Food · Cannes · France
What to eat in Cannes
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Cannes, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Spike, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Socca, Pan bagnat and Bouillabaisse. Arrive mid-morning to see the fish stalls, taste olives and cheese, then sit down for coffee or a glass of rosé at one of the bars ringing the market hall on Rue du Docteur Monod. Prices for the same coffee or drink can triple on the Croisette compared with a side street two blocks back.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Socca
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 5
- Tipping
- Service is included in restaurant bills in France.
- Food experiences
- 4
10 foods to try
Street food · Vegetarian
1.Socca
A thin, crisp chickpea-flour pancake baked in a wood-fired oven and served hot, peppered and cut into strips. It is the classic snack of the Nice area and turns up at Cannes market stalls.
Where: Stalls around Marché Forville in the morning; eat it straight from the paper while it is hot.
Snack
2.Pan bagnat
A round bread roll soaked in olive oil and filled with tuna, hard-boiled egg, raw vegetables, olives and anchovies; essentially a salade niçoise in a bun and the ideal beach lunch.
Where: Bakeries in the centre and around Marché Forville; buy one before catching the boat to the islands.
Dish
3.Bouillabaisse
The Provençal fish stew of rockfish served in two stages: first the saffron broth with croutons and rouille, then the fish. A proper version is expensive and often needs ordering in advance.
Where: Seafood restaurants on Quai Saint-Pierre and around the Vieux Port; ask whether it is made to order.
Snack
4.Pissaladière
Thick bread dough topped with slow-cooked onions, anchovies and black olives, sold by the slice in bakeries across the Riviera.
Where: Bakeries and market stalls; a good choice for a picnic on Île Sainte-Marguerite.
Dish
5.Salade niçoise
The regional salad of tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, black olives, tuna or anchovies and raw vegetables dressed in olive oil. Traditional versions leave out cooked potatoes and green beans.
Where: On the menu at most beach restaurants and brasseries on the Croisette.
Dish
6.Petits farcis
Small vegetables such as courgettes, tomatoes, onions and peppers stuffed with a mix of meat, breadcrumbs and herbs, then baked. A summer favourite in Provençal home cooking.
Where: Traditional restaurants in Le Suquet and around Marché Forville, mostly in summer.
Dessert · Vegetarian
7.Tourte de blettes
A sweet pie of Swiss chard, raisins, pine nuts and parmesan, which surprises most visitors by being served as a dessert. It is a Nice-area speciality.
Where: Bakeries and market stalls; ask for it by name, as it is not always on display.
Drink · Vegetarian
8.Rosé de Provence
Pale, dry rosé from the Côtes de Provence vineyards inland is the default summer drink on the Riviera, served very cold at lunch on the beach.
Where: Every beach club and terrace; wine shops in the centre sell bottles from nearby estates.
Drink · Vegetarian
9.Lérina and the monks' wines (Lérina)
The Cistercian monks of Saint-Honorat make a herbal liqueur called Lérina and a range of wines from their island vineyards, which are among the more unusual souvenirs from Cannes.
Where: The abbey shop on Île Saint-Honorat, and some wine shops in town.
Bakery · Vegetarian
10.Fougasse
A flat, leaf-shaped Provençal bread slashed into a lattice, often studded with olives, lardons, anchovies or orange-flower water for a sweet version.
Where: Bakeries on Rue Meynadier and in the centre.
Food experiences
Morning at Marché Forville
Arrive mid-morning to see the fish stalls, taste olives and cheese, then sit down for coffee or a glass of rosé at one of the bars ringing the market hall on Rue du Docteur Monod.
Lunch at a beach club
Private beach clubs on the Croisette serve grilled fish and salads at tables on the sand; booking a sunbed and lunch together is the classic splurge, particularly in July and August.
Picnic on the Lérins Islands
Buy pan bagnat, pissaladière and fruit in town, take the boat to Île Sainte-Marguerite and eat under the pines looking across to Saint-Honorat.
Dinner in Le Suquet
Rue Saint-Antoine and the lanes around it hold a dense cluster of small restaurants with terraces on the slope, serving Provençal dishes such as daube and petits farcis.
Quick bites and street food
- Socca — Stalls around Marché Forville in the morning; eat it straight from the paper while it is hot.
- Pan bagnat — Bakeries in the centre and around Marché Forville; buy one before catching the boat to the islands.
- Pissaladière — Bakeries and market stalls; a good choice for a picnic on Île Sainte-Marguerite.
- Fougasse — Bakeries on Rue Meynadier and in the centre.
Vegetarian options
Of the 10 foods in this guide, 5 are usually vegetarian: Socca, Tourte de blettes, Rosé de Provence, Lérina and the monks' wines and Fougasse. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Prices for the same coffee or drink can triple on the Croisette compared with a side street two blocks back.
- Lunch is served from about noon to 2pm and dinner from 7:30pm; outside the summer, many kitchens close in the afternoon.
- Book ahead for any restaurant during the film festival, MIPIM and other trade fairs, when tables fill weeks in advance.
- A carafe of tap water is free on request.
- Weekday lunch set menus (formules) in the centre are much cheaper than dinner menus.
Tipping
Service is included in restaurant bills in France. Rounding up or leaving a few euros for good service is common, and leaving 5–10% in smarter restaurants or beach clubs is appreciated but not expected.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Bonjour | Hello / good day |
| Merci beaucoup | Thank you very much |
| L'addition, s'il vous plaît | The bill, please |
| Une carafe d'eau | A jug of tap water |
| Un transat, s'il vous plaît | A sunbed, please |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Cannes famous for?
Socca, Pan bagnat, Bouillabaisse and Pissaladière. A thin, crisp chickpea-flour pancake baked in a wood-fired oven and served hot, peppered and cut into strips.
+Is Cannes good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Socca, Tourte de blettes and Rosé de Provence.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Cannes?
Service is included in restaurant bills in France. Rounding up or leaving a few euros for good service is common, and leaving 5–10% in smarter restaurants or beach clubs is appreciated but not expected.