If you're visiting Biarritz, France — the picturesque beach town on the Basque coast — and find yourself near the Radisson Blu Hotel, there's a casual yet satisfying dining option right next door. Les Terrasses, a small pizzeria with more to offer than just pizza, provides a laid-back dining atmosphere along with a menu that’s surprisingly versatile. From seafood dishes to its rich dark chocolate ice cream, it’s a place worth noting when planning meals in southwest France.
Where to Eat in Biarritz: Casual Dining Near the Coast
Convenient Location for Travelers
The Radisson Blu, a famous hotel in the centre of Biarritz, is only a short stroll from Les Terrasses. After a day of exploring the town's well-known surf beaches or spending time by the Atlantic Ocean, it's convenient to go out for lunch or dinner. Both French residents and tourists from other countries frequent Biarritz, and this restaurant is popular with anyone looking for good food without the fuss.
Affordable with Wide Menu Variety
Les Terrasses differentiates itself from other coastal restaurants in tourist-heavy towns by offering a balanced combination of quality and price. As far as restaurants on the French Riviera go, it has fair prices and a menu that will satisfy most people. Though it advertises as a pizzeria, the menu includes more than just pizza, making it appropriate for groups with diverse dietary needs.
A Look at the Menu: Pizza and Beyond
Classic and Creative Pizza Options
Les Terrasses' pizzas are as good as expected. Thin, lightly blistered crust baked in a traditional oven with just enough char for rustic flavour. Local cheeses and cured meats can be added to the Margherita.
If you want something familiar, try a simple tomato, basil, and mozzarella pizza. For a more local taste, look for versions with black olives, anchovies, or chèvre (goat cheese), which show the Mediterranean influence on the area.
Moules Frites: A French Seafood Favorite
One of the stand-out dishes is the moules frites, or mussels served in white wine sauce with a side of fries. This dish appears on menus throughout France, but not every restaurant does it well. At Les Terrasses, the mussels arrive steaming hot in a flavorful broth, and the fries are golden and crisp — ideal for soaking up the leftover sauce.
Moules frites are a great light main dish to enjoy during your visit in the warmer months. Enjoy it with a refreshing glass of sparkling water or white wine as you soak up the laid-back vibes of Biarritz's beach.
Dessert Recommendation: Extra Dark Chocolate Ice Cream
A Surprising Treat for Chocolate Lovers
What makes Les Terrasses stand out — especially for visitors coming from a chocolate background — is its extra dark chocolate ice cream. While many restaurants serve basic desserts, this one offers something that feels carefully considered. The chocolate ice cream isn’t your average scoop. It’s deeply flavored, clearly made from heavily alkalized cocoa, giving it that striking black color and mellow bitterness that distinguishes high-cocoa-content treats.
Bittersweet and rich, the ice cream also includes small bits of very dark chocolate for added texture. It’s creamy and dense, likely made in-house or sourced from a nearby artisan. This dessert feels more like a cold ganache than a traditional frozen treat and is worth the visit alone — especially for fans of European dark chocolate.
Cocoa Notes: What Is Heavily Alkalized Chocolate?
The Flavor Behind the Black Color
Alkalized cocoa (also known as Dutched cocoa) undergoes a process where the cocoa beans are washed with a potassium carbonate solution to neutralize acidity. This results in a darker color and a smoother, less sharp taste than natural cocoa. When the cocoa is heavily alkalized, it takes on a nearly black hue — much like the ice cream at Les Terrasses.
Santa Barbara Chocolate offers several cocoa products made with different levels of alkalization. The black cocoa powder used in baking, for example, has a similar appearance and flavor profile. It’s this kind of ingredient that lends such deep chocolate flavor to frozen desserts, baked goods, and sauces.
If you're interested in recreating the flavor at home, consider using Santa Barbara Chocolate’s Black Cocoa Powder or Alkalized Cocoa in ice cream bases, hot chocolate mixes, or homemade truffles.
Biarritz Travel Tip: Embrace the Unexpected
Beaches and small hotels are what Biarritz is known for, but one of the best ways to enjoy it is to check out small, local spots like Les Terrasses. In a way, that's the point—it's not a fancy restaurant—it serves casual comfort food with care and flavour.
Whether you're grabbing a bite after surfing, heading out for a casual dinner, or just want a good plate of mussels and fries followed by some memorable chocolate ice cream, this pizzeria offers a welcome break from the usual.
And if you’re a chocolate enthusiast, it’s always interesting to taste how different countries and chefs use cocoa in their desserts — especially when they lean toward bold, high-cocoa recipes like this one.
