Just like Paris's renowned Café de Flore, La Samaritaine - situated on the corner of the Vieux-Port at the lower end of Rue de la République - has managed to hold onto its old-fashioned charm. And it's easy to see why, with its 1930s-style décor, deliciously light, traditional cuisine, piano bar and fabulous terrace looking out over the boats moored in the harbor making it the perfect rendezvous, no matter what time of day. The bar closes at 8:30 pm generally, but is open until midnight during the summer months.
A popular jazz venue for over 20 years, this well-known bar on the Vieux-Port with its inviting leather and wood décor has performances on most nights featuring the region's finest musicians as well as jazz artists from all over France. Big names such as violinist Didier Lockwood and percussionist Ceccarelli have already wooed the audience with improvisations and unforgettable moments of jazz magic on the club's small, intimate ground floor stage. What better way to spend the evening than listening to smooth sounds while sipping on exotic cocktails?
Au Bout du Quai means "at the end of the dock," and this is exactly where this restaurant is situated: at the edge of the Old Port, City Hall-side. Au Bout du Quai is a family affair since a change in ownership in January 2009. Inside, the place is welcoming and the decor very pleasant with a breathtaking view of Notre Dame de la Garde and the Abbaye St Victor. To sit outside on sunny days is also a real pleasure. As more and more restaurants do nowadays, the menu changes daily and is written on a slate, no paper menu here. Although daily specials depend on the fish caught that day, the dishes all have their very own touch of originality and Provencal taste.
Peron is a gourmet restaurant in Marseille with an absolutely breathtaking view of the Mediterranean Sea. Once you’re at the restaurant, whether indoors or on the terrace, you’ll notice the lack of road noise and honking horns –a place where tranquility is total. The restaurant serves many fish specialties and of course the famous Marseille specialty, La Bouillabaisse, which is one of the restaurant’s key dishes. Due to the amazing view and the gourmet standards, Peron’s prices are proportionate. Reservations are strongly recommended.
The late Fonfon would have been proud to see that his restaurant's excellent reputation lives on. Still a family-run affair, one of the city's best places for seafood serves a mean bouillabaisse (cooked to perfection using ingredients fished from the sea close by), whilst other dishes including poisson à l'argile (clay-baked fish), and poisson grillé (grilled fish) should easily satisfy the most demanding of palates. Huge bay windows ensure a fabulous sea view while you dine. Très magnifique!
Pizza Borely is a pizzeria on the famous waterfront esplanade area called Escale Borely, hence the name: Pizza Borely. The restaurant is situated on the first floor and has a terrace with a breathtaking view over the Mediterranean Sea. Therefore it is really nice to go out there in the summer and enjoy the view. The restaurant's personnel is rather kind and the decor inside is quite simple and conventional. Aside from pizzas and calzones, Pizza Borely also has various items on its menu: salads, meats, fish, pasta, and a lot more. Considering the view and the great food, the prices are quite nominal.
The Equinoxe is one of the main bistros at Escale Borély, where it is nice to sit at the terrace and sip a cool drink or grab an ice cream on a hot summer day. During the windy Mistral (chilling Provençal wind born in the Alps) days, the terrace is sheltered behind small bay windows and pleasantly heated in mid-season. Inside, the decor is unsurprisingly very “beachy”, with sea themed booths and pictures on the walls. A great view of the sea and close proximity to the Prado beaches are what make the Equinoxe a nice place to visit, but like most of these seaside places the menu may seem overpriced. The restaurant serves fish specialties like grilled sea bream and shellfish platters.