consider the Morgiou, a perfectly balanced sour blending mezcal, vermouth, tarragon and strawberry syrup; or the Eissadon, a sweet and tangy number combining sake, rum, apricot liqueur, marigold and lime. Ever faithful to Jérôme’s roots as a brewmaster, the cocktail-crazy crew hasn’t left craft beer lovers adrift (available for €4-8). And to keep you afloat, chef Anne Leplumey and her sous-chef Ariane Delva send out a fleet of well-crafted snacks – panisse (chickpea flour fritters, €7), marinated sardines (€12), focaccia (€12), whelks (€12) and even chocolate mousse for dessert (€9).