With the Italian border is just a short drive away, but you don't have to leave Nice to eat all the divine recipes you know and love. Choose from high-end eateries to traditional family-run restaurants with a mixture of classic fare and a fresh take on classic flavours. We carefully curated the 7 Best Italian Restaurants in Nice for you to try:
1.Sentimi
2 place Garibaldi, 06300 Nice, France
Sentimi takes all the iconic tastes and dishes of Italy, then updates them with new twists or composition to create the future of Italian cuisine. Nothing extravagant, just elegant and simplistic dishes you won’t be able to get enough of. A few of the dishes you should order are the cresenza Italia, the polpo alla griglia and they have a few delectable seasonal dishes to keep an eye out for when you go. Sentimi is loved by the locals, even Prince Albert II of Monaco ate there this summer, so you know it is going to be good.
2. La Locanda
16 avenue Robert Schuman, 06000 Nice France
An ideal restaurant for families with an outdoor play area for kids, a relaxed and warm atmosphere that will make you feel welcomed the moment you sit down. Their gorgeous terrace will entice you to sit under the lights outside in the cooler fall air, sipping on a glass of wine from their collection. La Locanda has traditional Italian fare, but they created a few heavenly truffle dishes with extra truffle shavings on top of them all. Another menu item to look out for is their house-made focaccia, the perfect accompaniment to any dish or even by itself.
3. La Cucina
9 rue Commandant Raffali, Nice, France 06000
La Cucina is a classic Italian restaurant with a focus Mediterranian fresh flavours with a lot of fish and local produce. Visit this restaurant after a long day sightseeing, you will need to work up your appetite as the generous serving sizes of the appetizers will have you near full before the meal even starts. La Cucina is known for its salads, specifically their goat cheese salad that is a crowd favourite year-round. There are plenty of options for people who are vegetarian, prefer to eat on the healthier side and those who truly want to indulge. An insider tip, for dessert order the raspberry tiramisu, a delicious interpretation of the famous Italian dessert staple.
4. Illia Pasta
4 rue Droite, 06300 Nice France
For those who have a serious love of pasta, visit Illia Pasta for freshly hand-made pasta of every shape you can imagine accompanied with homemade sauces. A great option for lunch, it is a casual and friendly environment located in Old Nice so you can stop by as you explore the city. Vegetarians should try the ratatouille pasta or pesto which are two stand-out dishes in the menu. Their pasta of the day changes based on the season and local produce but is almost guaranteed to be a delicious dish.
5. Geppetto
9 rue Chauvain, 06000 Nice France
One of the most popular restaurants in Nice, you will need a reservation to get a table. Besides the delicious menu of Italian dishes, you should visit just to meet the owner Geppetto, an iconic character in Nice who is very welcoming to those who visit his establishment. It will be very difficult to choose what to order, but if you can order a seafood dish, they will expertly prepare whatever is in season to create a memorable meal.
6. La Favola
13 Cours Saleya, Nice, France 06300
In case you are in need of some serious comfort food, look no further than La Favola, they specialize in baked pasta dishes. Their rigatoni and lasagna are two of the best dishes on their menu and are in the classic Italian style of enormous portion sizes.
10. That’s Amore
6 Avenue de Pessicart Nice, France 06100
No Best Italian Restaurants list would be complete without an authentic pizza place, a family-run place that is as authentic as it gets outside of Italy. A spot far away from the tourist areas of Nice, you can escape the crowds and enjoy a cosy evening as the locals do. Essentially every pizza topping pizza combination they do, and if you love pesto you should try their pesto pizza with mozzarella and cherry tomatoes.