Hôtel Restaurant les Arcades

At the age of 19, Mimi Brothier opened her tobacco shop in the picturesque town of Biot, which is known above all for its craftsmanship. No less a person than Pablo Picasso came in the door one day, ordered a pastis and made a small drawing of Madame Brothier on the side, which he then showed her with the words “C’est vous, mademoiselle”. When Madame Brothier talks about the golden days and how artists came in and out of her house, her eyes still get a gleam. Half a century later, the tobacco shop has grown into a restaurant with twelve rooms, and tobacco, a relic of times gone by, is still available from the hatch next to the bar. With homemade ravioli, salade niçoise and soupe au pistou, the restaurant serves the very best country cuisine, which is best enjoyed with a cool rosé under the arcaded terrace and in the middle of the village hustle and bustle. Mimi Brothier’s antipasti are legendary, as she conducts her orchestra with a wooden spoon, tastes critically from the steaming soup pot, smiles and disappears again. Be sure to take a look at her gallery, which leads tunnel-like into the vaulted cellar and amazes art connoisseurs with its impressive collection of paintings and sculptures.