Chez Fonfon, Fine dining establishment in Vallon des Auffes, France
Chez Fonfon is a fish restaurant in the picturesque Vallon des Auffes right on the water, where boats moor directly outside and the kitchen works with the daily catch. The place has just a few tables, cramped rooms, and narrow windows that look out onto the sea and the old fishing port.
The restaurant dates from the 1950s, when Vallon des Auffes was a poor fishing village where many families lived off the catch. Over the decades it has become a famous gathering place for lovers of good fish cooking and is today one of Marseille's oldest addresses.
The restaurant is run by a family with deep roots in this fishing village, and you feel that connection to the sea throughout the space. Diners sit close together, sharing tables and conversation, much like neighbors gathering for a meal in a local home.
The restaurant sits right on the water in a small cove and is reachable on foot, with free views of boats and sea from outside. A reservation is important because space is limited and the place fills up quickly on nice weather days.
The dish the restaurant is famous for is made following strict rules: with at least four different Mediterranean fish caught locally and cooked in a traditional saffron broth. Each portion comes with rouille and bread, but the exact composition depends on what fishermen brought that morning.
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