Marseille eats with one foot on the boat and one in the market. The Vieux Port has landed fish since the Greeks of Phocaea founded the city in 600 BC, and the daily quayside fish market still sets the prices for bouillabaisse and bourride at Chez Fonfon, Le Miramar and Chez Michel. Noailles, the old Maghrebi quarter, runs the city's everyday food: Algerian Berber couscous at Le Femina since 1921, halal kebabs along Rue d'Aubagne, panisses fried at the corner. Le Panier on the hill keeps the Italian thread alive at Chez Etienne, where the anchovy pizza arrives without a menu. The top end runs through Alexandre Mazzia (three stars at AM) and Gerald Passedat (three stars at Le Petit Nice, the Passedat family on this rock since 1917). Pastis is the aperitif, navette the biscuit, and most rooms close mid-afternoon and reopen at 19:30.

Peak seasonMay to July for sardines and the markets at their fullest, September to October for fig...
Dining hoursLunch 12:00-14:00, dinner 19:30-22:30
TippingService is included by French law

Food festivals coming up in Marseille

All Marseille food festivals
Street Food Festival 10-12 Sep 2027 Street Food Festival Mediterranean street food, local wine and craft beer

Book food experiences in Marseille

See all 325 bookable experiences in Marseille

Signature dishes in Marseille

The plates that define eating in Marseille.

Bouillabaisse

Bouillabaisse is a Provencal rock-fish stew of rascasse, galinette, conger and saint-pierre cooked in a saffron and fennel broth, served broth-first with croutons and rouille then the carved fish.

Where Chez Fonfon, Chez Michel, Le Miramar, Chez Madie Les Galinettes

Where to eat Bouillabaisse in Marseille →

Bourride

Bourride is the white-fleshed fish cousin of bouillabaisse, monkfish or sea bass poached in a broth bound with aioli into a creamy emulsion, served with garlic croutons and the same garlic mayonnaise on the side.

Where Chez Fonfon, Chez Michel, Le Miramar

Where to eat Bourride in Marseille →

Pieds paquets

Pieds paquets is the Marseillais offal dish of lamb tripe rolled into small parcels stuffed with garlic, parsley and salt pork, simmered with sheep's trotters in a white-wine and tomato broth for four to six hours.

Where Chez Madie Les Galinettes, Le Bouchon Provencal

Where to eat Pieds paquets in Marseille →

Panisse

Panisse is the Marseillais chickpea-flour fritter, a thick batter set cold then sliced and deep-fried until crisp outside and creamy within, served in a paper cone with sea salt and pepper.

Where Chez Magali, Marche des Capucins counter food

Where to eat Panisse in Marseille →

Tapenade

Tapenade is the Provencal paste of black olives, capers, anchovies, garlic and olive oil pounded together in a mortar, eaten on toast as an aperitif or as a stuffing for fish and chicken.

Where Le Cafe de l'Abbaye, La Caravelle, Le Bouchon Provencal

Where to eat Tapenade in Marseille →

Pastis

Anise-and-liquorice aperitif invented in Marseille in 1932 by Paul Ricard, served midday with five parts cold water poured over one part pastis. The water turns the drink milky cloudy through the louche effect.

Where Bar de la Marine, Le Cafe de la Banque, Le Pelle-Mele, Le Cafe de l'Abbaye

Where to eat Pastis in Marseille →

Daube Provençale

Slow-braised beef cheek in red Provence wine, perfumed with orange peel, thyme, rosemary and black olives. Marinated overnight, simmered for hours, served traditionally on Mondays with pasta or boiled potatoes.

Where Le Bouchon Provencal, Chez Madie Les Galinettes, Chez Etienne, Chez Fonfon

Where to eat Daube Provençale in Marseille →

All Marseille signature dishes →

Restaurants to know in Marseille

A handful of the places we send friends to when they are in Marseille.

Chez Fonfon

€€€Provencal Seafood7e

Chez Fonfon in Marseille's 7e sits in the Vallon des Auffes cove and has cooked bouillabaisse for the Mounier family since 1952, the fish landed each morning.

OrderThe bouillabaisse for two, served in the traditional sequence of broth then carved fish.

More about Chez Fonfon →

Chez Michel

€€€Provencal Seafood7e

Chez Michel in Marseille's 7e has cooked the oldest bouillabaisse in the city since 1946, the Visciano family now in the third generation at the Catalans.

OrderThe bouillabaisse at €80 per person, two-person minimum, the canonical reference in the city.

More about Chez Michel →

Le Miramar

€€€Provencal Seafood2e

Le Miramar in Marseille's 2e was founded in 1965 and is a founding member of the Bouillabaisse Charter, Christian Buffa in the kitchen running fish.

OrderThe bouillabaisse at €80, served quayside with Notre-Dame de la Garde over your shoulder.

More about Le Miramar →

Chez Madie Les Galinettes

€€Provencal2e

Chez Madie Les Galinettes in Marseille's 2e has cooked the Provencal canon on the Quai du Port since 1995 under Delphine Roux, an affordable bouillabaisse.

OrderThe bouillabaisse at €59, half the price of the seafront rooms with the same view.

More about Chez Madie Les Galinettes →

Peron

€€€Provencal Seafood7e

Peron in Marseille's 7e has clung to the Corniche cliffs since 1885, the panoramic terrace looking out at the Frioul islands and the entrance to the Vieux.

OrderThe fish of the day off the cart at lunch with the terrace at sunset.

More about Peron →

La Mercerie

€€€Modern Bistronomy1er

La Mercerie in Marseille's 1er opened in 2018 from the Paris Popup trio Harry Cummins, Laura Vidal and Julia Mitton, a stripped-concrete room.

OrderThe set tasting; the kitchen reads as a tighter Septime cousin south of Paris.

More about La Mercerie →

See every restaurant in Marseille →

Where to eat by neighborhood

Le Panier (2e)

The oldest quarter of Marseille on the hill above the Vieux Port. Pastel houses, Italian-rooted pizzerias and tiny ceramic boutiques along Rue du Panier.

Best for: Pizza, Cafes, Aperitif

Noailles (1er)

The Maghrebi belly of Marseille around the daily Marche des Capucins. Tunisian and Algerian counters, halal butchers and spice shops on Rue d'Aubagne.

Best for: Couscous, Halal, Markets

Cours Julien (6e)

The bohemian terrace above the Canebiere with mural walls, neo-bistros and wine bars, the city's small-plates and music quarter after dark.

Best for: Wine bars, Brunch, Neo-bistro

Vieux Port (1er/2e)

The horseshoe harbour at the centre of the city. Fish landed daily at the morning market on Quai des Belges, brasseries on the quay, late terraces at La Caravelle.

Best for: Bouillabaisse, Brasserie, Aperitif

Also: 2e

Vallon des Auffes (7e)

A miniature fishing harbour tucked under the Corniche, the city's most photographed cove. Bouillabaisse rooms above the rocks, cabanon doors painted bright.

Best for: Bouillabaisse, Seafood, Sunset

Endoume and Catalans (7e)

The seaside western quarter from the Catalans beach to the Corniche. Small bistros, Chez Michel's bouillabaisse since 1946 and the Anse de Maldorme cove.

Best for: Seafood, Bistro, Sunset

Eat your way through Marseille

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Where to eat in Marseille: editor-picked starting points

5 institutional venues to anchor a Marseille food trip

Signature Marseille dishes

  • Bouillabaisse Bouillabaisse is a Provencal rock-fish stew of rascasse, galinette, conger and saint-pierre cooked in a saffron and fennel broth, served broth-first with croutons and rouille then the carved fish
  • Bourride Bourride is the white-fleshed fish cousin of bouillabaisse, monkfish or sea bass poached in a broth bound with aioli into a creamy emulsion, served with garlic croutons and the same garlic mayonnaise on the side
  • Pieds paquets Pieds paquets is the Marseillais offal dish of lamb tripe rolled into small parcels stuffed with garlic, parsley and salt pork, simmered with sheep's trotters in a white-wine and tomato broth for four to six hours
  • Panisse Panisse is the Marseillais chickpea-flour fritter, a thick batter set cold then sliced and deep-fried until crisp outside and creamy within, served in a paper cone with sea salt and pepper
  • Aioli (le grand aioli) Le grand aioli is the Friday lunch tradition of Marseille and Provence, a feast plate of poached salt cod, boiled vegetables, eggs and snails arranged round a deep bowl of garlic-and-olive-oil aioli mayonnaise

Best Marseille neighborhoods for food

  • Le Panier The oldest quarter of Marseille on the hill above the Vieux Port
  • Cours Julien The bohemian terrace above the Canebiere with mural walls, neo-bistros and wine bars, the city's small-plates and music quarter after dark
  • Vieux Port The horseshoe harbour at the centre of the city
  • Vallon des Auffes A miniature fishing harbour tucked under the Corniche, the city's most photographed cove

Where to stay in Marseille

A sample of Marseille hotels from our booking partner, who list 245 here. Live prices and availability open on their site.

hotelF1 Marseille With a stay at hotelF1 Marseille in Marseille (La Valentine), you'll be within a 5-minute drive of Golf Mar... Check dates City Résidence Marseille With a stay at City Résidence Marseille in Marseille (Saint-Jean-du-Désert), you'll be within a 5-minute ... Check dates ibis budget Marseille la Valentine Located in Marseille (11th Arrondissement), ibis budget Marseille la Valentine is within a 5-minute drive o... Check dates B&B Hotel Marseille Euromed With a stay at B&B Hotel Marseille Euromed in Marseille (3rd Arrondissement), you'll be within a 10-minute ... Check dates Hôtel Victory A stay at Htel Victory places you in the heart of Marseille, steps from La Canebiere and 5 minutes by foot ... Check dates Massilia Hôtel With a stay at Massilia Htel, you'll be centrally located in Marseille, just a 4-minute walk from La Canebi... Check dates Montempô Marseille Centre Euromed With a stay at Montemp Marseille Centre Euromed in Marseille (3rd Arrondissement), you'll be within a 15-mi... Check dates B&B Hotel Marseille La Valentine Located in Marseille (La Valentine), B&B Hotel Marseille La Valentine is within a 5-minute drive of Chateau... Check dates B&B Hotel Marseille La Valentine Saint Menet With a stay at B&B Hotel Marseille La Valentine Saint Menet in Marseille (11th Arrondissement), you'll be a... Check dates Appart'City Marseille Euromed With a stay at Appart'City Marseille Euromed in Marseille (Euromed - La Joliette), you'll be steps from Doc... Check dates Residhotel Vieux Port A stay at Residhotel Vieux Port places you in the heart of Marseille, steps from Old Port of Marseille and ... Check dates B&B Hotel Marseille Centre La Timone Located in Marseille (5th Arrondissement), B&B Hotel Marseille Centre La Timone is within a 10-minute walk ... Check dates

Also compare: Zen Hotels in Marseille from USD 63/night · Minor Hotels in Marseille · Holidu in Marseille from USD 56/night

Stays are listed by our booking partners, not editor picks. We earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you.

Map of Marseille

Every restaurant, cafe, market and bar we cover in Marseille, pinned. Click a pin for the page.

Trip planner

Plan your Marseille trip

Pick your dates: we line up the festivals on, what is in season, where to eat on the days you are in town, and experiences you can book for those dates.

When to come hungry in Marseille

Peak food season: May to July for sardines and the markets at their fullest, September to October for fig and game. August is busy but many small rooms shutter for two weeks.

Local dining hours: Lunch 12:00-14:00, dinner 19:30-22:30. Bouchon-style rooms and small bistros close between services. Sunday dinner is the dead night across most of the city.

Tipping: Service is included by French law. A few coins or rounding up the bill is welcome for genuinely good service, never expected. Cash tips go directly to the staff.

Marseille food, FAQ

What food is Marseille known for?

Marseille's signature dishes include Bouillabaisse, Bourride, Pieds paquets, Navette de Marseille, Panisse. See our signature dishes chapter for where to eat each.

What are the best food neighborhoods in Marseille?

TableJourney editors map Marseille by district. Le Panier, Noailles, Cours Julien, Vieux Port are among the strongest for food, each with its own guide.

Where should I eat fine dining in Marseille?

Editor picks in Marseille include AM par Alexandre Mazzia, Le Petit Nice Passedat, Une Table au Sud, plus the full fine dining chapter on TableJourney.

Are there food tours in Marseille?

TableJourney covers 5 editor-picked food tours in Marseille, with what each shows you and how much to budget.

Does Marseille have good vegetarian or vegan food?

TableJourney's Marseille dietary chapter covers vegan, vegetarian, gluten_free, halal, kosher venues, each editor-picked with what to order and how to ask.