Socca is a traditional Niçoise galette, made with chickpea flour, water, and olive oil. Baked in a wood-fired oven, it offers a crispy texture on the outside and a soft interior. This specialty of Niçoise cuisine is enjoyed hot, often sprinkled with black pepper, and is a true delight for lovers of authentic flavors.

Socca, whose recipe dates back more than 8000 years to Egypt, was introduced to Europe in the Middle Ages through the Crusades. Chickpeas, resistant to poor soils, spread to Italy, and by the 15th century, a flatbread similar to socca appeared in Genoa. In the 17th century in Nice, the recipe was perfected with a dough thinly spread in a copper and oiled dish, baked in a wood-fired oven. It gained popularity in the 1900s thanks to street vendors selling it to workers and dockers at the port, becoming the iconic snack of the Niçois. Today, socca is served in many local markets, notably at Cours Saleya, and in restaurants in Nice. It is cherished by locals and highly appreciated by tourists for its unique taste, originality, and simplicity.

Socca is more than just a dish: it’s a cultural experience that transports you to the heart of the Mediterranean! It has many variations and names around the Mediterranean. In Nice, it is very thin, while it is thicker in Toulon with Cade and in Provence with panisses. The differences mainly lie in the cooking and the ingredient ratios.

In Liguria, it is known as Farinata and can include additions like green onions, poutine, pesto, or zucchini. In Tuscany, it is called Cecina, and in Livorno, Torta.

Other regions and countries also have their versions: in Corsica, Torta di cecci; in Gibraltar, Calentita; in Sardinia, Fainé; in Sicily, Panelle.

Whether you are a gastronomy enthusiast or a curious explorer in search of new discoveries, Socca is a must-try dish to discover and share!

Socca is part of the popular traditional local specialties typical of Niçoise cuisine, alongside pan bagnat, petits farcis, salade niçoise, fougasse, zucchini flower fritters, ratatouille, and pissaladière. Since October 2019, Niçoise cuisine has been part of the national intangible cultural heritage of France! Today France, and perhaps tomorrow the world :) - UNESCO - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.