Pecora Negra

A big terrace overlooking the Port of Menton, lemon yellow parasols… The new spot from the “best chef in the world,” Maura Colagreco, is a pizzeria – not all that surprising given the restaurant’s proximity to Italy and the chef’s Italian heritage. At Pecora Negra (which means “black sheep” in Italian), the bright red wood-fired oven (which burns olive wood to be precise) spits out incredible Neapolitan-style pizzas with thin dough that puffs up around the edges, like the “l’inspiration de Mauro Colagreco” pizza topped with fior di latte, big thinly sliced raw capers and shaved black truffle, the night we went; the Genovese topped with pesto from Roberto Panizza (from the restaurant Il Genovese in Genoa), fior di latte and Grana Padano cheese; a perfect Three Cheese pizza (all of which are locally sourced) with mozzarella, aged Comté and goat cheese from Madame Curti in Castellar… As an appetizer, whatever’s fresh that day, plus herbs from Le Mirazur’s magical garden, get combined into divine Italian specialties, like vitello tonnato carpaccio; chilled caponata-style ratatouille; generous sea bream carpaccio… And for all those with an insatiable appetite, there are some very tempting desserts: a baba au rhum with vanilla cream inspired by Agostino Iacobucci in Bologna; tiramisu; artisanal ice creams… // Laëtitia Sayre

FEELING THIRSTY? An Aperol Spritz (€9), organic La Mentounasc beer brewed with Menton lemons (€7 for 330 ml) and very southern wines: Amountanage, a Luberon rosé from the Domaine Marrenon (€6 a glass), a Corsican white from the Domaine Fiumicicoli (€38 a bottle), Moment Suspendu, a Côtes-de-Provence red from the Domaine La Grande Baquière (€42)…
PRICE: Antipasto €4.50 to €17.50, pizzas €11-28, desserts €5-9.