Lido 84 – Gardone Riviera, Italy
Riccardo Camanini, one of two head chefs at Lido 84, is known for adding new dishes whenever he pleases, meaning you’re never going to get the same exact thing twice in this Gardone Riviera joint – unless you order the rare staples. The most famous of these is the Rigatoni Cacio e Pepe en Vessie, which sees pasta cooked in a pig’s bladder. Plus, it’s only $100 per head!
Maido – Lima, Peru
Who wants Nigiris a lo Pobre, otherwise known as thinly sliced Angus beef and quail egg injected with ponzu? How about Tiradito de Toro – or fatty tuna, seafood, tiger’s milk, zarandaja bean cream and chalaca sauce for those not in the know? Or even Nikkei Sudado, otherwise known as fried fish, shrimp dumplings, a sudado stew reduction and mussels? These 14 courses will run you just $150!
Atomix – New York, USA
A nicely-paced 12-course meal is on offer at New York’s Korean restaurant Atomix. Served in bespoke ceramics, each dish is accompanied by a card with information about the ingredients, origins and inspirations, which is a very classy touch. If it’s sea urchin with steamed carrot cake that you’re in the mood for, pop on down and pay $205 per person.
Tresind Studio – Dubai, UAE
The more influential Dubai grows, the more you’re gonna see them on lists like this. At the minute, the hottest place to go is Tresind Studio. You’ll find curries of all shapes and sizes here, the most famous of which is the crab curry laced with cinnamon and black pepper. It’s a modest $225 for their tasting menu!
Central – Lima, Peru
Central is a bit of a concept album of a restaurant. Diners are taken on a journey through a range of different Peruvian ecosystems categorised by altitude. Every dish reflects this, from Dry Valley (shrimp, loche squash, avocado) to Amazonian Water (pacu fish, watermelon and coca leaf). This unique experience will set you back $239.
Schloss Schauenstein – Furstenau, Swizterland
The price of this restaurant is given away slightly by the fact that it’s located in an 18th-century castle in the Swiss Alps. Yep, Schloss Schauenstein is a three-star Michelin restaurant that serves the likes of goose liver with goat cheese and sweet maize to seared trout with tarragon sauce, beets, and pea purée. Expect to pay $260 per person.
Le Pre Catelan – Paris, France
A lot of places on this list have fixed prices for a fixed menu. By contrast, at Le Pre Catelan, the options are à la carte. For example, duck foie gras goes for $117, lobster with French caviar costs around $170, and a tart-like lemon meringue dessert is just $47. Well, “just” is a term used pretty loosely here.
Michel Bras Toya – Lake Toya, Japan
Are you looking to enjoy a panoramic view of the volcanic caldera Lake Toya while eating amazing food? You have to check out Michel Bras Toya. The newest incarnation of their “discovery and nature” menu includes grilled duck foie gras, and marrow pan-fried celtuce with yuba and black truffle vinaigrette. You’ll cough up $244 for the privilege though.
Hertog Jan – Bruges, Belgium
Hertog Jan curates a simplistic menu with ingredients pulled from its own bio-farm garden, so you know you’re getting the best of the best. Head Chef Gert De Mangeleer is also one of the youngest chefs to have been awarded three Michelin stars, in case you needed any more convincing. You’ll pay a reasonable $275 per person to attend.
Bob Bob Ricard – London, England
Are you a fan of those “press for Champagne” buttons? Bob Bob Ricard in Soho has them, and they actually work! This restaurant remains the only one to be authorized by Château d’Yquem to sell its champagne by the glass. Overall, Bob Bob Ricard sells over 25,000 bottles of Champagne on a yearly basis. The food’s also good, if you’re willing to spend around $280 per person.
Disfrutar – Barcelona, Spain
The folks at Disfrutar like to mix it up multiple times a year, but that’s nothing to complain about, as great dishes are just replaced by even greater ones. Your meal is likely to begin with Panchino, a doughnut filled to the brim with caviar and cream cheese. After that, expect a frozen gazpacho ice cream sandwich. The tasting menu costs £225 per head.
Asador Etxebarri – Axtondo, Spain
Sure you can eat à la carte at Etxebarri, but the tasting menu gets you the most bang for your buck, especially when the bucks you’ll have to put down total $250 per head. Diners here enjoy homemade chorizo and seasonal delicacies like baby eels and caviar-like Basque peas, but the main event is arguably the juiciest beef chop in the world.
Gion Maruyama – Kyoto, Japan
Kyoto, like its elder sibling Tokyo, has more amazing restaurants than you can shake a stick at, so don’t worry about not getting to them all. If you’re willing to wait for a reservation, you could easily hit up Gion Maruyama, famous for its Hamo pike in the summer and matsutake mushrooms in the winter. It costs $635 per person, though, so start saving!
Diverxo – Madrid, Spain
Diverxo’s tasting menu costs $365 per head and stretches over 12 courses. Your experience will begin with XO tapas of roasted baby octopus with jamón essence and end with mochi bonbons with Thai-style dulce de leche and finger lime. Asian influences are strong here so be prepared!
Urasawa – California, USA
Head Chef Hiro Urasawa was trained by Masa Tamayaka so don’t worry about this place being less than the shizz. We’d have to say Urasawa is a better place to dine, however, as its asking price is only $395 per head compared to Masa’s $595. Getting a spot here isn’t something you can do a week or even a month in advance as it only has 10 seats!
Chef’s Table – New York, USA
Do you want to sit at the proverbial Chef’s Table? Good luck, it only fits 18! But what’s life without aspiration? If you ever do manage to book a reservation, you’ll be treated to a 15-course tasting menu, largely inspired by Japanese and French cuisine. It’ll cost you $306 per head but at least the restaurant is part of the no-tipping movement!
Kitcho Arashiyama – Tokyo, Japan
Kitcho Arashiyama is a bit of a chain, with six franchises spread out across Japan – but don’t let that put you off! They’re not franchising with enormous speed and dealing in lowest common denominator cuisine like it’s McDonald’s! The Tokyo branch, which boasts three Michelin stars, has a ten-course menu that will rock your world and leave you ripping up your return flight tickets.
Alinea – Chicago, US
Come on down and enjoy Chicago’s first-ever restaurant to earn three Michelin stars… if you’ve just been paid. Alinea has a tasting menu that starts at $395. In return for that hefty fee, you get a lot of edible yet decorative food, including taffy candy inflated with helium. Plus, you might even get a tour of the kitchen if you’re extra lucky.
The French Laundry – Yountville, US
The French Laundry serves, you guessed it, haute French cuisine, offering two tasting menus that change every day. Two people dining at this three Michilin-star Bay area restaurant (the first to receive this honour) can expect to pay around $750 for dinner. And that’s excluding drinks and tips…
The Osteria Francescana – Modena, Italy
Modena isn’t spoken of as highly as Rome or Venice when it comes to cuisine, but it should be, even thanks solely to the Osteria Francescana. Combining a vibrant mix of old and modern cooking, your 12-course menu includes some of the freshest and most delicious ingredients you’re likely to ever taste. Save up a cool $570 for this one.
Alain Ducasse at Plaza Athenee – Paris, France
Paris can be overwhelming when it comes to dining out, as there are so many options to try across your limited vacation days. The Plaza Athenee is not to be skipped though, as Chef Alain Ducasse is offering a five-course tasting menu for around $470 per person. Expect gold chandeliers and gilded furniture, as you’re not just paying for the food here.
Ithaa Conrad Rangali Undersea - The Maldives
This restaurant may be located on Rangali Island in the Maldives, but its six-course dinner menu is mostly influenced by European cuisine. If you’re in the area and looking to dine alone (and there really are worse places to do that) expect to pay around $320. Book in advance, though, as this place only fits 14 guests!
Helene Darroze at The Connaught – London, UK
There are only seven three-star Michelin restaurants in London and Helene Darroze at the Connaught is one of the very best. Their tasting menu is truffle-heavy and costs about $525 per diner. You are paying the privilege to eat the cuisine of acclaimed French chef Helen Darroze, though, so the substantial fee makes sense.
L’Arpege – Paris, France
This is one for all the non-carnivorous, yet still flush diners out there. The head chef at L’Arpege is famous for crafting some of the greatest vegetarian dishes you’ll ever put in your mouth. The tasting menu will set you back a hefty $530 per person, however, which seems a little high for ingredients that don’t include any premium animal proteins.
Forum – Hong Kong, China
The Forum is a snazzy, stylish place for high-rollers and socialites. Throughout the years, they’ve served the highest echelons of Chinese society and beyond. Head Chef Yeung Koon-yat made a name for himself with abalone, a mollusc delicacy in the country. Expect to shell out $530 per head to enjoy his bespoke menu.
Alchemist - Copenhagen, Denmark
Denmark became famous for its cuisine in the 2010s when the eatery Noma won the Best Restaurant in the World award four times in the space of five years. The Alchemist in Copenhagen is a fine second choice. Their 50-course tasting menu justifies the $560 price tag, especially because it takes around four to six hours to enjoy it all.
Ciel Bleu – Amsterdam, Netherlands
And you thought the Netherlands was just fries and mayonnaise. Ciel Bleu can be found in the Zuid district of Amsterdam and serves some of the finest king crab and Baeri caviar in the observable universe. Their standard tasting menu comes in at 225 euros while the caviar menu comes in at $495. Customers have nothing but good words to say about this restaurant.
Piazza Duomo - Alba, Italy
Alba is one of the prettiest places in Italy, and Piazza Duomo is one of the tastiest. Chef Enrico Crippa knows what he’s doing with his fusion of Italian flavours and French influences. The menu here is simple yet elegant, with ingredients drawn from the restaurant’s own garden. A meal here costs around $580 per person.
Aragawa - Tokyo, Japan
Don’t be alarmed by the fact this restaurant is located in the basement of a building. Don’t presume it’s cheap, either. Tokyo’s Aragawa is one of the country’s best-hidden gems, serving à la carte instead of a tasting menu. Depending on what you eat, you’ll be paying around $260-$370 per head, but extra hungry guests could be looking at a bill of around $500.
Le Meurice Alain Ducasse - Paris, France
Have you ever wanted to dine in a palace, or at least in a restaurant that resembles a palace? Then you’ll want to check out Paris’ Le Meurice. You’ll be spellbound by the decor and vibe long before the five-course tasting menu shows up at your table. For $480 per person, this two-star Michelin restaurant is worth every penny.
Restaurant de L’Hôtel De Ville – Crissier, Switzerland
Don’t write off little old Switzerland when it comes to fine dining. Crissier is a three-star Michelin restaurant with a tasting menu amounting to $415 per head. The courses total eleven and include pip consomme with Ossetra caviar, mussels with saffron, and filet of lamb, among many other glorious dishes.
Maison Pic Valence - Paris, France
Maison Pic Valence has remained in the Pic family for over 130 years, making it a great option if you’re a fan of legacy and tradition. One of the few female-ran three-star Michelin restaurants in the world, prepare for a nine-course feast of deer marinated in sake lees marinated squab, Mediterranean Rouget in saffron broth, and banon goat cheese berlingots. All that for just $445 per head!
Kikunoi Honten - Kyoto, Japan
Fusing Japanese classics with Western favourites such as foie gras, Yoshihiro Murata is not a chef to be sniffed at. Kikunio Honten is the place to go for great seafood in Kyoto, as Chef Murata worked on a fishing boat for several years and knows how to cherry-pick. Make sure to save up about $635 per person if you want to eat here.
Azabu Kadowaki - Tokyo, Japan
At Azabu Kadowaki, you’ll be seated at a wooden food island, where you can drop your jaw in amazement while the chef does his thing. Prepare for some righteous white truffles and shark fins here. Yes, shark fins. The only downside is that it costs $825 per head to eat here and sample the offbeat yet classic cuisine.
Guy Savoy – Paris, France
You may have heard of Guy Savoy, as he’s the one who trained Gordon Ramsey back in the 1980s. He has restaurants all over but his flagship is located in Paris. This is a meat-heavy 13-course tasting menu that costs around $625 per head, excluding drinks. Be sure to try the barbecued pigeon if you go!
Masa – New York, United States
Excluding taxes and tips, New York’s Masa, run by Chef Massa Takayama, costs around $595 per person. Not only that, but the menu is deceptively simple – because there’s hardly a menu at all! You’re in your chef’s hands, as they prepare whatever ingredients are fresh. One consistency is that you’re likely to try sushi at Masa, and it will probably be the best you’ve ever had.
Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet – Shanghai, China
Slap bang in the middle of Shanghai is Ultraviolet, one of the best and priciest restaurants you’re likely to ever eat at. At between $570 and $900 per person, you can choose between a ten or 20-course tasting menu. You won’t be able to bring a big group here for your birthday though, as Ultraviolet only has one table and it fits just ten people.
Per Se – New York, United States
Opened in 2004 by Thomas Kellers, New York’s Per Se has three Michelin stars – something that becomes evident the second you see the food. After choosing from three tasting menus, customers dine at 19 tables which offer stunning views of Central Park. Neither the food nor the view comes cheap, as you can expect to pay around $680 per head.
Joel Robuchon – Las Vegas, United States
Don’t turn your nose up at Las Vegas. Some of the world’s greatest chefs have lived and worked there, including the late Joel Robuchon, whose eponymous restaurant lit up Sin City like few others. Seriously, you should visit Joel Robuchon’s for the bread cart alone. The tasting menu will cost you $1,200, which is objectively ridiculous, but if you’re going to spend that much money in Vegas, you should probably spend it on saffron brioche and not Blackjack.
SubliMotion - Ibiza, Spain
SubliMotion is the most expensive restaurant in the world, by quite a stretch. Where is it based? Rome? Paris? London? Try Ibiza. The 20-course tasting menu here costs an astounding, insulting $2,380 per person. It’s those kinds of prices that mean Head Chef Paco Roncereo has the liberty of only opening between June and September.
