Best Bakeries in Nice, France: Where to Go and What to Order

It goes without saying that the proper way to start any day in France is with a pastry. And while not all boulangeries and pâtisseries are created equal, even a mediocre croissant in France is probably better than what you'll find back home.

In Nice, there are bakeries on almost every corner. You barely walk a few steps without running into one. But some really stand out from the crowd, and are really worth your time, money, and appetite.

These are the seven best bakeries in Nice worth building your morning around, whether you're after a perfectly laminated croissant, something creative and unexpected, or a pastry that looks almost too good to eat.

1. La Base Bakery

Best for: Creative pastries with an Asian-French twist
Neighbourhood: Carré d'Or (close to Place Masséna)

Opened by a husband and wife team after the success of their shop in Taiwan, La Base serves classic French pastries alongside creations with an Asian-French fusion twist, creating their own unique pastries that you won't find elsewhere.

Their cinnamon roll is genuinely unbelievable. Not something I would normally order, but I could eat one every single day. Their Earl Grey blueberry danish is unlike anything I've had anywhere else, floral, fruity, perfectly balanced. The space is bright and airy, good for grabbing something to go but also comfortable enough to sit and linger over a coffee.

2. Michel Fiori

Best for: The classics, done perfectly
Neighbourhood: Gare Thiers

Michel Fiori is not trying to reinvent anything. Expertly laminated croissants, perfectly cooked baguettes, rich buttery pain au chocolat, this is a place entirely committed to doing the fundamentals exceptionally well, and it shows.

It's a local favourite that has also gained a following on social media, which means it can get busy and a little chaotic. The staff are always lovely, but have your order ready when it's your turn. Their sandwiches (under €10!) are also some of the best in Nice and ideal for taking to the beach.

If you want to understand what a proper French bakery looks and feels like, this is the one.

3. Bonjour Amour

Best for: Italian-French pastries and a great grab-and-go spot
Neighbourhood: Carré d'Or

This place has more of an Italian-French vibe, capturing both the joie de vivre and la dolce vita in their creations. Everything on the counter looks tempting: massive croissants filled with pistachio cream, delicate brioche maritozzi stuffed with vanilla cream, and savory croissant sandwiches that make a surprisingly good lunch.

Seating is limited, which is honestly fine. Grab something, walk a few blocks down to the promenade, and eat it with a view of the sea. That combination is hard to beat.

4. La Maison de Céline Pâtisserie

Best for: Beautiful tarts, macarons, and the best value on this list
Neighbourhood: Carré d'Or

One of the most celebrated pâtisseries in Nice, and for good reason. They do the classics, croissants, pain au chocolat, but where they really shine is their tarts and macarons. The pavlova with mango filling and the citron tart shaped like a tiny flower are both worth going out of your way for.

For such exceptional pastries, the prices are genuinely fair. You can get something spectacular for €5 to 6. There will likely be a queue in the mornings and on weekends, but it moves quickly and is a good sign you're in the right place.

5. Boulangerie Jean-Marc Bardonnat

Best for: Bread, and possibly the best baguette in Nice
Neighbourhood: Riquier, just north of the Port

This place is all about the bread. They do pastries and sweet things too, but the baguette is the undisputed star. Jean-Marc Bardonnat is dedicated to artisanal baking, everything made from scratch, with the best quality ingredients, and his bread has become legendary among locals in Nice.

If you're staying somewhere with a kitchen, or just want to do as the locals do, come here in the morning and pick up a baguette. You'll understand why the French have built an entire culture around this.

6. Pâtisserie Julien Dugourd

Best for: Pastries as works of art, the splurge option
Neighbourhood: The Port

This is where you come to spend a little more and experience something genuinely extraordinary. Chef Julien Dugourd is an award-winning pastry chef, and it shows in every detail.

The signature creation, simply called "the lemon," was originally developed for La Chèvre d'Or in Èze, one of the finest restaurants on the Riviera. It looks exactly like a lemon and tastes like the best version of one you've ever had, perfectly balanced between tart and sweet. The Bell & Ross cake, created for a collaboration with a French watch brand, looks almost too good to eat. The hazelnut crispy, flan, praline, and pastry crust layered together, is the kind of thing you think about on the plane home.

Prices are higher than the other bakeries on this list, but this is a splurge worth making.

7. Café Alma

Best for: Cookies and cakes
Neighbourhood: Old Town

It can be challenging to find truly great spots in Old Town, but this little café blew me away. They arrange all of their sweet treats on a tray with labels, making them visually very tempting. On my first visit, I went with the "OG" cookie, which was basically the perfectly executed cookie in my opinion. Crispy edges, soft inside, super buttery, with big chunks of chocolate. Needless to say, this is where I'll be getting my cookie fix from now on.

How to Make a Morning of It

If you want to turn this into a proper pastry crawl, the good news is that several of these bakeries are within easy walking distance of each other in the New Town and Old Town areas. A suggested route:

Start at Michel Fiori for your first pastry of the day, then head down to the Carré d'Or for your second stop and a coffee at La Base or Bonjour Amour. If you have room for another round, La Maison de Céline is nearby and the perfect final stop before heading down to the promenade.

Save Julien Dugourd for a slower morning when you want to sit and appreciate something special, or to pick up something nice to have after dinner, and Jean-Marc Bardonnat is best combined with a stroll around the Port area.

Planning a Trip to Nice?

If you're building out a full itinerary, these bakeries pair well with a morning at the Cours Saleya market, followed by lunch at La Merenda. For a full guide to eating in Nice beyond breakfast, including wine bars, restaurants, and local food finds, read my French Riviera road trip food guide.

And if you want the full planning layer, maps of all my favorite spots along the French Riviera, and itineraries, that's all available for paid subscribers over at Alex & Beyond on Substack.