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Michelin stars are the Holy Grail of the culinary world. There are currently only 136 restaurants in the world that have been awarded three Michelin stars, a distinction that, according to the guide, demonstrates “exceptional cuisine worth a special journey.” So, for foodies willing to plan a trip to a far-flung locale just to score a reservation at one of these fine-dining establishments, a recent survey ranked the Michelin-starred restaurants with the best value (considering both reviews and the prices associated with Michelin three-star restaurants).
To do this, money.co.uk analyzed Tripadvisor reviews and set menu costs for all Michelin three-star restaurants to reveal which ones offer the best value in terms of price and overall dining experience.
The No. 1 spot goes to King’s Joy in Beijing. The restaurant, which was first awarded the coveted three stars in 2021, not only had some of the best traveler reviews on Tripadvisor, but it also stood out with the cost of its food. A Michelin three-star meal there will set travelers back $110 per person. For comparison, the most expensive Michelin three-star eatery, Paris’ Guy Savoy, will cost you $583 for a 13-course meal.
No. 2 on the list is Régis et Jacques Marcon in Saint-Bonnet-le-Froid, France. The restaurant, which treats its guests to extraordinary food and stunning views of the Ardèche and Mont du Velay valleys, had 96.6 percent good reviews. The cheapest set menu price there is $198 per person.
And chef Tetsuo Nakashima’s Nakashima restaurant in Hiroshima, Japan, takes the No. 3 spot on money.co.uk’s list for best-value Michelin-starred restaurants. Tripadvisor reviewers gave it 94.9 percent positive reviews, and the cheapest meal there costs $142.
No. 4 and No. 5 are France’s Kei (meals from $187 per person) and Maison Lameloise (meals from $198 per person), respectively. Other notable inclusions on the list were London’s Core by Clare Smyth and Cheval Blanc in Basel, Switzerland.
As mentioned, the list also ranks the most expensive Michelin three-star restaurants in the world. After Gordon Ramsey’s Guy Savoy is Kitcho Arashiyama in Kyoto, which honors Japan’s tea ceremony traditions. It will set you back $543 per person, including taxes. And the third most expensive Michelin three-star restaurant is chef Alain Passard’s iconic L’Arpège in Paris. Chef Passard has maintained his restaurant’s Michelin three-star status for more than two decades with a vegetable-based menu. A meal at the ultra-chic restaurant starts at $539.
You can read the complete survey and its findings here.