Bistrot d'Antoine — Restaurant in Nice

Eating while traveling can be a bit of a challenge for me as I have some food allergies & I'm vegan. I created a card (pic included) that I shared at every eating establishment we visited while on our recent trip to Paris & Nice, FR. & it proved to come in very handy. There was only one restaurant that said they couldn't accommodate me & I appreciated their candor & honesty. That however was not the case with Chef Antoine Crespo at Bistrot d'Antoine. I shared my card with him (before we considered going) and he said, "Of course. Make a reservation & we will prepare something to your liking." Well, "liking" doesn't even come close. How about "LOVING?!" For an appetizer, I was "gifted" with the most amazing Poireaux (Leeks) that I've ever had - literally it was if they had passed through some magical dimension & had been transformed into silk. And for my main dish I was served a platter of stunningly beautiful, vibrant & fresh vegetables atop the most velvety mashed potatoes I've ever encountered. I'm not sure what he did, but I'm pretty sure it was heaven on a plate. Even my friends were envious of my dish (which btw, all of their dishes were equally spectacular as per their opinions,) which included: the same appetizer I had, the Poireaux (Leeks,) Lentilles Saucisse (Sausage & Lentils,) Cocotte De Cochon (Pig Cheek Casserole - and yes, that was hard for me to "stomach,") Filet de Truite (Trout Filet.) For dessert (which I didn't partake in,) the table shared Tiramisu, Fruits de Saison (Seasonal Fruits) & Chocolat Mousse (reviews on the desserts were difficult to understand because at this point everyone was too busy putting themselves into food comas. But finally I understood them to be très magnifique!) Due to their limited outdoor space they have an adorable 2nd floor of the restaurant w/big windows looking out over the quaint Nice street & that's where we sat. There were only 3-4 tables in this area & because we were a party of 6 we took up a couple of those tables, but 2 additional parties were seated up there after a while ~ it was very cozy. The service was spot on & as if all this wasn't enough, the Chef even served our dishes to us (& I noticed he served the other tables, so I wonder if he serves everyone?!?) What a classy touch to an already upscale experience & when we realized it was the Chef serving, we broke into spontaneous applause which was well deserved. When we were leaving & descending the stairs, the entire staff was standing there (almost like a receiving line) & it provided us with the chance to applaud (again) & thank everyone. Definitely one of the best gastronomic encounters I have ever had. Note - if you want to visit Bistrot d'Antoine, I can't express enough the importance of making a reservation in order to get in. Safe travels & wishing everyone spectacular...

May 2024: A trip to Nice is not complete without a meal at Bistrôt d'Antoine. The first time we went, we were supposed to have dinner at a 3 Michelin-star restaurant in Monte Carlo that evening, to cap off our trip, but a couple of days before, we cancelled - we wanted something more chill, more local - and discovered this place instead. Best decision ever. The food was so good, the place was so right, it brought a tear to the eye. (Not sure the lovely server knew what to do with that.) We've been back a few times since and it just keeps getting better. Last time we got to introduce a couple of our kids to the restaurant and they loved it as much as we do. It's the kind of place that makes you feel so lucky to be alive and in that part of the world.

May 2025: We recently had our 6th or 7th meal at Bistrot d'Antoine (at least) and this time it was a lunch with my parents who were visiting us in Nice, for a very special trip. The experience is worth an edited review (addingto my 2024 one, above), so I am adding to it. Our original plan was to dine at Bistrot d'Antoine on the night of my parents' arrival, but when I called I found out the restaurant was closed exceptionally for vacation. Alternatively, after more planning, we decided to arrange for a lunch on my parents' very last day with us. We were all excited for them to enjoy our favourite Nice restaurant (well, tied with La Merenda, which we also visit annually). On arrival, at noon, they did not have our reservation, which was puzzling and disappointing, because I plan things down to the very last detail. After some back-and-forth, we were lucky to have been given a table. I know enough that snagging a last minute table here is not something that happens every day. As we sat down, we learned that I had actually made a reservation at Bar des oiseaux (their sister restaurant where my partner and I had dined a few nights before, on arrival in Nice). The mix-up was my fault - when I was rearranging the plans because we could not book on the day they were closed, I know must have switched the numbers - both were in my phone. Their playful and confident (they were so sure they had not messed up), yet professional and service-oriented response, so that I could show my parents this special place, followed by what was probably the best meal of our entire trip to France (and we had many), is the reason I keep coming back and recommending this important place. Just go. And make sure you're calling the right number when you make your reservation. And try their other restaurants (Bar des oiseaux and Comptoir du marché) as well because they too are...

We went there for dinner on a Saturday night. I called a week ahead and was able to make a reservation for a group of 7.

The staff was very friendly and spoke English. They had menus in French and English.

For starters we ordered the white asparagus, beef tartare, and the lean fish gravlax. They were all nicely done. We really liked the sardine spread they provide with bread as well.

For entrees we ordered the pork cheek, half cooked fresh tuna, and the cod fish. We LOVED the pork cheek it was very well made.

The strawberry mousse was okay, but we thought the tiramisu was truly amazing.

Overall it was a lovely meal and we were very happy to celebrate my parents anniversary here.

One note for those with nut allergies: I have a tree nut allergy and though the staff was very helpful in checking, I still think there was some cross contamination in the dessert as I had a pretty severe reaction and had to use my epipen. We got the strawberry mousse which is not supposed to have nuts and the waiter checked for us as well, but two other desserts had praline in them which I am very allergic too and think I had a trace of it. I’m not faulting the restaurant as this is a risk I take by ordering dessert but I think it’s worth calling out that with a small kitchen, these...