13 Affordable Michelin-Starred Restaurants

Eagerly awaiting the announcement of the Michelin team’s newest recommendations for 2022? We’ve rounded up our all-time favourite starred restaurants that are unforgettable for their food – not their eye-watering prices.

For millennials, Michelin-starred dining is often reserved for special occasions (read: when your parents take you out for your birthday, if you're lucky). Keen to prove that our dietary habits extend beyond avocado on sourdough, artisan coffee and prosecco, we've drawn up a list of our favourite affordable Michelin-starred restaurants around the world - with the cheapest (yet delicious) dish coming in at around £1. Yes, really.

The world's tastiest and most affordable Michelin-starred restaurants

restaurant

Carbone

New York, United States

This beloved one-star is the brainchild of Mario Carbone, Rich Torrisi and Jeff Zalaznick. Offering convivial, family-style dining, it pays homage to the essence of the great Italian-American restaurants of mid-20th century New York City. "Stylish servers - who work the floor with a little flirt and a lot of flair" are a highlight, with popular dishes including chicken scarpariello, veal parmesan and New York cheesecake. Generous portions (and keeping an eye out for the menu's cheaper items) ensure your meal remains on the right side of affordability.

Address

181 Thompson Street NY 10012

pollen-street-social

restaurant

Pollen Street Social

London, United Kingdom

Jason Atherton's contemporary bistro is a masterclass in informal dining with a slick finish. With a fleet of successful restaurants under his belt, Atherton is no novice - we're hardly surprised that Pollen Street Social was awarded a Michelin star within six months of opening. Foodies will delight in the counter experience, watching chefs whip up their meal with sass and style. We'd recommend saving your visit for a special occasion, opt for a lunch sitting - three courses for £65.

Address

8-10 Pollen St, London W1S 1NQ

restaurant

Jagger

Copenhagen, Denmark

Dynamic chef Rasmus Oubaek has redirected his focus toward fast food, and we couldn't be happier about it. His burger joint Jagger, which opened in 2016, is considered one of the best in Copenhagen. Expect a go-easy vibe and spot-on eat-in or take-out options. Serving up gloriously greasy burgers and thin-cut, skin-on fries, this place is turning fast food into fine dining and we're there for it.

Address

Istegade 62 DK–1650

restaurant

Al’s Place

San Francisco, California

San Francisco is well known for its thriving food scene. Al's Place in the Mission adds to the culinary milieu, making great use of local produce and seafood in its vibrant regional fare. The buzzy neighbourhood restaurant, founded by chef-owner Aaron London, has no dress code and offers superlative family-style dining. An added perk? Dishes start from as little as £2.

Address

1499 Valencia Street San Francisco CA 94110

benoit paris france exterior

restaurant

Benoit

Paris, France

Opened in 1912 and acquired by the Ducasse group in 2005, one-starred Benoit is the only Parisian bistro to feature in the Michelin Guide. The dining room's decor unites brass benches, carved-glass panels and marble columns, all complemented by a menu of outstanding classic French cuisine. The £33 lunch menu is varied and never disappoints. Don't visit without trying the black pudding - it's seriously spectacular.

Address

20 Rue Saint-Martin 75004 Paris France

restaurant

Kyourakutei Soba

Tokyo, Japan

This small soba restaurant, located a five-minute walk from Iidabashi station, plays down its Michelin-star prestige. Famous for its handmade soba noodles, which are milled fresh every day, Kyourakutei Soba's fresh tempura and local sake make a potent pairing. For those overwhelmed by the huge menu, we'd suggest the Ten Zaru or KisetsuTen Zaru sets.

Address

Shinjuku City Kagurazaka 3 Chome−6 162-0825

restaurant

Paul Ainsworth at No 6: Padstow

Padstow, Cornwall

Located in a beautiful Georgian townhouse, Paul Ainsworth at No.6 is a seaside delight. Situated in Padstow, on the north coast of Cornwall, the restaurant serves contemporary British dishes that showcase the best of Cornish produce. The work of talented head chef John Walton, the lunch menu offers three courses for £29. Smoked haddock quiche lorraine, anyone?

Address

6 Middle Street Padstow PL28 8AP Cornwall UK

restaurant

Jan

Nice, France

South African-born chef Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen earned his stripes working on private yachts in Monaco, before setting up this 24-seater restaurant. Located near the Old Port, the restaurant's £46 three-course lunch menu represents incredible value for money, while there's sometimes a two-course market lunch on offer for £25 - a steal. The wine list is well worth exploring, too, particularly for its native bins.

Address

12 Rue Lascaris 06300 Nice France

restaurant

Tim Ho Wan

Tong Mi, Hong Kong

Before Singapore's soya sauce chicken rice and noodles (see below) came along, the cheapest Michelin-starred meal in the world was said to be at Hong Kong dim sum joint Tim Ho Wan. This Hong Kong Island outpost at North Point, Sham Shui Po, promises speedy service, bearable queues and, whether at lunch or dinner, a memorable meal for two for just £25.

Address

G/F 9-11 Fuk Wing Street Sham Shui Po Hong Kong

restaurant

Liao Fan Hawker Chan

Chinatown, Singapore

The world's cheapest Michelin-starred meal? Liao Fan Hawker Chan's Hong Kong soya sauce chicken rice and noodles. After this humble hawker stall received one star in the city state's inaugural Michelin Guide, word spread fast. This bricks-and-mortar iteration, a casual dine-in affair, which opened to keep up with demand, is just a stone's throw away from the original Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre-based stall. The star dish is a must-try.

Address

78 Smith Street 058972

exterior of antiqvvm porto portugal

restaurant

Antiqvvm

Porto, Portugal

Antiqvvm picked up its first Michelin star a speedy one year after opening. Overlooking the River Douro, the restaurant offers a tranquil outdoor dining space nestled within a manicured city-centre park - picture black tables slotted between fragrant yew hedges. Head chef Vitor Matos serves up innovative dishes carrying a Portuguese and Hungarian flavour. Come for the set lunch, which comes in at a delectable £20.

Address

Rua de Entre-Quintas 220, Porto 4050-240, Portugal

sinne amsterdam green food bowl

restaurant

Sinne

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Chef Alexander Ioannou and his wife Suzanne Sluijter opened the serene Sinne in 2013. With an impressive 14 Michelin stars (four two-stars and 10 one-stars), Amsterdam isn't short of fine-dining establishments, but we're rating this as one of the city's tastiest hangouts. Interiors feature open-brick walls and mirrored pendant lights, while the menu is packed with crowd-pleasers such as lobster and ribs. Come at lunchtime to avoid the hefty evening queues.

Address

Ceintuurbaan 342 Huis, 1072 Amsterdam, Netherlands

restaurant

Costes Downtown

Budapest, Hungary

Located on the ground floor of the stylish Prestige Hotel, the design-driven Costes Downtown offers a wonderful blend of old and new. With its tropical plant-clad walls and abstract paintings, the atmospheric dining room is worth booking a table for in itself. Not that the food will disappoint. Special occasion on the horizon? Look to treat yourself to the famed six-course tasting menu, which features the likes of tender quail served with braised red cabbage and a balsamic jus.

Address

Vigyázó Ferenc Utca 5, 1051 Budapest, Hungary

This article was updated on 15 February 2022.

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