There’s something unmistakably Riviera-chic, iconic, and enduring about dining at one of the Grand Dames of the Côte d’Azur. It’s the blend of old-world glamour and timeless beauty that makes this part of the world so captivating — and keeps people coming back, year after year.
La Réserve de Beaulieu is one of those rare gems. Built in the 1880s, and expanded upon in the decades that followed, its full grandeur is best admired from the sea, where the pink façade rises above the shoreline. But even from the street, its Belle Époque elegance is clear — the sweeping circular drive, the voiturier at the ready — all hint at the exclusivity within.
A cocktail in the courtyard is the perfect start. Framed by lush, manicured gardens and set against the backdrop of the hotel’s signature tower, it’s a tranquil spot that’s particularly magical in spring and late summer.
The Bar Gordon Bennett – a tribute to the American journalist who loved La Réserve – feels like a portal to another time. Each evening, a pianist settles in at the baby grand, conjuring a 1920s atmosphere when live music brought soul to a space, rather than being a novelty.
The restaurant itself is strategically positioned to capture the most extraordinary asset of the hotel: an uninterrupted, 180° view of the Mediterranean Sea, stretching from Monaco down the coast, set against a magical mirror pool. It feels like an embrace — wide, warm, and utterly intoxicating.
Like the hotel that houses it, the restaurant gently reminds you why you fell in love with the French Riviera in the first place.
The restaurant of kings, the king of restaurants
For almost 130 years, La Réserve de Beaulieu has stood as a temple of gastronomy on the Riviera. Within months of its opening, one critic famously hailed it as “the restaurant of kings and the king of restaurants” — a reputation that has never faded. With its seafront terrace, polished service, refined décor and one of the region’s great wine cellars, it continues to embody French culinary excellence.
Under the stewardship of Nicole and Jean-Claude Delion, it remains among the country’s most distinguished dining addresses. Today, Michelin-starred chef Julien Roucheteau, named Meilleur Ouvrier de France in 2019, adds his own touch of artistry with cuisine that balances creativity, precision and a respect for seasonal produce, drawing gourmets from around the world.
From the moment you step through its arched doors — beneath soaring ceilings and chandeliers that have illuminated decades of discreet diplomacy — it’s clear this is a place where tradition and excellence speak softly but carry weight.
“Enjoy the ride,” says Guillaume Anglade, Director of Catering, with a smile as he takes away the menus, noting approvingly that the Menu Gourmet was a wise choice.
To start, a trio of amuse-bouches — light at first, building to a bold anchovy bite that jolts the senses awake. Then comes the heavily-seasoned bread and butter – undoubtedly the best I’ve ever encountered.
What follows is the chef’s signature amuse-bouche: a delicate celeriac ravioli.
“We often start with vegetables,” Chef Julien Roucheteau later tells me. “We deconstruct them, play with their textures and flavours to create something fluid, digestible — but also surprising. We want that first bite to be an explosion in the mouth, something that wakes up the palate.”
And wake us up it does.
First: crispy gavottes of crab paired with a featherlight tarragon hummus. A ginger emulsion crowns the claw, adding a gentle zing without overpowering the natural sweetness of the shellfish.
Next: Niçois-style ravioli filled with cockles, dressed with a lime-scented vinaigrette that evokes sea spray, and finished with a velvet touch of caviar. Delicate, saline, and perfectly balanced.
Then arrives the fish — a wild sea bass côtelette, carved with precision and kissed with smokiness, served alongside salicornia and a subtle Noilly Prat-infused broth. It is deeply flavoured, yet light and elegant.
The meat course follows: Vendée beef grilled with finesse, served with a celeriac mousseline brightened by green shiso — a perfect bridge between richness and lift.
Chef Roucheteau composes dishes that build slowly, quietly — layers of balance, clarity, restraint and indulgence, all held together by a deep respect for ingredients and the person lucky enough to eat them.
The chef uses butter, yes, but with precision and restraint. It elevates rather than overwhelms.
‘It’s true — you often start a meal in a great place, enjoying stunning plates, and by the main course or dessert, you’re full and starting to disconnect. Here, each dish is designed to be balanced — even the beef dish, which is rich. Yet every bite remains enjoyable. We play a lot on lightness and digestibility. That’s part of the signature of my cooking.”
By dessert, your palate isn’t overwhelmed — it’s still wide awake. A sorbet of black fig, crisped into a polyhedral shell and dressed in a deep violet vinaigrette, closes the meal with elegance and surprise.
And just when you think it’s over, the dessert trolley rolls out — an indulgent array of French sweets: homemade marshmallows, nougatines, caramels, and other delicate confections.
A Room With a Memory
The dining room is majestic without being stiff. The Riviera sun slips in through vast windows, catching the glint of silver, the ripple of wine in glass. There’s history in these walls — you can feel it — but nothing feels outdated. If anything, there’s a quiet confidence, a knowledge that the real stars of the evening aren’t the gold leaf or the marble, but what lands on your plate, and the way it’s delivered to your table.
And then there’s the view: the sea, always the sea, stretching beyond the terrace, catching the light just so. It doesn’t beg for attention, it simply becomes part of the meal.
A French Riviera Masterpiece
The story of La Réserve de Beaulieu began in 1880, when visionary restaurateur Pierre Lottier established a refined coastal retreat on the shores of Beaulieu-sur-Mer. Its name, taken from the original stone basin used to preserve the day’s catch, soon came to represent a new standard of Riviera sophistication. As its reputation grew, the property evolved into a Belle Époque palace, drawing a cosmopolitan clientele in search of privacy and poise. Today, with 39 rooms and suites and under the care of the Delion family, La Réserve stands as a rare example of heritage preserved without compromise.
A Lasting Impression
Dining at Le Restaurant des Rois is not about being dazzled — though you will be. It’s about being moved. Quietly, gently, with every course. It is about a memory being built, one that will sit somewhere between the scent of citrus in the night air, the hush of silver on porcelain, the shimmer of the sea just beyond the terrace, and the flavour that lingers long after the last glass has been poured. A masterpiece on the Riviera. A place to return to. Again and again.
Practical information
Le Restaurant des Rois at La Réserve de Beaulieu is open seasonally from March to October (closing 16th October 2025). Dinner is served daily from 7.30pm to 9.30pm, with lunch available on weekends and public holidays from 12.30pm to 2pm.
Reservations are strongly recommended and can be made via the hotel’s official website or by calling +33 (0)4 93 01 00 01.
See more in Cassandra Tanti’s video reel below…
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All photos of La Reserve de Beaulieu, unless otherwise indicated, courtesy of the hotel