We keep going back to Cannes time and time again. The little town has so much to offer; glitz, glam, and a beautiful Mediterranean beachfront. Here’s a quick food guide to Cannes to keep in mind whether you are in town for the Festival in May, summer’s vacation or just a lovely long weekend anytime of year. Check out my three top picks for Cannes restaurants for some amazing Cannes food!
Cannes Food: L’Ecrin Plage
Located at the far end of Cannes near Palm Beach, L’Ecrin Plage is a place for a refined night out. Many people who visit Cannes for the first time don’t leave the Croisette and trust me there is nothing wrong with that. But if you don’t venture out a little bit (and by a little bit I mean only a 5- or 10-minute walk down the waterfront), you are missing out on a whole other part of Cannes that is just as fabulous. L’Ecrin Plage is one of the stylish eateries and beach clubs right next to the marina where you can spot mega yachts parked all year round.
When you arrive, ask for a table near the water. The restaurant serves up a fusion of Asian inspired European classics. We tried an amazing beef carpaccio with Asian vegetables as well as a salmon sashimi that was as fresh as can be. And for main courses we kept it simple with a black truffle pasta and a filet mignon.
Cannes Food: Le Roof, Five Seas Hotel
The Five Seas Hotel is probably the most forward-thinking of the luxury hotels in downtown Cannes, the extremely modern aesthetic will please as soon as you walk in. But wait until you get to the roof to be truly impressed. They serve up cocktails and light bites on the roof by the pool, so I highly recommend getting there a little early to enjoy the sunset and the beautiful view of the Cannes skyline with one of their craft cocktails in hand. And when it’s time for dinner you and your guests head inside to their equally as stunning restaurant, which also has wall to wall windows overlooking the Museè de la Castre and Le Suquet. This makes for an extremely romantic start to the night.
Each course is put together with love and care, you can really see the passion on the plate from Chef Arnaud Tabarac. For the first course we had an artistic rendition of fois gras with some crispy pieces of meringue. The next course was a little dish of pasta, a sumptuous way to keep the meal going. And after that we had a bright intermezzo to cleanse our palates before it was time for the main course. The main course was a delightfully prepared piece of pan seared fish with all the seasonal vegetables you could imagine, artichoke hearts, courgettes, squash blossoms and more.
And for dessert we were lucky enough to enjoy two of the chef’s specialties. A giant, and when I say giant, it had to be 7 or 8 inches across, creme brulee. The consistency and the flavor was just perfection, which makes all the difference in a creme brulee. It has to be the best one we have ever had and the fact that the chef achieved such perfection on that large of a scale is impressive. And for our second dessert we had a tangy lemon meringue, made with the chef’s signature meringue petals.
Flawless nights like these are what keep us coming back to Cannes.
Foodie Beach: Gray d’Albion Plage
And last but not least, the Gray d’Albion Plage is one of the most well-rounded beaches on the strip, really made for the whole family. This is a place you could spend an entire day or week. With comfortable beach chairs and a well laid out beach menu and plenty of water sports to keep you busy, your every need is taken care of here.
We arrived mid-morning on a typically sunny Riviera day and I just knew we were going to have a fabulous time. The service was prompt, we were able to enjoy the water and when we came out of the water for lunch we had so many fresh and local options to choose from. We went with the burrata salad and the Caesar Salad with beef tartare. Whoever said beach food was limited to hotdogs and chips, was wrong. Once you’ve had a fresh salad on the beach in Cannes there is no going back.
To learn more about Cannes, read our other blog posts about 3 Reasons to Go to Cannes Right Now, a Luxurious Escape to Cannes and Fun in the Sun in Cannes.