District

Tucked away in the industrial section of Les 2 Pins, located between a store that sells blinds and a windshield wiper repair shop, French-Californians Marion and Christian Dreyfus (ex-Fou in Pieds Rouges) are showing customers all the tricks they’ve got up their sleeves. In their brand-new District, a former warehouse that’s been given a sober makeover (blonde wood, brushed aluminum, cement stones), the duo prepares lovely bowls, outstanding pancakes and anti-diet smash burgers, as if dinner was no longer a thing. For us, the day we went for lunch: creamy soup mixing seasonal vegetables, smoked herrings and mussels; an incredible grilled cheese piled high with cheese and bacon on two slices of white bread (complete with long strings of cheese); and a layered carrot cake with plenty of icing. Also available à la carte: crispy ramen with toasted noodles; homemade fries topped with crispy pork, avocado and ranch dressing; a chocolate-walnut brownie with a peanut butter mousse… Plenty to kick start your afternoon! // Gérard Roubeix

FEELING THIRSTY? Freshly squeezed orange juice (€4), banana milkshake (€5), smoothies (€7), Dr Pepper (€2.90 for 330 ml), Brewdog IPA (€5 for 330 ml) and even a few organic wines – an Aude Pinot noir from the Domaine Sainte Marie des Crozes at €4 a glass, a Bordeaux rosé from the Domaine Despagne at €19 a bottle)…
PRICE: Breakfast €7 (bagel + espresso + orange juice), mains €7-14, desserts €4-5, brunch €15-20 (one Sunday a month).