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.
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 from the Mediterranean fishmarket.
Signature: Bouillabaisse, Bourride
Order: The bouillabaisse at EUR 80, served quayside with Notre-Dame de la Garde over your shoulder.
Tip: Closed Monday; the front terrace looks straight at the cathedral on the hill.
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 and pieds paquets the spine of the menu.
Signature: Bouillabaisse, Pieds paquets, Aioli
Order: The bouillabaisse at EUR 59, half the price of the seafront rooms with the same view.
Tip: Book a terrace table for sunset; the Provencal stew at lunch is the value play.
Une Table au Sud in Marseille's 2e holds a Michelin star above the Vieux Port quay, Ludovic Turac at the pass since 2010 with a Provencal-Mediterranean tasting menu.
Signature: Tasting menu only, Provencal fish
Order: The EUR 95 lunch tasting; the best value reading of the kitchen's work.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday; book a window seat over the Quai du Port at sunset.
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.
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.
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.