Day: 18 April 2025

For too long, the restaurant scene in Nice has coasted on its good looks – sun-drenched terraces, postcard views, and menus that rarely strayed from the expected. Charm? Always. Vision? Rarely. In a city as culturally rich and cosmopolitan as Nice, the absence of daring design, standout service, and culinary imagination has long felt like a missed opportunity. That’s why Jean Valfort’s arrival feels like a jolt of electricity. A restaurateur with roots in Nice but a mindset shaped by New York and Paris, Valfort isn’t just opening restaurants – he’s rewriting the rules of what hospitality on the French Riviera can look and feel like.

“If you’re from Nice and you’ve lived here all your life, it’s easy for a restaurateur to think this is enough,” Jean Valfort tells Monaco Life. “But people now have a window on the world, and it’s called Instagram. They’re seeing restaurants in Paris, London, New York, Tokyo – and they want that here too.”

Born in Nice, Valfort moved to Paris nearly two decades ago, where he opened Farago, a lively tapas bar in the 11th arrondissement. In 2018, he was invited to collaborate on a rooftop restaurant at the AC Marriott Hotel on the Promenade des Anglais. He jumped at the opportunity. With just €100,000, they launched Farago on the Roof, and the response was immediate.

“The first season was crazy,” he says. “We multiplied the turnover by four. It was clear that Nice had really been waiting for something new.”

When the pandemic hit, it disrupted operations in Paris – and confirmed what Valfort had already begun to feel: that the real opportunity wasn’t in the capital, but in the Riviera. Alongside business partner Jean-François Montfort, he began building Panorama Group, a collection of restaurants that would challenge the status quo and bring something far more ambitious to the local scene.

Restaurants that reflect the world

Valfort’s restaurants are built with a global audience in mind, and that’s no accident. He spent years living in Manhattan and says that experience opened his eyes to how dining could become something far beyond a plate of food. “When I moved to Paris from New York 11 years ago, Paris was just starting to open up to the idea of change. Now I see Nice going through the same thing.”

Social media has played a big role in that evolution. “People used to go to whatever was convenient. Now they scroll. They see what’s happening in the world – and if your restaurant doesn’t offer something on that level, they’re not coming,” he says. “You can’t fake it anymore.”

That commitment to crafting a complete experience guides every move Jean Valfort and Jean-François Montfort make. From the lively rooftop of Bocca Nissa, which opened in 2020 just after the first Covid lockdown, to the high-energy, DJ-fuelled vibe of Bocca Mar by the sea, their goal has always been the same: to create places that feel electric, immersive, and unforgettable.

“Nice isn’t just a destination for retirees anymore – it’s full of young, vibrant people,” says Valfort. “We’re not just serving food. We’re designing memories.”

Felix – the new place to be

The opening of Felix is Valfort’s most daring and refined concept to date. This historic venue in Nice was once a city institution but had lost its appeal. Valfort brought it back to life in November 2024 with the help of London-based B3 Designers, reimagining the space as a riot of colour, texture and intention. From the moment you step inside, it’s clear that Felix is unlike anything else in Nice – a concept the city has long craved but never quite dared to create.

The result is a stunningly eclectic venue with five immersive dining spaces – each with its own personality, from the Secret Garden to the Cabinet of Curiosities, Circus and Carnival, and a newly unveiled speakeasy. “Our biggest competitor in Nice is the sun,” says Valfort. “People want to sit outside. So if you want to get them inside, you have to make it worth it.”

That philosophy is evident in every corner of Felix. The interiors invite exploration, and the culinary concept is designed not just for flavour, but for impact. The menu gives a contemporary twist to brasserie classics: burrata salad, foie gras, salmon gravlax, and baby squid are just some of the starters that pair effortlessly with the restaurant’s premium wines conveniently served also by the glass. Mains include Milanese, beef tartare, beef daube à la Niçoise and Italian porchetta, while fresh salads and pastas round out a menu that manages to be indulgent yet accessibly priced. 

The showstopper, however, is the signature dessert: a Maison Duplanteur chocolate tablet layered with mascarpone cream, salted butter caramel and roasted peanuts. “People love taking photos of it,” Valfort says with a smile. “That’s not by accident. If you want to be seen, you have to create moments people want to share.” 

And share they do – Felix is now tagged in dozens of Instagram and TikTok posts daily, a kind of organic visibility that Valfort believes no traditional campaign could replicate.

As for the service, it sets a new standard for hospitality in the city. The team is warm, multilingual, and genuinely accommodating – a rarity in Nice, where customer service can often feel like an afterthought. 

“In France, it’s hard to find people who want to work in restaurants – you’re working while everyone else is having fun,” says Valfort. “So we invest in our staff. They’re not just here for the summer.” Panorama Group provides housing in Vieux Nice, builds tips into salaries, and aims to keep employees for up to five years. “The best staff care,” he adds, “but only if you care about them.”

Bringing back institutions – and building new ones

Before moving into hotels, Valfort is doubling down on what he does best: breathing new life into old institutions. His next project is on Cours Saleya, where Panorama Group has snapped up two neighbouring restaurants to resurrect an icon: Café des Fleurs.

Once a landmark meeting place that slowly faded into obscurity, it’s now being completely reinvented — walls knocked down, spaces merged, and an entirely new identity imagined — yet with a clear nod to its historic soul.

“We want it to be the café everyone thinks of when they’re in Nice, morning to night,” says Valfort. “Classic, but on a whole new level.”

A new kind of stay

Valfort’s vision for reshaping hospitality in Nice is moving beyond restaurants. Together with long-time business partner Georges Sayer, he has acquired the Hotel Victoria on Boulevard Victor Hugo, with plans to completely reimagine the property from the ground up.

“There are over a hundred four-star hotels in Nice, but how many actually have a personality?” he asks. “Too many rely on the fact that people need a place to sleep. That’s no longer enough.”

His aim is to create a space that feels as considered and characterful as his restaurants – a destination in its own right. Drawing inspiration from cities like Copenhagen and Amsterdam, where hotels blend style, comfort and social connection, the new Hotel Victoria will offer far more than just a bed for the night.

“Guests want atmosphere. They want to feel something the moment they walk through the door. They want to eat well, relax well, and remember where they stayed,” says Valfort.

Reimagining what’s possible

There’s a quiet revolution happening in Nice – not loud, not forced, but undeniable. It’s in the corners of restaurants where strangers linger longer than planned, in the buzz of terraces that hum with a new kind of energy, and in spaces that feel like they’ve always belonged, even though they’re brand new.

Jean Valfort isn’t following a trend. He’s responding to a feeling – the sense that this city, with all its beauty, deserves more than the expected. And he’s answering with places that surprise, welcome, and resonate.

Not everything he builds is about spectacle. It’s about detail, about rhythm, about creating something that lingers long after the table is cleared.

What he’s really doing is simple: inviting Nice to see itself differently. And so far, the city is saying yes.

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Main photo of Jean Valfort credit Lois Thebaut