A guide to the best restaurants in Monaco

There are no fewer than 86 of France’s 628 Michelin-starred restaurants in the Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur region where Monaco is located, five of them holding a coveted three Michelin stars. Few places in the world rival the Principality for its variety of world-renowned restaurants, all located within a stone’s throw from one another. It’s an exceptional and rare scenario that pushes the best of the best to continually jostle for pole position, resulting in the gastronomic itinerary of a lifetime.

Alain Ducasse’s Monaco menu at Le Louis XV is a taste sensation. Nestled in l'Hôtel de Paris Monte Carlo, the three-starred restaurant is considered the jewel in the Principality’s fine-dining crown, if not the best French cuisine in the world, made evident when it became the first hotel restaurant to receive a coveted three Michelin stars.

The atmosphere

Le Louis XV commands eye-watering Monaco prices and yet reservations are highly recommended. A smart dress code is required, with jackets to be worn even when dining on the terrace in summer. The ornate decor is a celebration of gilded mirrors and marble pillars in an ode to the Palace of Versailles, and a nod to 'le bien aime'.

The cuisine

Sit back and prepare for the contemporary Mediterranean menu to take you on an epic journey of the French Riviera. Bold flavourful sauces, intense broths and fresh condiments accompany fish from local fishers, herbs and vegetables from the hinterland. Head Chef Dominique Lory’s renowned gastronomy is accompanied by exceptional wine pairings from Head Sommelier Noel Bajor selected from one of the finest cellars in the world.

L'Hôtel Hermitage’s classic Belle Epoque architecture is almost as well loved as the Principality itself. Housed within this neoclassical palace rooted in the heart of Monaco resides another three-starred retaurant with the doyen of cookery, Chef Yannick Alleno, at the helm.

The atmosphere

The restuarant provides a lively and vibrant dining experience seven days a week. Frequented by a loyal following of Monegasque residents, it shuns the formalities adopted by many of its gastronomic neighbours in favour of a relaxed and inviting ambience. Tables are grouped together in small lounge areas, while the sun terrace affords panoramic views across Port Hercules.

The cuisine

Simplicity is the name of the game, proposing reinventions of traditional fare. Dishes include king crab topped with cream and nettle vinegar, Norwegian lobster with spring herbs and sea bream sashimi. For those short on time, the business lunch menu is an unrivalled express option.

Martinique-born Chef Marcel Ravin fuses audacious Caribbean flavours with local Mediterranean ingredients to great applaud at Le Blue Bay. The Michelin-starred restaurant has fast become recognised as a Sunday brunch mainstay on the Monaco food scene, located in Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel and Resort.

The atmosphere

The dining room experience is as sophisticated as the food on the plate, while on the terrace, patrons are treated to sprawling vistas of the Mediterranean Sea. For something a little more special, reserve a seat at Ravin’s table, which faces the open kitchen and provides an intimate setting for a one-to-one with Chef and his team.

The cuisine

Le Blue Bay’s signature dishes slip off the fork faster than they roll off the tongue, from green papaya spaghetti with carbonara, truffle and Iberico ham, and the unmissable organic hhicken with truffle and passion fruit. Each dish is dressed on a made-to-measure plate thrown by a potter from Ravin’s native island that evokes the memory of the Caribbean seabed.

Yoshi is the only Japanese restaurant on the Côte d'Azur to have been awarded a Michelin star. Located in the Hôtel Metropole, which itself is contained in the glamorous Carré d'Or, the restaurant conveniently sits less than 100m from the area’s luxury boutiques and the famed Casino Square.

The atmosphere

Veteran interior designer Didier Gomez has created a chic and sophisticated zen ambience. Apple green seating is twinned with a pan-Asian interior design, accented by pops of burnt orange and light wood panelling. The restaurant opens onto a Japanese-inspired garden designed by Parisian landscape architect Jacques Messin.

The cuisine

Prepare to experience umami in all its forms, as Chef Takeo Yamazaki creates a whirlwind of nigiris, makis and sashimi, all prepared on the Teppanyaki. Using the freshest ingredients, each dish is then paired with the rarest of Japanese sake, whiskies or green teas by Yoshi’s head sommelier for an unforgettable feast from the Far East.

When visiting Monaco by yacht, Quai des Artistes makes for an ideal and convenient stop off. Situated on the edge of Port Hercules, guests can move from yacht to table in just a few short steps. Seating up to 120 diners at any one time, this Parisian-style brasserie is a reliable walk-in option at any time of the day.

The atmosphere

When it comes to restaurants in Monaco with a view, few can rival the clear line of sight to the princely palace and line-up of superyachts that typically dock in front of this establishment. A shaded terrace under the arcades is the go-to in winter, while a larger terrace at the edge of the port is a summer hot spot.

The cuisine

Serving the freshest of seafood, with the option to takeaway, Quai des Artistes is an everyday favourite with the benefit of public parking under the terrace. Here is where you will find quintessential French cuisine classics, from Burgundy snails cooked in garlic butter to crepes suzette.

Specialising in fish, seafood, oysters and caviar, La Marée Monaco is a seafood restaurant with flair. Sourcing the best catches in the early hours at the dock, the produce is divided between tanks, kitchen and fish counter allowing guests to hand pick their order each time.

The atmosphere

Overlooking the harbour and bathed in soft light the restaurant is a heady mix of Monegasque revelry, music and sophistication. La Marée Monaco provides a non-stop service throughout the day - alongside the eatery sits the dedicated boutique serving just-cooked takeaway bites, selected straight from the fish counter.

The cuisine

Whether cooked in salt crust, foil or grilled, the mouth-watering menu is a carnival of the ocean. The seasonal dishes are reliant on what the fishing boats bring in, making each visit a delightful surprise for the senses. That said, an array of everyday essentials, such as salmon tartare, oyster tempura and maatjes herring guarantee a culinary adventure every visit.

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