Finding a good table in Menton means knowing how to sort things out. There are plenty of restaurants to choose from. This is due to the picturesque Mediterranean charm of this seaside resort, which attracts crowds of visitors every year and in every season, in search of the good and the beautiful. That’s what we’ve set out to do in this article, sharing what we think are our top places to eat in Menton.
Our selection criteria were: fresh produce, the chef’s assertive personality and an atmosphere conducive to a fine culinary experience.
This guide is completely independent, based on our experiences. We visited the region anonymously, making our own choices and paying our bills in full.
Best gourmet and Michelin-starred restaurants in Menton
1. Restaurant Casa Fuego (sea view)
On the heights to the east of the town, just 2 steps from the Italian border, Restaurant Casa Fuego offers an exceptional setting overlooking the sea. It is the second restaurant of renowned Italian-Argentinian chef Mauro Cogreco, whose three-starred Restaurant Mirazur is just across the street.
Restaurant Casa Fuego is a grill that Mauro Colgreco wanted to give the look of a hacienda opening onto the sea and the port. And it’s just like being there! The cuisine is faithful to the chef’s origins: typically Argentinian fire cooking with a hint ofMediterranean inspiration. We loved the authenticity of Argentinian conviviality, and enjoyed a perfectly seared onglet with a Mediterranean vegetable compote. Absolutely perfect after the fresh melon carpaccio we chose as a starter!
Practical info:
- Neighborhood: Garavan Est
- Type: fusion
- Capacity: more than 25 place settings
- Price range: dishes from around €30
- Mediterranean specialties: yes
- Particularly suitable for children: no
- Reservations here
2. Restaurant Mirazur (3 stars, sea view)
La Table du Mirazur has been named “World’s Best Restaurant 2019“, no less! Come and enjoy the inventive cuisine of Italian-Argentinian chef Mauro Colagreco, for an unforgettable culinary experience. At Le Mirazur, we prefer to speak of “sensory journeys”: 9-step menus in 4 universes (roots, leaves, flowers or fruit). Local, seasonal produce from the chef’s own permaculture vegetable garden is beautifully showcased. The restaurant is located in a sumptuous setting overlooking the sea, the town of Menton, the mountains… Let yourself melt with pleasure!
Practical info:
- Neighborhood: Garavan Est
- Type: starred gourmet
- Capacity: up to 40 place settings
- Price range: Univers Mirazur menus are €450/person
- Mediterranean specialties: yes
- Particularly suitable for children: no
- Reservationshere
WHERE TO STAY IN Menton
Option 1: Downtown
Enjoy the charm of the old town and all its restaurants.
We recommend..:
- Hotel de Londres – prices, pictures and availability
- Hotel Riva Art – prices, pictures and availability
- Hotel Villa Genesis – prices, pictures and availability
Option 2: Port side
Easy access to the center and beautiful views of the old town.
- Hotel Napoleon with swimming pool – view prices, pictures and availability
Option 3: Beachside
15 to 30 minutes’ walk from the center between Roquebrune and downtown, to enjoy the sea.
- Best Western Premier Hotel Prince de Galles – view prices, pictures and availability
- Résidence Pierre & Vacances Premium Julia Augusta – see prices, photos and availability
Best bistronomic restaurants and market cuisine in Menton
3. Restaurant JR Bistronomie
Near Les Halles de Menton, in an old town alleyway overlooking Plage du Flossan, chef JR (Jérôme Rigaud) welcomes you to what looks like a small family home, set back slightly from the street. The setting is chic and sober, with a corner reserved for children. The modern cuisine revisits the classics with intelligence, taste and refinement, much to our delight. The products are fresh and local. A quality that has earned this lovely address a Michelin star. Don’t miss the tomato tarte tatin!
Practical info:
- District: downtown, Plage du Flossan, Musée Cocteau
- Type: bistronomic
- Capacity: up to 80 place settings
- Price range: dishes from around €30
- Mediterranean specialties: yes
- Particularly suitable for children: yes
- Reservationshere.
4. Restaurant L’Orangerie
On a pedestrian street in the center of town, the shady terrace of Restaurant L’Orangerie is sure to attract gourmets in search of freshness and delicacies.
We really enjoyed this simple yet refined cuisine. The Japanese-born chef proposes a culinary journey between the Mediterranean and Japan, while favoring local and seasonal products and short circuits. A lot of humility, delicacy and generosity in this absolutely delicious cuisine.
We opted for a refreshing red bell pepper mousse with mussels, followed by a tender and delicious duck à l’orange. The citrus tart (a local specialty), called L’Orangerie, with honey-scented yoghurt ice cream, is a marvel!
Special mention also to the fabulous citrus cocktail, homemade and alcohol-free, so good we had 2!
Practical info:
- Neighborhood: downtown
- Type: fusion
- Capacity: up to 60 covers (40 on terrace)
- Price range: menu from €40
- Mediterranean specialties: yes
- Particularly suitable for children: no
- Booking detailshere
5. Restaurant Le Petit Prince (sea view)
Restaurant Le Petit Prince, part of the Hôtel Prince de Galles, boasts a shady, leafy terrace overlooking the Plage du Gorbio. Ideal for a refreshing break.
Restaurant Le Petit Prince offers simple, friendly, seasonal Mediterranean cuisine. The wine list highlights the wines of Provence alongside the finest local wines.
We opted for a sweet and savory starter with crispy goat’s cheese on a bed of salad seasoned with dried fruit. Then we chose delicious calamari sautéed Provençal style, accompanied by roasted baby vegetables. All the flavours of the Mediterranean…
Practical info:
- District: Plage du Gorbio, Menton Ouest
- Type: bistronomic
- Capacity: up to 80 place settings
- Price range: menu over €30
- Mediterranean specialties: yes
- Particularly suitable for children: yes
- Reservationshere.
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- Compare prices on our preferred platform: DiscoverCars – one of the best rated sites.
- Choose a car that is powerful enough (the roads are steep) but compact (some passages are narrow).
- Think of thecomplete insurance (some roads are tortuous and narrow).
- There is a lot of demand, book it early.
Best restaurants in the port of Menton
6. Restaurant Le Galion
A marine-inspired decor for this culinary institution, which has been present in Menton since 1974! A beautiful family story. In the kitchen, chef Alessandro Guglieri and his team deploy all their experience and talent to bring you the flavors of elegant Mediterranean cuisine. Halfway between France and Italy, seafood reigns supreme.
Practical info:
- Neighborhood: Port du Garavan
- Type: traditional
- Capacity: up to 80 place settings
- Price range: around €70
- Mediterranean specialties: yes
- Particularly suitable for children: no
- Reservationshere.
7. Restaurant Umi
On Menton’s Vieux Port, Restaurant Umi sets the tone right from the start: “Umi” means “the sea” in Japanese. Under the arches of the esplanade des Sablettes, on the water’s edge, chef Vincent Ghiglione fuses flavors and cultures in creative recipes inspired by his travels, experiences and encounters. Spices, condiments and culinary techniques marry fresh, seasonal local produce. A fine lesson in balancing tradition and imagination. For ever more modernity.
Practical info:
- Neighborhood: Vieux Port
- Type: fusion
- Capacity: up to 80 place settings
- Price range: menu at around €70
- Mediterranean specialties: yes
- Particularly suitable for children: yes
- Reservations here.
8. Restaurant Le Petit Port
Above the Old Port, we recommend Restaurant Le Petit Port, with its shady, leafy terrace at the foot of the old town. Our cuisine, based on fresh, carefully-chosen ingredients, features simple, tasty dishes with a Provencal flair. The sunny cuisine, proximity to the port and atmosphere of the place transport you into a Pagnol-style universe where you feel right at home.
Practical info:
- Neighborhood: Vieux Port
- Type: traditional
- Capacity: up to 90 place settings
- Price range: around €50
- Mediterranean specialties: yes
- Particularly suitable for children: no
- Booking details here.
9. Port Garavan Restaurant
We love the location of Restaurant Port Garavan. Especially as it’s reflected in his kitchen: a quiet part of Garavan Bay, by the sea, on the border between France and Italy. You’ll enjoy fresh, generous dishes prepared according to the traditions of Menton and Liguria. Chef Paolo Musna and his team offer fresh pasta, risottos, gnocchi, seafood dishes… in a decor that’s… seafaring!
Practical info:
- Neighborhood: Port du Garavan
- Type: traditional
- Capacity: up to 120 place settings
- Price range: €70 approx.
- Mediterranean specialties: yes
- Particularly suitable for children: no
- Reservationshere.
HAVE FUN WITH THESE activities
- Great kayak trips in:
Saint-Tropez to the Ramatuelle reserve
Cassis to the calanques - Helicopter flight from Cannes
- Shuttle service along the coast between Nice and Saint-Tropez
- Bike tours: eBike in Nice – Mountain biking in the Esterel massif
Best light and healthy restaurants in Menton
10. La Maison Samaran (Delicatessen)
A south-western address in the heart of Menton, where you can eat local produce on the go at a reasonable price. In addition to local produce (cheeses and charcuterie) or canned (flavoured with Périgord truffles or Espelette chilli pepper), Maison Samaran offers you a wide range of products dish of the daysalads and a lunchtime formula (eat-in or takeaway) and wine tastings.
Practical info:
- Neighborhood: downtown
- Type: traditional
- Capacity: 20 place settings
- Price range: daily special €13, lunchtime special under €20
- Mediterranean specialties: no
- Particularly suitable for children: no
- No reservations, more info here
11. Coffee Shop Eunoia (brunch, sea view)
At any time of day, Restaurant Eunoia Coffee is a cosy place where people like to spend time, alone or with friends, even just for a coffee. Thegourmet offer is rich: cookies, cakes, pancakes, poke bowls, toasts, puddings, granolas, smoothies… and above all: cheese cakes!
Service starts at 9am for breakfast, brunch at 10am, lunch at 12pm, then snacks until 5pm. The cuisine is homemade, healthy and fast, using fresh, seasonal produce. We love it!
Practical info:
- Neighborhood: Port du Garavan
- Type: coffee shop, healthy
- Capacity: up to 50 place settings
- Price range: €15 per dish
- Mediterranean specialties: no
- Particularly suitable for children: no
- No reservations, more info here.
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Best family restaurants in Menton
12. Crêperie Fleur de Sel
In the pedestrian streets of downtown, just behind Les Halles, we found an excellent crêperie with afamily atmosphere. The crêpes are generous and tasty. They are a delight for young and old alike, in savoury or sweet versions. The venue is small and seating is scarce, so come early.
Practical info:
- Neighborhood: downtown
- Type: light catering
- Capacity: 34 place settings
- Price range: expect to pay up to €15 for a well-filled savory crepe.
- Mediterranean specialties: no
- Particularly suitable for children: yes
- Booking details here.
13. Bar-Restaurant Le 31 (sea view)
At the foot of the Basilique Saint-Michel, facing the Plage des Sablettes on the Quai Bonaparte, Bar-Restaurant le 31 offers fresh, cheerful cuisine at all hours. The welcome is warm and the dishes are varied, homemade and seasonal. Seafood is given pride of place, but you’ll always find a hamburger and a veggie option. The quality is there. In all simplicity. Sunday brunch at the chef’s whim, by reservation.
Practical info:
- Neighborhood: plage des Sablettes
- Type: bistro, traditional
- Capacity: up to 80 place settings
- Price range: Menu à l’ardoise €30 approx.
- Mediterranean specialties: yes
- Particularly suitable for children: yes
- Reservations here.
14. Restaurant Le Bistrot des Jardins
On the Jardin Biovès, in the heart of Menton, the Bistrot des Jardins occupies a very pretty villa with a garden that you can enjoy from the green, shady terrace. We found traditional, high-quality market cuisine. However, please note that a change of ownership is announced for the 2024 season, check the official website here.
Practical info:
- Neighborhood: Jardins Biovès
- Type: traditional
- Capacity: up to 40 place settings
- Price range: around €40
- Mediterranean specialties: yes
- Particularly suitable for children: yes
- Reservations here.
Best restaurants around Menton
Because you’re in one of the most gastronomic regions of France, and perhaps the world, we can’t resist encouraging you to discover our favorite restaurants in the region around menton. This is it:
- Our best addresses in Monaco: you’ll find many Michelin-starred restaurants in the principality, and many other pleasant surprises.
- Our finest culinary moments in Beaulieu-sur-Mer, from fine dining to beach restaurants.
- Our favorite restaurants in Nice are extremely popular, and we fell in love with Restaurant Jan (1 star).
PLAN YOUR TRIP TO THE Côte d’Azur
- Inspiration
The most beautiful landscapes in 30 photos
Best things to do on the Côte d’Azur
Most beautiful villages
Best beaches on the Côte d’Azur
Most beautiful gardens
Best boat tours (coming soon)
Most beautiful islands
Secret places
- Practical advice
Successful travel on the Côte d’Azur (coming soon)
Rent a car in Provence – in Nice – in Cannes – in Marseille – in Aix-en-Provence.
Itineraries: 5 days – 1 week – 10 days
Weekend ideas: best-of – romantic – luxury – unusual
- Where to stay
Where to stay on the Côte d’Azur
Best luxury hotels on the Côte d’Azur
Hotels by the sea
Best boutique-hotels
SHE MADE THE TRIP Claire
