Where to eat in Monaco: restaurants, cafes and local cuisine

Dining in Monaco

Monaco offers a remarkable range of dining options for its size, from some of the finest Michelin-starred restaurants in Europe to casual market stalls and family pizzerias. The cuisine reflects Monaco's position at the crossroads of French and Italian cooking traditions, with Mediterranean seafood as a constant theme.

Fine dining

Monaco is home to several Michelin-starred restaurants:

• Le Louis XV - Alain Ducasse at the Hotel de Paris: three Michelin stars, serving refined Mediterranean cuisine in a lavish Belle Epoque setting
• Blue Bay Marcel Ravin at the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel: creative Caribbean-Mediterranean fusion with 2 Michelin stars
• Yoshi at the Hotel Metropole: Michelin-starred Japanese cuisine

Expect to pay from 150 to 400 EUR per person at starred restaurants. Reservations are essential, often weeks in advance.

Mid-range restaurants

A solid mid-range meal in Monaco costs 30 to 60 EUR per person. Popular areas for dining include:

• La Condamine: around the market square and Rue Princesse Caroline, with a mix of French brasseries, Italian trattorias and Asian restaurants
• Port Hercule: waterfront restaurants with harbour views, lively at lunch and dinner
• Monte-Carlo: restaurants around Boulevard des Moulins and the Casino de Monte-Carlo area, generally more upscale
• Fontvieille: a quieter neighbourhood with family restaurants and the Centre Commercial

Budget-friendly options

Eating well on a budget is possible in Monaco:

• Condamine Market (Marche de la Condamine): the food hall on the first floor offers daily specials, socca, pizza, pasta and seafood at prices starting from around 12 EUR
• Bakeries and sandwich bars: found throughout the Principality
• Pizzerias: several good options in La Condamine and Fontvieille
• Supermarket delis: Casino Supermarche and Carrefour City sell prepared meals and salads

Traditional Monegasque cuisine

Look for these local specialities:

• Barbajuan: fried pastry parcels filled with Swiss chard and ricotta
• Socca: a thin chickpea flour pancake, cooked on a hot griddle
• Stocafi: dried cod stew with tomatoes, olives and potatoes
• Fougasse monegasque: a sweet bread flavoured with orange blossom and anise

Practical tips

• Service charge is included in restaurant bills (service compris), but leaving a few extra euros for good service is customary
• Dress code: smart casual is expected at most Monte-Carlo restaurants, especially in the evening
• Lunch menus: many restaurants offer set lunch menus (formule) at lower prices than the a la carte dinner menu
• Opening hours: lunch is typically 12:00 to 14:00 and dinner from 19:30. Some restaurants close between lunch and dinner.