Things to do in Monaco and Monte Carlo

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July 30th Newsletter

The possession of wealth confers honor; it is an invidious distinction. (1)

What's new

No matter how wonderful the food and wine, when the weather in Monaco is sunny I'd rather eat on a shady terrace than in a stuffy dining room. So hurrah for the Louis XV which has opened up its terrace. We can now indulge in 3-star gastronomy looking over Casino Square.

This week there've been two new additions to the food scene. First, Steak'n Shake (see 9 July 2020 newsletter) should be opening today on the ground floor of the Ermanno Palace building. It should have launched during Grand Prix but Covid-19 scuppered that. The fast food chain has created a special chocolate milkshake for the occasion, only available in its Monaco outlet. It's open 11:00-23:00.

The second opening took place last weekend: Flavio Briatore's Crazy Pizza Monte Carlo, next door to Before on the quayside of Port Hercule. It's not a pizzeria but it does serve pizzas made with yeast-free dough, which doesn't prevent the chef spinning it for your entertainment. You can also watch Mozzarella cheese being made, as well as tomato sauce, and there's a green bar where you can choose your salad and veg. The cheapest pizza (don't forget, it's not a pizzeria) is the 14 euro cheese-free Pomodoro: tomato sauce, garlic, oregano and basil. A Margherita comes in at 15 euros and the most expensive is the "crazy" Tartufo at 45 euros, topped with Mozzarella, black truffle shavings and white truffle extra virgin oil.

This is probably the most expensive truffle pizza in Monaco, with Rampoldi's coming in at 39 euros, and Truffle Bistrot's at just 16 euros. It's worth mentioning Mozza's Maiala pizza at 19 euros too, but this is a more elaborate affair, with rocket, Parma ham and squacquerone rather than mozzarella cheese. These three restaurants are not pizzerias either. How do you decide where to enjoy your plate of cheesy, truffly deliciousness? Assuming you're not price sensitive (you live in Monaco for goodness sake!), your choice will probably come down to your dining companions: instagrammers, boomers, families or millennials.

Wherever you eat your pizza, enjoy!

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