Explora I Dining Guide
Dining on Explora I is a pure delight, with four evening dining options to choose from, as well as the Market Place Emporium and an extra charge fine dining restaurant offering a seven course tasting menu designed by a two Michelin star chef. Every restaurant has its own theme but each is decorated exquisitely with comfortable seating and most have a small outside terrace for Alfredo dining if that is your preference. This dining guide will go through all of the dining options available, including the informal and casual dining venues and will, include menus where applicable.
Emporium Marketplace: (breakfast, lunch and dinner):
Named the Emporium after the Greek word emporion, a place for merchants to showcase their best produce, the Emporium Marketplace is an all-day dining restaurant offering a range of different cuisines with a focus on quality produce. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, there are some pre-prepared hot and cold dishes as well as made to order fresh dishes. The restaurant is a cornucopia of white marble with the floor to ceiling glass making it a bright light area to enjoy a meal in with several separate cooking stations evolving throughout the day. Features include sushi, fresh seafood and a daily rotisserie offering grilled, roasted, and slow-cooked meats. Pasta is cooked to order, and freshly baked pizzas and bread are on offer as are home-made sandwiches. The charcuterie, fromagerie, boulangerie and patisserie stations enhance the experience with a good selection of wines, champagne and beverages available to complement meals throughout the day. As well as the indoor seating there is a large terrace at the aft of the ship enjoying lovely wake views on a sunny day at sea.
BREAKFAST - with a range of hot and cold options there is plenty to choose from, from the smoothie and juice bar, to the pastries and breads the usual hot breakfast options, a made to order eggs and pancakes station and a fruit and yoghurt section. My favourite is the avocado on toast available to be freshly made. The tables are laid out nicely with tea and coffee regularly offered and water glasses refilled. Breakfast is generally available from roughly 7 to 10am every day.
LUNCH & DINNER - from the bread and pizza station to the sushi and seafood bar (which includes oysters and caviar), through to the pasta station, salad bar and desserts everything looks so appetising it can be hard to make a decision what to choose, the range and quality of food on offer here is exceptional for this style of restaurant. With a wonderful team of hosts to keep your drinks topped up and clear away empty dishes this is a very pleasant ‘buffet’ style experience. Open for lunch from noon to 2pm and for dinner from 6.30pm to 9pm, even though this is the most informal dining option on board Explora it still manages to execute a refined ‘buffet-style’ dining experience with some lovely secluded seating areas, nice table ware and attentive service.
Crema cafe:
Cream cafe is the coffee lounge located on deck five just off of the main atrium area. It has a range of different seating options from comfortable chairs to lounging sofas and even a large outdoor seating area on the promenade deck running alongside the cafe. It opens at 6.30am in the morning with the excellent team there make delicious barista coffee, as well as delicate pots of tea and snacks from the small food counter. First thing in the morning there are tiny little pastries, sweet breads, fruits and yoghurts available as well as the always available cookies and chocolate slabs. From late morning the offerings on the food counter change to small sandwiches and cakes to accompany the cookies and chocolate. These remain for the rest of the day until the cafe closes at 7pm.
Explorer Lounge:
This lovely light and airy lounge venue at the from to the ship on deck 11 is one of our favourite venues on the ship and is the location for the afternoon tea, accompanied by one of the ship’s musicians. Taking place every day between 4 and 5 pm the tables are laid out with tea cups and crockery for a refined tea. As soon as you sit down you are presented with the tea box to choose the tea you would like. After a while the food trolley is brought around and you can choose from three or four little sandwich options, a scone served with cream and jam, a range of bitesize cakes and a cookies. We were delighted to see that all of the food on offer is bitesized with no large pieces of cake or oversized tarts etc. Though you could choose as much as you wanted from the first visit of the trolley, it did reappear again quite quickly so you could take more if you wanted to enjoy your savoury food and then move onto the sweet treats. Although Helen would prefer tea served on traditional afternoon tea cake stands serving the food this way arguably produces less waste and the food was equally as delicious and the service prompt.
Gelateria and Creperie (poolside):
Located between the Emporium marketplace and the main Conservatory, this poolside dining venue would usually be occupied by a grill style dining station on most other ships. However, Explora I have chose to have a creperie here serving freshly made waffles and crepes from noon until 5pm, with these also available from the marketplace during the breakfast service. Beside the crepes and waffles there are also a range of delicious gelatos and sorbets, perfect for a hot day around the pool. Whilst we enjoyed the crepes and waffles, as the only venue open for a late lunch, if you’ve been out on a shore excursion this would be the only place (except for crema cafe or room service) to get food once the Marketplace was closed. In all honesty, we rarely saw anyone eating here during our voyage and think this would be better utilised offering lunch style options such as pizza, tacos or burgers, maybe keeping the delicious gelato and sorbets, especially the dark chocolate sorbet, which was to die for.
Fil Rouge restaurant: (breakfast and dinner):
Along with the Med Yacht Club this restaurant offers open seating dining for dinner and is also the a la carte waiter service venue for breakfast. Fil Rouge, meaning red thread, aims to unite international flavours with a French influence. Fil Rouge is a sophisticated and intimate restaurant, offering a global tasting tour of French-inspired international cuisine. A classic dining experience, Fil Rouge is an elegant venue adorned with intricate hexagon wall dividers contrasting with clean white walls adorned with intriguing works of art.
BREAKFAST - Fil Rouge opens every day for breakfast from about 7am to 9am offering an a la carte table service menu. With the usual range of breakfast fare available to order, we enjoyed beautifully presented fruit and yoghurt dishes accompanied by healthy smoothies to start. These were followed up with an omelette and minute steak and the most delicious signature spinach and eggs Benedict style dish we’ve ever tasted, with a good dollop of caviar to top it off.
DINNER - Open every evening from 6.30 to 9pm, Fil Rouge is one of the two open seating restaurants where guests can arrive without reservation. The refined menu offers a range of traditional fine dining options as well as a daily soufflé for dessert. If you don’t fancy the soufflé, an elegant dessert cart will definitely tempt you with the freshest creations served tableside. We started the evening with the Roasted Beets and Scallop Carpaccio starters followed a classic Caesar Salad and Risotto. For our main courses we chose the slow braised Beef Short Rib and the Langoustine Thermidor. Helen tried the soufflé of the day for dessert and being a bit of a soufflé connoisseur she concluded that though these didn’t quite match the wonderful Seabourn soufflés they were definitely not the worst she’d ever eaten. The rest of the table shared pretty much one of every dessert from the dessert trolley, the highlights being the Rum Baba and the signature Dark Chocolate Mousse.
Med Yacht Club restaurant: (lunch and dinner)
Along with Fil Rouge this restaurant is the open seating main dining option for dinner, and along with Sakura opens alternately for lunch. The Med Yacht Club is influenced by sophisticated, beachside Mediterranean restaurants, embracing the varied cuisines of the region. Inspired by authentic Mediterranean dining with traditional dishes from Italy, Spain, Greece, France, and North Africa, the menu of Med Yacht Club serves food designed to be savoured and enjoyed with wine from the rich vineyards of the Mediterranean. Alongside the traditional appetisers and entree dishes is a tapas style menu which can be shared by the table. The restaurant itself is a spacious, homely venue with large portholes offering natural light and lovely sea views. The sumptuous sofas in the bar area at the entrance to the restaurant welcomes guest to enjoy a drink at the bar before or after their dinner.
LUNCH - Alternating with Sakura restaurant Med Yacht Club opens for lunch from noon to 1.30pm, offering a selection tapas and Mediterranean style dishes with a large range of cuisines to choose from. We started our lunch by sharing a mezzo platter before moving on to share a bowl of delicious, pillowy pesto gnocchi. For our main courses Rich went for orgnaic free range Roasted Chicken served with potatoes and green beans while Helen had the Lamb Shank with creamy orzo and a feta cheese crumble. To finish off we shared a semi-freddo dessert, a big chocolate ball served on a hazelnut sauce filled with hazelnut ice cream and salted caramel sauce - it was scrumptious.
DINNER - Open every evening from 6.30 to 9pm, the Med Yacht Club is one of the two open seating restaurants where guests can arrive without reservation. The menu is comprehensive offering a variety of cuisines to meet even the most narrow of palates. We started with a range of tapas dishes chosen by our servers to ensure our table of eight started our dinner well. Following on from the tapas we chose to start with Italian Risotto and Tortellini, and though we asked for appetiser size dishes they were both quite large. For our main course we chose the Beef Tenderloin and the Moroccan Chicken served with couscous. By now we were pretty full but we couldn’t resist trying the Floating Island and the signature Wiess Chocolate dessert.
Marble & Co Grill restaurant: (dinner)
Open from 6.30pm to 9pm every evening, Marble & Co requires reservation with at least one visit guaranteed per voyage. Inspired by the marbling found in only the finest beef, Marble & Co. Grill serves sustainably farmed, sumptuous meats sourced for their distinctive flavour. Marble & Co is an included specialty steakhouse restaurant offering a delicious menu, perfectly executed in a sophisticated and relaxed environment. Decorated with dark woods and brown tones the restaurant is divided into sections or small rooms to create a cosy vibe, perfect for enjoying a romantic meal for two. With its own in-house dry ager and a cellar boasting a superb selection of fine wines, this steakhouse dining experience is elevated to whole other level.
With so many delicious options to choose from we went for the Roasted Beets and Lump Crab Salad starters, though we both had a little bit of food envy when we saw the Fingerling Potato and Caviar starter that some of our fellow diners chose. For our main course we both reverted to our firm steakhouse favourite, a French Filet Mignon, requested medium and cooked to perfection with a delicious charred salty crust on the outside, and accompanied by our sauce of choice, truffle mash potatoes, creamed spinach and sautéed sprouts, which we made for a delicious alternative to the usual sides on offer in similar restaurants. For desserts we chose the Beignets and the signature Chocolate Brownie.
Sakura restaurant: (lunch and dinner)
Named after the cherry blossom, Sakura offers Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, and Malaysian flavours for an authentic taste of Pan-Asian cuisine. The decor takes inspiration from the ancient tea rooms of Kyoto, where dark wood frames nestle under traditional Japanese ceilings adorned with a cherry blossom tree canopy. With open kitchens, diners can observe the chefs as they use traditional techniques to turn the very best carefully sourced ingredients to create truly pan-Asian cuisine. Expansive ocean views, a Sake sommelier and Asian-influenced beverages combine with attentive service for a modern Asian lunch or dinner experience.
LUNCH - Alternating with the Med Yacht Club restaurant this restaurant opens for lunch from around noon to 2pm, offering a selection of sushi and sashimi accompanied by some light main courses with a special mention for the Wok of the day dish. For those that struggle to make a decision there is the option of having a Bento box containing a couple of pieces each of sushi and sashimi, an oriental quinoa salad, a bao bun, accompanied by a fruit salad and a jasmine tea crème brûlée.
DINNER - Open every evening from 6.30 to 9pm, Sakura is one of the two ‘speciality’ restaurants on board which requires a reservation. There are two menus to choose from, either the sushi menu or the comprehensive Pan-Asian menu, with the option to mix and match from both menus if you want to. We chose to share the sushi taster platter and the Asian style tapas to start with. With a range of starters to choose from we opted for the tuna tartare and wagyu beef tataki. For main course we chose the two beef dishes, slow cooked beef penang and sirloin teriyaki with the scallops in the middle to share and to finish off we tried the two chocolate dishes on offer, though to be honest they were both a little disappointing and didn’t hit the spot like the rest of the meal had.
In-Suite Dining:
With 24 hour service the room service menu offers a large range of delicious sweet and savoury dishes ranging from full meals to light snack and sandwiches. Breakfast is also available in the usual manner with a paper menu left on your bed at night to fill in and leave outside your door for delivery the next morning. We used the breakfast room service menu and were delighted that the food arrived on time, on hot plates and accurately fulfilled. Though the delivery lacked the refinement of some of the other luxury lines, with no table cloth laid out, the food was hot and as good as we would have got from the main restaurant. It is worth noting that if you were in a higher category of suite with a proper dining table you would no doubt have your table laid out for you. As well as this the residence suite guest are also able to order dinner from any of the restaurants menus during dinner service hours.
Anthology restaurant (dinner only, fee applies):
Adopting the name Anthology reflects what this additional cost specialty restaurant hopes to achieve as a unique culinary stage showcasing global cooking talents and cuisines, provenance and rare ingredients, along with wines by highly coveted winemakers. The 48 seater restaurant is set along the side of the upper atrium on deck five with tables situated only along one side, giving each table plenty of room to make guests feel like their table is the only one in the restaurant. With its elegant design and exquisite tableware, Anthology offers flawless service in an intimate yet elevated atmosphere.
Guests are invited to experience menus curated by some of the world's most celebrated guest chefs and discover their inspiring creations representing cuisines from around the globe. The idea is simple yet innovative - invite Michelin star land based chefs to create a tasting menu which they come on board and train the Anthology chefs to deliver. This menu remains for a set period of time before another chef takes over the menu and the kitchen, meaning that returning guests would have a completely different experience if they dined here upon their return to the ship.
The menu we experienced was designed by Swedish born, two Michelin star executive Chef Emma Bengtsson from Aquavit restaurant in New York which featured her signature dessert, ‘Arctic Birds Nest’, perfectly executed by the wonderful Anthology Head Chef and her team in the kitchen. If you get a chance to try this restaurant we would thoroughly recommend it and ensure you make an evening if it, savouring the whole experience from the open kitchen to the detailed explanations of each course and the artistry devoted to each dish. At 190 Euros per person this has to be the most expensive restaurant at sea but between the five of us well-cruised diners we all agreed that this was the best meal at sea we had ever eaten. The concept is exciting and the execution is exquisite. Our only criticism is that wine is not included in the cost with guests either having to buy a bottle of choose the additional 75 Euros wine pairing. However, overall this was an exquisite meal and a delightful way to spend an evening, and while we felt overall it was a little costly, it is the perfect way to celebrate a special occasion whilst on board the fabulous Explora I.
Thank you to our preferred travel partners Panache Cruises and Explora Journeys who hosted us on this week long cruise. Explora Journeys covered the cost of our cruise excluding speciality dining, pre and post cruise travel and air fares which were paid for by us. Neither Explora Journeys or Panache Cruises had any editorial control over any of our content, either before, during our after our voyage.
If you enjoyed this blog why not take a look at some of our other dining guides, such as our Regent Seven Seas Dining guide or our Seabourn Dining guide.
If you are interested in booking a cruise with these or any other luxury cruise lines then we would recommend contacting a connoisseur at our trusted cruise partners Panache cruises - please make sure you tell them you have been referred by Visit With Us or Rich & Helen so they can add you to our exclusive list for future benefits and incentives.
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