Chez Pipo ★ 4.5
Chez Pipo on Rue Bavastro fires socca in wood burning ovens since 1923, the cheapest meal in Nice at EUR 3-5 a slice between Place Garibaldi and Port Lympia.
Try: Socca slice
History
Socca came out of Genoese and Ligurian cooking centuries ago as farinata, the chickpea pancake the people of Nice adopted under the Savoyard centuries. Chez Pipo (1923), Chez Theresa (1925) and Lou Pilha Leva are the three Nice addresses still firing socca in wood ovens at 300C, the canonical city street food. Cucina Nissarda treats the dish as the Nicois centrepiece and the Cuisine Nissarde label requires it on every certified restaurant menu.
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 250g chickpea flour
- 500ml water
- 50ml olive oil, plus extra for the pan
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Black pepper to finish
Method
- Whisk the chickpea flour, water, olive oil and salt into a smooth batter. Rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.
- Heat the oven to 250C with a large heavy iron skillet inside.
- Pour a generous slug of olive oil into the hot pan and add the batter to a 3-5mm depth. Bake 8 to 12 minutes until edges crisp and dark brown.
- Finish under the grill for 1 to 2 minutes for char marks. Serve immediately with sea salt and black pepper.
Tip from the editors. The pan must be searing hot before the batter goes in; a cold pan gives a soft cake rather than the crisp Nicois socca.
This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.
Where to eat socca
Socca in Nice
Lou Pilha Leva ★ 4.2
Lou Pilha Leva on Rue du Collet runs a Vieux Nice street food counter with socca and pan bagnat under EUR 10, tiled cafeteria seating and shared tables in the heart of the old town.
Try: Pan bagnat and socca
Rene Socca ★ 4.3
Rene Socca on Rue Miralheti in Vieux Nice runs a self service Nicois counter with socca, pissaladiere and beignets de fleurs de courgette under EUR 8 a plate on terrace tables.
Try: Socca slice and pissaladiere
Chez Theresa ★ 4.6
Why locals love it: One of only three Nice addresses still firing socca in a 1867 wood burning oven, weekday morning stall on Cours Saleya.
Tip: Arrive at the Cours Saleya stall by 09:00; the kitchen runs the wood oven hot at 300C between 06:00 and 13:00.
More cities are in research. Want socca covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.