This legendary Marseille restaurant is in the Vallon des Auffes, a picturesque creek tucked away underneath the Corniche. The area is still home to fishermen and their families, so the focus of Chez Fonfon is very much on seafood dishes. It's one of the best places in town to try bouillabaisse.

You can tell Francesca is a chain by its clinical cream walls and an interior that has all the originality of an IKEA furniture store, but its nippy pasta dishes are ideal for those short on time. From fusilli to farfalle, customers pick their pasta and then their sauce (devour the salsa alla vodka), before deciding to eat in or take away. We recommend staying put on upstairs terrace.

Michelin star? Tick. Idyllic coastal setting? Tick. Hefty prices? Tick. This upmarket restaurant unquestionably serves some of the best seafood and fish dishes in Marseille. Head chef Guillaume Sourrieu has cemented a phenomenal reputation since he took over in 1999. Closed Sundays, Mondays and throughout August.

Le Miramar offers what is simply one of the best culinary experiences in Marseille. Since the mid-1960s, aficionados of bouillabaisse have been flocking here for a taste of the flavourful fish soup. The restaurant is a founding member of the bouillabaisse charter – a sure sign of quality and authenticity.

This spotless Japanese restaurant is tucked away behind the Palais Longchamp, offering friendly service and an intimate atmosphere. The sushi, sashimi and other dishes are all excellent, and there is an open-plan kitchen so you can watch the chef rolling your sushi before you eat them. It's tiny, so booking is essential.

Part fishmonger, part restaurant, this busy and noisy temple to seafood is well away from the Vieux Port yet offers some of Marseille's best fish. It's open only at lunchtime, and among the excellent fish dishes are some of the more unusual marine offerings, such as sea anemones and sea urchins.

A well-established Tunisian restaurant near the Vieux Port, La Kahena packs diners in every night, despite severe local competition. It specialises in couscous, of which it offers 10 different varieties, including merguez (spicy beef and/or lamb sausage), fish, lamb, chicken and 'royal', with a bit of everything in it.

The owner of this crêperie is from Brittany, and his home region provides the inspiration behind the menu. Try some delicious pancakes and savoury galettes washed down with Breton cider. Event the decor will transport you to another part of France – the owners use Breton furniture and table linen.

Located in grand surroundings in Louis XIV's arsenal, this restaurant, owned by local publisher Jeanne Lafitte, is part of a complex that also houses two bookshops. The restaurant specialises in traditional local dishes such as piedsetpaquets (sheep and tripe stew) and daube (beef stew). Several reception rooms are also available. Closed Sundays.