Best Socca in Nice - Tastiest Top 6
Looking for the best socca in Nice, France? You’ve come to the right spot! We have the top 6 places to eat this traditional dish of Niçoise cuisine! If you are traveling to the French Riviera and want to try the authentic local foods, you need this list!
How do I know the best places for socca?
My name is Denise, and I was addicted to socca in Nice. I spent a month in an amazing apartment overlooking the Côte d’Azur and I could not get enough of these savory chickpea pancakes!
Buying socca in Nice from the Chez Thérésa cart
What is Socca in Nice?
Socca has been called everything from a Nice pizza or flatbread to a chickpea pancake or crêpe. Personally, I find the best socca to be more like thin pancakes, but not thin enough to be called a crêpe.
Socca’s ingredients are pretty simple. In fact, authentic socca recipes have only four ingredients: chickpea flour, water, olive oil, and sea salt. These get mixed together to make the socca batter.
The chickpea batter is then poured into a copper pan and cooked until golden brown. Many of the best restaurants in Nice for socca use old wood-fired ovens.
What does Socca taste like?
If you’ve had panisse, another chickpea specialty of the South of France, the flavor is similar. Socca has a crispy crust and slightly custardy center with just enough salt. My favorite part of the socca is the crispy edges.
Some vendors selling socca will sprinkle black pepper on it for you if you’d like. I usually go for it.
A view of the French Riviera from our vacation rental in Nice
Socca History
There are two theories about how socca became part of French cuisine.
The first says that socca came to what is today France in the 1800s with immigrants from Northern Italy and thus socca is a cousin of farinata. Very similar to socca, farinata from Genoa is also a chickpea pancake. However, it’s completely different from the traditional Tuscan dish known as farinata, which is a soup.
The second theory takes us back to 1543 when the Turks attacked the city of Nice. When the Niçois ran out of ammunition, they poured chickpea soup mixed with hot oil on the invader’s heads from the high walls. Afterwards they licked their fingers and their “weapon” tasted pretty good. Voilà—la socca!
Later, in the early 1900s, Madame Thérésa helped popularize la socca by selling it to fishermen from a food cart. Today, it is still the most popular Nice street food.
How do the French eat socca?
Since socca is the most popular street food in Nice, it is most often served in a paper cone and eaten with your fingers. You will see the people of Nice tearing off a small piece at a time and popping it into their mouth.
Technically a snack or appetizer, I think Socca also makes a wonderful French breakfast. If you prefer something more savory than the usual French breakfast pastries, head down to the Cours Saleya for a chickpea pancake!
Socca in Vieux Nice
Best Socca in Nice, France
Although the recipe for socca is so simple, there can still be a lot of variation, mostly in thickness and crispness. Too thick, and they’re too gooey. Too thin, and they become too dry.
We found 6 places that make them just right! And no matter where you are in Nice, you’re always close to good socca!
Chez Thérésa claims to be the original socca in Nice. Since most credit Madame Thérésa with having a leading role in popularizing this Nice staple, we believe it!
The wood fire oven still used today dates back to 1867 when the space belonged to a bakery. Perhaps this oven is the secret to making some of the best socca Nice, France has to offer.
You’ll find the Chez Thérésa restaurant and socca window on a tiny street in Vieux Nice (Nice old town). You’ll probably spot the line before you see the restaurant.
Luckily, there’s another option. I bought my first socca in Vieux Nice from the Chez Thérésa cart at the Cours Saleya Market. Soon thereafter, on every sunny day, the flower market beckoned and so did the crisp hot socca!
Address: 28 Rue Droite, 06300 Nice, France
Chez Thérésa, the original socca in Nice
Another historical socca institution, Chez Pipo, also boasts an old wood fire oven—300 years old! If you want to see it, you’re in luck: It sits right in the middle of the restaurant.
Located in the quartier where sailors and fishermen originally ate chickpea pancakes, Chez Pipo serves the crispy socca Nice locals love.
Pipo’s sign in front proudly displays the Niçois slogan “Aquì, si mangia la socca!,” or “Here we eat socca.” And it’s true—there’s no better place near the old port to eat this Nice specialty. Especially if you prefer it extra crispy!
Address: 13 Rue Bavastro, 06000 Nice, France
Some of the best socca in Nice is near the old port.
If you find yourself hungry in old town Nice near Place Masséna, stop at Chez René Socca. As the name suggests, socca is the main dish served, but the menu also lists most of the traditional Nissarde dishes.
An old-school café with a full bar, Chez René is a great place to sit at a sidewalk table and enjoy a light meal, a drink, or both. A glass of rosé from Provence will pair nicely with your socca!
Address: 2 Rue Miralheti, 06300 Nice, France
The socca restaurant Chez René Socca
4. Lou Pilha Leva
Meandering through the narrow streets of old Nice, you’re bound to stumble upon Lou Pilha Leva.
I think of Lou Pilha Leva as the quintessential fast food in Nice France. You order at the counter, get your food on a tray, and sit at an outside table. There’s also a secret tiny space across the alley with a few indoor tables and a restroom. Make a note of this restroom location—it’s good to know if you ever need one in Vieux Nice.
Depending on the time of day, you may have to wait. Don’t be deterred by the line, it moves quickly.
Address: 10 Rue du Collet, 06300 Nice, France
Lou Pilha Leva, a great place for a street food socca in Vieux Nice
One of the newer socca restaurants in Nice, La Socca d’Or, or the Golden Socca, is located in the trendy neighborhood of Petit Marais Niçois. Despite its newness (1989), this spot serves all of the old Niçoise favorites.
In addition to socca, their best sellers include pissaladiere (an onion tart) and pan bagnat (basically a salade Niçoise on a roll).
Address: 45 Rue Bonaparte, 06300 Nice, France
Pan Bagnat, or what I call a salade Niçoise sandwich
6. La Socca
I have a special place in my heart for Restaurant La Socca. The first time I went, they didn’t have a full portion of socca available. The woman taking my order scraped up what was left (it looked like a full portion to me), and told me it was a gift. Yippee!
That woman made my day and gained a frequent customer. Since my vacation rental was just around the corner, and I was a socca addict, this sweet gesture also turned out to be a very wise investment on her part.
It didn’t hurt that this was also the very best socca in West Nice!
Address: 215 Avenue de la Californie, 06200 Nice, France
The socca window at La Socca
Check Out Foods Tours in Nice
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Check Out Foods Tours in Nice *
We Eat Socca Here
Whether you believe socca was borrowed from Italian cuisine, or a weapon turned into a famous French food, you’ll want to try it in Nice.
Not only is it a Niçoise specialty, but you won’t find socca in other regions of France—not even as a Paris street food!
If you become addicted to socca, you may want to watch the movie “We Eat Socca Here” on Amazon Prime. Documentary filmmaker Scott Petersen explores the cultural significance of socca at some of our favorite Nice socca places!
Bon Appétit!
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