Food is an integral part of the travel experience, and while it is always enjoyable to have a plate of pasta or a fresh salad, sometimes people look for something different a meal that is a unique experience, whose memory stays with you long after you return home. Such meals are rarely spontaneous, and sometimes you need to book months in advance, not to mention the price you will pay. But if you have always dreamed of dining at a three-Michelin-star restaurant, this is your chance to make that dream come true. Here are seven Michelin restaurants around the world, each guaranteeing an unforgettable experience just remember to reserve before your trip.
The Fat Duck, Bray, UK
The appearance of The Fat Duck, located in the village of Bray west of London, is deceptive. From the outside, the restaurant, set in a 16th-century building, looks like a rural English pub, exactly what it was before the chef transformed it into one of the world’s best restaurants. The location and village atmosphere are part of the charm, but they are not reflected in the menu, which is mostly based on molecular cuisine, with innovative and creative dishes appealing to all the senses. One example is a dish inspired by the book “Alice in Wonderland,” called “Mock Turtle Soup.” The dish includes a “golden clock” made from reduced beef stock syrup, mushrooms, and wine coated with gold leaves, a “caterpillar” made from beef tongue and pork fat, and a “turtle egg” made from parsnip puree and enoki mushrooms.
One of the chef’s famous desserts is an interpretation of a classic English breakfast egg and bacon ice cream. The meal is part of a tasting menu of about 18 dishes, and instead of a standard menu, guests receive a map after all, they are embarking on a culinary journey.
Michelin Stars: 3
Location: High Street, Bray, UK
Azurmendi, Larrabetzu, Spain
Another restaurant that invites guests on a journey is Azurmendi in the Basque region of northern Spain. Here, the journey is physical, on foot, as the meal takes place in three different locations. It begins in the restaurant’s garden, where the vegetables used in the meal are grown. After becoming familiar with some of the vegetables that will accompany them, guests move through the kitchen to the greenhouse, where they enjoy small appetizer dishes. Only then do they reach the dining room, where dishes from the Basque kitchen are served, combined with molecular cooking techniques.
In addition to focusing on food quality, the restaurant, surrounded by fields and woods, has a green agenda waste is recycled, rainwater is collected for garden irrigation, and the building is heated using geothermal energy.
Michelin Stars: 3
Location: Larrabetzu, Spain
Osteria Francescana, Modena, Italy
“Never trust a thin Italian chef” this is the title of a popular book by the chef of Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy. According to the restaurant’s long waiting list, diners clearly do not take the chef’s advice seriously. The intimate restaurant, with only 12 tables, offers traditional Italian cuisine from the Emilia-Romagna region with a modern twist.
Alongside classic dishes like veal risotto or leek ravioli, the signature dish is “Five Ages of Parmesan” five types of Parmesan cheese aged for months or even years, served in a variety of textures and temperatures, such as cream, foam, and crisp galette. For dessert, try the deconstructed lemon tart humorously named “Oops, I Dropped the Lemon Tart!”
Michelin Stars: 3
Location: Modena, Italy
Flocons de Sel, Megève, France
Flocons de Sel, located in the picturesque village of Megève in the French Alps, is an alpine and romantic restaurant. The chef searches daily for herbs and mushrooms in the surrounding mountains and carefully selects cheeses from local farms. The restaurant honors local tradition, and the chef focuses on refined and precise cuisine rather than trends, aiming for perfection in execution.
The tasting menu includes local and seasonal dishes, such as thin slices of Jerusalem artichoke in herb and truffle broth, red cabbage ravioli with blue cheese in root vegetable stock, black currants and truffles, or milk-fed veal served with a mushroom and onion tart. For those who prefer not to drive after the meal, the restaurant is part of a boutique hotel of the same name, belonging to the luxury Relais & Chateaux chain.
Michelin Stars: 3
Location: Megève, France
Alinea, Chicago, USA
Alinea, opened in Chicago by chef Grant Achatz, is known for bold and even eccentric cuisine that experiments in fascinating ways. Achatz believes that food should not only taste good but also excite and intrigue, and dining at his restaurant blurs the line between art and cuisine.
The menu includes dishes that look like paintings, such as lobster with curry, Earl Grey, and grapefruit; a dessert with corn, white chocolate, honey, and mango; and even a helium balloon dessert flavored like dried apple floating to the table.
Michelin Stars: 3
Location: Chicago, USA
Per Se, New York, USA
Per Se, one of chef Thomas Keller’s restaurants, is located on the fourth floor of a building in Manhattan with a view of Central Park. Keller, who has other restaurants in California and Nevada, is the only American chef with multiple Michelin-starred restaurants. The meal at Per Se is based on a nine-course tasting menu, with a vegetarian option available. The menu changes daily, ensuring a diverse, interesting, and delicious experience every visit. Signature dishes include Hudson Valley duck liver with berries, hazelnuts, and celery, and Scottish trout with palm hearts, green almonds, and beet butter.
Michelin Stars: 3
Location: Manhattan, USA
Lung King Heen, Hong Kong, China
Lung King Heen, located in the Four Seasons Hotel in Hong Kong, was the first restaurant in China to earn three Michelin stars, explaining why spontaneous dinner reservations are nearly impossible. The restaurant offers a view of Victoria Harbor and refined Cantonese cuisine. Lunch includes a wide selection of dim sum, while dinner features dishes such as roasted chicken, duck with Chinese mushrooms, fresh pear clams, and more.
Michelin Stars: 3
Location: Hong Kong, China