Le Cèdre — Restaurant in Nice

We visited this restaurant hoping to eat some delicious Lebanese food but were blown away with the hospitality, attention to detail and flavours.

The owner John presented a lovely menu for us including starters, main and dessert and amuse-bouche. We paid for the higher set menu as we wanted the extra mezzes as well.

For amuse-bouche we were given a cracker with a dollop of cheese and truffle. We were also given carrot sticks soaked in lemon. These were a lovely touch.

For cold starters we were given a fried cracker with a creamy avocado paste. Humous, tabbouleh, vine leaves with a beautiful pink radish sauce, a cheese paste and baba ganoush with bread. All were fabulous.

For hot starters we were given a black falafel with a grey tahini sauce, kibbeh with a sour yoghurt rice, sucuk sausage with tomato sauce and onions and garlic and finally a cheesy filo pastry. We enjoyed most of this with the exception of the sour yoghurt rice which wasn’t to our taste.

The mains were also beautifully presented but smaller portions than expected. We were given a small skewer of lemon chicken and small skewer of kofta with a garlic paste and side salad. This was served with a very flavourful rice bowl to share between two people. The meat was very beautiful and the side salad was tasty too with vinegar. The garlic paste was not to my taste but was beautifully presented too.

The mint tea tasted very sweet and was very hot. This was served with pine nuts which is a personal preference - some love some dislike this, I am the latter but this still did not stop me enjoying the tea!

For desserts we were given a platter of small bites including baklava. This was not to our taste as we found it a little dry except for John’s own dessert which was a combination of mascarpone, filo pastry, and a combination of strawberry and raspberry amongst other flavours and was a real delight.

We would wholeheartedly recommend this restaurant. The food, presentation, culinary experience is all worth it and very reasonably priced.

The one and only criticism would be that one waitress kept touching our food when describing what each thing is. This would be ok if it happened once by accident but this happened every time and she placed her finger firmly on the food which was annoying for us and possibly unsanitary. This is a very easily avoidable mistake and I’m sure management will take this into consideration after this review so this should not deter anyone from trying out the amazing food here.

Please give this...

Weeks ago, my husband and I dined at Le Cèdre in Nice (visiting from US), and it was the best experience. I don’t write many reviews, but absolutely had to for this. The ambiance is upscale and cozy, and Jean’s warmth and charisma with us and the other guests, made the evening extra special.

The menu was an ideal mix of tradition and creativity. While the traditional Lebanese dishes were authentic and full of flavor, the alternative menu was the real highlight—a twist on Lebanese cuisine with French flair. Each dish was unique, delicious, and beautifully presented.

We celebrated my husband’s birthday, and Jean made it so memorable with the best dessert after. This restaurant is wonderful and out of all the places we’ve traveled, it’s one of the best dinners we’ve had in a while....

Elevates and "Frenchifies" (if that's a word) authentic Lebanese cuisine without sacrificing any of the original textures and flavors that make Lebanese cuisine world famous. What do I mean by that? Well, the Chef (and owner) does all the cooking and hones in the flavors for a more delicate French touch. Nothing is too loud or too spicy or out of balance and the presentation (and portion sizes) are just right. The menu is straightforward and simple and the service is great. We tried almost everything (since we went back for seconds the next day). Loved the salads, appetizers and my personal favorite: lamb kabobs. The baklava (or twist on the original recipe, executed really well) was some of the best...