Il Giardino: Italy at the Byblos
Walking along the poolside is like immersing yourself in the history of the emblematic Tropez palace, which was built 58 years ago in this unusual Var village. With its yellow, ochre and orange facades, the Byblos is a myth, a Mediterranean and Provençal midsummer night’s dream in itself. Located in the heart of the village of Saint-Tropez, the hotel maintains a skilful blend of luxury, elegance and casualness. The hotel’s unique savoir-faire is skilfully maintained and cared for down to the smallest detail. With its legendary Les Caves du Roy nightclub, the Byblos continues to transcend fashions and eras with disarming insouciance and indefinable charm.
The saga continues
For the 2025 vintage, the hotel has just redesigned its bar, remodeled its terrace and raised a brand-new sky bar with, at aperitif time, a 180-degree view of the hotel, the heights of the village, the Gulf of Saint-Tropez and its breathtaking view of the sunset. The moment is breathtaking. Having recently formalized a partnership with the Zuma restaurant chain, the Byblos has also just launched its new poolside Italian restaurant Il Giardino. A transalpine invitation orchestrated by chef Nicola Canuti, who has immersed himself in Italian gastronomic culture without falling into the “culinary déjà-vu” of the boot.
We could have started with a cereal focaccia with pesto, or succumbed to a stracciatella escorted by cherry tomatoes and anchovies. But let’s resist the labels and plunge a piece of bread into a wonderful artichoke purée, bagna cauda and cuttlefish ragout. Even if the palace codes are in force, this dish is an invitation to sauce and reconciles us with a traditionally proscribed practice. An enchanting, almost libertine gustatory delight. A worthy follow-up is the red tuna tartare with a tonnato sauce and wood-grilled bruschetta. When land and sea come together, they become more alike.
Sgroppino limoncello
As the mildness of a June night peacefully settles in, we share a wonderful airy gnudi with spinach and ricotta, topped with a gorgonzola cream. Small pieces of nduja give this gourmet dish an extra kick of texture. Let’s continue with an original association for the new version of saltimboccas, made with red mullet. A fish with character, perfectly matched with a thin slice of Parma ham.
While enjoying a sgroppino, prepared without vodka but with homemade limoncello by pastry chef Geoffrey Turpin, we gaze at a full house, happy and cheerful. And so are we! Il Giardino is an elegant gastronomic dedication to Italy that delivers on all its promises and promises to be a great summer feast.
