Learn all about what makes the cuisine of Marseille, a city in the South of France, so special, from magnificent local produce and fragrant herbs to bouillabaisse, street food and more. Plus, find some top places to eat in the city and the best places to stay.
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Want to learn more about regional cuisine? Check out our guides to the cuisines of Trentino in Italy, the Algarve in Portugal, Cork in Ireland or Istria in Croatia.
The food in Marseille: 10 things we love
Cross-culture influences
Marseille is a cosmopolitan city with influences from North Africa, Central Africa and strong elements of Provence. The city’s boulevards and alleys offer a glimpse into a multicultural tapestry, with Moroccan tea rooms, Tunisian pastry shops, various halal fast-food options and spice shops showcasing a diverse culinary heritage.
Herbes de Provence
The region is known for its herb mixes, with the most prevalent being fennel, marjoram, rosemary, tarragon and thyme. Some recipes also include basil, parsley, bay leaves, chervil, sage, oregano, mint and lavender to enhance the flavour of a dish, and give it the extra flavour of Marseille. These herbs go especially well with slow-cooked lamb and tomato tarte tatin.
Apéro
Aperitif or apéro is a common part of the drinking culture in Marseille – coming together over a drink to share stories and how your day was. Pastis, an aniseed-flavoured spirit, is the drink of choice and is deeply rooted in Marseille’s history. Many locals also opt for wine from Provence’s award-winning vineyards. Whatever you choose, the most important thing is to have eye contact when you cheers with ‘santé’.
Fishing villages
The coastline surrounding Marseille is home to small fishing villages with traditional fisherman’s huts strung along the shore. I get my fresh fish for the restaurant from Les Goudes. It’s worth the short trip from Marseille to sample incredible fresh seafood and walk along Cap Croisette, where you can swim in the sea.
Bouillabaisse
Marseille has an abundance of seafood, and me and my fellow chefs put it in the spotlight in this popular seafood stew. Each is different but often includes monkfish, scorpion fish, spider crab and lobster bubbling away slowly in a saffron and tomato broth. We dish it out at the table and serve with croutons and mayonnaise. Locals eat this dish on a Sunday usually, because it takes such a long time to prepare and is enjoyed as a communal dish after church.
Magnificent produce
Provence is known as the Garden of France due to its abundant and magnificent produce from the land, sea and mountains. At my restaurant we like to make the most of the fresh vegetables available locally, such as lettuce, tomatoes and aubergines, in a dish I call la biscotte végétale.
Street food snacks
L’Estaque, a town just west of Marseille, is known for chichis frégis. It’s a French street snack, similar to churros, made from deep-fried yeasted dough and chickpea flour then rolled in sugar. Sticky but worth the effort.
Market life
Marseille’s markets (such as La Plaine), with their produce and stallholder characters, play an important role in the lives of the city, from Fabien Gardon, a leading sustainable fisherman, to Geoffrey’s fresh herbs and Pistole’s fantastic selection of bonitos.
Calanques
One of the most beautiful parts of the coastline is Calanque de Sormiou as you can see for miles over the Mediterranean Sea, white sand beaches and towering hills. It’s a great place to swim in the clear waters or go for a hike through the landscape. Sormiou has a small number of fisherman’s cabins passed down by generations, which makes it very picturesque.
Contemporary flair
With time, the city’s food culture has evolved to become trendier and more avant-garde. People want to have more choice and to socialise with a younger crowd, so the city has adapted and modernised. There are a lot more pizza places in Marseille now than when I first moved here, including Didier et Brigitte, Le Tribeca and La Trattoria Del Sud Da Vincenzo.
Where to eat and drink in Marseille
La Boîte à Sardine
This is Fabien Rugi’s place and it’s always the best spot to taste the region’s fish. It’s small and local, so sit back and enjoy what Fabien has to offer from the day’s catch, including calamari fried with Espelette pepper, red mullet with chickpea fries, sardines with herbs and fresh oysters. laboiteasardine.com
AM par Alexandre Mazzia
My restaurant is tucked away on a residential street in Marseille. The cuisine is influenced by the city’s cosmopolitan side, combining the global influence of spices as well as the daily catch from our local fishermen. The menu is served in sequences of small dishes, which changes daily depending on that morning’s catch and harvest. It is a representation of myself and of Marseille, growing, changing and alive. alexandre-mazzia.com
Patisserie Sylvain Depuichaffray
Join the queue to taste the best millefeuille in the world, including flavours such as green tea and strawberry or passion fruit and dark chocolate. sylvaindepuichaffray.fr
Day trips from Marseille
Chez Paul
This is one of my favourite restaurants in nearby Les Goudes. It reminds me of Île de Ré, an island off the west coast of France. It’s where I spent most of my childhood, next to the sea and eating lots of freshly caught fish. Chez Paul serves fabulous fish caught daily, which make the cornerstone of its menu. The food makes you come alive, it feeds your soul and, for me, the nostalgia keeps bringing me back. facebook.com/chezpaul.lesgoudes
Le Grand Bar des Goudes
Bar des Goudes is iconic, from the 100-year old tiled flooring to its owner, Didier Tani. From his voice, to his generosity, to his stories, you know this establishment is founded by a legend, and still delivers the same warmth of familiarity and passion around food as expressed by the man himself. It’s a legendary spot. grandbardesgoudes.fr
Maison Ferroni at Château de Creissauds
A beautiful distillery in the château estate where Guillaume Ferroni draws much of his inspiration from the research he conducts on the history of spirits. He combines this with intense creativity and a constant desire for innovation. Château de Creissauds is a beautiful place to walk around – if you pre-book he’ll guide you through a tasting of some of the spirits they produce. ferroni.shop
Where to stay in Marseille
La Relève
This bar is a local institution in the vibrant Endoume district, a great spot to meet friends for an apéro. It makes some pretty amazing cocktails, too. Upstairs it has recently added four compact but very chic rooms. The yellow room has a sunny Provençal feel with mustard-tiled walk-in shower, earthy ceramics and pretty lampshades, while the blue room is designed to reflect the Mediterranean Sea, with blue and terracotta tones, raised vintage bathtub and a chess table. larelevemarseille.fr
L’Hôtel Maison Montgrand
This hotel, café and shop in the Vieux Port makes a great central base for a visit. Sit in its colourful courtyard café and enjoy a gourmet ice lolly from local brand Emki Pop (flavours include autumnal apple and pear with tonka bean) or chef Baptiste Branche’s fresh, seasonal lunches including sea bream ceviche, chicken confit in masala spices and salted caramel Paris-Brest. hotel-maison-montgrand.com
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