Restaurants in Monaco offer a wide choice of food. Service and standards are excellent. Cuisine is similar to France.

National specialities:
• Barbagiuan (a type of pastry filled with rice and pumpkin).
• Fougasse (fragrant orange flower water pastries decorated with nuts, almonds and aniseed).
• Socca (chick-pea flour pancakes).
• Stocafi (dried cod cooked in a tomato sauce).

Tipping: Hotel and restaurant bills generally include a 15% service charge; however, where this is not added it is customary to leave a 15% tip.

The world-famous Monte Carlo Casino is a perennial attraction. The building also houses the Casino Cabaret and the Salle Garnier, the delightful gilded Opera House offering a winter season of ballet, opera and music. There are further gambling venues in the Monte Carlo Grand Hotel and the Monte Carlo Sporting Club and the Café de Paris. There are also several nightclubs, cinemas, discos and variety shows.

Monégasque products include perfume, chocolates, ceramics, clothing, hosiery, shoes, books, jewellery and embroidery. Handcrafted items are sold at Boutique du Rocher, a charity of the late Princess Grâce de Monaco. Monégasque stamps are highly prized by collectors.

Shopping hours: Mon-Sat 0900-1230 and 1500-1830.