Nice is one of the most gorgeous destinations on the French Rivera. It offers picturesque landscapes, stunning monuments, serene blue beaches, and, not to forget, the most scrumptious cuisine. One of the exciting parts is getting to try some of the scrumptious French dishes in Nice, which go way beyond eating the nutty macarons or crêpes.
Nice is the origin of some of the most delectable dishes, which you must taste at least once when visiting. Here are ten of the most startling French dishes in Nice, guaranteed to be embedded in your heart, making it impossible to forget their taste and experience.
1. Socca
This is one of the most lip-smacking French dishes in Nice, and it can be found in every market and street while you’re strolling. It is a pancake made by cooking the batter of chickpea flour, olive oil, and water in a stove pan. The ingredients may be questionable, making you scratch your head contemplating eating this dish, but don’t let your confusion come in between you and this most flavorsome dish.
This pancake’s rich, nutty flavor and soft, crunch texture will throw you off guard and make you crave this dish as a snack often when you are here in Nice. It is a great to-go snack served in paper cones that you can munch on while exploring the spectacular city of Nice. Sometimes, this dish is even served with a sauce you can dip the socca in and enjoy, but the locals mostly prefer it plain without the sauce because it is just that delectable.
2. Le Pan bagnat
Pan bagnat is a classic Nicoise dish that the poor French people initially used to have back in the 19th century as it was a low-cost sandwich they could afford. This delectable sandwich is made using baguette bread and stuffed with tuna, hard-boiled egg, and other vegetables, topping it off with olive oil.
Pan bagnat is also called wet bread or bathed bread, mainly due to the dressing that the veggies are marinated with, along with olive oil, which makes it soft. It is a perfect go-to sandwich that you can have while exploring the city of Nice. You can even choose different toppings based on your liking, for instance, chicken and ham. So, when you are here, you must get a taste of this mindblowing sandwich that will enhance your experience even more.
3. Bouillabaisse
This is yet another iconic dish popular in Nice, which you must add to your list of dishes to try. Bouillabaisse is a soup made using different fish and vegetables and served with crispy bread that you can dip in the soup.
One of the reasons bouillabaisse stands out from other fish soups is the use of herbs and spices in the broth, along with the bony local Mediterranean fish, which adds to the already flavorsome soup and makes it luscious in taste.
Moreover, this soup is jam-packed with many other ingredients, like croutons, rouille, and at least three kinds of fish cooked with garlic, onions, tomatoes, herbs, and saffron. Originally, this soup was made by a fisherman in Marseille, who used leftover bony rockfish. It has become one of the most loved dishes across Nice.
4. La Daube Nicoise
La Daube Nicoise is a wholesome traditional beef stew that will comfort your heart with its warmth and rich and delicious flavor. It is made from beef, vegetables, garlic, tomatoes, pepper, and red wine. The technique of making daube nicoise is to cook it slowly so that the flavors add more lusciousness and richness to the stew.
Traditionally, it was made using a dauber, a copper or clay braising pan. The beef is cooked tenderly in red wine and other vegetables, making the stew’s flavor even more delicious.
Suppose you are looking for a comforting dish that is easygoing yet delectable. In that case, you must try Daube Nicoise because the beef’s taste, texture, flavor, and vegetables will be worth your time and money.
5. Ratatouille
Ratatouille is a prominent French dish loved across the globe, and it comes from Nice. So, if you are here in Nice for a vacation, you’ve got to order this classic dish and experience its taste. This delightful dish will leave your mind blown by how jam-packed it is with lots of vegetables and flavors.
It is a stew made from sauteing vegetables with other herbs and garlic, such as eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, bell peppers, and onions. This provencal dish is often referred to as the ratatouille niçoise and even inspired the title of a Disney movie.
Ratatouille is usually served alongside crispy bread or as a side dish to pasta. Whichever way you decide to have it, one thing guaranteed to you is the lip-smacking taste that will make you enjoy this dish and leave a delicious flavor to your taste buds, leading you to want more.
6. Les Petits Farcies
They are one of the most exceptional side dishes or appetizers that you can order for either lunch or dinner while having your meal. Les petits farces are stuffed vegetables made by hollowing out vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, or zucchini and then adding the stuffing of meat, onions, breadcrumbs, and other seasonings for flavor. These stuffed vegetables are then roasted or baked in the oven and served.
You can even get a vegetarian version by opting for the stuffing of bread crumbs and herbs, which will taste just as delicious. Overall, they serve as an amazing snack option that you can enjoy and have again and again. So, whichever stuffing you choose, this dish’s mouth-watering and luscious taste will leave you obsessed and wanting more.
7. Soupe Au Pistou
This is an ideal summer soup that will refresh your taste buds once you take a sip of it. It contains a variety of vegetables, including zucchini, tomatoes, and green beans. Lastly, it is garnished with fresh pistou, which resembles a mixture of basil, olive oil, and garlic.
Don’t confuse pistou with pesto; both are quite different, not in terms of the ingredients. The added flavor of pistou is what makes this soup phenomenal. It will have you immersed in its flavor and vegetables. The reason pistou is added at last is that while cooking, the basil loses most of its flavor, eventually not leaving a good impression on the dish.
Hence, just after it is poured into a bowl, it is garnished with pistou so you can enjoy fresh basil and other flavor-enhancing ingredients.
8. Pissaladiere
Pissaladiere is a pizza made with a thin dough of yeast, toppings of caramelized onions, olive tapenade, anchovies, garlic, and herbs, and then baked in the oven. What makes this dish alluring is its sweet and savory flavor, which makes your experience even more worthwhile.
It is one of those dishes you can pack with you for a picnic or enjoy while strolling through the streets of Nice, and you’ll find them being sold by many street vendors on almost every corner.
Another great part of this dish is that you can make it independently if you like cooking. The recipe is not that complex and can be easily created using active dry yeast in the dough. You can even add the toppings you wish to have.
9. Tarte Tatin
Tarte tatin is an exquisite dessert made of apples caramelized in a skillet, butter, and sugar. It is a flawless option for dessert after your meal and will leave you stunned by how good it tastes. This dessert can be found in various bakeries in Nice. The sweet caramelized flavor of the apples leaves a marvelous flavor on your tongue.
It makes you crave this tart again and again while you are visiting Nice. Other than that, you can even find a few different versions of this tarte, like the cherry, pear, and other fruits. However, apples are the go-to choice for this dessert.
If you are carving a dessert that will blow your mind and make you money worth every penny, then tarte tatin will never disappoint you.
10. Tarte Tropezienne
Another dessert that will leave you content and immersed in the bliss of sweetness is tarte tropezienne, often called pie tropezienne. It is a round brioche filled with pearl sugar, pastry cream, and buttercream and dusted with sprinkled sugar on top to give it a delicious look.
This dessert was first created by Polish pâtissier Alexandre Micka in 1955 while living in Saint-Tropez. He made it from the recipe passed down to him by his Polish grandmother. And now, this dessert is embedded in the hearts of everyone across Nice.
So, when you visit Nice, get yourself this exquisite dessert. Its creamy, sugary flavor will leave a positive impression in your mouth and will take its place in your heart forever.
Final Words
Getting to eat these traditional dishes will be one of the most elating parts of your getaway because not only will you get to taste authentic French ingredients and herbs, but every dish has a story of its own that will make you fall in love with this cuisine, even more, every time you have it. After all, vacation does not only mean exploring the place in terms of buildings, beaches, and markets; it also involves studying the cuisine and falling in love with it.
