Marseille is home to some incredibly inventive chefs at some of the best Michelin Star restaurants in France.
Historically Marseille hasn’t been a hot spot for fine dining but in recent years this has changed. There’s been a huge post-covid shift away from the capital and Marseille has certainly benefited from this.
Gone are the days of ancient bistros with zero innovation – nowadays Marseille is a culinary hotspot with a vibrant restaurant scene. It’s not just tapas spots – there’s plenty of great Michelin starred restaurants to explore. Here’s a list of my favourite spots where you won’t be disappointed.
Read More: Guide to the best restaurants in Marseille.
The Best Michelin Star Restaurants in Marseille
Staying in Marseille and want to know which are the best Michelin star restaurants in the city? Read on to discover my personal recommendations.
Une Table au Sud
Une Table au Sud is an excellent 1 Michelin star restaurant nestled right next to the old port (with incredible panoramic views to boot). The food, as the name suggest, is pure South of France and my gosh is it good. It’s run by Chef and owner Ludovic Turac (ex. Le Bristol & Guy Savoy) who was born in Marseille and
Like many great restaurants in the area, Une Table au Sud makes maximum use of the incredible regional produce available. Provençal vegetables, meat from the pre-alps and local fish shine on the plate and there’s also plenty of modern technique on show to really show them off.
Go for lunch and get their Marseille menu. It’s all about local cuisine and produce and is very reasonable for a 1* restaurant coming in at €125 ex. drinks. For this you’ll get 5 dishes with snacks and pre-desserts included.
It’s seasonal but expect two signature dishes and spoiler: they’re really good. The first is their aioli – a classic dish from the south of France. Slow cooked cod loin is covered in a light, airy garlic mayonnaise sauce and comes with an incredible ‘persillade’ sauce (garlic, parsley and shallots).
The second is their version of of a bouillabaisse soup. Red Mullet is cooked to precision and comes with confit fennel and potato. The ‘soup’ is really a rich sauce and is incredible. I really like the fact that they leave the rest of the sauce and the garlic mayonnaise (rouille) on the table for you to serve yourself more.
What to know before you visit
- Closed on Mondays and Sundays
- You can reserve online
Address: 2 Quai du Port, 13002 Marseille
Tel: 04 91 90 63 53
Website: https://www.unetableausud.com
Le Petit Nice Passedat
Le Petit Nice Passedat is 3 Michelin star restaurant and known to local and international foodies as the temple of fish & seafood in Marseille. The restaurant is situated in the main 5* hotel with the dining room having stunning panoramic views out across the sea.
The food is all about local fish and seafood and it is incredible. When I say local, it really is local. The head Chef, Gérald Passedat, is passionate about forgotten rockfish and one of many of he menus revolve around exactly this. The highlight for me are Passedat’s sauces and broths.
Meat jus tends to be the star of the show in most dining restaurant menus but not here. Deep, rich and perfectly balanced fish based sauces pair so well with the expert fish cookery on show. It is on the pricier side with even the 3 course lunch menu coming in at just under €200 but well worth it if you want to enjoy a special meal.
What to know before you visit
- Free valet parking is available in the hotel
Address: 7 Rue des Braves Anse de Maldormé, 156 Cor Président John Fitzgerald Kennedy, 13007 Marseille
Tel: 04 91 59 25 92
Website: https://www.passedat.fr/fr/le-petit-nice/restaurant-3-etoiles-marseille-bord-de-mer
Saisons
Unfortunately Saisons is now permanently closed.
Restaurant Saisons is a 1 Michelin star restaurant headed up by Chef Julien Diaz. Only a few steps away from the Place Castellane, it’s an inventive, modern restaurant with a strong focus on Mediterranean cuisine. Chef Diaz, having spent time in London and Corsica, returned to his native Marseille to start Saisons with Sommelier Guillaume Bonneaud.
The modern dining room has industrial accents – wood, steel, iron – yet is surprisingly cosy. On the food side there’s numerous menus to choose from with the cheapest coming in at a very reasonable €40 for 3 courses during week day lunches. The plates are small, punchy and experimental yet unpretentious. As you would imagine, the dishes change with the season and the ingredients are locally sourced. Highlights for me include their seasonal risotto and fregola with cured ham.
Alcyone
Unfortunately Alcyone is now permanently closed.
Started in 2013 by Chef Lionel Levy (trained by Alain Ducasse), Alcyone is a 1 Michelin starred restaurant specialising in high end Mediterranean cuisine. Nestled in the famous Hotel Dieu hotel in the city centre, the dining room has spectacular views across to the iconic Basilica of Notre-Dame of la Garde.
There are two menus to choose from at Alycone with either 5 or 8 courses priced at €110 and €150 respectively. The food is refined, precise and on the more traditional side. There is some element of creativity with their use of spices but the focus is mainly on the incredible local produce. As with many great restaurants in Marseille, their fish courses are dictated by what was landed that day. Expect local rascasse, seabass and red mullet – all incredibly well cooked.
What to know before you visit
- Closes yearly in August for summer vacations
- You can reserve online
Address: InterContinental Marseille – Hotel Dieu, 1 Pl. Daviel, 13002 Marseille
Tel: 04 13 42 43 43
Website: https://marseille.intercontinental.com/alcyone/
AM
AM by Alexandre Mazzia is the 2nd of the two restaurants holding a mighty 3 Michelin stars in Marseille. Located to the south of the city in a surprisingly residential district, the restaurant has become legendary with foodies across France.
The chef, having grown up in Congo in Africa, has an incredibly diverse and innovative cuisine on offer. Small influences of his childhood are on show and pepper his plates in a really interesting manner – hints of spice, smoked sauces and proteins – it’s an absolute gem of a restaurant. Combinations such as langoustine, sesame, bonito and lemon surprise the palate and his seaweed popcorn is mind-blowing. His ‘voyages’ (menus) vary in courses but for lunch you can try his smallest menu for €195 although you need to call to book this menu. Absolutely worth a visit if you’re a fan of inventive cuisine!
What to know before you visit
- Open Wednesday – Saturday
- You can reserve online
Address: 9 Rue François Rocca, 13008 Marseille
Tel: 04 91 24 83 63
Website: https://www.alexandre-mazzia.com
