Restaurant in Théoule-sur-Mer, France
New Michelin star, hard to book, hard to skip.
Mareluna earned its first Michelin star in 2025, making it the most credible fine-dining destination in Théoule-sur-Mer. Chef Nick Anson's creative tasting menu at €€€€ pricing is worth booking for a special occasion on the Côte d'Azur. Secure a table in shoulder season — spring or early autumn — and plan at least three to four weeks ahead.
Mareluna earned its first Michelin star in 2025, one year after appearing on the Michelin Plate — a rapid ascent that signals genuine momentum rather than hype. For anyone planning a serious dinner on the Côte d'Azur, this is now a credible destination in its own right, not a consolation prize for tables you could not secure at Mirazur in Menton. The creative cuisine format and €€€€ pricing put it squarely in the special-occasion bracket. Book it for that, and it is likely to deliver. Book it expecting a casual coastal meal and you will feel the mismatch.
Théoule-sur-Mer sits on a quiet stretch of the Esterel coastline between Cannes and Saint-Raphaël, and arriving at 55 Avenue de Lérins already does some of the work the meal needs to do. The setting is visual before it is anything else: the Esterel massif, the Mediterranean light, the particular stillness of a small bay that the larger Riviera resorts have not yet absorbed. That physical context matters when you are eating creative cuisine at this price point, because it provides the frame the tasting experience builds inside.
Chef Nick Anson leads the kitchen, and the Michelin progression from Plate to Star in a single calendar year suggests a kitchen that has found its voice quickly. Creative cuisine as a category covers considerable ground, but at a one-star level in this region the expectation is a coherent tasting menu with a legible point of view — courses that feel connected rather than a sequence of independent set pieces. The arc of the meal, how early courses establish themes that later courses complicate or resolve, is where one-star kitchens at this level tend to prove themselves. Based on the Google rating of 4.8 across 116 reviews, the execution is landing well with guests.
For context on what the regional creative cuisine category looks like at its outer limits, Mirazur in nearby Menton sets the benchmark for the French Riviera. Mareluna is not yet in that conversation in terms of global profile, but a first star awarded in 2025 means it is building a track record. Elsewhere in France, kitchens like AM par Alexandre Mazzia in Marseille and Flocons de Sel in Megève show how regional French creative cuisine can develop a genuinely individual identity over time. Mareluna is earlier in that arc, which makes this a good moment to go , before the booking difficulty catches up with the reputation.
The leading time to visit is spring or early autumn. The Côte d'Azur in July and August is crowded, hot, and logistically difficult: traffic on the coastal roads is significant, and the relative quiet that makes Théoule-sur-Mer worth the trip evaporates under peak-season pressure. May, June, September, and October offer the same light and coastline with considerably less friction. A weeknight booking in shoulder season is the optimal combination of availability and atmosphere.
If you are building a broader Riviera itinerary around this dinner, the full Théoule-sur-Mer restaurants guide is useful for context, and the hotels guide covers local accommodation if you want to stay overnight rather than drive back along the coast. For daytime options in the area, L'Or Bleu and La Maréa are the local seafood alternatives worth knowing about. The bars guide, wineries guide, and experiences guide round out what the area offers beyond the meal itself.
Booking difficulty is rated Hard. The combination of a new Michelin star, a small coastal town with limited competition at this level, and a 4.8 Google rating means demand has outpaced supply. Plan at least three to four weeks ahead for a weekend reservation; for a weeknight in shoulder season, two weeks may be sufficient. No booking method or phone number is listed in our current data , check directly with the restaurant for reservation channels. Website details are not available in our records at time of publication.
Practical reference: €€€€ price range, creative cuisine, Michelin 1 Star (2025), Michelin Plate (2024), Google 4.8 (116 reviews), 55 Av. de Lérins, Théoule-sur-Mer, France.
See the comparison section below for how Mareluna sits against the broader French creative cuisine field at the €€€€ tier.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Booking Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mareluna | Creative | €€€€ | Hard |
| Alléno Paris au Pavillon Ledoyen | Creative | €€€€ | Unknown |
| Kei | Contemporary French, Modern Cuisine | €€€€ | Unknown |
| L'Ambroisie | French, Classic Cuisine | €€€€ | Unknown |
| Le Cinq - Four Seasons Hôtel George V | French, Modern Cuisine | €€€€ | Unknown |
| Mirazur | Modern French, Creative | €€€€ | Unknown |
Key differences to consider before you reserve.
No group capacity or private dining information is publicly listed for Mareluna. Given the small-town coastal setting and the high booking difficulty already reported for standard reservations, large group bookings should be approached cautiously and arranged well ahead. check the venue's official channels to confirm what's possible before committing a group at the €€€€ rate.
No specific dietary policy is published for Mareluna, but Michelin-starred creative cuisine kitchens at the €€€€ level routinely accommodate dietary requirements when notified at the time of booking. check the venue's official channels at 55 Avenue de Lérins, Théoule-sur-Mer when you reserve and state your restrictions clearly — do not leave it to arrival.
Yes — a 2025 Michelin star in a quiet coastal town makes this a strong choice for a celebratory dinner with real substance behind it. Théoule-sur-Mer is a low-key setting compared to Cannes, which works in your favour if you want the occasion to feel considered rather than performative. Book well in advance: demand has risen sharply since the star was awarded and availability is rated Hard.
Mareluna holds a Michelin star and sits at the €€€€ tier, so dress accordingly — think polished rather than formal, closer to what you'd wear to a one-star in Paris than to a casual seaside restaurant. The Esterel coast location means guests may arrive from boats or holiday villas, so the room likely accommodates a range of dress, but arriving underdressed at this price point is a misstep. No specific dress code is published, so if in doubt, err toward smart.
At the €€€€ price point, Mareluna is delivering enough to have earned a Michelin star in 2025, just one year after receiving a Michelin Plate — that kind of rapid recognition makes the spend easier to justify. Chef Nick Anson's creative cuisine format is built around the tasting menu, so this is not a venue to approach à la carte. If you want a comparably priced creative menu on the Riviera, Mirazur in Menton is the three-star benchmark, but Mareluna is considerably harder to reach and currently much easier to book.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
