History

Pastis was created in 1932 by Paul Ricard in the Sainte-Marthe district, after absinthe's 1915 ban left a market gap. Henri Bardouin and Janot followed as Provencal artisan producers. The 1:5 dilution ritual at the cafe table is unchanged since the 1930s; the Marseille midday pause centres on it. Bar de la Marine and Le Cafe de la Banque pour the canonical city version.

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 10 minTotal 15 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 1 bottle Ricard 45 (or Henri Bardouin, Janot)
  • 1 large carafe ice-cold spring water
  • Ice cubes
  • 4 tall narrow pastis glasses (15cl)
  • 200g Provencal black tapenade
  • 200g green olives, marinated
  • 200g salted almonds
  • 1 dozen anchoiade (anchovy paste) crostini
  • 1 bag pretzels or saucisson chips

Method

  1. Chill the pastis glasses in the fridge for 30 minutes; the drink must be cold all the way down.
  2. Fill the water carafe with cold spring water and a few ice cubes.
  3. Pour 30 to 40ml of pastis into each cold glass (a single dose, called a doigt in Marseille).
  4. Pour ice-cold water over the pastis at a 1:5 ratio (about 150 to 200ml of water per dose).
  5. Watch the louche effect: as the water hits the anise, the drink shifts from clear golden to pale milky yellow in three seconds. This is the essential theatre.
  6. Add 2 to 3 ice cubes only after pouring the water; ice added directly to neat pastis crystallises the anethole and breaks the louche.
  7. Set out the tapenade, olives, almonds, anchoiade crostini and pretzels.
  8. Sip slowly. A pastis is a 30-minute drink, not a shot; the ice melts and dilutes as the conversation goes on.

Tip from the editors. Variations: with grenadine it is a tomate, with mint a perroquet, with orgeat a mauresque. Marseillais all have their own ratio of pastis to water.

Where to eat pastis

Pastis in Marseille

Bar de la Marine ★ 4.3

Brasserie€€Until Daily until 02:00

Bar de la Marine in Marseille's 7e on Quai de Rive Neuve has held the spot since 1929, the Pagnol-trilogy room serving pastis and brasserie tapas late.

Try: Pastis, brasserie tapas and lunch plates re-served late

Tip: Open daily 7am-2am; the terrace fills on weekend nights with the youth crowd.

15 Quai de Rive Neuve, 13007 Marseille

Le Cafe de la Banque ★ 4.0

French Brasserie€€6e

Le Cafe de la Banque in Marseille's 6e in the Estrangin former banking district is a Haussmann brasserie with a wide terrace running the day's specials.

Signature: Daily lunch special, Charcuterie board, Cheese plates

Order: The plat du jour at lunch, a charcuterie board at aperitif.

Tip: Open daily from breakfast through aperitif tapas to dinner; reservations for evening only.

24 boulevard Paul Peytral, 13006 Marseille

Le Pelle-Mele ★ 4.2

French bistro€€Mon 10:00-02:00, Tue-Sat 22:00-02:00Until Daily until 02:00

Le Pelle-Mele in Marseille's 1er on Place aux Huiles is the city's longest-running jazz bar, late-night cocktails and tapas under live music from the small.

Try: Tapas and bistro plates with live jazz

Tip: Live music most nights; small room, arrive before 21:00 for a seat.

8 Place aux Huiles, 13001 Marseille

Le Cafe de l'Abbaye ★ 4.2

BrunchProvencal brunch on the terrace€€EUR 16 to EUR 26Sat-Sun 10:00-15:00Walk-in

Le Cafe de l'Abbaye in Marseille's 7e opens its terrace for a Provencal brunch on weekends, eggs with Provencal vegetables, charcuterie boards and the daily.

Order: Eggs with Provencal vegetables and a glass of rose at noon

Tip: Walk-in only on weekends; the terrace looks at the Vieux Port.

3 Rue d'Endoume, 13007 Marseille

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