Bistro on Five on the Celebrity Millennium
Bistro on Five is a restaurant located on the majority of Celebrity Cruises’ fleet offering made-to-order crepes, paninis, soups, and salads. Celebrity Cruises describes the Bistro on Five restaurants “to be casual enough for a solo breakfast with the day's news, and stylish enough to drop in after the theatre for a dessert crêpe and a glass of wine.”
The open kitchen allows you to watch the chef create your crepe.
After 13 days on a previous Celebrity cruise in the Mediterranean, I never managed to eat there. I was conflicted as the food was really delicious throughout the ship and therefore, I had a difficult time justifying the $5 per person service charge. However, I was determined to try it on the recent 15-day Panama Cruise on the Celebrity Millennium. Bistro on Five is a new addition to the ship, part of the ship’s renovation that took place in May 2012.
I found a hidden gem. It’s centrally located on all the ships; however, during the times I walked, by I often found only a few people eating there.
I think it’s the perfect spot to go in the morning if you want a more relaxed meal before an excursion rather than the hustle and bustle of the buffet or perhaps for a leisurely brunch on a day at sea. Bistro on Five’s hours is meant to fit into anyone’s schedule as it opens at six o'clock in the morning and stays open until late. After sleeping in, a leisurely brunch was exactly what I felt like before exploring the port area in Colon, Panama.
Menu & Food Overview
Celebrity Cruises defines Bistro on Five’s menu as “a modern twist on traditional crêpes with a wide variety of creative fillings and toppings.” The menu features crepes, paninis, soups, salads, and desserts. Click here for the detailed menu. All crepes are made fresh to order and since it’s an open kitchen, you can walk up and watch the chef making your crepe.
Italian Dessert Crepe
Crepes I tasted:
- Designed-my-own Breakfast Crepe with Scrambled Eggs, Tomato, Spinach, and Bacon with Breakfast Potatoes
- Buffalo Crepe with Marinated Grilled Chicken with Shredded Lettuce and Blue Cheese
- Cowboy Crepe with Grilled Flank Steak, Spinach, Caramelized Onion, Bacon, Provolone and Blue Cheese Dressing
- Italian Crepe (Dessert) with Nutella, Banana and Pistachios
Breakfast Crepe
My favorite was the Breakfast Crepe as it included all of my most loved breakfast foods in a crepe. It was a nice change from my usual morning omelete. The combination of items in the Cowboy Crepe really worked well together and I found it very savory.
Don’t forget to leave room for dessert. The Italian Crepe, which includes bananas and nutella, is my all-time favorite crepe combination that I get whenever I'm in Paris. The addition of the pistachios added a nice crunch to the sweet crepe. There is no limit to how much you may order so definitely explore different types of crepes and paninis.
Service
In the Celebrity Millennium the service was spectacular. It really felt that the staff had pride in the restaurant and wanted to make sure we had a pleasant experience. All of our questions were answered and special requests completed with ease. A couple next to us couldn’t decide on what dessert crepe to order so the chef made them two smaller portions so they could try both!
French Dessert Crepe
A little encouragement
My sister was sailing on the Celebrity Solstice while I was on the Celebrity Millennium. I sent her an email later that day from the ship to tell her to find time to try Bistro on Five, even if it was for a snack. She ended up eating there twice during her cruise!
Chicken Panini Shredded Lettuce, Diced Tomato, Spicy Chicken and Cheddar Cheese
She really enjoyed the Paninis. Her least favorite item was the French Dessert crepe with Grand Marnier and Candied Orange. She’s more of a chocolate-lover so and that crepe wasn’t for her but she wanted to give it a try.
Final Thoughts
I would definitely eat there on a future Celebrity cruise. I'm looking forward to branching out and trying some of their soup, salad, and panini selections. I secretly hope that it remains an insider secret (shh!) as I really enjoyed the quiet atmosphere compared to other dining options.
In addition, there were great views for looking out to sea as well as a good spot for people watching with its central location on the ship. If you’re going on a longer voyage, Bistro on Five gives you a break from the daily buffets and a chance to try new foods.
Available On Celebrity Constellation®, Celebrity Summit®, Celebrity Infinity®, Celebrity Millennium®, Celebrity Solstice®, Celebrity Equinox, Celebrity Eclipse®, Celebrity Silhouette, Celebrity Reflection.
The cost is an additional $5 per person and no reservation is needed.
FreshCruiser Tip: For $5, it’s a great escape on a sea day when you want to get away from the crowded buffet. It offers unique food that you won’t find anywhere else on the ship.