French Riviera Restaurants Shine in Michelin Guide France & Monaco 2026 Bib Gourmand Selection

The 2026 Michelin Guide France & Monaco ceremony, scheduled for 16th March in Monaco, will officially reveal the full roster of star-rated restaurants. Ahead of the event, Michelin has highlighted its Bib Gourmand selections, which reward quality cuisine that remains affordable.

On the French Riviera, two restaurants stand out. Café des Musiciens in Nice, run by Australian chef Christopher Edwards, features a concise, market-driven menu including autumn terrine with figs, Niçoise tripes, and Périgord sausages with fregola sarda. Edwards’ partner, Charlotte, manages the dining room and a carefully curated natural wine selection. Michelin notes that the restaurant offers excellent value for lunch, while dinner presents more ambitious dishes at still-accessible prices.

In Menton, L’Orangerie has earned recognition for its inventive Mediterranean cuisine, combining local ingredients with Japanese-inspired techniques. Dishes such as artichoke hearts à la barigoule with cured ham chips, salmon tataki with marinated vegetables, and sirloin with yuzu kosho reflect precise execution and balanced flavours. The restaurant’s veranda overlooks a pedestrian street, enhancing the dining experience.

The 2026 Bib Gourmand list underscores the vitality of accessible gastronomy across France, with particular growth in regions including Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Occitanie, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, and Île-de-France. Paris and surrounding areas contributed 12 new addresses. The selection showcases a wide array of culinary styles, from traditional French bistros to international flavours, and highlights the resurgence of smaller-town inns and bistros as hubs of local life and economy.

The upcoming ceremony in Monaco will present the complete Michelin Guide France & Monaco 2026, including star-rated awards, providing a comprehensive view of France’s culinary landscape for the year ahead.