All eyes are on Marseille’s emerging modern food scene as an influx of young chefs open restaurants in the vibrant French port city …
It may be less polished and glitzy than its neighbours on the Riviera, but over the last few years Marseille has been gaining a reputation as the South of France destination for those in the know. While steeped in ancient history, there’s an unmistakeably youthful feel to Marseille right now, as a new wave of energetic young chefs and sommeliers, many having spent years honing their skills in Paris and abroad, open modern bistros, wine bars and cafés that feel like the cool younger siblings of Paris’s trendy establishments.
Limmat, Livingston, Ippon, Prosper, Figure and La Mercerie are just some of the restaurants infusing the city with a new energy. Many offer “chef’s choice” tasting menus, which change with the seasons.
At Valentin Raffali’s Livingston restaurant, the rising star of Marseille’s food scene, there’s a rotating roster of guest residencies with international chefs settling in for weeks or months at a time. This summer, Danish chef Mads Christensen (most recently at Le Mary Celeste in Paris) has taken the helm until September, offering up an Asian-inspired twist on the tasting menu. At night, rue Vian, the winding street that runs between Livingston and around to Prosper, another small plates restaurant, comes alive with a young crowd. At La Mercerie, chef Harry Cummins executes an inventive seasonal menu – recent dishes included white asparagus with a Japanese amazake, and handmade gnocchi with bagna cauda and courgette flowers – with an extensive wine list by co-founder and sommelier Laura Vidal. Book a seat at the counter with a view of the open kitchen.
Sun-seekers make their way to the terrace at Tuba Club for lunch, or for an apéritif at the rooftop cocktail bar Bikini to watch the sun go down. A 20-minute taxi from the centre of town to the small fishing village of Les Goudes, at the edge of the Calanques National Park, it feels like a world away from the busy streets of Marseille. There you can have as-fresh-as-it-gets ceviche with a glass of Tuba’s house rosé, made in collaboration with Domaine Maubernard in Bandol. Overnight guests of Tuba Club (there are eight bedrooms) have exclusive access to the yellow striped loungers that sit on the cliff edge, where they can jump off the rocks into the Med to cool down before taking a seat on the terrace for lunch.
For a more relaxed setting for a snack and glass of wine, there is no shortage of wine bars (or caves a manger as they are called) in the city, many with a focus on natural wines. The cool Ivresse is tucked away in a former car garage on a side street just steps from Palais Longchamp, and at Le Vin Sur La Main, on the slopes of Le Panier, guests gather early to nab the few outdoor tables before choosing from its large selection of orange wines by the glass.
For an old-school Marseillais atmosphere, plan lunch at the family-run Chez Etienne. Operating since 1943, the pizzeria is a Marseille institution. Wood-fired pizza is served just three ways: cheese; anchovies; or “moitié-moitié”, meaning half and half. Cash only, no reservations and busy with regulars, so aim to arrive at opening time or be prepared to queue.
In the morning, stop off at Petrin Couchette (next to La Mercerie), a sourdough bakery with specialty coffee and delicious bread and viennoiserie. Right across the street sits Maison Empereur, a hardware/homeware store that stocks everything from classic French kitchenware and Marseille soaps to old-fashioned children’s toys and the chic blue chore coats the staff wear. No visit to the city would be complete without a stop-off at this unmissable store. You might need to upgrade your baggage allowance.
Food isn’t the only highlight of a trip to Marseille. Get lost in the winding streets of Cours Julien with its vintage and thrift shops, or the colourful passages of Le Panier with its craft shops and independent boutiques. Don’t miss Jogging, a concept store which stocks brands such as Jacquemus (designer Simon Porte Jacquemus grew up near Marseille and has spoken about how the city is one of his greatest inspirations), Cecilie Bahnsen, Lemaire and Coperni. Book a table at Jogging Trattoria, a hidden courtyard behind the store, with an Italian-inspired menu.
Cultural highlights in the city include the UNESCO World Heritage Site La Cité Radieuse, Le Corbusier’s colourful 1920s housing block, and MAMO, where Chanel presented its Cruise 2024 collection. MUCEM is a modern art museum at the end of the Old Port housed between three buildings – one a former military fort – and connected by open- air bridges. At Musée Cantini, a retrospective of Surrealist artist and sculptor Alberto Giacometti runs until September.
As for where to rest your head at the end of a long day of exploring, the chic and discreet Pension Edelweiss is a five-bedroom guesthouse in a Haussmannian building, once home to a ceramics factory. Run by husband and wife duo, Jo and Veronique, it is furnished with the couple’s collection of mid-century furniture. Breakfast is served family-style around the kitchen table, or on the tiny terrace when the sun shines. Just a five-minute walk from Saint Charles train station, it couldn’t be a more perfect spot for a weekend in Marseille, particularly if you plan to take the train another stop or two along the Cote d’Azur.
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