The story
Chez Mattin, at 63 rue Evariste-Baignol in Ciboure, is a Basque restaurant that earned a Michelin Recommended mention in 2026. The old village épicerie sits on the hillside above Saint-Jean-de-Luz, and its Basque kitchen stays close to the family's recipes.
Michel Niquet, grandson of the house, has cooked here since June 1998. The printed card is short, and the day's suggestions are added aloud, so the menu follows the market. Le Fooding lists the restaurant for 2026 and describes the cooking as pure terroir.
The txangurro, spider crab baked in its shell with ttoro jus and breadcrumbs, shows the house style. Plancha-grilled bass comes with romesco made from green peppers, roasted tomatoes and hazelnuts. A Grand Marnier soufflé with orange sorbet closes the meal.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
In this old épicerie perched up high in the village of Ciboure (plaster walls, blackened rafters, a fireplace), owner Michel Niquet has been cooking up Basquitude classics since June 1998: ttoro (the best in the world!), baby squid simmered in squid ink, Eric Ospital pork tenderloin tartare with pan-fried foie gras…. Pure, utter terroir -ism that’s brought into the dining room by Céline, his wife, who describes the suggestions of the day in an otherwise religious silence. For us, the day we went for lunch: an irresistible txangurro – shelled spider crab baked in its shell with a ttoro jus and breadcrumbs on top; a delicious plancha-grilled bass steak with golden potatoes, kale, diced baby squid, ximitxurri (chimichurri) sauce and romesco sauce made with green peppers, roasted tomatoes and hazelnuts; before a none-too-sweet Grand Marnier soufflé with a refreshing orange/Grand Marnier sorbet. // P.L.
Location