Le Pirate Restaurant — Tunisian / Mediterranean, Sidi Bou Said
Le Pirate occupies the cliff edge at Sidi Bou Said — a position of extraordinary natural drama where the village's white walls drop precipitously to the Gulf of Tunis below and the island of Zembra is visible on clear days on the horizon. The blue-and-white colour scheme that Paul Klee and August Macke painted in 1914 is visible in every direction.
The kitchen produces Tunisian-Mediterranean cuisine with genuine ambition. Fresh sea bass and gilt-head bream from the Gulf of Tunis, prepared with chermoula and harissa; kefta with pine nuts and raisins in the Tunis tradition; and the house couscous served as a platter that requires forty-eight hours advance notice and justifies every minute of the wait.
The harissa here — house-made with dried chilli, caraway, and coriander in the Tunisian tradition — is among the finest available in the country. It arrives with every meal and elevates each preparation it accompanies.
The sunset from Le Pirate's terrace — as the Gulf of Tunis turns copper and the ruins of Carthage are visible on the promontory below — is among the Mediterranean's genuinely unmissable visual experiences. Book specifically for this timing.
Best Occasion: Perfect for Proposals
The cliff edge, the Gulf of Tunis at sunset, the ruins of Carthage visible below, and the finest Mediterranean seafood table in Tunisia. The proposal setting that history and geography make extraordinary.
Best Occasion: Great for First Dates
The most beautiful dining position in Tunisia does the work. The kitchen provides the pleasure. First dates at Le Pirate succeed with minimal effort.