Mama Shelter Marseille in the 6e runs a contemporary brasserie out of its hotel base near Cours Julien, the lavish Sunday buffet brunch and the rooftop bar the two reasons to come.
Signature dishes: Sunday buffet brunch, Wood-oven pizza, Mediterranean grills
Must order: The Sunday buffet brunch noon to 4pm, or aperitif on the no-reservations rooftop.
Tip: Restaurant open seven days; reservation taken for restaurant, not for the rooftop.
Address: 64 Rue de la Loubiere, 13006 Marseille
Le Capucin in Marseille's 1er runs the brasserie ground floor of the Mercure Canebiere Vieux Port, chef Noel Baudrand cooking Mediterranean plates sublimated with herbs and spices.
Signature: Mediterranean specialties, Daily fish, Stuffed vegetables
Order: The daily fish off the cart at lunch with a glass of Bandol white.
Tip: Open daily for lunch and dinner; sunny terrace, family-friendly, ECOTABLE-labelled.
Chez Etienne in Marseille's 2e Panier has cooked wood-fired Marseillais pizza since 1943, no menu, cash only, the half-anchovy half-cheese the local order since the Sicilian original.
Signature: Anchovy pizza, Half-and-half pizza, Fried supions
Order: The half-anchovy half-cheese pizza, the canonical version in the city.
Tip: Open Mon-Sat lunch and dinner, closed Sunday; cash only, no reservations, expect a queue.
Chez Sauveur in Marseille's 1er Noailles has cooked Sicilian-rooted Marseillais pizza since 1943 founded by Sauveur Di Paola, taken over in 2023 by a young team that kept the wood oven going.
Signature: Pizza speciale, Wood-fired pizza, Italian dishes
Order: The Pizza Speciale with mozzarella di bufala, cherry tomatoes and pistou.
Tip: Open Tue-Sat lunch and dinner; closed Sunday and Monday.
Le Vieux Panier in Marseille's 2e on the Place de Lenche is a wood-fired pizzeria with a small terrace looking down toward the Vieux Port and the MUCEM museum on the hill.
Signature: Wood-fired pizza, Italian pasta, Mediterranean plates
Order: Any of the wood-fired pizzas; the terrace at sunset is the second order.
Tip: Place de Lenche stairs descend straight to the old port; book the terrace for the view.
Chez Yassine in Marseille's 1er Noailles has cooked Tunisian home plates since 2014, all-day service, no reservations, the brik with egg and the kefteji the cheap-and-fast lunch.
Signature: Brik with egg, Kefteji, Ojja, Tunisian couscous
Order: The brik with tuna and egg, and the ojja with merguez to share.
Tip: No reservations; expect a shared table and cash-friendly counter service.
La Caravelle in Marseille's 2e hangs over the Vieux Port on the first floor of the Hotel Belle-Vue since the 1920s, a gathering place for artists with the most coveted balcony in the city.
Signature: Aioli, Daily fish, Aperitif tapas
Order: The aioli at lunch with a glass of pastis on the balcony.
Tip: Jazz concerts Wednesday and Friday October-May; book the balcony for sunset.
