As you would expect, Monaco has many luxurious restaurants catering for extremely rich residents and visitors. The food is wonderful – the principality has many Michelin stars – and the prices equally mouthwatering. But look around, and you can also find excellent good value food in Monaco. Head for the Rock for a range of atmospheric restaurants - there's both more touristy prices and decent down to earth Provencal and Italian dishes.
Luxury restaurants
Le Louis XV, at the Hotel de Paris, is the most renowned establishment in Monaco. This is an Alain Ducasse- run restaurant and probably his best; he has others in Paris and London. You’ll be eating refined Mediterranean food in a truly magnificent 18th century style room. In the same hotel, the Grill de l’Hotel de Paris also has a fine reputation with magnificent views from the 8th floor with open-air seating also available.
Other top class Monaco venues include La Coupole at the Hotel Mirabeau and the Vistamar at the Hotel Hermitage while the Bar et Boeuf at the Monte-Carlo Sporting Club is superbly positioned on a promontory to the north of the principality.
Mid-range restaurants
L’Hirondelle, Maxim’s and Saint Benoit all have established reputations. The Café de Paris has fine terraces overlooking the casino while the Salon Bellevue has exactly what it claims, a beautiful view taking in the French and Italian Rivieras. The menus change regularly, focusing each week on a different cuisine, Provencal, or traditional French. There's also take-away sea-food and ice cream.
Moderate restaurants
A little way inland, almost to the French border, try Polpetta, in the Rue Paradis, a small Italian restaurant with three different settings – a veranda, rustic dining room or intimate room at the rear of the restaurant. To the north of the casino, Loga is a pleasant restaurant specialising in regional cuisine and fresh pasta dishes.
For location, particularly for motor racing fans, the Rascasse-Café Grand Prix, situated right on the famous bend at the southern end of the harbour, is a must. The food is good and the prices reasonable – except during the race when you’ll pay €1,500 a head for your table with a view of the circuit.
Another restaurant with a fine position is the Castelroc, over the square from the Royal Palace on the Place de Palais. Prices are reasonable for the pleasant regional cuisine.
Cafe de Paris
Luxury dining
On the menu
Seafood special
