Top 10 culinary specialities in Toulon

What’s good to eat in Toulon? That’s the question that’s on your mind as you unpack your suitcase in your hotel room. Well, Toulon cuisine is heavily influenced by Provencal and Mediterranean cuisine. This is reputed to be quite varied, so you’ll find red meat, fresh fish and green vegetables on your plate.

If you’re looking to find out a bit more about the types of dishes you’re likely to eat there, then this article is for you! Enjoy your meal, and we hope you find this article to your liking!

What to eat in Toulon

1. Tomato à la Provençale

In Provence, in the Toulon region, tomatoes are freshly picked and used in a wide variety of dishes: meat dishes, pies, some people make juice from them, others use them to liven up their fresh salads… But if there’s one recipe in Toulon where tomatoes are the star of the show, it’s the one known as “Tomates à la Provençale”. These are cut in half and covered with breadcrumbs made partly from garlic, parsley and a little olive oil. They can be pan-fried or baked in the oven. An absolutely divine dish!

2. Oreillettes

We’ve gone from cock to donkey! You’re sure to love these thin, crunchy oreillettes, with a sprinkling of icing sugar on top. Popular in many parts of France, including Toulon, Provence and Corsica, these thin, doughnut-like squares are flavoured with lemon and sometimes orange. You’ll love them with a cup of tea!

3. Daube de Canonnier

Very similar to a traditional boeuf bourguignon, daube de canonnier is a dish specially made for carnivores and meat lovers! Cooked with beef tenderly simmered over a low heat in rosé wine (a change from the usual red wine), it is then garnished with carrots, anchovies and a few potatoes. This dish is very popular in Toulon, and is generally eaten in winter for its comforting properties.

4. La Brousse

Wondering what this is all about? We’ll give you a riddle: a creamy cloud that can be eaten and whose slightly crunchy pastry reveals a soft ewe’s milk cream. You’ve guessed it, it’s a cheese! Brousse is a must-try in Toulon, and is eaten on the day it is made: it’s a cheese that’s sure to be found on the breakfast table or as a dessert. Toulon locals love to mix it with jam.

5. Solliès fig biscuits

Fig biscuits are THE main dessert in Toulon. Famous throughout France, these little dry rectangles with almonds are sold absolutely everywhere in the town. They are known in the region as “La Violette”, due to the colour of the figs in the middle of the dough. Very crunchy on the outside, they make a perfect contrast with the soft pastry of the fig: a floral taste on the palate.

6. Cade de Toulon

Originally from Marseille, Cade quickly caught the ear of Toulon’s chefs, who, with a few modifications and the addition of fresh produce specially from the region, made it one of their must-try dishes, and a veritable benchmark in Toulon cuisine. Similar to a tart, cade is no thicker than a centimetre or two, and is made mainly from chickpea flour (a very popular food in Toulon). It is usually served as a side dish, but can also be enjoyed on its own.

7. White nougat

A typical product of the region, white nougat is a sweet speciality made from almonds and walnuts. What makes it so popular? Its very soft, sticky white texture offsets the brown of the crunchy almonds. In Toulon, we like to enjoy them flavoured with vanilla or orange blossom, or with dried fruit instead of walnuts. It’s a dish you’ll find everywhere in the city, so much so that you can even learn how to cook it from a confectioner!

8. Bouillabaisse

There’s no doubt that if you wander around the city, you’ll find a good number of restaurants serving bouillabaisse as part of their “menu du jour”. And with good reason? This speciality of Provençal Mediterranean cuisine, based on seafood bathed in a creamy orange sauce, is simply exquisite: prawns, pieces of fish, oysters, mussels… It’s a dish that will appeal to lovers of the sea as well as to pesco-vegetarians looking to avoid red meat. This fish soup can be served with pieces of fresh bread and potatoes.

9. Artichoke à la Barigoule

Are you the artichoke-hearted type, with a tendency to melt easily when faced with a tempting dish whose tantalising aroma titillates your nostrils? Then this one’s no exception! Artichoke à la barigoule is a dish that comes directly from the culinary traditions of Provence. The Toulonnais like to cook it with a stuffing made from barigoule mushrooms (a delicacy, it seems), accompanied by carrots, onions and a few herbs to spice up the flavour. Once tasted, artichokes are likely to become your favourite vegetable!

10. Anchoïade

This anchovy-based sauce is very famous among the inhabitants of Toulon. Served cold, anchoïade is accompanied by olive oil and garlic carefully crushed in a muller. A favourite as an aperitif, this anchovy sauce can be spread on toast with a delicious glass of wine. The best thing is to grill them for a few minutes. Then they’ll be delicious. In the mouth, it’s like an explosion of flavours!