One of the quirky, inexplicable truths of traveling as a dedicated foodie is that you often remember the meals more vividly than the attractions or scenery. Marseille, a city on the southern coast of France, is sure to fill up your memory with unforgettable restaurant experiences. It’s not just the exquisite food in this French port city; it’s also the unique settings where you dine that make eating in Marseille a revelation for any food lover. As you explore this fascinating food scene, travel light. Book a luggage storage facility in Marseille so you can focus on menus and drinks, not backpacks and belongings.
Marseille's culinary options aren't restricted to French; many other worldwide cuisines are available. But why go to a place famous for fish and eat pizza? If you're a true foodie, you'll look the other way when you pass a Chinese, Indian, or Italian restaurant and seek out that little French bistro down a back street that serves traditional dishes. It's one way to make your stay in Marseille genuinely memorable.
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Where and What To Eat in Marseille
Vieux Port
Vieux Port is the oldest part of Marseille, and the fish served in the restaurants lining this picturesque port could only get fresher if it leaped out of the sea and straight onto your plate. All restaurants here buy their fish directly from the fishermen and women who line up on the quay with their catch every morning.
Try two things in Vieux Port: bouillabaisse (fish soup) and moules marinière (sailor-style mussels). These classic French dishes taste even better when eaten at one of the local restaurants along Marseille's waterfront.
Le Miramar – Le Miramar is a restaurant right on the port with a glassed-in terrace where you can enjoy outdoor dining with a superb view at any time of the year. It's the perfect spot to discover the savory delights of France's famous seafood soup. Le Miramar specializes in making bouillabaisse the traditional way. While it comes crammed with fresh seafood, it won't be a low-cost experience.
Au Doyen – When the weather's too warm for hot soup, grab a table on the terrace at Au Doyen and dig into some mussels. You've got two options for enjoying them: the classic French way, moules marinière, served straight from the pot they were cooked in, or the less traditional but equally delicious moules frites. Though moules frites originated in Belgium, it's now a popular choice in Marseille. The combination of mussels and fries is a simple dish that must be tasted to be fully appreciated.
City Center Sightseeing Snacks
Every country has its own version of street food. Grab-and-go in Greece is cheese pie. In Italy, it's pizza al taglio. And in Marseille, it's, among other things, pissaladière or panisse. Pissaladière is a must-try for any foodie visiting Marseille.
Boulangerie Cafe Pain Salvator – The Boulangerie Cafe Pain Salvator on Boulevard Louis Salvator is the ideal bakery to pop into to try this delicious snack. There are a couple of variations of pissaladière. One is made with puff pastry, and the other with flatbread dough. They come tray-baked, cut into squares, and topped with onions, olives, and anchovies. They also stock a range of vegan bread and pastries that will tempt any food lover.
La Boite a Panisse – Sit at one of the rickety tables outside of La Boite a Panisse on Rue Caisserie and try this vegetarian chickpea or polenta fries snack. You can pick up a bag and munch on them as you walk around, but they taste much better when accompanied by a dip and washed down with a cold beer.
Gourmet Experiences
Any foodie visiting Marseille, budget permitting, won't be able to resist trying some of the first-class gourmet cuisine in the city's top restaurants. Not only will the meal be indelibly imprinted in your brain forever, but the size of the bill will be, too. Still, sometimes, one-off experiences can be worth the expense.
L'Epuisette – L'Epuisette is a restaurant built on the rocks in Vieux Port. The uninterrupted sea views from this restaurant's dining room and the food are incomparable. L'Epuisette serves several different tasting menus mainly focused on fish and seafood. The plates are small but so well crafted that you'll probably spend longer looking at them than eating them.
Restaurant Alcyone – The Restaurant Alcyone at the Hotel Dieu in Marseille is in a class of its own. The dining room's very classy beige and slightly Victorian décor certainly doesn't detract attention from the food. Here, they offer tasting menus, too. This is a Michelin-starred restaurant, so you can expect artful deliciousness on every plate.
For the Vegan Foodies
You don't have to consume meat or fish to be a dedicated foodie. However, if you're vegan or vegetarian, your restaurant choices for finding gastronomic delights can be tricky unless you're somewhere like Marseille.
C'est Bon Restaurant Méditerranéen Végétarien – The C'est Bon Restaurant on Avenue du Maréchal Foch offers exceptionally high-quality vegan and vegetarian food based on Mediterranean cuisine. They promise sunshine on a plate, which they deliver without charging exorbitant prices. The menus change with the seasons and produce availability, so you'll be in for a super surprise if you dine here.
La Cantine de Cru – La Cantine de Cru is a relatively new addition to the Marseille vegan scene. Located on Rue Saint-Saëns, they're developing a new concept of raw and vegetable-based food that needs to be tried by every vegan foodie. It'll tantalize your taste buds, that's for sure.
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