When the chef behind one of the world's most decorated restaurants tells you where he likes to eat, you shut up and write it down. Mauro Colagreco, the Argentine-born culinary genius running Mirazur in Menton - currently celebrating its 20th anniversary, by the way - has shared his personal go-to spots along the French and Italian Riviera with Condé Nast Traveler, and the list is exactly the kind of insider intel that makes food nerds weep with joy.
Why this actually matters
Here's the thing about chef recommendations: they cut through the noise in a way no algorithm or influencer ever could. These people eat professionally. Their palates are basically weapons. When Colagreco points at a spot and says "yes, that one," it carries the weight of someone who has tasted roughly ten thousand more dishes than you have.
Mirazur itself sits right on the border between France and Italy, which gives Colagreco a uniquely bicultural food perspective. His restaurant has held three Michelin stars and ranked number one on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list. The man knows a thing or two about good food. Or, you know, everything.
The riviera as a food destination - not just a flex backdrop
The French Riviera has a reputation problem. Most people think of it as a place where you pay 22 euros for a mediocre salade niçoise while a yacht blocks your view. But Colagreco's recommendations paint a different picture - one of a region with serious culinary depth on both sides of the border, where Italian and French traditions blur into something genuinely special.
The fact that he crosses into Italy for some of his favorites is telling. The Riviera di Ponente, the stretch of Italian coastline hugging the border, doesn't get nearly enough food press. Colagreco's list might just change that.
The 20-year milestone angle
Mirazur turning 20 is not a small thing. Two decades of cooking in the same place, evolving the same menu philosophy rooted in the garden, the sea, and the mountains - that's a statement about commitment in an industry where restaurants fold faster than a cheap lawn chair. Celebrating that milestone by opening up about the places that inspire you feels like exactly the right move.
Whether you're planning a Riviera trip or just daydreaming about one from your desk (no judgment, we're right there with you), Colagreco's curated map is the kind of resource worth bookmarking. Full details available over at Condé Nast Traveler.
