From Deauville to Dubai, from Paris to Nice — how Mehdi Dubrulle created the bistronomic bistro that makes you feel right at home.
A childhood nurtured by great food
It all begins in Deauville, Normandy. Mehdi Dubrulle grows up in a family where the table is sacred: his parents are restaurant owners, his mother and two grandmothers passionate cooks. It is in this flavour-filled cradle, between the aromas of Moroccan cuisine and French tradition, that a vocation is born. A dual French and Moroccan heritage that would later shape the unique identity of his Nice table.
An international journey built for excellence
After a Master's degree in finance, marketing and management, Mehdi refuses to stay within French borders. His appetite for excellence takes him across the globe: Buenos Aires for his first professional thrills, Dubai where he becomes assistant director of the Radisson hotel complex, New York to sharpen his eye on international dining, and Paris where he joins prestigious establishments such as the Hôtel Costes and restaurant Roca as head waiter.
This journey is more than an impressive CV — it is a unique hands-on education, allowing him to blend the codes of luxury, the rigour of service and an intimate knowledge of culinary pleasures. Everywhere he goes, he observes, absorbs and learns.
2018: La Cantine de Mémé is born in Paris
Armed with all these experiences, Mehdi takes the plunge. In 2018, he opens La Cantine de Mémé in the Batignolles neighbourhood (Paris 17th). The concept is clear and sincere: neither an intimidating fine dining restaurant, nor a run-of-the-mill brasserie. Something rarer — a place where you truly feel at home.
"What I created is not just a restaurant, but a living space. What matters most is feeling at home while enjoying exceptional produce, the standards of luxury and accessible prices." — Mehdi Dubrulle
Success follows quickly. The short menu changes every two weeks, the produce is organic and sourced in France, and Mehdi's warm hospitality does the rest. La Cantine de Mémé soon becomes a beloved address for the locals of Batignolles.
2022: The leap to Nice and the Côte d'Azur
Life sometimes offers beautiful turning points. A professional opportunity brings Mehdi's partner to Nice. After several trips back and forth between Paris and the Mediterranean, lockdown convinces him for good: he falls in love with the region and decides to start fresh on the French Riviera.
He sells the Paris business — but carefully keeps the brand, the concept and the soul of Mémé. In September 2022, La Cantine de Mémé Nice opens its doors at 5 impasse Longchamp, right in the heart of the Carré d'Or, in a setting as discreet as it is charming: a spacious cul-de-sac, sheltered from the noise and tourist crowds, like a haven of peace in the heart of the city.
A one-of-a-kind address in the Carré d'Or
La Cantine de Mémé in Nice is several things at once: a bistronomic restaurant at lunch and dinner with a menu that changes every two weeks, a café and wine bar in the afternoon for those who like to take their time, a fine food grocery where you can find produce from partner suppliers, and a private terrace in fine weather — a true haven of peace in the heart of Nice.
The décor reflects Mehdi perfectly: warm, sincere, never stiff. Oriental rugs, signed frescoes and illustrations, woodwork in warm tones… You look for Mémé — but it is Mehdi and his team you find, with that same spirit of genuine, welcoming hospitality.
A seasonal cuisine rooted in its territory
In the kitchen, Mehdi works with talented chefs who share his vision. The produce is fresh, mostly local, and the menu evolves constantly with the seasons and the Nice markets. Mehdi has quickly integrated himself into Nice's network of committed restaurateurs and sources from carefully selected producers.
On the wine side, as an ambassador for Bordeaux wines, he also offers a fine selection of local, organic, biodynamic and natural wines.
The result? Plates with character: creative, colourful, perfectly cooked with surprising flavour combinations. A cuisine that pays tribute to grandmothers — the ones who taught Mehdi everything he knows.
La Cantine de Mémé: a must-visit address in Nice
Since opening in 2022, La Cantine de Mémé has established itself as a reference table in the Carré d'Or, praised by Gault&Millau and by a loyal clientele who return week after week, drawn by the curiosity of a new menu.
This is the story of a man who left everything — twice — to create the restaurant he had always dreamed of. A place that carries the values of a lifetime: conviviality, excellence, generosity and that rare art of making every guest feel right at home.
Welcome to Mémé's.
La Cantine de Mémé — 5 impasse Longchamp, 06000 Nice (Carré d'Or) — Open Tuesday to Sunday, lunch and dinner — Reservations recommended.
A childhood nurtured by great food
It all begins in Deauville, Normandy. Mehdi Dubrulle grows up in a family where the table is sacred: his parents are restaurant owners, his mother and two grandmothers passionate cooks. It is in this flavour-filled cradle, between the aromas of Moroccan cuisine and French tradition, that a vocation is born. A dual French and Moroccan heritage that would later shape the unique identity of his Nice table.
An international journey built for excellence
After a Master's degree in finance, marketing and management, Mehdi refuses to stay within French borders. His appetite for excellence takes him across the globe: Buenos Aires for his first professional thrills, Dubai where he becomes assistant director of the Radisson hotel complex, New York to sharpen his eye on international dining, and Paris where he joins prestigious establishments such as the Hôtel Costes and restaurant Roca as head waiter.
This journey is more than an impressive CV — it is a unique hands-on education, allowing him to blend the codes of luxury, the rigour of service and an intimate knowledge of culinary pleasures. Everywhere he goes, he observes, absorbs and learns.
2018: La Cantine de Mémé is born in Paris
Armed with all these experiences, Mehdi takes the plunge. In 2018, he opens La Cantine de Mémé in the Batignolles neighbourhood (Paris 17th). The concept is clear and sincere: neither an intimidating fine dining restaurant, nor a run-of-the-mill brasserie. Something rarer — a place where you truly feel at home.
"What I created is not just a restaurant, but a living space. What matters most is feeling at home while enjoying exceptional produce, the standards of luxury and accessible prices." — Mehdi Dubrulle
Success follows quickly. The short menu changes every two weeks, the produce is organic and sourced in France, and Mehdi's warm hospitality does the rest. La Cantine de Mémé soon becomes a beloved address for the locals of Batignolles.
2022: The leap to Nice and the Côte d'Azur
Life sometimes offers beautiful turning points. A professional opportunity brings Mehdi's partner to Nice. After several trips back and forth between Paris and the Mediterranean, lockdown convinces him for good: he falls in love with the region and decides to start fresh on the French Riviera.
He sells the Paris business — but carefully keeps the brand, the concept and the soul of Mémé. In September 2022, La Cantine de Mémé Nice opens its doors at 5 impasse Longchamp, right in the heart of the Carré d'Or, in a setting as discreet as it is charming: a spacious cul-de-sac, sheltered from the noise and tourist crowds, like a haven of peace in the heart of the city.
A one-of-a-kind address in the Carré d'Or
La Cantine de Mémé in Nice is several things at once: a bistronomic restaurant at lunch and dinner with a menu that changes every two weeks, a café and wine bar in the afternoon for those who like to take their time, a fine food grocery where you can find produce from partner suppliers, and a private terrace in fine weather — a true haven of peace in the heart of Nice.
The décor reflects Mehdi perfectly: warm, sincere, never stiff. Oriental rugs, signed frescoes and illustrations, woodwork in warm tones… You look for Mémé — but it is Mehdi and his team you find, with that same spirit of genuine, welcoming hospitality.
A seasonal cuisine rooted in its territory
In the kitchen, Mehdi works with talented chefs who share his vision. The produce is fresh, mostly local, and the menu evolves constantly with the seasons and the Nice markets. Mehdi has quickly integrated himself into Nice's network of committed restaurateurs and sources from carefully selected producers.
On the wine side, as an ambassador for Bordeaux wines, he also offers a fine selection of local, organic, biodynamic and natural wines.
The result? Plates with character: creative, colourful, perfectly cooked with surprising flavour combinations. A cuisine that pays tribute to grandmothers — the ones who taught Mehdi everything he knows.
La Cantine de Mémé: a must-visit address in Nice
Since opening in 2022, La Cantine de Mémé has established itself as a reference table in the Carré d'Or, praised by Gault&Millau and by a loyal clientele who return week after week, drawn by the curiosity of a new menu.
This is the story of a man who left everything — twice — to create the restaurant he had always dreamed of. A place that carries the values of a lifetime: conviviality, excellence, generosity and that rare art of making every guest feel right at home.
Welcome to Mémé's.
La Cantine de Mémé — 5 impasse Longchamp, 06000 Nice (Carré d'Or) — Open Tuesday to Sunday, lunch and dinner — Reservations recommended.
