14 Cities Where You Can Eat At A Top Michelin-Starred Restaurant Without Breaking The Bank

How far would you travel for good food? Since its inception in 1900, the Michelin Guide has encouraged people to venture out for a decent bite to eat. In fact, the guide was created to entice motorists to hit the road so that the Michelin company could sell more tires. Today, the guide covers over 40,000 restaurants in more than 35 countries. When you think of Michelin-starred restaurants, fine dining establishments where a single meal could cost half your paycheck probably come to mind. After all, the average price for a tasting menu at a restaurant with two or three Michelin stars was $276 in 2021, according to Chef's Pencil. And with inflation on the rise, restaurants around the world have had to raise their prices. But that doesn't mean you can't find affordable Michelin-starred spots.

There are plenty of restaurants with Michelin stars that offer reasonably priced meals. We discovered that one way to spend less on food when traveling is to try the lunch sets. You get the same quality of food but lower prices than during dinner service. Street food is another option, as several street food vendors have earned Michelin stars. If you're planning your next trip with gastronomy in mind, we scoured the Michelin Guides to uncover cities worldwide with Michelin-starred restaurants that offer exceptional cuisine that's also affordable at $150 a meal or less. You can learn more about our methodology at the close of this article.

In 2005, the Michelin Guide made its first foray outside of Europe to New York City. Today, there are over 70 restaurants with stars in the New York City Michelin Guide. The offerings are as diverse as the population of the Big Apple, with Michelin-starred restaurants serving everything from Korean to Mexican, Indian, and fusion cuisine. While some swanky spots charge precisely what you expect to pay for food in NYC at an upscale fine dining restaurant, other venues are a bit more low-key with prices to match.

Casa Mono is a cozy one Michelin-starred spot that specializes in Spanish tapas. Grab a seat at the bar or one of the intimate tables and dig into dishes like the mussels with chorizo for $21 or the creamy eggs with sea urchin for $28. If you're craving Asian cuisine, head to the one-starred Jeju Noodle Bar for modern Korean bowls and bites. The Gochu Ramyun with pork belly and noodles in a spicy pork broth will set you back $23. Michelin-recommended Don Angie is a must for classic Italian-American fare like hearty pasta that starts at $27.

One of Anthony Bourdain's tips for finding the best places to eat is to look for where the locals go. In Singapore, that would be the hawker centers, which are basically food halls with multiple vendors selling street food-style dishes. Some vendors have been serving the same dish for decades, and many have a slew of loyal fans who will line up for their particular specialty. In 2016, Singapore became the first country in the world where street food vendors were awarded Michelin stars.

Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodles was one of the first hawker stalls to earn a star, and it still holds that distinction today. Located on Crawford Lane, the family-run shop offers what some consider the best bak chor mee in the city. This classic Singaporean dish features springy egg noodles, minced pork, pork dumplings, and pork liver in a savory broth. A bowl of pork noodles at Tai Hwa costs SGD $23 ($17.25). Chan Hon Meng also earned a Michelin star in 2016 for his stall Liao Fan Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle, although he lost the star in 2021. You can visit the original stall (now called Hawker Chan) at the Chinatown Complex Food Centre for a plate of soya sauce chicken rice that will cost you just SGD $7 ($5.25).

Prague is best known for its rich history and stunning architecture, but not so much for its dining scene. That's a shame because the city does have some excellent restaurants that don't just serve the typical Czech fare of meat, potatoes, and cabbage. Many forward-thinking chefs are reinventing classic dishes into fun, flavorful creations that are the opposite of stodgy. Two of those chefs have earned Michelin stars for their creativity, and both restaurants are relatively affordable compared to many starred restaurants in other cities.

If you want a Michelin-starred lunch that won't put you in debt, head to Field for the weekday lunch menu. The menu starts at CZK 1,100 ($48) for two courses or CZK 1,350 ($60) for three courses. It's all about seasonality at Field, so the meal could incorporate local ingredients like black trumpet mushrooms, crayfish, or elderberries. Prague's other Michelin-starred restaurant is La Degustation Bohême Bourgeoise, which offers a fab five-course dinner menu for CZK 2,450 ($109). The flavors are distinctly Czech but with a modern twist. Think venison with rosehip and blueberry or duck with beetroot and licorice.

There is no shortage of great places to eat in Washington, D.C. The current Michelin Guide for D.C. lists 24 restaurants with one to two stars. As you would expect, most of them are pretty pricey. For example, the tasting menu at Jônt will set you back $375 per person, and that's before you factor in drinks, tax, and a tip. Pineapple and Pearls is another two-star spot where you could easily pay well over $350 for a meal with drinks. If you're not willing to splash out big but want a Michelin-starred meal, a few places offer good deals.

Tail Up Goat is one of the more affordable options in D.C. This easy-going spot in the Adams Morgan neighborhood offers tasty Mediterranean eats like bluefin tuna crudo and coffee-rubbed beef. The four-course dinner menu is priced at $105 and includes plenty of snacks for the table to share. If you're not into multi-course tasting menus and prefer to go a la carte, grab a seat at the bar or on the patio. It also has a sister restaurant called Reveler's Hour, where you can get delicious pasta starting at $30 and mains like pork Milanese and half a grilled chicken for $37.

Taipei got its first Michelin Guide in 2018, and ever since then, restaurants in the city have been racking up stars. The 2023 Taipei Michelin Guide awarded 35 restaurants with stars, including two with the highest distinction of three stars, which means "exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey." A meal at one of the three-starred restaurants (Le Palais and Taïrroir, in case you were wondering) will cost you a pretty penny. Not to worry, though, because several starred restaurants are very affordable by comparison.

Shin Yeh Taiwanese Signature earned a Michelin star for its expertly executed dishes in an elegant setting at the Taipei Marriott Hotel. Appetizers start at NT $160 ($5) and are great for sharing with a group. Fujin Tree Taiwanese Cuisine & Champagne is another spot where you can grab tasty Taiwanese dishes in beautiful, leafy surroundings. The weekday set lunches start at NT $1,980 ($63) for an array of dishes like mullet roe fried rice and deep-fried tofu. Then there is Din Tai Fung, which has earned star recognition in the past for its famous soup dumplings. The flagship Din Tai Fung restaurant in Taipei no longer has a Michelin star, but it does have a Bib Gourmand rating.

You can undoubtedly spend a mint on fantastic food in Paris if you want to. After all, the city is home to some of the most prestigious restaurants in the world. For example, Restaurant Guy Savoy consistently wins top awards from major restaurant guides, including two stars from the Michelin Guide. However, the set menu will cost you €680 ($747) excluding drinks. For those on a budget, there are a few Michelin-starred eateries where you don't have to take out a second mortgage just for a meal.

If you love seafood, chef Gaël Orieux serves delectable fish, crustaceans, and meat dishes at his chic restaurant, Auguste. The set lunch menu costs €45 ($50) for a starter, main, and dessert. The restaurant is small, which makes for an intimate vibe, and the decor is fresh and modern. Lunch seatings are only from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., so it's best to make a reservation if you want to secure a table. Contraste is another spot that offers a great value lunch set. For €55 ($60), you'll be treated to three courses featuring whatever is fresh and in season. Add €44 ($48) for food and wine pairings.

Compared to many other European capital cities, Lisbon can be very cheap for dining out, even if you throw in the occasional Michelin-starred meal. The city has a thriving dining scene, so you'll find everything from casual cafes serving rustic bifanas (pork sandwiches) to fine dining restaurants that take cues from molecular gastronomy. The Lisbon Michelin Guide has two restaurants that stand out for their creative cuisine at reasonable prices: Kabuki Lisboa and Encanto.

At first glance, Kabuki Lisboa looks like a seriously swanky spot. After all, it's located in the Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon. The dinner menu can be slightly daunting, with dishes like wagyu beef priced at €110 ($121) per gram. However, some superb value multi-course meals are on the executive menu during lunch. The Menu Executivo Cru includes a bento box, sashimi, sushi, and dessert for just €45 ($50). If you're looking for an affordable dinner, Encanto gets rave reviews for its imaginative vegetarian fare and biodynamic wines. The tasting menu is priced at €125 ($137) for an impressive 11 courses.