These Are the 15 Most Expensive Michelin-starred Restaurants in the World

Eating at a Michelin-starred restaurant doesn’t have to be expensive, but let’s face it, many of these upscale eateries cost a pretty penny.

But exactly how expensive are these places? Chef’s Pencil, an international food magazine and online resource for chefs of all skill levels, recently conducted a study to find out. The findings are based on the price of a full tasting menu, which often includes anywhere from eight to 12 courses for dinner.

Soren Gammelmark

After scouring the menus of close to 500 Michelin-starred restaurants, Chef’s Pencil revealed its list of the top 15 most expensive Michelin-starred restaurants around the world. The majority can be found in Asia, particularly in Japan, which appears five times on the top 15 list. Japan is also the only country to appear more than once.

Despite the strong showing from Asia (eateries in Hong Kong and Shanghai also made the list), the top spot went to Sublimotion in Ibiza, Spain. The top-tier tasting menu at this restaurant will set you back $1,740 per person, but the experience is about more than just the food. Sublimotion offers guests a hybrid-reality experience with a cyber chef preparing food in front of each guest. The result is a delicious meal that diners can enjoy in a virtual world.

The second most expensive restaurant is in Shanghai and also makes use of visual technology to immerse diners in a virtual world. Guests at Ultraviolet can expect to pay $1,422 for a full tasting menu that fuses Western cuisine with Asian influence. Think: foie gras cigarettes and moon cakes baked with traditionally French ingredients, all enjoyed while surrounded by walls with moving pictures.

Rounding out the top three is Kitcho Arashiyama Honten in Kyoto, Japan, where a tasting menu costs $910 per person. Guests will be served the finest of Japanese cuisine from one of the seven dining rooms, each of which face a beautiful Japanese garden. The architecture and décor of the restaurant also takes on a traditional Japanese look, giving diners an immersive cultural experience.

To see the full list of the most expensive Michelin-starred restaurants around the world, check out the Chef’s Pencil study here.

Jessica Poitevien is a Travel + Leisure contributor currently based in South Florida, but always on the lookout for the next adventure. Besides traveling, she loves baking, talking to strangers, and taking long walks on the beach. Follow her adventures on Instagram.