Café Bovo — Restaurant in Marseille

I love everything about this restaurant. We spent about two weeks in Italy and France back in September and this was one of our favorite restaurants of the entire trip. The whole place has a light, happy vibe to it as the wait-staff floated around with cheerful efficiency. The servers (and chef) were very kind and even spoke English, which was greatly appreciated (I thought I spoke French but it turns out I don’t haha). We even got to visit with the chef after our terrific meal. Everyone working here seems to love what they do and take pride in making this restaurant special. I am happy to report that they have succeeded with flying colors.

As great as the vibe is, though, I must say that the best part of this restaurant is the food. On the night we visited, they had a very creative, fusion-ish menu (that probably varies seasonally) with dishes like Bonito Tataki al Pesto, Slow-cooked BBQ-style pork (very tender with a sweet and tangy sauce and a nice sharp and melty cheese) and a “deconstructed Snickers bar” for desert. We ordered scallops, Tataki de bonite al pesto, Cochon Breton, Burrata cremeuse, Vitello tonato and the deconstructed Snickers bar for dessert. Every single one of these dishes was delicious and presented beautifully. I was impressed by the ability of the chef to devise such an adventurous menu and then execute it so well.

My only critique is that the cocktail that I had, the “E.T.”, was very strongly minty and wasn’t ideal for accompanying a meal. If you want it (and it was quite tasty) then I recommend ordering it after the meal, rather than during. Actually, there is another downside, the fact that I live approximately 6000 miles from Marseille! I wish I could eat...

Happened upon Cafe Bovo after a long day in the heat. Looking for a light meal and good wine, with an atmosphere that wasn't touristy... They read our minds! The host was super friendly and helpful. His English was good, but we mainly spoke French (he was very patient). He made wonderful recommendations for food and wine.. all delicious. The design of the menu is for sharing, and starting with something small and building up from there. Exactly what we were looking for. We had the Frites with aioli, which were rich and filling, and shared the fried halloumi with hummous and petit pois.... so fresh and flavourful. We wanted more, but the portions were enough to fill us up. Our friends joined us and had the Halloumi and another dish (I can't recall which), which apparently also was delicious. Price is very reasonable. 4 of us with food and drinks (wine, beer) for 114 Euros...

This...

We were looking for a relatively light lunch thus found this little Cafe near to our hotel (Hotel Life VP). Just needed to walk a few blocks away from the port, but the neighbourhood instantly feel less touristy. The place is very cosy and has a nice warm vibe. Servers are amazingly friendly even though we do not speak French. We ordered Pork and Fish, and it was WOW when we saw the food. We did not expect such high-quality food, the ingredients of the food are fresh, the dishes are innovative - not the normal dish you can see everywhere. Also, the composition of the dish is incredibly pleasant! The foam on the fish is an absolute highlight. This bistro is such a refreshing change from those touristy restaurants.

We paid a total of €35 for such fine food which is really inexpensive for the quality of food and service. It is a must try if you’re...