The 8 Best Wine Bars in Nice

Small cocktail room in the old town. Order: Spritz au Gambetta. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded — book ahead or arrive early.

Champagne-and-cocktail bar with a serious back bar. Order: Spritz au Gambetta. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.

Low-key cocktail room on a quiet old-town side street. Order: Spritz au Gambetta. Best time: Sunday from 6pm, when it's the room's quietest premium night and the kitchen is unhurried. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Avoid post-match nights if the local team is playing — the upstairs gets loud.

Tapas-and-cocktails room with a Spanish-influenced menu and a busy outdoor terrace. Order: Spritz au Gambetta. Best time: Thursday late or Friday early, when you'll catch the room building toward its weekend tempo. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. First-Friday traffic in the district can mean a 20-minute wait at the door.

Wine bar with a Provence-focused list — rosé, Bandol, Bellet. Order: Spritz au Gambetta. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded — book ahead or arrive early.

Private beach club's cocktail bar. Order: Spritz au Gambetta. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.

Natural wine bar in a former fishing cabana on Cours Jacques Chirac, sea across the road and vinyl DJs every evening. Order: the by-the-glass natural pick of the day. Best time: late afternoon, when the balcony seats over the water free up before the 8pm crowd. Best for natural wine drinkers who want the Mediterranean in the frame. Summer weekends fill the terrace fast.

Natural wine institution since 1998, with tables in the back of the shop on Rue Gubernatis and more than 300 small producers on the shelves. Order: a blackboard glass from 5.80 euro with the charcuterie board. Best time: Friday or Saturday evening, the only late nights; weekdays close at 8pm. Best for drinkers who want honest guidance; closed Sunday.