Top 10 Culinary Specialties in Nîmes

What to eat in Nîmes? Our 10 culinary specialties.

1. Tapenade

If among our readers some are from southern France: then they must know tapenade well, a must-have in the cities of this region. In Nîmes, you can eat it morning, noon and night! The paste is made with black and green olives, which gives it its famous black color, making it so recognizable. We add pieces of anchovies, herbs de Provence, capers, as well as a little olive oil. The best is to spread a good layer on a slice of grilled bread. Did you know? Tapenade is rich in magnesium, and therefore iron, which boosts your energy and reduces stress.

2. Nîmes Wine

What could be better than accompanying your tapenade toast with a delicious glass of wine? Know that the "AOC Costières-de-Nîmes" is very often coveted by wine lovers and exquisite beverage enthusiasts. Indeed, this great variety of wines shows how rich and diversified the city's terroir is. There's something for everyone! If we had to recommend one, it would undoubtedly be the "Château Mourgue de Grès", a real gem. It's only when the nectar begins to flow down your throat that the definition of the word "perfection" takes on its full meaning.

3. Little Pâté of Nîmes

If you walk through the city streets, you'll likely be attracted by a strong smell of veal and pork mixture. Where does this come from? Most certainly from the little pâtés, a Nîmes specialty that has great success...And not just in Nîmes! This meat stuffing is carefully wrapped in pastry dough. Sometimes the meat is even replaced by cod brandade. Delicious indeed! We easily recognize the pâtés thanks to their amusing mushroom shape. Rich in taste, it's a savory dish that we love to enjoy in the late afternoon.

4. Cod Brandade

We mentioned it just above, but briefly. Know that Nîmes cod brandade is made from desalted and poached fish, in a touch of milk and hot oil. Everything is then transformed into a tasty white and smooth purée, which we rush to taste. Some say it's the city's oldest recipe, since it dates back to 1786. Yes! Brandade made people happy long before us. Its name comes from the patois "brandar", which means "to stir". Interesting, isn't it? In France, cod brandade is eaten everywhere. But it's in Nîmes that you'll have the opportunity to taste the best version.

5. Bull Gardiane

A recipe originally from Camargue, Bull Gardiane (what an amusing name) quickly became a typical Nîmes dish. It must be said that no one can resist these delicious tender meat pieces that bathe in a tempting-smelling sauce. The dish's little extra? Traditionally, we marinate the meat in Costières de Nîmes wine (the must-have): this gives it a pleasant and subtle taste, which we then enhance with anchovy butter, before grilling it. A dish we eat during harsh winter, by the fire, wrapped in a blanket with Nîmes patterns.

6. Pélardon

What kind of dairy products do we like to eat in Nîmes? Many would answer "pélardon", without hesitation. This tiny cheese made from raw cow's milk is very often found on the table next to the baguette bread, during breakfast. Weighing barely 60 grams, and very creamy, it's savored on a slice of fresh bread, or even as dessert...With dried fruits and a few spoonfuls of chestnut honey. We even find it in some salads, or even some creamy sauces. Benefiting from an AOC for over 20 years, the goats that produce this cheese come from Cévennes pastures.

7. Croquants Villarets

If we had to name just one dessert that illustrates the city of Nîmes well: it would undoubtedly be the little biscuits called "Croquants Villarets". Young and old love to stroll through the pedestrian streets carrying these delicious little dry sticks with them. The recipe being over 200 years old, it's produced exclusively in Nîmes, and is passed down from generation to generation, among inhabitants concerned with perpetuating their traditions. Just one bite, and you'll be irresistibly won over by the taste blends of honey, orange blossom, lemon, as well as almonds. Baked in a wood oven, we love to eat them at any time of day. After all, there's no time for pleasure!

8. Saint Gilloise Fougasse

A glazed brioche made with sugar and raised with orange blossom, does that ring a bell? Saint Gilloise Fougasse, yes! Originally, it was a delicacy exclusively reserved for year-end celebrations. However, over time, it became too hard to resist. Now, it's eaten absolutely everywhere at any time of year in the city of Nîmes. Making gourmands very happy, you'll be able to find it in practically all the city's bakeries! So, happy? An excellent way to start the day well, just before leaving to explore the region.

9. Olives

Flagship product of Nîmes. Olives are always present at meal time: they can either be directly added to the dish, or served alongside, waiting to be tasted. These little balls are very rich in antioxidants, as well as vitamin E: eating them will do you the greatest good. The olive tree being a heritage from the Greeks and Romans, it's not at all by chance to find them absolutely everywhere in the region, when we know the city's history well...You don't know it? How about sitting down, a bowl of olives in hand and a detailed book in the other, and learning more?

10. Monkfish Bourride

Typically from Provençal cuisine, Monkfish Bourride is a stew perfectly marrying fish meat with seafood. Yum-yum, we're already salivating! This Mediterranean specialty makes the stomach flutter and taste buds tingle for fish lovers, but also more particularly for pesco-vegetarians, who place it directly at the top of their best discovery in Nîmes. A little white meat, some finely minced vegetables, as well as (the final touch for a successful sauce) aioli, and you'll get this sweet mixture. Isn't your stomach rumbling?