Cantoche

When the Toche sisters decided to open up their own place, they came up with Cantoche! It’s a sunny spot tucked in between the Noailles neighborhood and Marseille’s historic harbor, where Louise (in the dining room) and Julia (in the kitchen) – both of whom used to work at L’Épicerie L’Idéal – have left a trail of Mediterranean breadcrumbs for you to follow… There’s the terrace that feels eternally like summer, plus the bar decorated with colorful Moroccan bejmat ceramic tiles from Franca, and of course the plates which are jam-packed with UV rays! Duly devoured the day we went for lunch: cheeky slow-cooked pork and nigella seed croquetas that got along swimmingly with their miso mayonnaise; roasted octopus whipped into a frenzy by balsamic and petimezi (a syrup made from Greek grape must) and paired with a marinated zucchini and coco de Paimpol bean salad, all sprinkled with parsley, shallots and green onions; and for the final indulgent course, a strawberry financier with subtle notes of anise, served with whipped cream – instead of the chocolate tart which sold out before we could order it. On Thursday nights, it’s all good vibes, with a kémia atmosphere and great wines! // Victoria Bout

FEELING THIRSTY? Homemade kombucha and a short selection of all natural wines: a local white from the Château de Roquefort (€5.50 a glass), Tuff Nutt, an Australian pet’ nat’ (€32 a bottle), a Venetian red from Sassara (€35)…
PRICE: Appetizers €8-9, mains €16-19, desserts €6-7.