Affordable Michelin-Starred Restaurants

When you picture a Michelin-starred restaurant, images of waiters in tuxedos, white tablecloths, and portion sizes that feel a bit too small probably come to mind. If you’re a budget-conscious diner, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that a Michelin-starred eatery has to be expensive. However, how does $45 for a three-course meal sound?

If you know where to look, there are affordable Michelin-rated restaurants all around the world. Top Dollar, a financial insights hub, has mapped them out to help foodies find world-class meals at friendly prices.

Top Dollar’s Findings

Top Dollar reviewed over 500 one-, two-, and three-Michelin-starred restaurants, taking note of their cheapest menu options. There are 34 countries in the world with Michelin-ranked restaurants, and in five of them, Top Dollar couldn’t find a Michelin meal for under $100.

Best Budget-Friendly Michelin Meals

Top Dollar’s final report features 25 one-starred restaurants where the menu comes in at under $50. Notably, the world’s cheapest Michelin meal can be found at Hostellerie la Montagne in Colombey-les-Deux-Églises. The French restaurant offers a seasonal menu for about $25. Outside of Europe, the most affordable meal can be found at Three Coins in Taipei, Taiwan. “The menu is classic Cantonese, with occasional Taiwanese touches, such as the simple but tasty steamed abalone with dried and fresh tomatoes,” writes the Michelin Guide’s reviewer. The set menu costs about $36.

Additional Affordable Options

The report also features another 75 entries with restaurants costing under $100. While there are no three-star restaurants offering a meal for under $100, the cheapest three-star meal can also be found in Taiwan at Le Palais, where you can get a meal for $138.63. In the U.S., the cheapest three-star meal costs only a bit more—$175 at New York City’s Le Bernardin.

Conclusion

Affordable Michelin-starred meals are more accessible than you might think. With the right research, gourmet dining experiences can be enjoyed without breaking the bank.