French cuisine is known to be rich and varied depending on the region you visit. Each region of France has its own specialities and of course, the city of Nice is no exception to the rule! We all know the quiche lorraine, the crêpes bretonnes, the boeuf bourguignon..
But have you ever heard of socca, pissaladière and stuffed fritters? Specialities of Nice that you must discover if you are in Nice but beware of tourist traps! I’ll take you to discover Nice’s specialities at René Socca, a family “street food” restaurant, a bit different from the Mediterranean restaurants in Nice that I listed.
So, what do you find there ?
1. Nice specialities to discover
- Socca, the unavoidable speciality of Nice
Proud representative of Nice’s gastronomy, the socca is a cake made with chickpea flour and olive oil. It is cooked and browned in a wood-fired oven. It is best eaten hot, right out of the oven. The socca from René Socca is for me the best I have tasted in Nice.
- The pissaladière
Originally from Italy and more precisely from Liguria, the pissaladière has been extended to the cuisine of Nice. It is an onion tart made of anchovy fillets and black olives baked in the oven. One of my favourite Niçoise specialities! (I love onions ^^)
- Courgette flower fritters
A speciality of Nice which uses the male flowers, i.e. the flowers which do not bear fruit. They are ideal for cooking. I love them but eat them in moderation, frying can do damage 😛
- Niçois farcis
A delicious local speciality made with Provençal vegetables such as tomato, onion and Nice round courgette. It’s not my favourite but it’s still a must-try speciality from Nice.
2. The location
This family restaurant is located at 2 rue Miralheti in the Vieux-Nice.
Victim of its success, you may find yourself in front of a big queue but it’s worth the diversions!
Seats at René Socca are expensive… either you are lucky to find a free seat, or you can enjoy the specialities of Nice by the sea.
3. Useful information
Be careful, they don’t take credit cards! Cash only. So plan to withdraw beforehand.
