The 20 Most Expensive Restaurants in the World 2019
For many people, eating out is about so much more than eating some tasty food and not having to do the washing up at the end of the meal; it is about enjoying a culinary experience and they are willing to pay a high price for this. There are many amazing restaurants across the globe where diners are willing to pay astronomical prices to sample the delights on the menu. The factors that make the meals so expensive include the quality or rarity of the ingredients, the presentation, the skills of the chef, the innovative techniques used, the dining atmosphere, and any unique elements of the dish. If you would like to enjoy a truly amazing dining experience and you have the cash to splash, here are the 20 most expensive restaurants in the world in 2019, each of which has something exciting to offer.
20. Ithaa Undersea Restaurant – Maldives – $120 Plus Per Person
For a novel experience that is just as much about the setting as it is about the food, you may wish to dine at Ithaa Undersea Restaurant. According to Conrad Hotels, this is the first glass undersea restaurant. The impressive views from the restaurant include the coral bed and marine life moving naturally around you. The price of eating here varies, but the lunch menu starts at $120 per person.
19. Narisawa- Tokyo, Japan – $225 per person
The World’s 50 Best describes the cuisine of this restaurant as innovative Satoyama and lists the standout dish as the bread of the forest. The chef is Yoshihiro Narisawa who serves traditional Japanese cuisine in a refined way. All the dishes served are created using seasonal ingredients and the wines that are served to accompany the meal are all Japanese.
18. Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester – London, England- $230 Per Person
Both the hotel and the restaurant are amongst the most expensive in the world, and the restaurant is the most expensive in England. The Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester is headed by executive chef Jean-Philippe Blondet, and the dishes contain fresh British and French produce. There are three unique dining rooms where you can select from a refined and modern menu. The best spot for enjoying your fine dining experience is the Table Lumiere.
17. Osteria Francescana – Modena, Italy – $250 Per Person
This restaurant describes itself as an opportunity to experience the Emilian countryside. Osteria Francescana serves Italian classics with a modern twist at a cost of approximately $250 for a ten-course tasting menu. At the helm of this restaurant is Chef Massimo Battura, who wants to push the boundaries of traditional Italian cuisine. An example of a dish on the menu is the Adriatic chowder, which contains delicious ingredients, including sea snails, razor clams, and blue lobster.
16. El Celler de Can Roca – Girona, Spain – $250 Per Person
In 2018, El Celler de Can Roca was considered the second best restaurant in the world and has reached the top spot on two occasions in the past. This three Michelin star restaurant is led by three brothers called Joan, Josep, and Jordi. This is a fun place to eat as the brothers have used their childhood experiences as the main influences for their menu.
15. Mugaritz – San Sebastian, Spain – $250 Per Person
The head chef at Mugaritz is Chef Andoni Luis Aduriz. This chef aims to push the boundaries of the gastronomic world by creating dishes that tantalize the senses in unexpected ways. For the cost of $250 per person excluding drinks, diners can enjoy a 20-course tasting menu. Some examples of dishes include scarlet shrimp with sweetcorn, a sip of flowers and warm water, aged mole leaves with bone marrow, and lettuce heart with chorizo. IN 2018, this restaurant was ranked the ninth best restaurant in the world.
14. Noma – Copenhagen, Denmark – $296 Per Person
Reserving a table is essential if you want to experience the stunning dishes at Noma because this restaurant is usually booked up months in advance. Seasonality is the main focus of this restaurant, and this is the reason why there are three separate seasonal menus offered. The year starts with s vegetable season in spring and summer. Next, there is the game and forest season in the fall. Finally, there is the seafood season in winter. This two Michelin star restaurant has been ranked as the best restaurant in the world four times since 2010. The food is inspired by traditional Nordic cuisine, although the boundaries of this are pushed. This restaurant is credited with starting the worldwide food trends for fermenting and foraging.
13. Thomas Keller’s The French Laundry – Yountville, California – $310 Per Person
This restaurant is located in a former steam laundry and this is the inspiration for the laundry part of the name. French is included as this is the main influence for the cuisine. The French Laundry has received high praise from both diners and from other professional chefs. It has an ever-changing menu because the dishes are created using only seasonal ingredients that are available in the local area. Each day, there are two tasting menus consisting of nine courses each.
12. Eleven Madison Park – New York City, United States – $315 Per Person
Not only is this restaurant one of the most expensive, but it is also consistently ranked as one of the best in the world. In 2018, it was ranked as the top restaurant in North America. The chef and owner of Eleven Madison Park is Daniel Humm, whose most popular dish is his take on the New York cheesecake, which is a savory dish containing caviar. His cuisine is predominantly based on American classics with a modern twist.
11. Per Se, New York City – $340 Per Person
This is one of several restaurants owned by Chef Thomas Keller. Per Se is known for the exquisite presentation of its food and its delicate flavors. The menu is inspired by both French and American cuisine but with modern twists. There are two tasting menus available, each of which costs around $340. A third option is a five-course tasting menu that costs less at $195 per person. The restaurant boasts 19 tables and there are stunning views across Columbus Circle and Central Park.
10. Aragawa- Tokyo, Japan- $260 – $370 Per Person
Unlike many high-end restaurants, Aragawa offers an a la carte menu rather than a tasting menu. Therefore, the cost of a meal there depends on what you order. The restaurant is best-known for its succulent Wagyu beef dishes. This restaurant differs from other fine dining restaurants as the restaurant is not in a swanky building with luxurious décor. The unpretentious restaurant is actually located in the basement of an office building, so you are paying for the quality of the food rather than the surroundings.
9. Maison Pic Valence- Paris, France – $375 Per Person
This restaurant is the perfect example of why Paris is often considered the home of fine dining. At Maison Pic Valence, Chef Ann-Sophie Pic takes an experimental approach to her menus, combining unusual flavors and delivering dishes that are pleasing to the eye. To sample the delights created by this three Michelin star chef, you will sit in the surroundings of a Mediterranean garden to enjoy your nine-course tasting menu.
8. Guy Savoy – Paris and Las Vegas – $385 Per Person
There are two Guy Savoy restaurants located on opposite sides of the world, says The Recipe. The tasting menu at these restaurants vary slightly in price, but you can expect to pay around $385. For a little less, you can sample the seven-course lunch. Guy Savoy, a multiple Michelin star chef, is chef patron of both restaurants. He also has four other restaurants in Paris.
7. Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athenee- Paris, France – $100- $395 per person
There are various tasting menu options served at Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athenee, and these vary in cost from $100 to $395. This means that although it is one of the most expensive restaurants in the world, there are some more affordable options that make fine dining accessible to a wider group of people. The menu changes seasonally and features natural ingredients served in a simple way.
6. Restaurant de l’Hotel de Ville- Crissier, Switzerland – $400 Per Person
If you are willing to pay $400 per head, then Restaurant de l’Hotel de Ville offers an outstanding dining experience. The team of talented chefs is led by renowned chef Franck Giovanni. The restaurant has three Michelin stars, and it has already been voted one of the top restaurants of 2019 by La Liste. If you are staying in Crissier or the surrounding area, then you may also wish to enlist in one of the restaurants on-site cooking classes so that you can learn some of the skills needed to replicate the phenomenal dishes served at this restaurant.
5. Kyoto Kitcho Arashiyama- Kyoto, Japan – $450 Per Person
Excluding gratuity and tax, a meal at Kyoto Kitcho Arashiyama costs approximately $450. There are currently six of these restaurants in Japan, but the one in Tokyo is considered the best as it has three Michelin stars. At both lunch and dinner, there is a 10-course tasting menu that highlights the finest ingredients available presented creatively. The current chef of this restaurant is Kunio Tokuoka.
4. Restaurant Le Meurice- Paris, France – $480 Per Person
The focus of Le Meurice is to serve pure food from the earth and to highlight the beauty of the ingredients. This is a true fine dining experience, for which the privilege will cost $480 per person for a five-course tasting menu. The restaurant features luxurious décor, which only adds to the overall experience.
3. Masa- New York, USA – $595 Per Person
CN Traveler describes this restaurant as focusing on the simplicity and essential flavors of each ingredient. The restaurant is headed by Chef Masa Takayama who prefers to avoid crazy flourishes. The exotic seafood is one of the highlights of the tasting menu, which is beautifully presented and costs $595.
2. UltraViolet- Shanghai, China – $500-$900 Per Person
According to The Recipe, UltraViolet is one of the most elite and expensive restaurants in the world. There is only one table in the restaurant that seats 10 people. For the price of between $500 and $900 per person, the diners can sit down to a tasting menu of between 10 and 20 courses. Each course highlights different ingredients that are presented in innovative ways. Dining in this restaurant is a theatrical experience that engages all the senses. Not only do diners enjoy the flavors and aromas of the food, but they are also stimulated by the audio and visual effects going on around them while they eat. This restaurant has three Michelin stars.
1. SubliMotion- Ibiza, Spain – $1,700 Per Person
The most expensive restaurant in the world in 2019 is SubliMotion. At the astronomical price of $1,700, diners can enjoy a tasting menu that consists of 20 courses. Each season, the menu changes, so you can back year after year and have a new culinary experience at each visit. At the helm of this restaurant is Michelin-starred chef Paco Rancero. There are only 12 tables at this restaurant, so reservations are essential. The experience of eating at SubliMotion is enhanced with little twists, such as receiving an edible ticket to enter this modern restaurant.
