"The Place du Casino brasserie that flambeed the first crepe Suzette in 1896. Take the terrace for an effortless first date."
The crêpe Suzette was set alight here in 1896, for a visiting Prince of Wales, and it still arrives flaming at the table. The Café de Paris has held the corner of the Place du Casino since 1868, facing the Casino de Monte-Carlo and the Hotel de Paris across the square. A 2022 renovation gave it two levels of terrazzo, checkerboard marble and stained glass without touching what it is: the brasserie all of Monaco passes through, from breakfast to the small hours.
Executive chef Victor Marion runs a brasserie menu that moves with the seasons rather than reinventing the form. The crowd-pleasers hold steady: a seafood platter of oysters and prawns, sole, and the flambeed crêpe Suzette at €22 that made the room famous. Recent menus have run from red tuna with smoked salt at €29 to a tarragon lobster macaroni gratin at €69, with truffle tagliolini around €47. Most mains land between €29 and €69 before wine.
The address is the Place du Casino, central Monte Carlo, under the Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer. See it among the best French restaurants worldwide, browse the full Monte Carlo dining guide, or read our ten best restaurants in Monte Carlo.
The draw is the terrace, which looks straight onto the casino square and the supercars idling outside it. Inside, warm woodwork and mosaics evoke a Parisian-Milanese brasserie over two light-filled floors. Sound is lively and gets loud at peak; tables sit close. There is no strict dress code, though Monaco dresses up by instinct. The room is large and runs all day, so a table is rarely more than a short wait.
Take a terrace table at the Café de Paris for a first date because the people-watching does half the talking: the casino square in front of you, the crêpe Suzette flamed at the table, and a menu easy enough that nobody has to study it. It is unintimidating and unmistakably Monaco. For more low-pressure tables, see our best restaurants for a first date guide.
Not for a quiet, intimate dinner. The brasserie runs loud and busy past midnight, tables sit close, and the terrace faces the casino crowds.
Is Café de Paris Monte-Carlo worth it?
Yes, for the setting and the theatre more than for groundbreaking food. This is a grand brasserie, not a tasting-menu temple, but the terrace on the Place du Casino is one of the best seats in Monaco and the crêpe Suzette is a genuine piece of culinary history. Go for the people-watching, the seafood and the dessert, and you will not be disappointed.
How hard is it to book Café de Paris Monte-Carlo?
Easier than most Monte Carlo landmarks, since the brasserie is large and serves all day. Book a day or two ahead for a terrace table at peak times, especially during the Grand Prix and summer. Walk-ins are often seated inside with a short wait. For a guaranteed casino-facing table on a warm evening, reserve directly through Monte-Carlo SBM.
What is the dress code at Café de Paris Monte-Carlo?
There is no formal dress code, but Monaco leans elegant and you will feel more at home dressed up than down. Smart-casual works for lunch on the terrace; in the evening most diners step it up. You do not need a jacket, yet beachwear and flip-flops will look out of place on the Place du Casino. When in doubt, dress a touch sharper.
What should I order at Café de Paris Monte-Carlo?
Order the seafood platter to share, then a brasserie classic such as the sole or the lobster macaroni gratin. Whatever you choose, finish with the crêpe Suzette flamed tableside at €22, the dish invented here in 1896. A glass of Provence rosé or Champagne suits the terrace and the square in front of it.
We grabbed a terrace table at golden hour and watched the casino square fill up. The crepe Suzette came flaming and the whole thing felt like a film. Food is solid brasserie fare, but the location is the real star.
Brought clients for a long lunch facing the casino. Easy, glamorous, and nobody had to think too hard about the menu. The seafood platter was excellent. Loud at peak, but that is part of the energy here.
Reserve direct through Monte-Carlo SBM. Terrace tables facing the casino are the ones to request.
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