What to eat in the south of France

France is known for delicious food. But as a pescetarian, I sometimes struggled to find dishes I could eat. Of course, I devoured the flaky croissants and buttery viennoise piled high behind the glass counter of the neighborhood boulangerie, and I still dream about that little seafoam green box of macaroons you can only get from La Durée on the Champs Elysees.

However, most of the meal choices at French cafés and brasseries were the same, and I quickly grew tired of smoked salmon at every meal. The worst was when I ordered the vegetable soup at a restaurant near the Eiffel Tower. The waiter brought me a bowl of what I can only described as boiled peas and carrots, pureed sans any seasoning. The soup had no flavor to speak of and very little texture. I tried adding salt and pepper without any effect. I tried eating it with a little bit of bead, but of course it just tasted like flavorless soup on baguette. As a last resort, I added a huge dallop of Dijon mustard—anything to achieve some flavor. But it was like the soup sucked the taste out of everything I added. I later discovered that this soup is a specialty of France, and yes, it is made with canned peas and carrots. Yuck.

The food in the south of France, with its Italian influences and fresh seafood, was much more my style. I was also surprised by a lot of specialty dishes and deserts I had never heard of. Below, I’ve compiled a list of some of the foods I came across.

Moules frites (mussels and french fries)

Sigh. I wanted so badly to try this, but it never quite seemed right when I was hungry. It is usually cooked in white wine and served with french fries. Mussels are also a staple in Nice’s famous tomato-saffron bouillabaisse soup, but I didn’t see bouillabaisse on the menu as often as I saw moules frites. Great for sharing.

Thin crust pizza Provençal

Served on a huge platter and topped with Romano cheese, parmesan, red pepper, auberge (eggplant), onion and olive. Why they always bring extra EVOO on the side, I have no idea. Although the pizza is not dripping in grease, it definitely doesn’t need any more oil, in my opinion. I guess the Italians would disagree…

Ratatouille

I’m never sure how to describe ratatouille because it’s been different every time I’ve tried it. Essentially it is a mixture of stewed vegetables (onion, auberge, courgette, etc.) and herbs. I had the BEST ratatouille at a tiny restaurant in the old-town of Nice. I visited this gem with friends of friends, and unfortunately, I didn’t make note of the restaurant name. The ratatouille starter was served with the vegetables carefully layered—each with a distinct herb. All the flavors came together beautifully in one bite.

Salad niçoise

This is my favorite salad and my staple in France! Tuna, hard-boiled egg, potato, green beans, anchovy, roasted beets, shredded carrot and balsamic or aioli dressing. Although I have to admit that after all the salad niçoise I’ve eaten in France, I still like the one Brasserie Four makes best.

Socca

This specialty street food is kind of like flat bread made of cheese, chickpeas and EVOO. The batter is spread thin on a crepe-pan and baked au four until it emerges as a crispy pancake. Meant to be eaten with your hands, it is French fast food at it’s finest.

Calissons

These are tiny almond-shaped cookies with a sweet honey-almond taste and a layer of hardened confection on top. You can find orange flour, chocolate or vanilla flavors too, but always with an almond base. These were delicious but insanely expensive for a box of four tiny cookies.

Tablette noir orange confites

Orange and chocolate is a winning combination in the south of France. This tiny candy consists of a layer of smooth dark chocolate with a candied orange slice on top. The thin orange slice includes the rind, which is just as sweet and gummy as the rest of the candied orange.

Gelato

The prevalence of Gelato is clearly thanks the Italian influence. Nice has a gelato parlor on nearly every corner, but the most famous of these is Fenocchio, a gelato stand in the old-city famed for offering over 100 flavors with unusual picks like tomato-saffron or lavender.

Rose wine

I was surprised by how many French people love their rose. Rose is cheap and incredibly popular in the south of France, but also in Paris too! I saw men and women of all (drinking) ages sipping rose at lunch and dinner.

Pastis

Served in a tall glass and diluted with a few ice cubes, pastis is pale, cloudy, anise-flavored liquor. When I think of pastis, I imagine Hemmingway in a beachside café, swirling a flute of the liquor topped off with champagne while watching the world pass by. I had to try it in Nice! I quickly discovered that I’m not a fan… bummer.

The south of France is celebrated for it’s cuisine, and this is in no way a complete list of the specialty regional foods, but rather a selection of the foods that impressed me the most during my short stay.

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