In Le Suquet, a few steps above Marché Forville, Table 22 has been part of Cannes’ dining scene. Rue Saint-Antoine climbs through the oldest part of the city, leaving the Croisette and its grand hotels below. Here, narrow streets, old façades and small terraces set a different pace — and Table 22 fits naturally into it.
Chef-owner Noël Mantel opened the restaurant after a career that took him through some of France’s leading kitchens, including the Negresco and Alain Ducasse. What began as an intimate 35-seat dining room gradually expanded into the neighbouring premises. More than 20 years later, Noël Mantel is still in the kitchen, and Table 22 remains very much a personal restaurant.
The menu is rooted in Provence and built around the seasons. Noël Mantel sums up his approach in one word: “Product.” The cooking follows from there — careful sourcing, clear flavours and precise cooking, without adding complexity where it is not needed.
Provençal lamb is roasted with thyme, while fish follows the morning’s catch. Veal is pan-cooked and served with baby potatoes and tender carrots. Risotto changes throughout the year, moving from asparagus to ceps, summer truffles and, in season, white truffle from Alba. These are generous, familiar flavours treated with the precision of a chef who has spent decades refining them.
One dish has become inseparable from Table 22: lobster ravioli with melting leeks and emulsified shellfish jus. It has remained a favourite for years and is ordered in remarkable numbers during Cannes’ busiest festivals and congresses. The rack of lamb inspires similar loyalty. Regular guests often arrive already knowing which of the two they want.
That consistency is part of the pleasure of Table 22. Noël Mantel does not replace a successful dish simply to make the menu look new. Instead, changes follow the market and the seasons, while the restaurant’s classics remain. For a clientele that has been returning for years, there is reassurance in finding the dish they remember alongside something dictated by that week’s produce.
Marché Forville, just below the restaurant, is closely connected to the way Noël Mantel cooks. He buys courgettes, courgette flowers and aubergines directly from growers and works with a butcher based at the market. Local fishermen call in the morning with what they have caught — perhaps red mullet or scorpion fish — and those deliveries can determine what appears on the menu that day.
Not everything can come from the immediate surroundings, nor does Noël Mantel pretend otherwise. Lobster, for example, is difficult to source locally in the quantities the restaurant requires. What matters is knowing the producers, understanding the ingredients and buying locally whenever the quality and supply allow it.
Wine deserves time here too. The cellar holds more than 300 references, with a strong selection of established producers alongside natural wines and additional bottles available off-list. Sommelier Ma Lin guides guests through the cellar, whether the table calls for a Provençal bottle with Mediterranean fish or something more ambitious to accompany a longer dinner. At Table 22, wine is considered with the food rather than as an afterthought.
The restaurant is also a family affair. Noël Mantel’s wife, Brenda, looks after reservations and is present to welcome guests, particularly during Cannes’ major events, while their son is becoming increasingly involved in the business. The family’s other Cannes addresses include UVA and a more recent wine bar Quille near the Palais des Festivals.
Cannes has changed considerably since Table 22 opened, but there is a reason the restaurant has kept its place in Le Suquet for more than two decades. It offers the kind of meal that suits the neighbourhood: Provençal produce, Mediterranean fish, well-made sauces, a serious cellar and dishes worth coming back for. For visitors, it is an opportunity to discover another side of Cannes, away from the Croisette; for regulars, the lobster ravioli alone may be reason enough to climb Rue Saint-Antoine again.
Address: 22 Rue Saint-Antoine, 06400 Cannes
Phone: 04 93 39 13 10