Limmat in Marseille's 6e at the foot of the Cours Julien stairs is Swiss-French chef Lilian Gadola's daily-changing fish and vegetable kitchen, named after the river that runs through Zurich.
Signature dishes: Daily market menu, Fish and vegetable plates
Must order: Whatever blackboard menu is up that day; the kitchen reads the market each morning.
Tip: Small room, book ahead for evening; closed Sunday and Monday.
Address: 41 Rue Estelle, 13006 Marseille
Chez Aldo in Marseille's 8e is the rare Provencal seafood room that also runs a wood-fired pizza oven, the kitchen built around the fish off the morning boats with a tighter pizza programme on the side.
Signature: Bouillabaisse, Wood-fired pizza, Grilled beef
Order: The bouillabaisse if you stay, the anchovy pizza if you walk in for a quick lunch.
Tip: Closed Sunday evening and Monday; cash and card accepted.
L'Ecaillerie in Marseille's 7e on Rue d'Endoume is Anthony Abelaud's seafood room, Cheickh Diouf in the kitchen with shellfish from Carry and Camargue plus small plates and natural pours.
Signature: Carry sea urchins, Marseille clams, Mullet carpaccio
Order: The carry sea urchins and the mullet carpaccio with the black garlic mayonnaise.
Tip: Open Wed-Fri evenings, Sat-Sun all day; reservations only Sat and Sun lunch.
Tuba Club in Marseille's 8e is a fisherman-cabanon kitchen in the Goudes village, 80 seats on a rock terrace above the Mediterranean with Sicilian and Provencal grills the spine of the menu.
Signature: Grilled fish, Provencal marinades, Mediterranean salads
Order: The grilled fish of the day; the cabanon kitchen runs simple and salt-driven.
Tip: Reach by bus 19 from Rond-Point du Prado or taxi; book six weeks ahead.
Le Femina in Marseille's 1er Noailles has cooked Algerian Berber couscous since 1921, the same family carrying it across generations, the barley semolina version the signature plate of the city.
Signature: Berber couscous, Barley semolina couscous
Order: The Berber couscous with lamb on barley semolina; the kitchen turns the dish all day.
Tip: Closed Sunday evening and Monday; reservation strongly recommended.
La Kahena in Marseille's 1er near the Vieux Port has cooked Tunisian halal cuisine since 1978, mosaics and portraits of beys on the walls, the couscous and bricks the household staples.
Signature: Couscous, Bricks with egg, Grilled merguez
Order: The mixed couscous and the brick with tuna and egg as a starter.
Tip: Open daily, book for weekend lunch when the room fills with families.
Le Bouchon Provencal in Marseille's 1er on Place aux Huiles is a bistro of Provencal and Lyonnais lineage, two vaulted dining rooms and a lime-tree terrace, menu rewritten by the season.
Signature: Daube provencale, Pieds paquets
Order: The daube provencale and a glass of the house red on the terrace.
Tip: Open Mon-Sat; the upper vaulted room is the spot on cold nights.
