Monaco: Where to Eat According to Alain Ducasse

Alain Ducasse needs no introduction, as his multi-Michelin-starred empire of restaurants has maintained his status as one of the world’s most celebrated and respected chefs.

The 62-year-old first trained with icons including Michel Guérard, Gaston Lenôtre, Alain Chapel and Roger Vergé. In 2005, Ducasse became the first chef to have three restaurants awarded with 3 Michelin stars at the same time, and today his restaurants span the globe in destinations including France, Japan, Monaco, Hong Kong, the US, UK and UAE.

A naturalised citizen of Monaco since 2008, here he reveals his go-to spots in the principality with no shortage of brilliant places to eat. So, let's discover the best places to eat in Monaco following monsieur Ducasse's own tips.

Casa del Caffè

"I often start my morning with a coffee at a local café near my home, Casa del Caffè."

Casa del Caffè
25 Avenue de la Costa,
MC 98000 , Monaco
00377 93 25 52 03

Marché De La Condamine

"This market was refurbished a few years ago, creating spaces with tables where people can eat or drink what they buy from the stalls. I’d choose a glass of wine from Le Comptoir du Marché, some Barbajuans (a classic Monaco snack of swiss chard and ricotta fritters) from A Roca and a pasta dish from La Maison des Pâtes.

The Condamine Market is very much a favourite in the heart of locals. An historical spot, it’s composed of a food hall, open-air market and arcades that welcome greengrocers, bakers, fishmongers and other artisans offering the best colours and flavours of the Mediterranean. The place has now been rethought as a lifestyle hub with brasseries, wine bars and places showcasing off Monégasque specialties. It is a true local market, a Provençal village a stone’s throw from the port."

Market opening times Monday to Sunday – 7.00am – 3.00pm
Food Hall opening times Tuesday to Saturday 6.00pm – 9.30pm

Marché De la Condamine
Place d’Armes,
MC 98000, Monaco

Maya Bay

"The Maya Bay offers both Japanese and Thai cuisines, meaning it’s difficult to choose from the fragrant and refined Thai menu, or the more contemporary and refined Japanese. The Maya Bay is an invitation to take one’s time while travelling through Asia, with the heady scents of incense, or the harmony of the ingredients used and the subtle taste of the cuisines."

Bar Salle Blanche

"I like to go to the Bar Salle Blanche with my friend Gérard Jourdan who restores classic and vintage cars in Menton. I love bitterness and bitter cocktails so I would probably order a Negroni. I source artisanal bitters and Vermouths from Italy for my restaurants - Nardini for the bitter and Mancino for the Vermouth. They’re used in cocktails at my restaurant Champeaux in Paris. The Bar Salle Blanche is nestled in the Monte Carlo Casino and the dining room with its beautiful mosaics is a perfect spot for a cocktail before or after dinner."

Il Terrazzino

"At Il Terrazzino, Raffaele Russo showcases his heritage from the south of Italy through his cuisine. Passionate and generous, this true Neapolitan puts all his heart in sharing his emotions and gourmet secrets within each of his gastronomical selections. Bright and quirky, this Italian bistro serves Neapolitan specialities from the region Russo calls home."

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

"It was more than 25 years ago here in the Louis XV, at the heart of the Riviera, that my story began. Discovering this land, The Riviera, was an essential moment in my life, a land that sings like the sun and inspires all my cooking.

Le Louis XV - Alain Ducasse à l’Hôtel de Paris's cuisine tells the story of the Riviera, now more than ever. Produce, flavours, colours, everything is here. Fish comes from local boats, herbs and vegetables from inland. Yet the lyrics have been completely rewritten and the menu that I created with chef Dominique Lory asserts itself with modernity and youth.

Vigorous jus, intense broths, fresh condiments, it primarily reveals the exactitude and precision of taste. Some emblematic recipes of Louis XV are still à la carte, and new signature dishes have been added. Since May, the restaurant has also been temporarily relocated in the new Rotunda wing of the Hotel de Paris."

Le Vistamar

"Located in the beautiful Hotel Hermitage, Le Vistamar is led by chef Benoit Witz and offers a cuisine between land and sea, subtle and precise, where the freshest fish and seafood are prepared with a Mediterranean twist. With magnificent views over the Monte-Carlo Rock and the port, Le Vistamar is elegant yet authentic, sophisticated yet simple. To drink, local wines from the Côteaux Varois, like the Château Trians of Jean Luc Masurel."