Secret Monaco : Hidden Gems, Art & Monumental Trees

Monaco Formula 1 Walking Tour - The INSIDE Track Monaco F1

Monaco & Monte Carlo Tour - F1, Grace Kelly & Royal History

Shore excursion to Eze, Monaco & Monte-Carlo from Villefranche

Private Tour in Monaco

La Table d'Élise

This swish, fashionable brasserie, located a stone's throw from Monaco’s Japanese Garden and the Grimaldi Forum, welcomes diners in a modern, spacious interior with pop music playing in the background. The Provençal cuisine, prepared with fine seasonal ingredients, is spot on, unfussy, generous and tasty. It is always a pleasure to watch the action in the open-plan kitchen. Excellent lunch deal.

Les Ambassadeurs by Christophe Cussac

The Métropole Monte Carlo Hotel, an iconic Belle Epoque extravaganza (1886), has been entirely revamped by Jacques Garcia, including the luxurious restaurant that sports the graphic palette so dear to the interior designer (bronze, ivory, warm yellow and gold). At the helm, virtuoso chef Christophe Cussac (former disciple of Joël Robuchon who ran the two-star restaurant before it closed for works) brilliantly navigates between a pure-bred Gallic culinary line-up and more modern recipes, all of which with the Mediterranean as baseline. Examples of the chef’s consummate skill include two sweet juicy langoustine tails, green beans and a Maltaise sauce. His high-flying, meticulous cuisine, depicted by spot on seasoning, cooking and plating, gives rise to dishes that are the quintessence of harmony and balance. Special mention for the incredible bread and dessert trolleys.

Monaco - FRANCE

Le Louis XV - Alain Ducasse à l'Hôtel de Paris

It is difficult to present the Louis XV without mentioning Alain Ducasse. You need a raft of superlatives to describe his impact. This native of Orthez (in southwest France) with an enduring love for the Mediterranean is a brilliant chef and businessman. Now a citizen of Monaco, he also heads up an empire of over 30 establishments with a presence on every continent. He was just 33 years old when he was awarded three stars at the Louis XV after reaching an astonishing standard. His famous vegetable-based "Jardins de Provence" set menu, which launched here in Monaco on 27 May 1987, has been one of the touchstones of French gastronomy for the last 30 years. Here, Alain Ducasse's signature style is brought to life by his loyal right-hand man, Emmanuel Pilon, in cuisine that masterfully celebrates the essence of the ingredients and the Mediterranean.

Monaco - FRANCE

Pavyllon, un restaurant de Yannick Alléno, Monte-Carlo

Yannick Alleno’s gourmet counter food, after finding favour with Parisian city slickers, has set up shop in the Hermitage Hotel in Monte Carlo with the same sure-fire recipes. Namely, gourmet fare that boldly asserts a distinctive unorthodox culinary identity. The open kitchen faces the terrace and the impressive tasting counter in metallic wood, in an elegant blue colour scheme that echoes the nearby sea. In terms of food, the accent is on the seasons and wellbeing, anchored in plants, seafood and low-sugar desserts. In fine weather, meals are served on the Mediterranean garden patio commanding a view of the deep blue sea as a bonus.

Monaco - FRANCE

Song Qi

Opposite Grimaldi Forum, this swanky, gourmet Chinese restaurant has opted for premium materials and a serene atmosphere. The appetising menu offers a vast array of Chinese cuisine from Peking soup with smoked chicken to crispy dragon prawns with Chinese mustard or the classic dim sum. Bookings advisable!

Blue Bay Marcel Ravin

After moving from Martinique to Monaco and from Alsace to Belgium, Marcel Ravin, who exhibits a distinct culinary personality, signs off on creative cuisine that transports us to the West Indies. With flawless technical prowess (superb sauces), he recounts his personal history, including his happy youth spent in Martinique. He references the dishes cooked by his grandmother (calalou, blaff, "next day's bread"), which he reinterprets with panache, incorporating the fine ingredients of these parts: poultry and veal from Piedmont, fish from the Mediterranean, vegetables and aromatic herbs from the kitchen garden. An appealing cuisine bursting with West Indian flavours, nicely rounded off by the fruity and spicy creations of pastry chef Floriane Grand. Sit back and enjoy this culinary experience in the lavish setting of the Monte Carlo Bay Hotel and Resort, on the edge of the Larvotto Peninsula, with a superb terrace opening out onto the sea.

Monaco - FRANCE

Le Grill

On the rooftop of the iconic Hôtel de Paris, Le Grill and its sliding roof, has lost neither its mythical aura nor its breathtaking view! The establishment remains a staunch advocate of high-flying craftsmanship that calls upon excellent and bountiful local produce, adding a whole new dimension to barbecue cooking along the way. Examples include agnolotti piemontesi al plin, slabs of local turbot, rack of lamb with savory or young free-range chicken steeped in Provençal aromas. Other signature dishes include traditional soufflés, such as their mind-blowing hot raspberry and pistachio soufflé.

Monaco - FRANCE

La Table d'Antonio Salvatore au Rampoldi

Born in the southern Italian region of Basilicata, chef Antonio Salvatore has travelled incessantly, thanks to his profession: Spain, England and Russia – where he met the new owner of Rampoldi. In the former cigar lounge, he has created a tailor-made setting (only five tables), where he applies himself with unfailing rigour to serving top-notch contemporary Italian cuisine that is both tasty and precise. The sourcing – no surprise here – cannot be faulted: he draws on small-scale producers around Menton and San Remo, but certain produce is also imported from the south of Italy. A few examples of his dishes: bottoni di vitello tonnato; cabri dodici ore; texture di cioccolato… At the brasserie, meanwhile, the menu features a handful of modernised classics.

Monaco - FRANCE