Café
Fenocchio
A family ice-cream maker founded in 1966, serving more than 90 flavours on Place Rossetti, including Niçois oddities such as tomato-basil and Swiss chard tart.
Boulangerie Zielinska
An old-town sourdough bakery run by Dominika Zielinska, baking heritage-flour breads, babka and cinnamon rolls alongside sandwiches and tartines.
At a glance
- Type
- Sourdough bakery
- Area
- Vieux Nice, Nice, France
- Price
- $ · Budget
- Official site
- zielinska.fr
Good to know
- Sourdough bread
- Heritage flours
- Sandwiches
- Takeaway
Why we recommend it
Boulangerie Zielinska is a small artisan bakery in the lanes of Vieux Nice, and it has built a following among both locals and visitors for its sourdough bread. The baker, Dominika Zielinska, has Polish roots, and her team works only with heritage flours and natural leaven.
The bread is the heart of the shop. Around ten loaves are made, using rye, kamut, wheat and spelt, and the signature is the polka, a rye loaf with cranberries and sunflower seeds that reflects the baker's background. Another house creation is the nissart. Gault&Millau notes that the bakery supplies several good restaurants in the city.
The sweet side is just as tempting. Look for babka, cinnamon rolls, brioche and pompe, a soft sweet bread of the region, and on Fridays there is challah. For lunch, sandwiches on sourdough are made with cheese from a local cheesemonger and cured ham, and there are seasonal tartines. A few grocery products, such as tomato sauces, raw-milk butter and farm eggs, are sold alongside.
The shop front is painted a dusty pink, and inside there is a small shop with the bakery behind it. Space is limited, so most customers take their purchases away, which makes it a natural stop before a picnic on Castle Hill. Prices are modest for the quality.
Opening hours are not confirmed on the bakery's own site, so it is wise to go in the morning, when the full range of bread is available, and to expect some items to sell out later in the day. Bring a bag if you plan to buy a large loaf; the polka is sold in 750-gram loaves, and sourdough keeps well for several days, so it travels better than a baguette.
It suits anyone who cares about good bread, from self-catering visitors and picnickers to travellers looking for a quick and filling lunch. Families will find the cinnamon rolls a hit with children.
Rue Jules Gilly is in the southern part of the old town, on the same street as the Centre du Patrimoine, and the nearest tram stop is Opéra-Vieille Ville. Combine a stop here with the morning market or a walk through the old town.
Boulangerie Zielinska FAQs
What is Boulangerie Zielinska known for?
Sourdough breads made with heritage flours, especially the polka rye loaf with cranberries and sunflower seeds.
Which grains are used?
Rye, kamut, wheat and spelt, among others.
Does it sell pastries?
Yes, including babka, cinnamon rolls, brioche and pompe, plus challah on Fridays.
Can I get lunch there?
Yes, sandwiches on sourdough and seasonal tartines are available.
Is there seating?
Space is very limited, so it is best for takeaway.
When is the best time to go?
In the morning, when the full range of bread is available.
Who is the baker?
Dominika Zielinska, who has Polish roots.
What is the nearest tram stop?
Opéra-Vieille Ville.