Nice’s Secret and Hidden Bars
The only way to find Zitto Speakeasy Bar in the Port is to apply on their Instagram. Once accepted they’ll confide the address, tell you how to spot the hidden door, and give you that night’s password. Open Thursday – Saturdays for more than a year now, remarkably the hidden location is still a well-kept secret. Continue the game by letting the bowtied bartender conjure up a mystery cocktail based on your preferences…
The magnificent Eglise du Gesu has a secret… in the far right corner is a non-descript doorway, which if open, leads to the church’s own open-air bar, Le Bethel, tucked away in a hidden interior patio. Open from 2pm-1am in summer and 7pm-11pm weekends only in spring and autumn (and occasionally at other times), it has a wonderous ambiance especially at night. The bar was at the initiative of Father Frederic, who would like people to stay, have a coffee or glass of wine, and talk, not just see the church and rush right out. 1 Rue du Jésus, on rue Droite just off Cours Saleya
Right across the street from Cave Bianchi, the oldest wine shop in Nice, is an unassuming half-size wrought-iron gate… it used to be where the growers dumped their loads of grapes straight into the communal wine press in the basement. At the turn-of-the-century the press came out and it was transformed into an underground bar. This magnificent relic of another era and is rarely open, so if you get the chance, don’t miss it. Some of the upcoming events held in this hidden basement bar sponsored by the Nice Opera (Nov, Dec 2024, and March 2025), but there are also others that pop up that you only find by checking the posters on the door of the wine shop across the street. Cave Bianchi is at 7 rue Raoul Bosio, tram stop Opera.
In the heart of Old Nice, but completely hidden from the main street, is a one-of-a-kind grapevine-covered building immortalized by the artist Raoul Dufy. La Treille has recently become a popular wine bar, so if you can find it you can sip rosé on their terrace, shaded by the vines. Their chalkboard features a selection of local-style small plates to share as well. Opens 6pm, closed Monday. 7 Rue Saint-Augustin, Tramstop Garibaldi or Cathedrale.
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Photo credits: all photos by Best of Nice