Epicerie L'IDEAL
A charming Italian grocery and restaurant in Marseille, offering a daily-changing menu using the freshest gourmet finds.
Highlights
Must-see attractions
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From TikTok & Reddit
Best Time
Blue hour photography, calmer galleries
Epicerie L'IDEAL
Highlights
Must-see attractions
A charming Italian grocery and restaurant in Marseille, offering a daily-changing menu using the freshest gourmet finds.
Visit for Lunch
Lunchtime offers the best experience with new menus daily. The staff are happy to help you shop too.
Browse the Aisles
Take time to explore the extensive collection of gourmet items, including local and regional specialties.
Quick Facts
Cuisine
French, Italian
Price
Mid-range
Highlights
Discover the most iconic attractions and experiences
Unique Grocery Store Dining
Dine amidst shelves packed with gourmet French and Italian goods, a truly unique market-to-table experience.
Daily Changing Menu
Savor a fresh, daily-changing menu featuring seasonal produce and the owner's curated gourmet finds.
Gourmet Souvenirs
Explore and purchase a wide array of local and regional ingredients, perfect for gifts or your own kitchen.
Plans like a pro.
Thinks like you
Menu
Most Popular Items
Insider Tips
from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit
Visit for Lunch
Lunchtime offers the best experience with new menus daily. The staff are happy to help you shop too.
Browse the Aisles
Take time to explore the extensive collection of gourmet items, including local and regional specialties.
Buy Meal Ingredients
Consider purchasing ingredients used in your meal to take home. A charming Italian grocery experience.
Tips
from all over the internet
Visit for Lunch
Lunchtime offers the best experience with new menus daily. The staff are happy to help you shop too.
Browse the Aisles
Take time to explore the extensive collection of gourmet items, including local and regional specialties.
Buy Meal Ingredients
Consider purchasing ingredients used in your meal to take home. A charming Italian grocery experience.
What Travellers Say
Reviews Summary
Diners rave about the unique dining experience within a gourmet grocery store, highlighting the delicious, fresh, and daily-changing menu. Many appreciate the warm and welcoming staff who are knowledgeable about the products. However, some guests have expressed disappointment with the limited choices and perceived high prices, especially as the restaurant gains popularity.
"Loved the atmosphere, food and wine. Service was excellent- made us feel so welcome and held a table for us even though they don't usually take reservations. Thank you so much- we had an excellent lunch!"
Amy Loxley
"A wonderful little place that both sells items to buy and is a restaurant. We enjoyed a simple but very tasty meal. The zucchini soup was noteworthy. Highly recommend visiting."
CJ Mak
"An incredible unique dining experience. The menu seems to change daily and the dining happens within/just outside what appears to be a specialty grocery store. The food was delicious and this was one of the most memorable meals that we had in Marseille."
Sarah Park
What People Like
What People Dislike
Frequently Asked Questions
The restaurant serves a daily-changing menu featuring French and Italian gourmet items, emphasizing seasonal produce and the owner's curated finds.
It's both! Epicerie L'IDEAL is a gourmet grocery store that also offers a dining experience with a daily menu.
Yes, the menu changes every day, incorporating seasonal produce and the owner's latest gourmet discoveries.
Yes, you can purchase many of the ingredients used in your meal from the grocery store to take home.
They generally do not take reservations, but the staff may hold a table if they can, especially during lunchtime.
Yes, vegan options are available, with one reviewer specifically praising a delicious vegan sandwich.
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Five Places to Shop in Marseille
In this two-year-old grocery store and restaurant, a smattering of tables are lined up against wooden shelves brimming with mostly French and Italian gourmet items such as pungent colatura sold in eyedropper bottles and jars of artichoke paté. Opened by Julia Sammut, a co-founder of the influential French guide, Le Fooding, the spot features a short, daily-changing menu that incorporates seasonal produce with Ms. Sammut’s finds. A recent offering featured Maison David’s buttery soft, rosy pink Wagyu pastrami, and crisp cabbage slaw tucked into a semolina flatbread.
The 10 Best Restaurants In Marseille, France
Food journalist Julia Sammut stocks the shelves with delectable Mediterranean goods. Italian charcuterie, French cheeses and housemade anchoïade (anchovies) are perfect for picnics; or pick up greek olive oil, Marseille-made orgeat (almond syrup) or their lemon and garlic condiment sublime for souvenirs and gifts. The friendly staff are happy to help you shop.
48 Hours in Marseille
Created by a former food journalist, Epicerie l’Ideal is the place for foodies looking to pick up a gourmet treat for home. There is a strong focus on Mediterranean products, not only from the south of France but also countries such as Italy, with the shop selling everything from charcuterie to cheese, fresh bread to pasta, and bottles of oil olive to jars of condiments. You can also stop for lunch to enjoy fresh (and very veggie-friendly) dishes that take inspiration from across the Med.
Where to Eat, Stay, and Shop in Marseille
Mélets are an ancestral, garum-like condiment heady with fennel seeds made from fermented baby anchovies. Julia Sammut, of Épicerie L’Idéal, keeps her plug a secret (“If he quits, we’re dead!”). At the Épicerie, she serves it drizzled with olive oil as a dip for country bread, while at home, she likes whisking it with bread crumbs, olive oil, and lemon juice to make a quick bagna cauda sauce for pouring over broccolini and soft-boiled eggs.
MARSEILLE RESTAURANTS - 10 BEST SPOTS -
L’Épicerie is an italian grocery store where you basically will want to buy absolutely everything that is displayed. Hopefully, you can sit there and enjoy a tasteful sandwich on-the-go, prepared under your eyes with fresh mozza and delicious prosciutto. Either in spring or summertime, enjoy a breakfast or lunch under the umbrella of the little terrace.
Marseille: Chef Alexandre Mazzia's Top Picks
Alexandre Mazzia loves going to L'Idéal, a wine shop-cum-grocery-store-cum-table-d'hôte run by Julia Sammut, when he wants to grab a quick bite. 11 Rue d'Aubagne Marseille, France
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