The most expensive restaurants The most expensive restaurants in the world: an overview of the best establishments, features, photos and reviews

While some of us are quite happy with an inexpensive pizza or hot dog, others will admit to spending money on a good restaurant on a special occasion, while discerning gourmets prefer to enjoy high-priced gourmet food on a regular basis. There are people in the world who frequent the most luxurious, expensive establishments that make relatively ordinary restaurants or garden restaurants look like fast food establishments. These restaurants are pricey, but given their prestigious locations, impressive cuisine, and celebrity chefs, those who are willing to throw money away at these establishments tend to claim that they have spent their money well.

Many of the restaurants that we will discuss below are famous for their exclusivity, exotic location, rare dishes and unique atmosphere. These establishments offer more than food: they offer a unique "experience" of visiting a restaurant. Many of these restaurants derive much of their prestige from being awarded Michelin stars. The Michelin Red Guide is a series of annual guides published by the French company Michelin for over a hundred years and the Michelin Red Guide, the oldest and most famous guide, awards stars for excellence to a very select number of restaurants and bars. The acquisition or loss of a star can have a huge impact on a restaurant's success and prices.

In fact, the fact that the world's most pompous and expensive restaurants are becoming more pompous and more expensive suggests that foodie culture honors self-indulgence and rewards exclusivity and prestige. While some argue that these particular features represent the best part of any dining experience, perhaps the fact that high-quality, international-caliber cuisine is virtually out of reach for those on a more modest budget disappoints these people.

However, the most expensive restaurants in the world continue to become less and less affordable as both chefs and restaurateurs constantly refine their visions, and more and more restaurants begin to offer high-priced specialty culinary dishes, continuing to make waves around the world. Some say that good food is priceless, but these luxurious establishments suggest that cooking can certainly make a fortune. For those who can only dream of dining at one of these establishments, or for those looking for an extra meta recommendation of where to reserve a special dinner, here are the ten most expensive restaurants in the world.

10. Masa (New York)

Masa Restaurant, located in New York City's Time Warner Center, offers food and ambience in equal measure. Chef Masa Takayama advises customers to dress comfortably to comfortably spend three hours (!) of a multi-course culinary event. The restaurant does not have a set menu, customers are seated and a range of fresh dishes are brought directly from the kitchen. The atmosphere of the restaurant is very calming, probably to quell the shock you might get when you see the bill for $350 per person - not including taxes or tips. And speaking of drinks, you can really go broke here, as a decanter of Kikuhime sake will set you back $400, while a 1995 bottle of Chateau Margaux Bordeaux will cost you $1,500.

9. Misoguigawa (Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto)

This restaurant serves French food with a Japanese twist, as the website explains, the cuisine "brings together the French spirit and Japanese culture." The restaurant is located in a former teahouse in downtown Kyoto and has been serving kaiseki-style French cuisine since 1981. A seasonal eight-course menu will set you back at least approximately $162. A more pompous version of this multi-course meal is $270 with tax, and must be ordered at least five days before you arrive! Among the tasty and expensive dishes are: beef fillet with potato soufflé, beans with butter and roasted pumpkin. For dessert, the establishment offers a variety of delicious options, including a chocolate marquise with berries in a creamy pistachio sauce. The establishment also has a number of private rooms for events or just specialty dining.

8. Le Pre Catelan (Paris)


This trendy restaurant is located in the heart of the Bois de Boulogne park in Paris, France. Meal prices start at around $85 and desserts at $43, but customers will be hard-pressed to find a special order dish for less than $130. For $255 including taxes and service, you can enjoy seven meals. As a summer promotion, the restaurant is offering a five-course lunch (only!) for $199 per person. Among these expensive dishes are shrimp ravioli in olive oil-based broth, and veal with cinnamon-scented mashed potatoes. Visitors also talked about excellent bread and wine, essential elements of any French restaurant.

7. "Beige" (Beige) (Tokyo)


Restaurant "Beige" is located at the very top of the Chanel building in Tokyo's Ginza district. This restaurant is another establishment of celebrity chef Alain Ducasse, who in 2013 received a lifetime achievement award from the World's 50 Best Restaurants website. Ducasse's restaurants, culinary schools, cookbooks and consulting activities netted him an estimated $15 million in 2002, and his earnings have undoubtedly increased over the years! The Bezhy Restaurant serves French cuisine with seasonal Japanese ingredients. Special menus include a mushroom menu with porcini mushrooms and matsutake for $259, or a three- or four-course meal for $147 or $190, respectively. When you finish your dinner, you get a chocolate bar shaped like a Chanel button. Sure, for about $25.

6. Gordon Ramsay (London)


Gordon Ramsay is a well known chef, restaurateur and television personality. You may recognize the Scottish chef from the popular shows Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares or Hell's Kitchen. Ramsay's restaurants are extremely prestigious. Moreover, his signature restaurant, Gordon Ramsay, located in the Chelsea area of ​​London, has been the owner of 3 Michelin stars since 2001 (this is a great honor in the restaurant business). Their seasonal specials menu includes a range of items for £185, which works out to about $320. On top of that, of course, you'll need to pay an additional 12.5 percent tip, which rounds up the bill to $355! The restaurant also serves a bottle of red wine for £11,000, and for £18,850, in case you're interested, they'll bring you a bottle of 1900 Chateau Margaux 1er cru classé. The restaurant food is supposedly delicious, but you may have to eat noodles for the rest of the month.

5. Restaurant Crissier (Switzerland)


This restaurant was recently awarded 3 Michelin stars and is part of a nearly 40 year old line of legendary chefs. The restaurant offers a complete "sensory experience" and has received huge praise from both professional ratings and customer reviews. In 2013, Chef Benoit Violier was named Chef of the Year in Switzerland, earning him 19/20 points in the prestigious French restaurant guide Gault Millau. Among the dishes served in the restaurant are white catfish Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vi (saint-gilles-croix-de-vie) cooked with cymbopong, summer fried mushrooms and red fruit soufflé. The set lunch includes several courses, but it costs $415.

4. Aragawa (Tokyo)


Forbes Magazine ranked Aragawa as the most expensive restaurant in the world in 2006, and while it may not already be, it is still in the top five most expensive restaurants in the world. This restaurant, located at the end of a long hall in the basement of an office building in Tokyo's Shinbashi business district, can seat only 22 people. The restaurant's very good location and limited seating are part of its exclusivity. The restaurant is also known for serving some of the finest Kobe beef in the world. Other delicacies include charcoal-grilled Kobe beef steak or whole raw smoked salmon, which is smoked in the restaurant every week. Kobe beef steak is a unique dish, as the animal must meet very specific criteria, only "selective livestock" go to these steaks. The toasting process includes ten separate steps! Not including drinks, the set menu will set you back approximately $341 per person, but this special meal is well worth it if you have the money.

3. Restaurant Le Maurice (Restaurant Le Meurice) (Paris)


Given that it's owned by award-winning chef and restaurateur Alain Ducasse, it's no wonder this Versailles-inspired chic restaurant makes this list. The room is decorated with crystal chandeliers, bronze and marble, and overlooks the Tuileries Garden (Jardin des Tuileries). For a hefty sum of $524, you can try three courses plus a variety of cheeses and desserts. The price, of course, does not include drinks, which can add a couple of hundred dollars to your bill. Specialties include a guinea fowl pie (for only about $156), lobster with potatoes, sweet veal meat (cuticle and pancreas), and a decadent selection of fruit and chocolate.

2. Ithaa Undersea Restaurant (Maldives)


This exotic restaurant was rated "the most beautiful restaurant in the world" by the New York Daily News in 2014. Ithaa is located five meters below the surface of the Indian Ocean and offers a 180 degree panoramic view of the coral gardens that surround it. ("Ithaa" means "pearl" in the Maldivian language Dihevi). The restaurant serves European cuisine with a six-course set menu that starts at least $320 per person, excluding drinks or tips. The menu includes such delicacies as reef fish caviar and beef fillet from Aberdeen Angus cows. Children are allowed for lunch but not for dinner, the restaurant requires a formal dress code of course. This exotic restaurant is another establishment that can provide a truly unique experience - but such a pleasure will cost you a lot, because even for the most modest menu you will have to shell out $ 500 per person.

1. Sublimotion Restaurant (Ibiza)


The most expensive restaurant in the world, called Sublimation, is described by chef Paco Rancero as "radically different." The restaurant is on an island that tends to be better known for partying than for Michelin-starred chefs and expert culinary experts. However, this restaurant adds a touch of undeniable class to the party island.

Sublimation is located in the Hard Rock Hotel in Playa de Bossa and can only accommodate 12 visitors at a time (which makes it truly unique). A "gastric-sensory" 20-course meal is supposed to "evoke emotional experiences." These experiences may also include crying after receiving a $2,000 check. However, this is a truly one-of-a-kind lunch: technology, psychology, design, and of course, world-class food all come together to make this a unique adventure lunch (at a price that can give you a complete adventure weekend getaway) ). Everything down to the humidity of the "microenvironment" changes as you eat and enjoy your meal.

10. Masa (New York)
Masa Restaurant, located in New York's Time Warner Center, offers food and ambiance in equal measure. Chef Masa Takayama advises customers to dress comfortably to comfortably spend three hours at a multi-course culinary event. The restaurant does not have a set menu, customers are seated and a range of fresh dishes are brought directly from the kitchen.

9. Misoguigawa (Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto)

This restaurant serves French food with a Japanese twist, as the website explains, the cuisine "brings together the French spirit and Japanese culture." The restaurant is located in a former teahouse in downtown Kyoto and has been serving kaiseki-style French cuisine since 1981. A seasonal eight-course menu will set you back at least approximately $162. A more pompous version of this multi-course meal is $270 with tax, and must be ordered at least five days before you arrive! Among the tasty and expensive dishes are: beef fillet with potato soufflé, beans with butter and roasted pumpkin. For dessert, the establishment offers a variety of delicious options, including a chocolate marquise with berries in a creamy pistachio sauce. The establishment also has a number of private rooms for events or just specialty dining.

8. Le Pre Catelan (Paris)

This trendy restaurant is located in the heart of the Bois de Boulogne park in Paris, France. Meal prices start at around $85 and desserts at $43, but customers will be hard-pressed to find a special order dish for less than $130. For $255 including taxes and service, you can enjoy seven meals. As a summer promotion, the restaurant is offering a five-course lunch (only!) for $199 per person. Among these expensive dishes are shrimp ravioli in olive oil-based broth, and veal with cinnamon-scented mashed potatoes. Visitors also talked about excellent bread and wine, essential elements of any French restaurant.


7. "Beige" (Beige) (Tokyo)

Restaurant "Beige" is located at the very top of the Chanel building in Tokyo's Ginza district. This restaurant is another establishment of celebrity chef Alain Ducasse, who in 2013 received a lifetime achievement award from the World's 50 Best Restaurants website. Ducasse's restaurants, culinary schools, cookbooks and consulting activities netted him an estimated $15 million in 2002, and his earnings have undoubtedly increased over the years! The Bezhy Restaurant serves French cuisine with seasonal Japanese ingredients. Special menus include a mushroom menu with porcini mushrooms and matsutake for $259, or a three- or four-course meal for $147 or $190, respectively. When you finish your dinner, you get a chocolate bar shaped like a Chanel button. Sure, for about $25.

6. Gordon Ramsay (London)

Gordon Ramsay is a well known chef, restaurateur and television personality. You may recognize the Scottish chef from the popular shows Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares or Hell's Kitchen. Ramsay's restaurants are extremely prestigious. Moreover, his signature restaurant, Gordon Ramsay, located in the Chelsea area of ​​London, has been the owner of 3 Michelin stars since 2001 (this is a great honor in the restaurant business). Their seasonal specials menu includes a range of items for £185, which works out to about $320. On top of that, of course, you'll need to pay an additional 12.5 percent tip, which rounds up the bill to $355! The restaurant also serves a bottle of red wine for £11,000, and for £18,850, in case you're interested, they'll bring you a bottle of 1900 Chateau Margaux 1er cru classé. The restaurant food is supposedly delicious, but you may have to eat noodles for the rest of the month.

5. Restaurant Crissier (Switzerland)

This restaurant was recently awarded 3 Michelin stars and is part of a nearly 40 year old line of legendary chefs. The restaurant offers a complete "sensory experience" and has received huge praise from both professional ratings and customer reviews. In 2013, Chef Benoit Violier was named Chef of the Year in Switzerland, earning him 19/20 points in the prestigious French restaurant guide Gault Millau. Among the dishes served in the restaurant are white catfish Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vi (saint-gilles-croix-de-vie) cooked with cymbopong, summer fried mushrooms and red fruit soufflé. The set lunch includes several courses, but it costs $415.

4. Aragawa (Tokyo)

Forbes Magazine ranked Aragawa as the most expensive restaurant in the world in 2006, and while it may not already be, it is still in the top five most expensive restaurants in the world. This restaurant, located at the end of a long hall in the basement of an office building in Tokyo's Shinbashi business district, can seat only 22 people. The restaurant's very good location and limited seating are part of its exclusivity. The restaurant is also known for serving some of the finest Kobe beef in the world. Other delicacies include charcoal-grilled Kobe beef steak or whole raw smoked salmon, which is smoked in the restaurant every week. Kobe beef steak is a unique dish, as the animal must meet very specific criteria, only "selective livestock" go to these steaks. The toasting process includes ten separate steps! Not including drinks, the set menu will set you back approximately $341 per person, but this special meal is well worth it if you have the money.

3. Restaurant Le Maurice (Restaurant Le Meurice) (Paris)

Given that it's owned by award-winning chef and restaurateur Alain Ducasse, it's no wonder this Versailles-inspired chic restaurant makes this list. The room is decorated with crystal chandeliers, bronze and marble, and overlooks the Tuileries Garden (Jardin des Tuileries). For a hefty sum of $524, you can try three courses plus a variety of cheeses and desserts. The price, of course, does not include drinks, which can add a couple of hundred dollars to your bill. Specialties include a guinea fowl pie (for only about $156), lobster with potatoes, sweet veal meat (cuticle and pancreas), and a decadent selection of fruit and chocolate.


2. Ithaa Undersea Restaurant (Maldives)

This exotic restaurant was rated "the most beautiful restaurant in the world" by the New York Daily News in 2014. Ithaa is located five meters below the surface of the Indian Ocean and offers a 180 degree panoramic view of the coral gardens that surround it. ("Ithaa" means "pearl" in the Maldivian language Dihevi). The restaurant serves European cuisine with a six-course set menu that starts at least $320 per person, excluding drinks or tips. The menu includes such delicacies as reef fish caviar and beef fillet from Aberdeen Angus cows. Children are allowed for lunch but not for dinner, the restaurant requires a formal dress code of course. This exotic restaurant is another establishment that can provide a truly unique experience - but such a pleasure will cost you a lot, because even for the most modest menu you will have to shell out $ 500 per person.


1. Sublimotion Restaurant (Ibiza)

The most expensive restaurant in the world, called Sublimation, is described by chef Paco Rancero as "radically different." The restaurant is on an island that tends to be better known for partying than for Michelin-starred chefs and expert culinary experts. However, this restaurant adds a touch of undeniable class to the party island.

Sublimation is located in the Hard Rock Hotel in Playa de Bossa and can only accommodate 12 visitors at a time (which makes it truly unique). A "gastric-sensory" 20-course meal is supposed to "evoke emotional experiences." These experiences may also include crying after receiving a $2,000 check. However, this is a truly one-of-a-kind lunch: technology, psychology, design, and of course, world-class food all come together to make this a unique adventure lunch (at a price that can give you a complete adventure weekend getaway) ). Everything down to the humidity of the "microenvironment" changes as you eat and enjoy your meal.

The list of the best and most expensive restaurants in the world was compiled by the famous Forbes magazine. By the way, one of the Moscow restaurants was also honored to be included in the honorary list, but it took 15th place. We are talking about the Savoy restaurant, which some time ago was called differently - Alpine Rose. The place is significant not only for its chic cuisine and, but also for the fact that at the beginning of the 20th century a private art club was located in this place. Only artists from the Maly and Bolshoi theaters were members of the club. A respected publication has revealed to the world the ten most respectable and expensive restaurants in the world. The calculation was made in dollars per person, the amount shown is the average price of a meal, which also includes one soft drink and a tip. In some cases, a fixed price for lunch is indicated. So, the best restaurants in the world.

Three courses that are included in lunch will cost the visitor $108 per person. However, every cent of the amount spent is worth it, because not only the kitchen plays a huge role, but also the impeccable service and friendly attitude. The restaurant was opened in 1973, and its menu made a real sensation because it was innovative. And even now you can’t exactly call it ordinary and familiar. seafood and the famous Spanish game have become the hallmark of the restaurant. Cigars are offered to women and men. But in order to be able to eat in this respectable place, you need to dress accordingly - in a strict uniform.

Yamazato - Amsterdam - $109 - 9th place

The famous Japanese restaurant Yamazato is located in the Okura Hotel in Amsterdam. In terms of prices, he, perhaps, caught up with the participant, located on the 10th place. However, some visitors to Yamazato think that the cost of dishes is a bit high. But this is more than offset by the variety of dishes on offer and their amazing taste. $109 for a seasonal seven-course menu per person. There is a set of dishes for a smaller budget. So, you can taste delicious dishes for 30 - 84 dollars, it all depends on the gastronomic preferences of the client.

What will a visitor be treated to for $114 in Vienna, at the Steirereck restaurant? Here visitors are offered a huge selection of sherbet, all kinds of cheeses, bread and wine list. By the way, the restaurant's cellar is filled to overflowing with a variety of wines - there are more than 35,000 bottles of them. So, you definitely don’t have to eat dry food. In order to create a special, unique atmosphere in this place, the owners transferred arches and beams from an ancient castle in Styria to its hall. In this place, the "spirit of the Middle Ages" is in the air, which will surely delight guests.

For lunch in this magnificent place you need to pay $ 118. That's how much the menu costs per person. Dishes are prepared for the most part of Italian cuisine, while the chef does not hide the fact that he has a particular passion for fish and all kinds of dishes from it. The ambience of the restaurant and its decor is also on top. Black marble and columns, as well as Murano glass chandeliers, have allowed the restaurant to reach such great heights. This was also noted by experts, assessing the beauty of the decoration.

This restaurant is not only most expensive restaurant Australia, it is still extremely difficult to get into it. Yes exactly. To enjoy lunch or dinner at this place, those wishing to have to "line up" in a month-long queue. At Tetsuya`s Restaurant, the chef delights guests with Japanese and French dishes. Such a menu cannot be cheap by definition. 10 dishes were taken into account, for which you need to part with at least $ 135 per person. The good news is that the menu is almost never repeated, but constantly changing. However, classic dishes such as tuna, fried ocean trout, gazpacho with spicy tomato sherbet come across quite often.

Petermann`s Kunststuben - Zurich - - $151 - 5th place

At Petermann`s Kunststuben, a six-course menu that does not include wine will set you back $151 for gourmands. But it will include such dishes as: pumpkin chutney, zucchini and foie gras with lobsters, mushroom soup and scallops. At the same time, desserts change each other weekly, but the Napoleon cake with pineapples is always popular. The chef of the restaurant is known all over the world, who gained fame thanks to his French cuisine.

Sketch is the brainchild of Algerian restaurateur Mazuz and chef Pierre Gagne. This is the place that can be called a culinary attraction. Grateful and flattering reviews are received by the new French cuisine, which has gained popularity in the three-star Michelin restaurant in Paris, owned by Monsieur Pierre Gagne.

The legendary private farm Eigensinn Farm is located just two hours from Toronto. You need to move in a northerly direction to reach the restaurant of the same name. Meals are prepared on the spot, and $213 will have to shell out for an eight-course menu, but without wine. Of course, in no way can such a location of the restaurant be called convenient. This is, one might say, the most unusual catering place, and the voyage will pay off a hundredfold with the unearthly taste of cooked dishes.

The owner and chef of a super-expensive restaurant in Paris has turned cooking vegetables into a true art. Although regular customers complain about inflated prices, guests will definitely regret if they pass by the place that everyone is talking about. The menu is dominated by vegetables, so anyone who does not skimp on calories and banknotes will like it.

Aragawa - Tokyo - $277 - 1 seat

Above are the most expensive restaurants in the world. Topping the list is Aragawa, which, as everyone knows, gets its famous beef exclusively from one farm. It's worth it because it just melts in your mouth. The restaurant is recognized as the best in Tokyo. Here you can taste a meat dish served with mustard and pepper.

A couple of hundred dollars for lunch - is that a lot or a little? And how much does a meal cost in one of the prestigious restaurants in the world.

The researchers who selected the restaurants took into account only the price of the main dishes on the restaurant menu. Wines, if possible, were taken into account only the cheapest. This was necessary in order to determine the minimum amount for lunch.

And besides this, the compilers of the rating determined the average cost of an ordinary lunch in different cities and different countries. As a result, it turned out that the average price of a meal in a metropolis is several tens of dollars. The cheapest way to dine in New York is just $39. The most expensive city is Tokyo, but the price for lunch there is not the highest - about $70. In Paris, you will have to pay 74 dollars. The most ruinous for the wallet will be lunch at a London restaurant. There, the price of an invoice for one will be $79.

So, we present the most expensive restaurants in the world.

Tetsuya's, Sydney, Australia

Here, a ten-course dinner will cost $195. At the same time, wine prices start at $45.

To try the signature trout with kelp, fennel and daikon from the chef of this restaurant, you need to make an appointment in advance.

El Bulli, Cala Montjoi, Spain

This restaurant is open only six months of the year. The chef and his team spend half a year inventing new dishes in their laboratory in the kitchen.

Gourmets know that you have to pay at least $270 for treats. But the wine will cost $ 22 or more.

French Laundry, San Francisco, USA

The walls of this stone house have not seen anything. Here at different times there was a bar, a brothel and even a laundry. Actually, it was decided to perpetuate the last appointment in the name of the restaurant. "French Laundry" - this is how French Laundry is translated.

Dishes here, as a rule, are not chosen. Lunch in the institution is provided complex. It consists of 9 courses, for vegetarians there is a special menu. Good wine is presented here in assortment. It will cost at least $50. But getting into the French Laundry is quite difficult. A table should be booked two months in advance.

Masa, New York, USA

The cost of lunch in a restaurant in Manhattan is $ 400, this amount does not include tips. The only consolation is that the meal consists of a huge number of dishes, namely 25.

The reason for such exorbitant prices is fresh fish, as well as shellfish and unique seafood dishes. Seafood is delivered daily directly from Tokyo. Sake costs $24 here. Masa is the most expensive restaurant in New York.

Toque!, Montreal, Canada

The idea of ​​​​creating the restaurant itself, as well as the design of the premises and its menu, was inspired by farm holidays. The baked bird and the leg of the pig are excellent here. These dishes will cost a pretty penny - they cost about $40 on average.

For a seven-course meal, you will have to shell out $92, and for $147 you can order a meal with wine.

Aragawa, Tokyo, Japan

You should go here with a full wallet. For lunch, you will have to spend at least $ 550 per person. Modest in the design of the hall, the steakhouse specializes in meat. The menu has tender beef for $400, which, if you have the opportunity, is a must-try.

Large pieces of meat are cooked with mustard and pepper. Dishes are prepared only from meat from one local ranch, where, especially for an elite restaurant, they keep cows on a diet, fattening the cattle with strictly selected feed. Chicks are constantly massaged.

Alinea, Chicago, USA

The chef and at the same time the owner of this institution graduated from culinary school. For some time he worked as a winemaker, and then served as a chef at El Bulli and French Laundry. He compiled his menu of 24 dishes and valued them at $195. It's called a culinary journey.

You can buy wine in the establishment from $40. It is worth booking a table in advance. Best for a couple of months.

L "Arpege, Paris, France

A 9-course meal at this restaurant is valued at $495. In this case, the wine costs from $ 70.

Due to numerous requests from gourmets, the establishment refused red meat dishes. Now the chef cooks only from white meat or fish.

Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, London, United Kingdom

$224 before tips - and seven courses on your table. This is the highest price for a meal in London.

The restaurant itself is ready to accommodate 44 persons. The public can order fried mussels, octopus in Parmesan sauce, as well as baked duck breast with honey and swede. Wine starts at $80.

Business magazine Forbes has compiled a list of the most expensive restaurants in the world.

As you know, restaurant sales worldwide amount to 1.5-2 trillion dollars a year. 500 billion of this amount is in the United States. That is, hundreds of billions of dollars are spent in luxury restaurants somewhere in China, Japan, India, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

The magazine decided to find out where the best and most expensive of these restaurants are located. For this, 25 cities outside the United States were first selected, and then, using the Zagat Survey service, the most expensive restaurant was determined in each of them. If the price level in restaurants turned out to be the same, then the magazine chose the institution where more exclusive food is served.

In cities where the Zagat Survey service is not available, the recommendations given by local five-star hotels were taken into account. The dollar amounts shown are the price of a meal per person, including one soft drink and tips, or a fixed price for lunch.

Aragawa (Tokyo)

$277

Aragawa gets its famous beef from a single farm nearby and it really melts in your mouth. The restaurant is recognized as the best place in Tokyo where you can taste meat, which, by the way, is served only with pepper and mustard. All other seasonings are considered blasphemy.

Arpege (Paris)

$211

Chef and owner of the extra-price Arpege restaurant in Paris, Alain Passard, has made cooking vegetables an art. While regulars complain about the high prices, guests may regret walking past the restaurant everyone is talking about. The menu, which is dominated by vegetables, will appeal to anyone who does not skimp on banknotes and calories.

Eigensinn Farm (Toronto)

$213

Eigensinn Farm is a legendary private farm two hours north of Toronto. Everything that is served here in the restaurant of the same name is grown, slaughtered and prepared right on the spot. The eight-course menu costs $213 per person, without wine. The restaurant's location isn't convenient, but it's one of the most unusual eateries in North America, and it's well worth the money.

Sketch (London)

$176

Chef Pierre Gagne and Algerian restaurateur Mazouz have collaborated to create Sketch, one of the most impressive places in London. The restaurant's new French cuisine, which Gagne borrowed from his three Michelin-starred Parisian restaurant, is receiving rave reviews. The restaurant has impeccable service, its own DJ and even a rotating art exhibition.

Petermann's Kunststuben (Zurich)

$151

The six-course menu (without wine) at Petermann's Kunststuben restaurant in Zurich includes foie gras, zucchini with lobsters, scallops, mushroom soup and pumpkin chutney. The dessert changes every week, but the Napoleon cake with pineapples is always popular. Chef Chef Rico Zandonella has made a name for himself as a culinary specialist in Europe thanks to his French cuisine.

Tetsuya's Restaurant (Sydney)

$135

You have to wait more than a month to get to Tetsuya's Restaurant. And the French-Japanese menu, consisting of ten dishes, is not cheap. The menu changes often and you can never be sure that you will come across. But such classic dishes as gazpacho with spicy tomato sherbet, tuna and grilled ocean trout are served frequently.

Vitrum (Berlin)

$118

With its black marble columns and Murano glass chandeliers, the décor of the Vitrum restaurant at seat 63 is reminiscent of a Venetian villa. The menu is mainly Italian, and Chef Thomas Kellerman does not hide his passion for fish.

Steirereck (Vienna)

$114

The wine cellar of the Steirereck restaurant with 35,000 bottles of wine, the cheese cellar, the European-famous bread list and the huge selection of sherbet: these are the reasons to visit the Steirereck restaurant in Vienna. To create a special atmosphere, the owners of the restaurant brought ancient beams and arches from one of the castles in Styria into it.

Yamazato (Amsterdam)

$108

Yamazato, the famous Japanese restaurant at the Okura Hotel in Amsterdam, may be pricey, but there is a special selection here. The superb seven-course seasonal menu costs $108 per person, but there are other menus, some of which are inexpensive, ranging from $84 to $30.

Zalacain (Madrid)

$108

The three-course menu at Zalacain costs $108 per person, but the experience is worth every cent. When the restaurant opened in 1973, it was the outpost of the new Basque cuisine in Spain. Today, the menu is still innovative and includes exotic seafood and various Spanish game. Guests, both men and women, are offered cigars. A strict dress code is required to visit the restaurant.