The Marseille brasserie that keeps the heart of Provençal cuisine beating

Paule & Kopa, a 5-star Marseille menu according to Culinary Backstreets

The renowned international food media Culinary Backstreets dedicated an enthusiastic feature to them, praising a Marseille brasserie “like the ones you don’t find anymore”, where expertise, tradition, and passion come together.

A truly Marseille address, between land and sea

When journalist Alexis Steinman asks locals where to enjoy a real southern meal, the answer comes instantly:

And Paule & Kopa, do you know it?

This recommendation leads her straight to place aux Huiles, one of Marseille’s most emblematic locations, formerly a canal where olive oil was transported to soap factories. Today, it’s where Paule, a Marseille-born chef, and Kopa, her Senegalese husband with the legendary smile, have built their restaurant for almost twenty years.

Their philosophy: keep it simple, genuine, and good. No gimmicks, no trends, just market cuisine, Provençal and generous, served in a warm atmosphere where everyone is welcomed like a regular.

Marseille classics revisited with precision

Their menu is a culinary stroll through Marseille. Most begin with a moitié-moitié pizza (half cheese, half anchovies), a true local benchmark. Then come the supions à la provençale, small sautéed squid with garlic and parsley, described by Culinary Backstreets as “the best in the city”.

Among the must-tries:

• Marseille sôcisse, seasoned with Rabelais spices and fennel
• Pieds paquets (traditional stuffed tripe)
• Petits farcis, straight from Paule’s stewpots
• Linguine with poutargue, a nod to the city’s Italian heritage

Each dish reflects the spirit of the South: heartfelt, simple, sincere cooking, where every ingredient tells a story.

The art of homemade cooking and attention to detail

At Paule & Kopa, everything is homemade, from the dishes to the desserts. From the moment you arrive, the house-made black tapenade sets the tone, with its deep, balanced flavour and no bitterness.

Desserts are equally beloved: chocolate mousse wins over the sweet tooths, but the star is the brousse and limoncello delight, a light lemony mousse made with local ricotta—perfect to end the meal.

A story of passion and transmission

Paule and Kopa’s story is as beautiful as their cuisine. They met in the 1980s at the restaurant of the legendary Marseille pizzaiolo Étienne Cassaro. Paule, born in the Grands-Carmes neighbourhood, had always known she would spend her life in a kitchen:

“I told my mother I would end my days in a restaurant,” she says, laughing.

After running a restaurant in La Cadenelle, they took over this spot near the Old Port in 2005 and renovated it entirely, keeping only the original 18th-century stone walls.

Their secret? A perfectly balanced duo: Paule leads the kitchen with precision, while Kopa welcomes every guest like a friend.

“If I didn’t love this job, I’d do something else,” he says simply.

A lively brasserie, just like Marseille

At lunchtime, the room fills with local shopkeepers, artisans, and office workers, faithful regulars for years. In the evening and on weekends, families, friends, curious tourists and locals gather to enjoy the true flavours of Provence.

The atmosphere is always the same: energy, warmth, and good humour. Regulars greet Kopa with a friendly fist bump, laughter mingles with clinking glasses, and the scent of olive oil fills the air.

Here, they celebrate the real Marseille, one of sharing, flavour, and authenticity.