Song Qi

Song Qi opened in 2014 as Monaco's first contemporary Chinese fine dining restaurant, filling a gap in a city that had every other major cuisine represented at the highest level. Founded by Riccardo Giraudi with a commitment to proving that Chinese cooking could hold its own in the company of Monaco's starred French and Italian restaurants, Song Qi quickly established itself as a destination rather than a novelty. The interior, designed by Humbert and Poyet, sets an immediately convincing tone: black and white with brass lighting, silky green banquettes, velvet chairs and black marble surfaces, the whole punctuated by a distinctive star-patterned tile floor. The menu spans the breadth of Chinese regional cooking, from dim sum and Peking-style dishes through to the wok-fired specialities and more delicate preparations that reflect the kitchen's ambition. The signature jasmine tea-smoked pork ribs have become a house classic, and the crispy dragon prawns with Chinese mustard exemplify the kitchen's ability to deliver complexity alongside technical precision. Located opposite the Grimaldi Forum on Avenue Princesse Grace, Song Qi draws a sophisticated crowd of regulars who return for a cuisine that repays familiarity: always consistent, always capable of surprise.