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Café de Paris Monte-Carlo has occupied a prominent position on Place du Casino for generations, becoming one of the Principality’s most recognisable dining institutions. Opposite the Casino and beside Hôtel de Paris, the historic brasserie has been part of local life for more than 150 years, with its terrace providing a front-row seat to the activity of Casino Square.
A substantial renovation has given the restaurant a more polished setting without losing the familiarity expected of a grand European brasserie. French classics still anchor the menu, joined by Riviera influences, a raw bar and a strong selection of seafood, while the atmosphere retains the easy sociability that has long distinguished Café de Paris from Monaco’s more formal dining rooms.
An Institution on Casino Square
Café de Paris traces its beginnings to 1868, when Marie Blanc, wife of Société des Bains de Mer founder François Blanc, established Café Divan on the site of former stables. It became the Grand Café de Monte-Carlo the following year, with the Café de Paris name appearing on a new building in 1882. Over the decades, it developed into a fixture for Monegasques, Riviera residents and international visitors, with its terrace particularly central to its identity.
The latest transformation followed more than a year and a half of renovation. Café de Paris reopened with Monegasque architect Alexandre Giraldi and French architect Alain-Charles Perrot leading the wider project and David Collins Studio responsible for the interiors. The brasserie now extends across the ground and first floors, complemented by a 280-square-metre panoramic terrace.
Grand Brasserie Style, Reworked
The interiors draw on the visual language of a classic grand café while keeping the room unmistakably contemporary. Historic stained glass has been incorporated into the redesign alongside mosaics, Venetian terrazzo, burgundy leather banquettes, fine woodwork and a zinc counter. Art Nouveau references sit alongside Art Deco detailing, giving the restaurant enough grandeur for its Casino Square setting without making the dining room feel overly formal.
Upstairs feels a little more composed, with intimate alcoves and white-clothed tables arranged around the bar. Outdoors, the terraces offer the experience many guests will associate most readily with Café de Paris. The views across Place du Casino place diners directly within one of Monte-Carlo’s liveliest settings, making a terrace table particularly appealing when the weather allows.
French Classics with a Riviera Accent
The menu keeps its foundations firmly in brasserie cooking, with Mediterranean influences appearing throughout. Small plates include Monegasque-style barbajuan filled with Swiss chard and Parmesan, courgette flower fritters with spicy yellow tomato sauce and focaccia with summer truffle, stracchino and trumpet courgette. Familiar starters are treated with similar confidence: Burgundy snails arrive in garlic and parsley sauce, homemade duck foie gras is paired with grilled pandoro and dried-fruit chutney, while the Riviera-style lobster brioche combines smoked paprika, avocado and lemon.
Seafood has a substantial presence. The raw bar includes Perles de Monaco, Gillardeau and Fines de Claire oysters alongside thinly sliced saku tuna with tangy piperade and raspberries, seriola ceviche with basil, capers and tomatoes, and Scottish salmon tartare with pineapple, coconut and coriander. The fish selection continues with sea bass served with a virgin sauce and Taggiasca olives, roasted prawns with tartare sauce and artichokes, and sole meunière with steamed potatoes.
Pasta introduces a more Italian note, including paccheri Bolognese with porcini and stracciatella, fusilli with prawns, octopus, spiced yellow tomatoes and basil, and ravioli filled with burrata and summer truffle. There are also reassuringly traditional soups, including homemade rock fish soup with rouille, croutons and cheese, and the “François Blanc” French onion soup.
For meat, the choices stay close to brasserie territory. Charolais beef tartare comes with French fries, Café de Paris calf’s liver with mashed potato, bacon and Marsala sauce, and veal Milanese with fries and lemon. A confit shoulder of lamb is designed for sharing, while the grill offers beef fillet, Angus ribeye and a one-kilogram rib of beef alongside sole, octopus and crispy artichokes.
Desserts and Drinks
Dessert retains the same mix of established brasserie favourites and lighter seasonal ideas. Crêpes Suzette Café de Paris are flambéed tableside, while the profiterole-style éclair comes with chocolate sauce and slivered almonds. Mango and lime clafoutis with passion fruit jelly and orange blossom Tropézienne with red fruit offer fruit-led alternatives. Larger desserts for sharing include amaretto tiramisu and the “Prince Albert” millefeuille with red berries.
The drinks offering fits naturally with the setting. Perrier-Jouët Champagnes are available by the glass, alongside wines and signature cocktails, while the menu gives rosé particular attention through a sommelier-selected collection that includes Garrus from Château d’Esclans, Clos du Temple by Gérard Bertrand, Étoile from Domaine Ott and Château Minuty 281.
The Café de Paris Atmosphere
Part of the appeal lies in how easily Café de Paris accommodates different occasions. The bar opens from morning until late at night, while the brasserie serves lunch and dinner, reinforcing its role as an all-day meeting point within Casino Square.
An appealing contrast also exists between the activity outside and the more composed first-floor dining room. The terrace places guests close to the procession of cars, hotel guests, casino visitors and passers-by that gives the square much of its theatre. Indoors, the polished brasserie setting offers a calmer experience while keeping the location’s character close at hand.
A Monte-Carlo Classic
Café de Paris holds an unusual place in Monaco’s dining scene. Its history gives it genuine significance, yet its broad menu and relaxed brasserie format make it one of the more approachable ways to experience the grandeur of Place du Casino.
The renovation has sharpened that appeal. The grand café interiors, expansive terraces and menu of French and Riviera favourites feel suitably polished for the address, while the atmosphere remains lively and recognisably Monte-Carlo. For a meal at the centre of the Principality’s most famous square, Café de Paris remains an enduring choice.
Location: Pl. du Casino, 98000 Monaco
