5 Best Restaurants in The French Riviera, France

Ewan and Caroline Scutcher haven’t left Port Grimaud since they married here nearly 36 years ago and set up this waterside gem, now considered one of the Riviera's finest restaurants. In a fun and relaxed atmosphere, they offer the freshest fish and seafood on the coast; certainly the politicians, royalty, and film stars (think Leonardo DiCaprio) who dine portside here among the locals don't complain. Selection is simple, uncomplicated, and the lunch menu—served on market days, Thursday and Sunday between mid-June and mid-September—is a deal at €26 with wine and coffee included. Avoid traffic and ask Le Table to arrange for a water taxi when you make a reservation.

A beacon to all fish lovers since 1953, Astoux et Cie Brun deserves its reputation for impeccably fresh fruits de mer. Well-trained staffers negotiate cramped quarters to lay down heaping seafood platters, shrimp casseroles, and piles of oysters shucked to order. Open 365 days a year with nonstop service, it is noisy, cheerful, and always busy (so don't expect rapid service). Arrive early (noon for lunch, 6 pm for dinner) to get a table and avoid a line.

Years ago, former French pro soccer player Wilfrid Gohel teamed up with Eric Chaumier, president of the regional retailers union, and took over this waterfront favorite. They could have just banked on the wraparound views of the marina and château to bring in the dinner crowds, but instead they refined the menu to include grilled bass with smoked salt petals and salmon marinated with pure malt whiskey and sautéed with matcha tea velouté sauce.

Fish, fish, and more fish—sea bass, salmon, sole, sardines, monkfish, lobster, and crayfish all fill the boats that pull into the Old Port and find their way onto the menu here. Although grilled seafood (with a little thyme and perhaps a whisper of olive oil and garlic) is the order of the day, this is also a stronghold for bouillabaisse. The clientele is buffed and bronzed, but the servers tend to treat everyone like tourists. The lunch plat du jour (€21) is a bargain in this town; otherwise, mind the check: you'll be surprised just how expensive fish per 100g can be.

Catering to the yachting crowd, this established portside restaurant has outdoor tables surrounding a tiny "garden" of potted palms. The focus is on fish, of course—soupe de poisson (fish soup), St-Pierre (John Dory) steamed with asparagus, and roasted whole sea bass.