African Queen Beaulieu-sur-Mer

#FOODIE ALERT: A #FrenchRiviera icon, Born in 1969 in #Beaulieu-sur-Mer, #AfricanQueen is much more than just a #restaurant – it’s a true institution of the French Riviera. Located on the port, facing the yachts and the dazzling blue of the Mediterranean, this iconic venue has welcomed stars like David Vega (😝), artists, travelers, and loyal food lovers for over five decades. Notable: The restaurant was inspired by a famous movie starring Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn. Tons of star-studded pictures on the wall through the decades. Worth visiting. ~ #tridence . . #nicefrance #nice plaisance, #beaulieusurmer

So, we visited the restaurant on Tuesday, lunch time. I had a reservation but half of the place was empty. The welcome personnel is really not nice. My boyfriend went in to check if it is colder indoors before getting seated and three people jumped on him to check if he had a reservation. I would probably understand this unwelcoming behavior if the restaurant was full and it was Friday night:) I truly believe the personnel should speak English good enough to explain the dishes. At least, the basics. We had to order and be surprised how the dishes would look like. I also don’t do dairy so not possible for us to manage that. The fish soup is actually a not-so-common way of cooking bouillabaisse. It does not have whole seafood in it. Most people would expect fish in the soup. Some fish is blended. It is savoury but still the waiters should manage the expectations of the guests. The mussels curry: also a bit of a waste as the mussels are incredibly tiny and the pit is big so it is an hour to find some meat there. We left almost the whole pot. The curry itself is great but really nobody said it is a huge pot for 2 people and it is a lot of WORK:) All comes down to the fact that nobody presents the dishes or explains in English what is what. Like, they brought me the red soup with yellow mayonnaise, whole garlics and croutons. I had no idea how to mix it etc. Apparently, the seafood is blended into the broth, the garlic is make yourself a garlic bread and the mayo is to be put on top of the bread to after soak it in the soup. That was said in French to me 2 times but I still was not sure:) The setting is nice, the ingredients not bad, the artichoke salad is a hit, the service is sad.

It was a great experience for our family and friends! The girls did everything they could to get us a good table. The food was delicious — we started with the artichoke salad and truffle pizza, paired with rosé. It was the perfect combination! There’s a parking service for €20 — super convenient! I recommend saving some room for dessert :) 🫶

The front of house team were amazing as we arrived early and they found a lovely table for us even so 🙏🏻 Laurent then looked after us so well and everything was just perfect 👍🏻 Thanks again and see you soon, Tristan & Libby Mason-Smith

An institution since 1969 ! We love the ambiance of the African Queen, especially the covered terraces. The service is wonderful and the food always top. We come since years and will continue to do so

This is the second time we dined at African Queen - the first time was for lunch when we stayed in Monaco and the driver recommended it. This time was while staying at Cap Ferrat. The menu has a lot of variety, the food is incredible, and the servers so nice to talk to and so willing to assist. That artichoke salad is unbelievable! And all the seafood is fresh and so well-prepared. The cocktails are delicious. The atmosphere is lively and fun. And the small town of Beaulieu-sur-Mer is lovely and feels less touristy, which we appreciate. We will definitely return!

I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to the entire evening team at African Queen in Beaulieu. I honestly can’t remember the last time I experienced such genuine, attentive, and graceful service in a restaurant. We were having dinner with close friends we hadn’t seen for a long time, and the atmosphere was so pleasant that we completely lost track of time. Only later did we realize that we had stayed more than an hour past the restaurant’s closing time. Not once did anyone make us feel rushed or uncomfortable — on the contrary, the team remained kind, discreet, and incredibly respectful until the very end. What truly touched us was the care shown when it started raining: someone from the team even went to retrieve our car from the parking so we wouldn’t have to walk in the rain. These are the kinds of gestures that stay with you. African Queen has always been one of the best places in Beaulieu, but what truly makes it exceptional is the people — many of whom have been working there for years. It is always a pleasure to return and see familiar faces who welcome you warmly and make you feel not like a customer, but like a truly expected and valued guest. Thank you for an unforgettable evening and for reminding us what true hospitality feels like.

This place is really an institution on the Cote de Azur. Love it everytime we come!