Bouillabaisse Otlcm 1Bouillabaisse Otlcm 1
©Bouillabaisse Otlcm 1

Take this authentic dish home as a souvenir of your holiday

Bouillabaisse
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One of the emblematic dishes of the city of Marseille is a fish soup that has delighted the taste buds of gourmets for centuries. Take a jar home as a souvenir!

Marseille’s gastronomy is a reflection of the city: cosmopolitan and colourful, rooted in its Mediterranean traditions and open to the world. The city’s restaurants offer a wide variety of cuisines, from traditional dishes to daring recipes inspired by other cultures.

The world-famous fish soup is served in a wide range of establishments, including some Michelin-starred restaurants, but you can also take it home as a souvenir to savour the flavours that enchanted you during your stay in sunny Marseille!

Virginie Verdi
  • Marseille in 3 words

    Solar, contradictory, bubbling.

  • My favourite neighbourhood

    The Castellane district. Always lively even on Sundays. You can have a drink with friends, have a coffee before going to work or stroll around the market on Saturday morning.

When it boils, we turn it down

Bouillabaisse court at Le Miramar restaurant, Marseille 2019Bouillabaisse court at Le Miramar restaurant, Marseille 2019
©Bouillabaisse court at Le Miramar restaurant, Marseille 2019

    Some locals claim that this fish soup originated at the same time as the founding of their city 2,600 years ago, when a Greek sailor married a Celto-Ligurian princess.

    We cannot confirm such an origin, but we do know with certainty that this dish was once prepared by the most humble fishermen. They would cook the carcasses and unsold fish, particularly rock fish, in a cauldron of seawater and add potatoes to give it consistency. They would also serve it with bread croutons rubbed with garlic and rouille, a sauce made from olive oil and garlic.

    This soup cooks slowly, and it is this particular method of cooking that gives it its name: when it boils, you turn it down. The Provençal terms bouiabaisso or bolhabaissa give this dish its definitive name, bouillabaisse.

    A dish on the menu of the finest restaurants

    Restaurant Chez Madie les Galinettes - Bouillabaisse ©SC OTLCM (3)Restaurant Chez Madie les Galinettes - Bouillabaisse ©SC OTLCM (3)
    ©Restaurant Chez Madie les Galinettes - Bouillabaisse ©SC OTLCM (3)

      This emblematic dish is on the menu of Michelin-starred restaurants that have become veritable institutions in Marseille over the years.

      Facing the Plage des Catalans, Chez Michel offers a choice of seafood specialities, with recipes based on local catches of the day. The inevitable bouillabaisse coexists with bourride and other specialities created by several generations of talented chefs.

      Deep in the picturesque Vallon des Auffes, Chez Fonfon has been cultivating the tradition of authentic bouillabaisse since 1952. The setting is as enchanting as the cuisine, helping to make a meal an experience in itself.

      On the Corniche Kennedy, the hotel-restaurant Le Rhul also features bouillabaisse on its menu. Since 1948, the establishment has been serving delicious specialities based on fresh, local fish. When the weather is fine, the terrace with its panoramic view over the harbour makes for an unforgettable dining experience.

      Several restaurants also serve the emblematic fish soup on the quays of the Old Port. Le Miramar is renowned for its refinement and elegance, while Chez Madie Les Galinettes delights diners with its warm and friendly cuisine.

      A souvenir of Marseille's signature dish

      ©Cour de bouillabaisse au restaurant Le Miramar, Marseille 2019

        Now you can extend the pleasure of enjoying an authentic bouillabaisse by taking home some of this dish, which embodies all the generosity of the Mediterranean region.

        Chez Fonfon offers a real bouillabaisse in a jar in its shop, with the same ingredients as in the restaurant: scorpion fish, white fish, conger eel, tomato, saffron… It is accompanied by its sauces, rouille, aioli and a few croutons for a gourmet experience at home. And if you forgot to buy a jar before leaving Marseille, you can make up for it on the restaurant’s online shop!

        Le Rhul‘s shop also sells a jar of bouillabaisse stock and its inimitable ‘made in Marseille’ rouille. So you can take away all the ingredients you need to make your own bouillabaisse!

        So you can find a little bit of Marseille on your plate wherever you go!