La P'tite Cocotte Restaurant Review

The narrow streets here provide a fantastic maze to lose yourself in and you’re sure to stumble upon one of the fantastic old churches or the Cathedrale Sainte Réparate. There is also a great range of restaurants, from pizzerias and snack bars to bistros serving traditional French cuisine.

After a wander around f the labyrinth-esque roads near the cathedral, I started to head up the slightly wider Rue St Francois until I came to La P’tite Cocotte, tucked up a short side street on the right hand side.

Although the packed dining room confirmed that I had found a real gem, I was concerned that I wouldn’t be able to squeeze in, even on this quiet Monday evening in January. I was pleasantly surprised, however, to be lead through to a smaller room at the back of the restaurant with a free table.

The rustic stone walls here made for a cosy atmosphere on a wintry evening, but I imagine would also give a welcoming coolness in the summer months.

La P’tite Cocotte has a small menu of home cooked food, all made from scratch – the menu changes every week, so you’re sure to be choosing from the best of what the current season has to offer.

Having never been tempted by escargots in their usual white wine or garlic sauce, I was pleased to have a great opportunity to sample the French classic dish served in a different and more appealing way; as part of a chickpea and smoked sausage salad. The flavours in the starter worked excellently with the smoky sausage giving the cold dish a real warming feel.

I followed this with the duo of pork; a fried filet mignon and a deliciously tender braised shoulder accompanied by a tasty side of green cabbage and a flavoursome wholegrain mustard gravy.

Having been very impressed by the chef’s combinations of flavours up to this point, I was in no doubt that the chocolate fondant served with pistachio ice cream would also be well mastered. I was certainly not to be disappointed, the hot pudding with the cold, nutty ice cream was the perfect end to my evening and left me feeling that I should probably take the long way home, with a few more lost laps round the old town to work it all off!

The enjoyment of my evening wasn’t even to be tainted when the bill arrived, as La P’tite Cocotte’s superb quality menu is incredibly reasonably priced at 22.50€ for 2 courses or 27€ for three.

Although the selection of fish and meat dishes here render it an unsuitable choice for a vegetarian, this really is the only reason I could give for not visiting this great little spot during your time in Nice. I would recommend booking for larger groups though, to avoid disappointment.