City Guides Marseille

EAT

MOUTCHOU

An edible grocery store and cafe set into the hills — perfect for a coffee, a light breakfast, or lunch on the quiet back patio.

LA BOÎTE À SARDINE

Filled with extravagant fishing gear, this beloved seafood restaurant serves the day's catch fresh from the harbor — sardines, of course, included.

CHEZ PAUL

A classic waterfront bistro overlooking the fishing port of Les Gourdes that’s made for a long, unhurried lunch.

POISSONNERIE KENNEDY

Perched on the high street of Endoume, this fishery serves beautiful crudos, excellent fries, and desserts. Sit outside for a romantic white tablecloth dinner under the stars. 

CHEZ YASSINE

Marseille is one of France's best destinations for North African cuisine. Chez Yassine is a favorite — serving sausage, homemade lemonade, and other Tunisian specialities on its purple outdoor tables. 

TUBA CLUB

Instagram-famous for good reason. Come for simple yet delicious fish, crudos, and cocktails; stay for an afternoon lounging and swimming on the rocks below.

EPICERIE L’IDEAL

Part gourmet epicerie, part neighborhood café, serving unfussy Italian cooking from breakfast through aperitif. Pick up picnic provisions wrapped in the shop's signature fish-print butcher paper before heading to the sea.

BONNIES

Founded by a Scottish expat who took over a neighbourhood haunt, this bar and restaurant serves pared back Mediterranean cuisines at its finest.

LIMMAT

Perched halfway up a graffiti-covered staircase that leads to the buzzy neighborhood of Cours Julien, Limmat serves seasonal produce and natural wines to a crowd.

LA OLA

An intimate small-plates restaurant with a rotating roster of guest chefs and a thoughtfully priced menu. Request a table outside.

DO 

PLAGE DE MALMOUSQUE

Outcroppings of rocks tucked away at the peak of the Endoume make the perfect setting for a lay or dip among the Marseillais. Consider watching the sunset with a pizza pie from nearby L’Eau a la Bouche. 

CALANQUES NATIONAL PARK

Just outside the city, the Calanques offer dramatic limestone cliffs, coastal hiking trails, and secluded beaches best reached on foot.

MUSEE DES ARTS DECORATIFS

A museum of decorative arts with an exceptional collection of furniture, ceramics, accessories, and more than one hundred perfume bottles.

LA VIELLE CHARITE

A seventeenth-century cultural center with a beautiful courtyard, rotating exhibitions, and a library tucked upstairs.

MAISON EMPEREUR

France's oldest hardware store, filled floor to ceiling with beautifully made tools, kitchenware, brushes, linens, and everyday objects. An essential stop.

JOGGING

Thoughtfully curated boutique carrying an international selection of fashion, objects, and independent designers. Next door, you can find Cielo Trattoria, an Italian restaurant with a cozy courtyard from the Jogging team. 

DRINK

AUX DEUX MOULINS

A snack and natural wine bar off the main port serving a small selection of food from a rotating daily chalkboard menu. 

FRICHE LA BELLE DE MAI

This arts and culture center built on the site of the former Seita tobacco factory includes concert venues, restaurants, gardens, and bookshop. We love its rooftop bar for views of the city below. 

CARRY NATION

This prohibition-era themed bar requires reservations and detailed instructions for how to get there (no publicly listed location is available). If you can find it, expect well made classic cocktails served by finely dressed bartenders. 

GRENADINE CAVE A VINE

An intimate, casual wine bar nestled in the hills above Endoume. 

LE CABANON DE PAULETTE

This beachfront bar and cafe built from old boat garages is open morning to eve. A perfect spot for a seafood snack and beach lay, or sunset watch. 

PATISSERIE LA MARSA

Traditional Tunisian pastries and Turkish coffee, perfect for a mid-day pickup.

STAY 

LA TRAVERSE

A design studio with a handful of beautifully appointed guest rooms upstairs.

LES CHAMBRES DE LA RELÈVE

A handful of 50s-inspired vibrant guest rooms above the beloved neighborhood bar and restaurant, La Relève.

LE CABANON DE MALMOUSQUE

A quaint seaside cottage mere steps from Plage de Malmousque. Easy to book directly through Instagram.  

HOTEL LE CORBUSIER

Le Corbusier's iconic housing development offers a handful of guest rooms for rent, with views of the Mediterranean Sea. You can also enjoy a meal at its restaurant (open all day) Le Ventre de l'Architecte.

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