Le Plongeoir in Nice's Mont Boron sits on the helical diving board at Cap de Nice, the most photographed dining room in the city and a Mediterranean menu that changes with the morning market.
Signature dishes: Loup de mer, Riviera seafood platter
Must order: The whole loup de mer for two with Bellet white; the cove and the bay are the dining room's other half.
Tip: Book the sunset service for the bay light. The lounge bar below the restaurant is the cheaper way to sit on the rock.
Address: 60 Boulevard Franck Pilatte, 06300 Nice
La Merenda in Vieux Nice runs Dominique Le Stanc's bench seat Nissard kitchen on Rue Raoul Bosio, the chef who walked away from a Michelin star at the Negresco to cook the city's grandmother dishes.
Signature: Stockfish stew, Petits farcis, Beef daube
Order: The stockfish stew (estocaficada) and the petits farcis; Le Stanc holds the canonical versions.
Tip: No telephone, cash only, two services. Book in person at the door earlier the same day.
Acchiardo on Rue Droite in Vieux Nice has cooked the family Nicoise canon since the close of the First World War, four generations under the Acchiardo name and a single sitting at lunch.
Signature: Petits farcis, Beef daube, Tarte de blettes
Order: The petits farcis and the beef daube; lunch is the canonical service.
Tip: Closed Saturday and Sunday; book by phone several days ahead for lunch.
Olive et Artichaut on Rue Sainte Reparate in Vieux Nice holds the Michelin Bib Gourmand for a farm to table Nicoise kitchen, the chef from Nice working market vegetables and Riviera fish across a short menu.
Signature: Modern petits farcis, Local fish of the day
Order: The fish of the day from the morning market; the menu changes weekly with the catch.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday; Tuesday to Saturday lunch and dinner. Book a week ahead in summer.
Bistrot d'Antoine on Rue de la Prefecture in Vieux Nice has cooked Armand Crespo's two storey neo bistrot since 2006 in the shell of a 1904 cafe, a Michelin Bib Gourmand for honest French cooking near Cours Saleya.
Signature: Bistro classics, Daily blackboard
Order: The blackboard plat du jour; Crespo writes a new menu every day from the morning market.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. Book at least three days ahead, even at lunch.
Peixes in Nice's Carre d'Or near the Opera is Armand Crespo's Mediterranean seafood counter, a tiled blue and white room of ceviche, tartare and Japanese tataki on the daily catch from the Cours Saleya fish market.
Signature: Fish ceviche, Local fish tataki
Order: The ceviche of the day; Crespo's team works the morning Saleya catch into the menu by noon.
Tip: No reservations; arrive by 12:30 or 19:30 to land a stool. Tapas from EUR 7, mains around EUR 25.
Le Safari on Cours Saleya in Vieux Nice has cooked the canonical Nicois lunch since 1972, the Cuisine Nissarde labelled trattoria with terrace tables across from the flower market.
Signature: Pissaladiere, Stockfish, Daube
Order: The pissaladiere and the stockfish; the daube is the dinner anchor.
Tip: Open 12:00 to 23:00 daily; book the terrace at lunch during the morning market hours.
