About choosing a restaurant in Antibes

Forget avo toast and Full English – in France, it’s all about croissants, omelettes, and maybe a slice of socca from the market. Gluten-free treats and soy coffees do exist, though opening times can be patchy. Crêpes are everywhere, from simple stalls to cafés serving savoury specials, just grab a spot in the sun and enjoy the people-watching.

French restaurants don’t come much more rustic and delicious than Le Brulo. This restaurant has a few tables on the ground level, but the real atmosphere is to be found downstairs, in a cellar room with exposed brick walls, low arches and wooden tables tucked into nooks. Le Brulo is an Antibes institution, particularly well known for its crispy duck breast or lamb dishes, both cooked in the wood-fired oven and served with crunchy potatoes. We recommend that you also try the whole baked fish with lemons and tomatoes; they will fillet it at the table for you and it is a truly divine dish. Friendly service, busy year round and you can get a really nice house bottle of wine here. This is traditional French food done very well, with no fancy frills.

Le Taille de Guepe is an extremely popular little restaurant in an Old Town side street, serving up what can only be called works of art on a plate. The plates are strewn with edible flowers and the menu is always changing to make the best of local produce, the scallops are particularly good. This restaurant gets a huge fan following on Trip Advisor, and it’s lovely to see a different concept succeeding so thoroughly.

If you ask a French local their favourite place in Antibes, there’s an excellent chance they will say "Le Vauban". One of the many restaurants in the old town, this restaurant has a strong feel of the special occasion about it, with white tablecloths, intimate lighting and silver service. You dress up to come here, but it’s reasonably priced, with a set menu for 35 euro. The décor is nothing particularly special but it has an old-fashioned, quite formal and very French feel about it. It’s the kind of restaurant where you spend a few hours, so don’t expect your meals to arrive quickly. 

Le Comptoir de la Tourraque is a cosy little restaurant on the little hill running down from the market, this charming place has a frequently changing blackboard menu with excellent French cuisine. This is clever cooking and has some surprising delights on the menu, and the food is fabulously presented. Le Comptoir is particularly nice in the wintertime.

Le Broc en Bouche is another Antibes institution, with a little entrance hidden away amongst the back streets. Serving excellent French food in a cosy ambience, the specials change regularly and it’s a locals' favourite that’s been going strong for many years.

Place Nacionale has quite a few restaurants, most of which fall into the tourist trap bracket and just aren’t worth visiting.  Yet the square is lovely and Le Rustic is one of the restaurants that make it worth dining there. It’s simple, but well-known for its fondue, and also has a good selection of mussels (try the chili version), pizzas and all the usual suspects. Cheerful service and all in all a pleasant and unpretentious place to spend an evening eating under the stars.

Les Vieux du Murs translates as "the views from the walls" and this classy French restaurant sits high on the wall of Antibes, with a splendid view across the Mediterranean. With elegant terrace tables outside and a lavishly decorated interior with big window sea views, this is a special occasion kind of place. It has wonderful degustation menus and a la carte offerings, with the best possible standard of service. Highly recommended for rich, sophisticated French cuisine.

Zinc is a fairly new addition to the Antibes scene, just opposite Le Quatre at the top of the market. This small wine bar and restaurant combines a smart modern vibe with classic French elements such as wooden farmhouse furniture, walls full of wine bottles and daily specials chalked up on a blackboard. Zinc is really making a name for itself - the wine list is excellent and reasonably priced, and the food is fresh, simple and splendid, meaning that the tables fill up fast! Try their artichoke salad, flavoursome lamb and their absolutely to die for chocolate fondant, which just oozes gooey chocolate and melts in your mouth. There’s also organic beef on the menu for the ethical eaters and a great range of cheese and charcuterie platters.

Antibes is packed with brilliant Italian and seafood spots, from relaxed beachside terraces to tucked-away gems serving fresh pasta and tiramisu. You'll find everything from crisp salmon and grilled gambas to rustic pizzas and towering seafood platters. Whether you’re after a long rosé lunch by the sea or a Michelin-starred seafood feast, there’s something here to suit every mood (and appetite).

For the Michelin experience, visit Le Figuier de Saint Esprit, which has been awarded one Michelin star. This is a gorgeous little restaurant by the ramparts complete with courtyard and obligatory fig tree, and of course the chef comes to talk to you at the table. This is lovely food, although it’s not cheap, normally running to about 100 euro a head.

Other Michelin starred restaurants in Antibes include Bacon, which funnily enough does not serve bacon at all but has an extensive seafood menu, and Les Pecheurs, which is much more sensibly named as Pecheur translates as "fisherman" in French. Both are recommended by the Guide Michelin for their delicious, fresh and creative seafood.

For a smart contemporary take on steak house cuisine, try Nacional Beef and Wine. Despite the tacky name, it has some seriously good steak on offer, with a mashed potato that you could weep over. Excellent food and excellent wine list, served in a light filled conservatory with a tree growing through it and a glass sliding roof. It’s not cheap, with steaks ranging from 28-42 euro and annoyingly, you have to order the excellent sides separately which really adds to the bill. They do have a lunch menu for 19 euro though, and have recently started having tapas and wine in the early evenings in their classy lounge area.

Lebanese food has only quite recently arrived in Antibes, with a lovely modern Lebanese restaurant called Le Phenicia overlooking the sea. It’s in a small row of restaurants that curve along the ramparts and its position means it's a sun-trap all year round, leading to long afternoons with wine and mezze plates beside the water. Crucially, this restaurant serves food non-stop throughout the afternoon, so keep it in mind when you’re heading out for a late lunch and the other restaurants keep shutting the door in your face!

If you are English, then you are probably going to be disappointed in Antibes's selection of Indian restaurants. Having said that, there are two Indian restaurants in Antibes if you get the curry craving and there is plenty on the menu as long you don’t obsess over it being completely authentic. Locals tend to disagree on which is the better of the two restaurants.

Chamkila, near the market, serves excellent spicy eggplant lamb curry, samosas and onion bhaji amongst other dishes. Kashmir is situated closer to the port and has an outside terrace which is lovely for summer evenings. Their curries are best described as decent, rather than spectacular. 

In Antibes proper, there are two Asian restaurants right next to each other along the front in the shadow of the ramparts, called L’Elephant Bleu and L’Ancre de Chine.

L’Elephant Bleu is an old favourite, with a huge menu that encompasses Chinese, Thai, Sushi and Vietnamese. Try the Vietnamese nems (spring rolls), the pineapple duck red curry and the Thai basil tofu. The sushi can be good but it is relatively expensive. The Blue Elephant has a lounge bar with music and cocktails, and a Buddha-themed dining room. The downside is that the food isn’t consistent - it’s always quite good, but when it was fantastic the last time you went, that can be disappointing.

Ancre de Chine is another good bet for a wide range of enjoyable Asian food. A bonus is the large street-side terrace, meaning you can tuck into noodles or a green curry and watch the street performers, buskers and tourists wander on by. 

Mai Thai in Juan Les Pins is the top tip for excellent, authentic Thai food. You will be instantly reminded just how good a green chicken curry can be.

Le Cinq Epices is a tiny Moroccan restaurant tucked into the narrow lanes of the old town, which is gaining quite a following as one of the best Moroccan restaurants on the Riviera. Delicious tagines and friendly professional service make this a great choice for something a bit different.

Thanks to Charlie’s fish and chips is finally on the menu in Antibes again after a 10 year absence. Fitted out almost like an American diner (but with Guinness on tap), Charlie's serves battered fish, delicious chips, mushy peas and great burgers. With a friendly English waiter and a French owner-chef who comes bearing shots as the night wears on, this place is very welcoming and it’s great fun eating and drinking here.

The Blue Lady is another popular spot for good pub grub and serves a range of jacket potatoes, salads, wraps and the like.

Whether you’re dining by the sea or tucked away in the old town, it’s all about relaxed vibes, bold flavours, and soaking up the coastal charm enjoying sizzling steaks and juicy burgers are served with a Mediterranean twist. 

Falafel is a Lebanese takeaway shop doing a roaring trade from the bars in the old town. Unsurprisingly, it serves falafel as well as kebabs and vegetarian options. It’s got a few tables and is always busy - definitely the best value meal in Antibes.