Aux Bons Enfants

Aux Bons Enfants is a small, long-loved Provençal table at 80 Rue Meynadier, the pedestrian shopping and market street of central Cannes, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of France. It is known for doing very little and doing it plainly: a short, fixed menu that changes daily, cooked in the manner of a Provençal family kitchen and priced well below the seafront restaurants. Typical dishes include soupe de poissons, the rich Mediterranean fish soup, and daube provençale, the slow-braised beef stew made with red wine and herbs, both of which have become emblematic of the house style. A starter, main and dessert are normally offered as a set, with only a few choices at each stage, so diners eat what the kitchen has prepared that day rather than ordering from a long carte. The dining room is tiny, with closely spaced tables, a lively and slightly noisy atmosphere, and no pretension in the decor or service. Dress is casual. Wine is usually served by the glass, pitcher or bottle from a short regional list, which suits the simple food. Two practical points define a visit. First, the restaurant has traditionally taken payment in cash only, so visitors should bring euros rather than rely on a card. Second, reservations are not taken: guests arrive at opening time or accept a queue, and the small number of seats means a wait is common at peak lunch and dinner hours and in high season. Service is typically lunch and dinner Tuesday to Saturday, with the restaurant closed on Sunday and Monday. Rue Meynadier is a short walk from the Forville covered market and from the Old Port, which makes the restaurant easy to combine with a morning at the market or a climb to Le Suquet. Prices are in the budget-to-moderate range, making it among the better-value traditional meals in the centre of Cannes.