Le Petit Nice Passedat - Hôtel 5 étoiles Relais & Châteaux à Marseille

Le Petit Nice has belonged to the Passédat family since 1917, and Gérald — third generation, raised a few metres from the water — has turned it into a three-Michelin-star ode to the Mediterranean, a star held since 2008. He works with local fishermen to bring in as many as 65 species through the year, many of them humble bycatch other kitchens ignore, and builds a "gastronomic dive" of a menu that descends, course by course, from shallow-water shellfish to fish of the great depths. The robust sauces and broths are made from heads, livers and cooking juices; olive oil stands in for cream and butter. The dining room and terrace hang right over the sea, with the Château d'If on the horizon. Dishes like the loup de mer named for the chef's aunt have become signatures. Time a long lunch for a clear day and let the Mediterranean do the rest.