For 60 years the restaurant in the heavens of the Hotel 29 de Paris has maintained legendary status.
For 60 years, Le Grill has been powerfully perched on the eighth floor of the Hotel de Paris, with views as far as Corsica.
There are two tales as to just how this iconic Mediterranean restaurant came to be. The first is that Princess Grace wanted somewhere with sweeping sea views to entertain her Hollywood friends. The second: Aristotle Onassis, who was the majority shareholder of Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer (SBM) at the time, opened it to impress his opera-singing girlfriend, Maria Callas.
What is for certain is that on May 31, 1959, Prince Rainier and Princess Grace inaugurated the new restaurant, with a roof opening entirely to dine under the stars, in the presence of Onassis and his wife.
After an ambitious 30-month renovation, Le Grill reopened in May 2017 with a “return to an illustrious past,” a bygone era that exuded elegance and sophistication in an environment where high society rubbed shoulders without having to document every movement with a selfie. The main eating area is an extension of the sky, with contemporary azure décor and lapis lazuli-style flooring, and a newly added wood-fire rotisserie as the centerpiece of the restaurant.
Le Grill’s Mediterranean cuisine was awarded a Michelin-star in January of this year, earning Monaco its ninth star. Executive chef Franck Cerutti, who worked under Ducasse for 30 years, welcomed the distinction saying, "It's the work of a whole team that has been rewarded.”
Cerutti cites a proverb from Nice: “Praise the sea while staying grounded on earth,” adding, “The Grill terrace offers a view of the sea as far as the eye can see, as well as over the mountains inland. The plates are filled with cuisine from the land and sea.”
Le Grill has a 3-course set lunch menu at €65 or for €90, two glasses of wine and mineral water are included. The animated ambience caters to those who like to be seen, and with such flawless and prompt service, your power lunch risks few interruptions, except to sing praises for the signature soufflé.