“The only beach in downtown Nice”: that’s the latest idea from Romain Delacretaz, who has covered his terrace in sand for more enjoyable apéro hours. Surrounded by plastic palm trees and beach towels, sip on a glass of Bandol rosé from Tempier with an incredible pizzaladière from Antibois Veziano. Or failing that, why not rent out the air-conditioned wine cellar with its big dining room and high guéridon tables if you prefer, and dig into the giant blackboard menu of charcuterie (cecina de León, chorizo, culatello, mortadella from Bologna…) and cheeses (Comté from Fort des Rousses, sheep’s milk blue cheese aged in situ), potato and porcini mushroom gratin, fresh mackerel and anchovy tartines with ginger, a “seafood pata negra” (tuna loin dried in Cadix), homemade burrata with locally-grown haricots verts and tomatoes from Demichelis and summer truffle, an unbeatable Simmental prime rib dry-aged for 105 days by the Boucherie Agricole (for two), or even a family-style chocolate mousse. So good! Depending on what’s been freshly caught, you might find sardines, line-caught red squid, gamberi rossi and bluefin tuna. // G.D.
FEELING THIRSTY? There are 300 diverse labels to choose from: an excellent Burgundy red from Christophe Vaudoisey (€8 a glass); a Coteaux-du-Verdon from Myrko Tépus (€32 a bottle); Fleur de Savagnin, an Arbois from the Domaine de La Tournelle (€39),;Aloxe-Corton from Claire Naudin (€72); a Pinot gris Arverne from Pierre Beauger (€90); or even a Montrachet 1991 Fleurot-Larose at… €1,950.
PRICE: Small plates €14-36, mains €9-88.
