The inauguration of Café de Turin on Thursday, September 17, highlighted the fraternal and historical ties between Nice and Corsica. This restaurant, taken over in late 2024 by the Hocotel group of the Bartoli family, unveiled a décor blending modernity and historical identity.
The Café de Turin, on the famous Garibaldi Square, held the traditional ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, September 17. Before a large audience and a particularly well-represented Corsican community, the Hocotel group, managed by Jean-Luc Bartoli, decided to celebrate the renovations carried out in this restaurant.
A renovation between tradition and modernity
Taken over in 2024 by the Hocotel group, the emblematic Café de Turin, dating from 1908, received a makeover. Four hundred square meters covering the entire structure were renovated over three months for an amount of 1.5 million euros. Jean-Luc Bartoli, in doing so, did not wish to « turn the page, but write the next one. Modernize the café without ever distorting its identity, preserve its character while accompanying it into a new chapter of its history », he confides.
The restoration of this iconic place on Garibaldi Square made it possible to reposition the kitchen towards the front, to renew the oyster shucking counter, but also to modernize the dining room. Customers can now sit in the restaurant with oysters painted in a contemporary manner by Laure Hermet. A subtle nod to the house’s specialty while supporting local craftsmanship.
During the evening, guests were able to discover these oyster frescoes while consuming them. Laura Cristofari, co-manager of a communication agency and Nice food influencer, expressed enthusiasm about the renovation: « It’s an institution that all Nice residents know, and it’s pleasant to see it updated like this! » Another guest, Débora Granger, praised « the fact that they rethought and rearranged the spaces. It makes the place very friendly and up to date. »
A Nice institution at the heart of ties with Corsica
The new impetus given to Café de Turin was done under the colors of friendship between Corsica and Nice. The manager, originally from Corsica, as well as his family, were praised for their investment and attachment to both territories. The Bartoli family was acclaimed for its important role in entrepreneurship and the local economy.
Present at the event, the Mayor of Nice, Éric Ciotti, highlighted the « fraternal » proximity between the Azure Coast city and the Island of Beauty. « Nice is the first Corsican city on the mainland, we are proud of it, and we will amplify it! » he says with an amused tone. The elected official then clarifies his wish to have « connections with Corsica restored by the strength of the bonds that unite us with the Island of Beauty. »
From now on, customers of Café de Turin will be able to enjoy a new interior and a revamped menu. The staff, who have mostly worked there for thirty years in this institution, are accompanied by chef Mike Nuvoli. The establishment will now offer, to extend the experience for its customers, oyster initiation workshops. The goal: to introduce customers, through the chef’s knowledge, to the different varieties and how to pair them.
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