Toulon: selection of gourmet addresses to discover in the Var in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur

Frozen cake made of meringue and mocha praline whipped cream, Chanteclair Toulonnais is the local specialty.

https://patisserie-chanteclair.fr/

Impossible to miss the beautiful azure storefront of L'Épicerie Simple by Emmanuel Galera, former publisher, on the legendary Cours Lafayette. Opening this grocery store and selecting the smallest product, the smallest natural vintage, is for him a way of continuing to learn fundamental know-how. “I improvised as a cook by opening jars; and then, when the baker Gilles Lassaux found himself without a place, he came to make it here. » Since then, Simple has also been the best place to have breakfast from 8:30 a.m. around golden pastries and sourdough breads baked in a wood-fired oven. At the end of the week, musicians come to liven up the place. A wonderful place to live!

48 cours Lafayette (06 60 88 05 05)

Our good addresses in Toulon: Chez Stéphane

In the heart of the Mourillon district, the jovial Stéphane Jouveaux opened at the end of 2023 a cave of gourmet treasures offering the best of Corsican charcuterie and cheeses, as well as artisanal nuggets from the region: Lemon Story citrus marmalades and liqueurs, spreads and Timon & Sourrieu “Chickpea Tronche” biscuits (Marseille), Regain artisanal ice creams (Carqueiranne)…

42 rue Lamalgue (09 86 22 17 86).

https://chezstephane.fr/

Our good addresses in Toulon: Canova

Checkered tablecloths, flea market plates and high-end small dishes for this pocket-sized gastronomic restaurant. Francesco Consolini creates seasonal plates for €10, borrowing from Italy of course, but also from Japan. Most ? Natural wines at fixed prices: €5 per glass, €25 per bottle. Highly addictive nugget address.

19 rue Richard Andrieu (06 37 55 23 64). Reservation essential

It's hard not to spend every evening sitting on the terrace or at the counter of Sarah Pinelle's natural wine cellar-bar… Located just a stone's throw from rue des Arts, the young woman, who comes from the cultural world, inaugurated in the summer of 2023 this neighborhood bar for lovers of vintages and lively evenings. His local favorites? “Le Temps des Rêveurs”, an organic Provence wine, easy to drink but nicely structured, or “Terre Mère rouge” from Clos des B, all red fruits and supple tannins.

1-3 rue Nicolas Laugier (06 76 92 25 51).

Superbuvette, cave et bar à vin à Toulon

Basic, the sandwich? Not at Frankie, a pop temple of “loaf cuisine”, founded in October 2022 by three partners, Kevin Dolci, Jérémie Courdouan and chef Matthias Ney, who here delivers a whole dish in a sandwich: Provençal stew from Mamie or back from cod breaded with rouille in a Fish & Miche-style squid ink bun. It's delicious, seasonal, homemade, in short, joyful.

27 rue Paul Lendrin (07 66 57 99 87).

https://www.frankiefamily.fr/

On market days, at the bottom of Cours Lafayette, the snack break around the La Cade scooter in Dédé is an obligatory stop for any self-respecting Toulon resident. La cade is this large blond chickpea pancake cooked over a wood fire, the recipe for which arrived two centuries ago in the bag of Genoese carpenters. Initially a morning snack for workers in the harbor, this hot and salty snack, distributed by auction on the market, has become Proust's madeleine for the city's natives.

Count €1.60 for the small tray and €25 for the large tray (order on 06 09 50 74 24)

https://la-cade-a-dede.fr/

Discover the recipe for La cade toulonnaise

Our good addresses in Toulon: Borsavino

In the heart of the old town, in a neighborhood that used to be a den of thugs, this welcoming wine bar has kept a little rascally side with its “cooked tranquillou” pork loin, its homemade duck leg confit and its devilish potatoes “roasted with love”. Nice lively wine list, friendly atmosphere and a crowded terrace on sunny days.

2 place Gustave Lambert (06 82 78 74 81)

Closed for 20 years, the superb Art Deco halls of Toulon reopened their doors in 2022 to welcome 25 artisans and gourmet counters, where you can enjoy lunch and dinner: around a platter of oysters at Coin de l'Écailler, with the small dishes and praline brioches from Pauline and Marie on the Chez Elles stand, or thanks to the Iberian flavors of the caterer La Casa Pincho. Early in the morning, we admire the building from the sunny terrace of Café Pop (cafepoptoulon.com). In the evening, we go up for an aperitif with music on the roof terrace of the halls at Café Toulonnais (06 71 26 91 97).

28, place Vincent Raspail.
https://biltoki.com/halles/hallestoulon/

Within the old Toulon post office, François Veillon has created a place of artistic life which houses a ceramic workshop, shows, exhibitions… On the ground floor, the former self-service restaurant has been transformed into a bright restaurant without map or menu. Chef Arnaud Tabarec, who has worked at the best restaurants in France, guides the teams here towards light and caring, ultra-fresh and eco-responsible daily cuisine. At his side, the young chef Harry Isé expresses his creativity on a daily basis by carefully crafting delightful dishes, superbly prepared and perfectly balanced. Special mention for the cooking and broths, of which not a drop is lost.

2 rue Hippolyte Duprat (06 27 54 27 06).

https://restaurant.letelegraphe.org/

We fell in love with this pretty Mexican-influenced restaurant, opened in 2015 by the young Toulon duo Henri Kaced and Emmanuel Davilma. We love this cuisine inspired by elsewhere, based on organic and locally sourced products. Not to be missed: the Mezcal Mule cocktail, the broccoli fritter taco (€8), the chicken pibil tostada (€12) and the irresistible frozen bush.

36 rue Charles Poncy (04 94 64 11 58).

Accueil

Discover the frozen bush recipe

Born in Toulon but half Breton, Romain, a passionate creator, worked as a pastry chef in France and abroad before returning to open a biscuit factory in the old town seven years ago where he reinvented shortbread, starting with the famous anise shuttle. We love his half-butter, half-olive oil creations, his homemade fruit jellies and marshmallows and – our favorites – his Solliès fig sticks.

8 rue Pierre Semard (09 86 38 01 91).

Le Petit Biscuitier

THE Saint Gabrielon the port of Toulon, for octopus stew or Duroc pork marbling from Romain Janin (06 27 05 79 15).
L'Équerrefor brunch or dinner under the hotel’s beautiful glass roof
The Water (leautel-toulon.com).
The terrace of Cafes Mauritius (cafesmaurice.com) for an espresso at this artisan roaster established in Toulon since 1875.
The Bière de la Rade brewery (in photo), to sip scorpion fish or sea bream at the place of production (bieredelarade.com).

Prepare your stay: https://www.provencemed.com/

At the Grand Hôtel Dauphiné, a comfortable 3-star boutique hotel in the heart of the old town and a stone's throw from the port. The plus: the rooftop with mini-pool for an aperitif with a view of the harbor and the roofs of the city.

10 rue Berthelot (04 94 92 20 28), from €80 per night.

https://www.grandhoteldauphine.com/