Brewing up a storm in Antibes

Our favourite cosy winter cafes and bars in Antibes. When the air is crisp, the sea has that winter sparkle, and the Alps loom above the coast, covered in their thick mantle of snow, the winter chill provides the perfect excuse to wander through the medieval laneways to one of Antibes’ cosy bars for a warming coffee or apero.

Enjoy coffee & a cupcake at Choopy’s Café

Walk inside this little café and you’ll be instantly met with the rich aromas of baking and freshly ground coffee. At Choopy’s the décor of pastels and soft couches is vaguely reminisent of a dolls house—but even the most macho of men won’t mind the colour scheme when they sink their teeth into one of the delicious cupcakes, or drink one of the best coffees in town. This is also one of the top spots for a cooked brunch, with eggs Benedict and BLTs and a range of gluten free goodies on the menu.

Take a break at Lucky Break

Vying for the title of the best coffee in town is Lucky Break, a cute little café serving artisanal coffee and a great range of menu items including fluffy pancakes, gluten free cakes and organic smoothies. With English-speaking staff and a happy vibe, this is the perfect place to come to cheer yourself up if the weather turns gloomy on your Antibes holiday. Lucky Break is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during winter but every other day it’s deliciousness as usual!

Settle in for a decadent Sunday brunch session at Le Gout-The

Don’t let the name fool you: Le Gout-The, a popular café right on the main strip near Happy Face bar, serves up a whole lot more than tea. Cakes, smoothies, pastries, breakfasts and salads are all on the menu here- and on Sundays they offer an exciting brunch special where you can sample a bit of the lot for 17€!

Go old-school local at Le Vieil Antibes

On cold winter days, a few brave souls smoke Gauloises cigarettes and read the newspapers on outside tables, while inside you find old ladies with fur coats and handbag dogs, and groups of French friends and expats enjoying the warm and welcoming atmosphere. Le Vieil Antibes is the kind of old-school cafe where the wine is cheap and the menu features all the traditional omelette and croque monsieurs you would expect.

Find warmth underground at the Absinthe Bar

Sometimes to find life and warmth on a blustery winter’s evening, you need to go underground. The Absinthe Bar is set downstairs in a cellar with vintage posters on the vaulted ceiling, a piano in the corner, and walls covered in silly hats for you to try on. Winter does tend to be quieter here than during the rowdy summer months, but Saturday night still draws a happy crowd with the music playing, and the absinthe warming you from your stomach to the tips of your toes: the perfect antidote to a chilly winter’s evening.

Listen to live music at 06 Concept Store Wine and Design

O6 Concept wine bar and live music venue is also a design store, with gorgeous décor over four levels. You might see a vintage motorcycle leaning against a wall covered in trumpets, or listen to a live jazz quartet in a cave room with a vaulted ceiling and exposed stone walls. The decor marries a rustic Moroccan feel with a fashionable slant of industrial chic- and it’s done with resounding good taste. This place has a cosy, buzzy ambience and a lively music schedule that makes visiting Antibes in winter an absolute treat.

Warm up in style at the funky Café Brun

With bicycles hanging from the ceiling and big leather armchairs, this hugely fashionable bar is one of the most cosy and atmospheric places to warm up in winter. Hunker down in the Cafe Brun den with a glass of red, order an apero from the dashing bar staff, or enjoy a meal in the softly-lit dining room. A relative newcomer on the Antibes bar scene, this bar is a huge favourite with everyone who visits.

Walk into the arms of the god of wine at Les Larmes des Bacchus

It is all too easy to spend a few hours at Les Larmes des Bacchus, an atmospheric wine bar tucked away in the Galerie du Port. Take a stool at one of the high wine barrels by the window, or sink into the comfy couch in the corner and savour a glass of wine. This bar is small and cosy, meaning that it has a nice feel about it even if you’re the only person there—and you can always chat to the owners, a hipster French couple with a passion for good wine.

The café and bar scene in Antibes has undergone a revolution in the past few years, with unique little offerings springing up and bringing new life to the town’s hospitality scene. If we’ve missed any great cafes or bars to visit on a winter holiday in Antibes, please let us know in the comments!