The French Riviera boasts some of the world’s best restaurants headed up by critically acclaimed chefs. The famed ‘Caps’ just outside of Monaco, as well as the principality itself, are arguably the gastronomic epi-centre of the French Riviera, boasting some of the finest dining destinations on the planet. If you’re looking for the finest gourmet experiences in and around Monaco, then keep on reading! Here we highlight four iconic French Riviera establishments, as well as the culinary stars behind each of them.
Le Louis XV Alain Ducasse at L’Hôtel de Paris – Monte Carlo, Monaco
Located in the famed L’Hôtel de Paris, Le Louis XV Alain Ducasse is considered one of the world’s finest restaurants. The first hotel restaurant to be awarded three Michelin-stars, chefs Alain Ducasse and Dominique Lory have curated an exquisite menu of inspired Mediterranean cuisine made with only the finest ingredients sourced from the rich bounty of the Riviera. Not only is the food sublime and the service impeccable, but the restaurant’s elegant belle epoque interior only adds to the grandeur of dining at this iconic gourmet destination. Whether you are staying in Monaco or renting a luxury villa on one of the French Riviera’s ‘Caps’, dining at Le Louis XV is an experience not to be missed.
photo by Pierre Monetta
The chef: Alain Ducasse
Ducasse is the highest Michelin-starred ranking chef in the world. A French-born Monegasque chef, Le Louis XV is just one of several award-winning restaurants that Ducasse operates around the world. He started his culinary career at the Pavilion Landais restaurant in Soustons as an apprentice. He quickly went on to train with some of the world’s best chefs, including Michel Guerard, Gaston Lenotre, Alain Chapel, and Roger Verge, who inspired his love for provincial style cuisine. In 2005, Ducasse was the first chef to have three restaurants, each awarded three Michelin stars.
Ceto – Roquebrune Cap Martin, French Riviera
Photo courtesy of Ceto
Opened in October 2021, Ceto is located in the new Maybourne Riviera hotel in the heart of Roquerbrune-Cap-Martin. Viewing itself as a ‘marine culinary workshop,’ Ceto offers elegant and creative seafood dishes made with the freshest Mediterranean produce, many cooked on the grill in the heart of the restaurant’s kitchen. Chef Maura Colagreco has worked with the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco to ensure the restaurant’s menu offerings are sustainable. Boasting a sleek contemporary design and dramatic panoramic sea views, Ceto offers a feast for all the senses. The restaurant is the latest endeavour by the acclaimed chef, who also established the three Michelin star Mirazur restaurant in Menton – named the top restaurant in the world in 2019 by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants – and restaurant Komo, located in the heart of La Condamine in Monaco.
The chef: Maura Colagreco
Born in Argentina, Colagreco’s award-winning cuisine has delighted visitors and residents along the French Riviera since he arrived in the 2000s. He trained in a hotel school in Buenos Aires before working in some of the capital’s most prestigious restaurants. In 2001, he moved to France to train at the acclaimed Lycee Hotelier in La Rochelle. Not long after, he established Mirazur, quickly garnering the restaurant its first of three Michelin stars. In 2019, Colagreco was awarded the coveted title Chef of the Year by the prestigious Gault & Millau restaurant guide.
La Chèvre d’Or – Eze, French Riviera
Inspired by the rich bounty of the south of France, the two Michelin starred La Chevre d’Or celebrates the authenticity of the French Riviera’s unique terroir. The menu takes diners on a gourmet journey of some of the region’s finest produce, delighting the senses with their creativity and fresh flavours. Set atop the cliff edge, diners can enjoy spectacular views of the French Riviera coastline and the Mediterranean Sea stretching out into the horizon.
The chef: Arnaud Faye
Faye began his culinary career in 1999, working in several three Michelin starred restaurants, including Arnsbourg in Baarenthal and Bernard Loiseau’s Relais. In 2007, he was appointed head chef at L’Espadon at the Hotel Ritz Paris, and, just two years later, the restaurant garnered its second Michelin star. Other notable positions include joining the newly opened Mandarin Oriental in Paris and overseeing the kitchen of the Auberge du Jeu de Paume Hotel. In 2016, Faye joined La Chevre d’Or, securing its position as one of the best restaurants in the French Riviera.
YOSHI – Monte Carlo, Monaco
Photo courtesy of Yoshi
Located in the famed Hotel Metropole Monte-Carlo, YOSHI is the only Japanese restaurant on the Cote d’Azur. Boasting a coveted Michelin star, exquisite and authentic Japanese cuisine is guaranteed to delight the most discerning gourmands. On the menu, diners will find the very finest ingredient-driven nigiri, sashimis and makis, alongside traditional Japanese meat and seafood dishes prepared on the Teppanyaki grill. The restaurant’s setting is equally as exquisite. The serene interior has been designed by French interior designer Didier Gomez, while the exterior Japanese-inspired garden has been created by famed landscape architect Jacques Messin. Chef Takeo Yamazaki executes the cuisine at YOSHI under the guidance of the Hotel Metropole’s executive chef Christophe Cussac.
The chef: Christophe Cussac
Michelin-starred Cussac is known for his flawless culinary repertoire that has won over a legion of global gastronomes. A former student of the late Joel Robuchon, French-born Cussac, joined the family hotel, LAbbaye St Michel in Tonnerre, Burgundy. He moved to the French Riviera in 1997, where he became executive chef at La Reserve restaurant in Beaulieu-sur-Mer, where he was awarded two Michelin stars. He continues to uphold the traditions of his mentor, producing cuisine in the spirit of Robuchon.
Which one of the above iconic restaurants in and around Monaco will you be making a reservation at?
