In the hospitality industry, every single restaurant, new or old, big or small, surely dreams of one day achieving the most prestigious of titles – a Michelin Star.
Whereas being awarded a Michelin Star is the ultimate goal, and indeed, the ultimate honour, it is unfortunately something that only the smallest percentage of restaurants will achieve. This in itself, shows you what a true honour it really is.
Food is a language which is universally recognised. We not only eat because we have to, we eat for so many reasons. Whether we’re celebrating a birthday, an anniversary, a marriage, or are simply getting together with old friends, dining out at a lavish restaurant and enjoying 5 star food and service phenomenal can really be incredibly special.
For many, dining at a Michelin Star restaurant is the ultimate in indulgence and decadence, and if you’re fortunate enough to be planning your very own gastronomic journey around the globe, here are 10 of the best Michelin Star restaurants in the world.
Menton, Boston, USA
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We’ll begin our culinary journey in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
France is arguably the culinary capital of the world. You think ‘fine dining’ and you think ‘France’ it’s that simple.
Having produced countless Michelin Starred chefs, it’s easy to see why French cuisine is so universally revered. It’s also easy to see why Menton took so much of its inspiration from this amazing cuisine.
Menton is a modern French restaurant located in Boston, serving up a multitude of French classics and modern favourites. The décor just screams France, as it is luxurious, beautiful, and homely.
The menu changes seasonally, with the chefs using the finest quality ingredients sourced locally, and in season. Their tasting menu is simply divine. Expect classics such as pan seared halibut with beurre blanc, accompanied by Swiss chard caviar, or the New York Strip with umeboshi, fingerling, and mustard.
No. 9 Park, Boston, USA
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Thought we were finished with Boston? Not just yet, because up next we have another Michelin Star restaurant located in Boston, this time called No. 9 Park.
No. 9 Park is situated proudly in an elegant and quaint townhouse in remarkable Beacon Hill. It offers polished wooden floors, a warm, friendly, and intimate setting for customers to enjoy a wide selection of refined cuisine, with an emphasis being placed on French and Italian dishes in particular.
The six course chef’s tasting menu, with optional wine pairing for an additional $105 offers delights such as Chicken Roulade with pommes puree, Brussels sprouts, and coffee, along with an apple cider pork loin with cannellini beans and mustard greens.
If you like simple, no frills, premium-quality cuisine in a relaxed and warm environment, No.9 Park is the destination for you.
Sushi Shikon, Hong Kong, China
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To be awarded one Michelin Star is a huge honour, but to be awarded three? That is something truly remarkable, yet it is something that Sushi Shikon prides itself upon.
For those in need of an authentic Japanese experience, Sushi Shikon simply must be visited.
Founded by Master Chef Masahiro Yoshitake, the freshest, finest ingredients are flown into Hong Kong from Japan every single day. With menus changing seasonally, diners can expect the freshest seafood and Asian produce, prepared expertly right before their eyes. Diners can watch in awe as the Master Chefs craft each dish by hand during the course of a two-hour tasting menu window.
The Fat Duck, Berkshire, UK
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Michelin Star dining is all about enjoying an unforgettable experience that you will remember for the rest of your days. Visit Heston Blumenthal’s Berkshire restaurant The Fat Duck, and you are guaranteed this.
The Fat Duck is one of the most famous restaurants on the planet, thanks to the unique food combinations and presentation styles employed by Heston and his team. If you want a gastronomic sensory experience, this is the restaurant for you.
The restaurant’s 14-course taster menu will transport you to another world. Whether you’re enjoying his snail porridge, bacon and egg ice cream, mock turtle soup, or any other of Heston’s signature dishes, a visit to the Fat Duck is something every foodie should have on their bucket list.
The French Laundry, Yountville, CA, USA
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Here we have another three-Michelin Star restaurant, this time offering the perfect fusion of French and Californian cuisine. The name? The French Laundry.
The French Laundry was opened by Sally Schmidt in 1978. Her goal was to build her menu around fresh, seasonal, local ingredients, and she most certainly succeeded. In 1994, Thomas Keller took over as chef and owner, and has taken the restaurant to amazing new heights.
The tasting menu offers delights such as Charcoal Grilled Japanese Wagyu, Miso-Cured Alaskan Halibut “A LA Plancha”, and Oysters and Pearls. The desserts are equally as tempting, with ‘Aptos Farm Kiwi’ yoghurt panna cotta and almond sponge, proving to be particularly tempting.
Alinea Restaurant, Chicago, USA
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Heading to Illinois next, we have Alinea Restaurant.
Founded in 2005 by renowned chef Grant Achatz, this is a restaurant with a lot in common with the Fat Duck, in that it offers ‘molecular gastronomy’ rather than just fancy food.
Here you can expect a wide array of deconstructed dishes in a contemporary, yet uber-relaxed and warm environment. Each course offers diners different flavours and different experiences. One dish in particular, that gets people talking and provides the ultimate Instagram Reel is a fully edible balloon made from apple, as well as the truffle-topped ravioli, which is every bit as opulent as it sounds.
Azurmendi Restaurant, Spain
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Spanish cuisine is all about fresh flavours and vibrant colours, and in our opinion, is vastly underrated. Azurmendi Restaurant is helping to rectify that.
This is considered one of the best restaurants in the entire world, and when you can see the passion, love, hard work, and vision that chef Eneko Atxa, has put into the restaurant and his menus, you will understand exactly why that is.
Diners will enter the restaurant before being lead into a greenhouse via the kitchen, where they can enjoy a selection of snacks, before entering the main dining room for the main event.
Offering a seasonal experience for five courses, the taster menu offers treats such as smoked fish brioche, truffled egg, Iberian Pork with duxelles and truffle, and petits fours.
Canon, Sacramento, CA, USA
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Heading back Stateside, this time to sunny Sacramento, California, we have the prestigious Canon restaurant.
If you’re looking for a relaxed, modern yet rustic, serene environment to escape the stress of city living, Canon is the ideal location for your next dining experience.
With polished wooden floors, bright white décor, and perfect ambient lighting, this is a restaurant perfect for Cali.
Brad Cecchi is the man behind this wonderful eatery, offering culinary delights such as smoke-roasted lamb with goat cheese, rapini, polenta, and Calabrian chilli. While here, we can wholeheartedly recommend the oysters from the ‘quick bites’ section of the menu, served with a variety of estate vinegars.
Le Cinq, Paris, France
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Come on, you didn’t think we’d be listing the top 10 Michelin Star restaurants in the world and would not include a restaurant from France, did you?
While many of the eateries on our list today have embraced French cuisine, or have at least drawn influence from it, Le Cinq is the real deal, and it really is something very special indeed.
For more than two decades now, Le Cinq has been captivating diners from all over the globe, and has gone from strength to strength.
Located on 31 Avenue George V, Paris, the food prepared and served here is as close to edible art as you can get. With signature dishes including Spaghetti Gratin with truffle, ham, and artichokes, or Dublin Bay Prawns with warm mayonnaise and buckwheat pancakes, each dish is as beautiful to look at as it is to tuck into.
Per Se Restaurant, New York, USA
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Finally, last, but certainly not least, we have Per Se, New York.
Another Thomas Keller restaurant, Per Se is situated in the heart of the Big Apple, in the Time Warner Building on the fourth floor. It offers spectacular views of NYC along with a warm and friendly New York inspired décor with just a whispering of Art Deco thrown in for good measure.
Each day Per Se offers two tasting menus, in the form of a nine-course chef’s tasting menu, as well as a nine-course vegetable tasting menu. Most interestingly of all is the fact that no single ingredient will ever be repeated throughout the duration of the meal. If you want something truly unique, Per Se can certainly deliver that.
In particular, the Macadamia nut dipped in chocolate is to die for.