Le Coquillage, Saint-Tropez

Le Coquillage occupies a prime position on the Port de Saint-Tropez, with views directly across the harbour to the fishing boats and the pastel facades of the quayside. The restaurant's Provençal seafood menu follows the rhythms of the Var coast: bouillabaisse prepared in the Saint-Tropez tradition, grilled sea bass with fennel and olive oil, tapenade with fresh-baked bread, and simple preparations of the daily catch that let the quality of the fish speak for itself. The dining room opens generously toward the port through wide windows and a covered terrace, making it equally suited to lunch — when the midday light bounces off the water — and dinner under the port lanterns. The atmosphere is upscale casual: linen tablecloths, well-dressed staff, and a clientele drawn from the port's superyachts as well as visitors staying in the village. In July and August the restaurant operates at a markedly higher pace and the room is harder to access without advance planning. Outside these peak weeks it retains a more relaxed Provençal character. The wine list centres on rosé from the Var, particularly from estates around Saint-Tropez and Gassin, with sufficient white Provence for seafood-focused ordering. Reservations become essential in the summer season; at other times walk-ins are generally possible at lunch.