Fusion foodies should head straight for this superb and affordable restaurant, where Martinique-born chef Marcel Ravin dishes up creative refined cuisine—foie gras with spun sugar, dim sum of spicy shrimp with tropical fruit, iced pear soufflé with green tea—from an open-plan kitchen. This is a favorite with locals and repeat visitors, for its ever-changing menu, laid-back-chic ambiance, view of the gardens and, above all, Ravin’s unique combinations of textures and flavors.

Monaco's distinctive version of Buddha Bar is set in a stunning Garnier-designed former theater with an interior of scarlet and gold. The real draw is the split-level lounge and restaurant where fashionistas and Gucci-loafered bankers pick from exquisitely prepared platters of sushi. It's the perfect spot for a nightcap but expect a chill-out DJ atmosphere and an elbow-to-elbow experience at the bar.

Named after high society American columnist, Elsa Maxwell who helped launch the Monte Carlo Beach Hotel in 1929, Elsa is the first all-organic restaurant to be awarded a Michelin star. Wildly creative Venice-born chef Paolo Sari sources the freshest ingredients from a 100-mile radius as well as the restaurant's own vegetable garden in the nearby hills of Saint Jeannet. Begin with the Bio Sama, a kaleidoscopic pile of baby vegetables topped with edible flowers, or the carpaccio of San Remo shrimp with pink grapefruit, fennel and caviar. Main dishes range from risottos to perfectly cooked citrus-marinated sea bass or saffron-infused crayfish. Memorable desserts include Parmesan whipped up as ice cream, drizzled with balsamic vinegar or a hazelnut pastry with black cream, brown sugar and cocoa caramel.

Hidden away on a side street near the casino, this affordable trattoria is a gem, with a lovely covered terrace. The service is as friendly as the food is authentic. Order the copious platters of antipasti, homemade ravioli, eggplant gratin and, for dessert, fabulous ricotta tart with orange-flower cream.

A private beach and restaurant by day and a Jazz lounge bar by night, La Note Bleue is headed up by duo Alain and Anne Tanzi. If you're lucky, you may catch international stars like pianist Jacky Terrasson or saxophonist Bill Evans in this friendly, intimate setting. It is also the perfect place to dine with children in tow while you enjoy the balmy breezes and great music.

No one leaves the principality without visiting this renowned Belle Époque brasserie on the Place du Casino. The sprawling outdoor terrace, where both Monegasques and gaggles of tourists soak up the sun while sipping pricey espressos, is great for watching the beau monde cruise by in snazzy sports cars. The classic bistro menu offers a wide selection of Mediterranean dishes, including shellfish, in season, and a reliably good plat du jour, listed on the chalkboard. Try the crêpes Suzette, a delicacy inadvertently invented here in the 1900s when one of chef Auguste Escoffier’s desserts caught fire.

In his aerie atop the Hôtel Hermitage, Michelin-starred chef Joël Garrault prepares exquisite seafood well worth the high-tide prices. Try the clams cooked in broth, the salt-crusted sea bass with rosemary or the warm coquilles Saint Jacques. (There are also a few meat dishes on the menu for die-hard carnivores.) Book a table on the quiet terrace for the plunging vista of the harbor and the Rock.

The Louis XV jewel-box dining room looks more like a gilded Versailles salon, from the settings of crystal and gold flatware to the embroidered stools placed next to the tables for ladies’ handbags. But Alain Ducasse’s three-Michelin-starred landmark is not all show: the food is superb (sublime vegetables, perfectly cooked fish) and the service consistently friendly, making the bill less painful to pay. The cuisine transcends Mediterranean to create what Ducasse describes as “a contemporary update of southern French and Ligurian peasant food.” Leave room for the very grand desserts, like the mouthwatering praline croustillant pastry topped with an edible gold leaf.

The covered Marché de la Condamine at La Places des Armes is the perfect place for a quick, casual lunch. It seems to always be teeming with locals wolfing down plates of fresh pasta and petits farcis (stuffed vegetables). These days, many of the stalls stay open for a convivial dinner experience with quality ingredients. Favorite spots include Truffle Gourmet (377-09-77-77-19-19) for divine truffle and cheese pizzas and truffle pastas; Le Comptoir (377-97-98-09-90) for regional snacks to go with your aperitifs; and La Maison des Pates (377-93-50-95-77), which sells and serves everything from sea bass ravioli to moon-shaped asparagus-filled pasta.

Song Qi is a stylish gem of Chinese haute cuisine headed by Hong Kong-born, Michelin-starred chef, Alan Yau. It's the first of its kind in Monaco, and the refined, romantically lit décor—a mix of marble, brass fixtures and lime-hued velvet banquettes—sets the mood. The tantalizing menu offers starters like jasmine tea–soaked pork ribs and fried squid and green mango salad. Order ahead for the crispy lacquered duck for two, or share such flavorful main courses as ginger and onion Black Angus beef, pan-fried Dover sole or braised tofu with eggplant and black bean sauce.

Joël Robuchon's neo-Japanese restaurant, housed in a Zen-inspired wood-and-glass pavilion adjacent to the Hôtel Métropole, features exquisite platters of sushi and sashimi, plus specialties like black cod, all served with fine imported sake. Headed by Michelin-starred chef Takéo Yamazaki, Yoshi is both a lunch-time hotspot for young professionals (who come for the Obento or a Zen Eat box), as well as grand dinner experiences of textures and flavors. Try the Zeitaku Wakame, an assortment of seafood in clear chilled jelly, the fresh salmon with gold leaf and caviar, and the refreshing almond strawberry panna cotta for dessert.