One of the most exciting aspects of going on vacation, whether to a new city or a new country, is the opportunity to try new food that isn’t available at home. This is especially true when it comes to visiting New York City, which is home to more than 20,000 restaurants across the five boroughs.
The joy of discovering a new restaurant is so central to traveling that a place in the Michelin (ML) Guide — the most coveted designation an eatery can receive — is traditionally determined based on how worthwhile it is to go out of your way for a meal there.
The French tire company grants one star to a restaurant if it is high quality enough to be worth a stop on a trip, two stars if it worth traveling out of your way to visit the establishment, and three stars if the food is so exceptional that diners should plan a special vacation just to visit the restaurant in question.
In the post-pandemic years, however, the average American’s eating habits began shifting away from dining in restaurants. Changing attitudes mean that even the absolute best restaurants in the world — the ones that are likely to receive Michelin stars — are stepping up their game to bring in new guests.
During the pandemic, “the experience of what you could order at home got better,” Marcus Samuelsson, the celebrity chef behind several New York restaurants, including Red Rooster, Metropolis, and Hav & Mar, told Quartz in July. “So you developed a whole new generation of great home cooks. So when you go out, you want service, you want theatrical dining, you really want that step up.”
Samuelsson noted that diners also have more choices now, and those choices are continuing to get better. “[Diners] want to feel like, ‘I am out, not only am I out here with my friends and family, but there’s people in this room that makes me feel great. I’m part of something.’”
As the best restaurants continue innovating on their menus, the food industry trend publication Chef’s Pencil recently rounded up the Michelin starred restaurants with the most expensive tasting menus.
Click through to see the fivemost expensive Michelin-starred restaurants in New York City.
What is the most expensive tasting menu?
Chef’s Omakase Menu – $475 per person
What does the Michelin Guide say about this restaurant?
“In some ways, there are no surprises: [Chef Eiji Ichimura] works meticulously and at his own pace, slicing fish flown in from Japan three times a week. His rice is defined and generally warm, and his uni and caviar sandwich as well as his double and triple-layer tuna nigiri are still signatures.
“There’s just one thing: the price is steep, but that doesn’t faze his regulars, of which there are many. But regular or not, he treats everyone like a guest of his home.”
What is the most expensive tasting menu?
Omakase At the Sushi Bar – $495 per person
What does the Michelin Guide say about this restaurant?
“Friendly as ever and seemingly never in a hurry, [Chef Kazushige Suzuki] sources fish entirely from Japan and keeps his nigiri traditional with little more adornment than a brushing of nikiri.
“Other dishes that bookend the meal flex far more creativity and panache. Hokkaido hairy crab with capellini and shiso or snow trout marinated in koji for seven days are uniquely satisfying, while beef sourced from Japan makes regular appearances. At the meal’s end, disbelief may turn into wonder as guests dive into apple sorbet boldly topped with Yamazaki 12 whisky.”
What is the most expensive tasting menu?
Sushi Omakase – $500 USD per person
What does the Michelin Guide say about this restaurant?
“Meals bring an element of theater, so much so that diners will find themselves leaning forward to absorb every detail — envision the dramatic removal of a glass dome to reveal a perfect piece of smoked salmon. The main event though just might be the nigiri, tailed by bruléed tamago.”
What is the most expensive tasting menu?
Omakase – $550 per person
What does the Michelin Guide say about this restaurant?
“Commence with cooked dishes like pearly sea perch with fresh ponzu dipping sauce and slender pieces of meltingly tender ice fish. Miso soup is the perfect backdrop for silky-soft eel ‘noodles’ with salted egg yolk cream and crispy tofu pieces, while sushi is jewel-like. True to Japanese hospitality, kimono-dressed staff and the chef himself see guests off with a spirit of gratitude.”
What is the most expensive tasting menu?
Hinoki Counter Experience – $950
What does the Michelin Guide say about this restaurant?
“There is nothing like an omakase in the care of Chef Masa Takayama. The commotion of Columbus Circle gives way to the calm, collected ceremony of a room anchored by a strikingly smooth hinoki counter. Everything is in place, as chefs and servers work with a kind of harmony that recalls ballet. Every decision, every move, is in the service of his distinctive style, which many have copied but none have mastered.
“Fragrant white and black truffles, pearly beads of Osetra caviar, and vibrant garnishes make for brilliant touches that straddle the line between luxury and excess. Few have both the imagination and the know-how to make foie gras nigiri, and few serve abalone so meltingly tender. It is a captivating experience that is singularly memorable.”
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