10 MOST EXPENSIVE RESTAURANTS IN THE WORLD

10 Most Expensive Restaurants in the World
By Kristen Oliveri, The Daily Meal, 8 November 2013.

These restaurants are definitely not for everyday dining…

Fine dining at Michelin-starred restaurants around the world can come at a price. But what you get for those high price tags (which can often be accompanied by sticker shock) are outstanding dining experiences that can take you to a castle in Switzerland or to an underwater culinary experience in the Maldives. From Japan to Europe to the Big Apple, luxe dining menus are often designed tasting courses paired with wines, which substantially adds to the consumer’s bottom line.

Japanese restaurants all over the world often charge premium prices for lavish seafood experiences. Masa in New York City, for example, costs US$450 per person before beverages, gratuity, or tax, all of which can easily take the bill up to roughly US$600 per person for its tasting experience. And be sure not to cancel a reservation at Masa - that, too, will cost you (close to US$200 per person).

For a Japanese all-beef tour that costs a pretty penny, choose Aragawa in Tokyo. The menu, or lack thereof, highlights beef in all of its glory. But not just any beef - rather, the purebred Tajima cattle that are raised for more than 28 months in the Sanda region of Hyogo Prefecture.

Famed chef Alain Ducasse knows how to construct expensive menus over in Europe. Two of his restaurants, one in Paris and the other in the United Kingdom, make The Daily Meal’s list for quite lavish tasting menus. In his only United Kingdom outpost in The Dorchester, guests come from all over to sample the exquisite cuisine and one of its signature dishes, the fillet of halibut and Irish sea urchin with sautéed baby squid.

And it’s not just the cuisine that adds to the overall cost of a bill; it’s the ambience and atmosphere to boot. In the case of Ithaa in the picturesque Maldives, it’s all about going under water in search of the perfect meal. Be sure to opt for the wine pairing here, which is all based upon a champagne theme.

Read on to see the top 10 most expensive restaurants in the world, ranked with the most lavish dining locale at number one. The costs of the tasting menus are rough estimations and often include wine and beverage pairings and may fluctuate due to season.

10. Schloss Schauenstein, Fürstenau, Switzerland

Credit: Schloss Schauenstein

Named as one of the 50 Best Restaurants in the World by Restaurant Magazine in 2013, Schloss Schauenstein charges a premium to dine inside this beautiful Swiss castle. Head chef Andreas Caminada is at the helm of this three-Michelin-star restaurant, creating aesthetically pleasing dishes that utilize local cuisine, a perfect match to the 12th-century castle. And don’t forget to sample wine during the meal. Schloss’ sommelier Oliver Friedrich has been awarded "Sommelier of the Year 2013" by restaurant guide Gault-Millau. A meal here will run roughly US$269 per person.

9. Michel Bras Toya, Toya, Japan

Credit: flickr_veroyama

For sweeping views of awesome volcanic Lake Toya, make a reservation for Michel Bras Toya, a unique French-inspired restaurant located on the coast of Hokkaido in Japan. Cedric Bourassin is the current chef and director of the restaurant, and has crafted a menu utilizing local ingredients from Hokkaido with a French twist. The most expensive menu at the restaurant costs roughly US$287per person.

8. Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, London

Credit: Dorchester Collection

Alain Ducasse’s London concept is situated inside The Dorchester in London. The chef’s tasting menu, created by executive chef Jocelyn Herland, consists of seven seasonal courses that include dishes like crayfish velouté and fillet of halibut, Irish sea urchin, and sautéed baby squid. The seasonal tasting menu costs US$289 and the current tasting menu runs at about US$193 without beverages or wine pairings.

7. Hôtel de Ville, Crissier, Switzerland

Credit: l’Hotel de Ville

The Hôtel de Ville Restaurant, a three-Michelin-star restaurant, is run by husband-and-wife team Benoît and Brigitte Violier and has a rich history of showcasing legendary chefs in the region for more than 40 years. Some signature dishes on menus past have included "Scarlet" tomato, pulp, and pip consommé with Imperial Ossetra caviar, and "Salers" beef grilled with wild pepper, cristallines de charlotte and young fresh salad leaves. The chef’s tasting experience will cost roughly US$318 per person but there are also less expensive menu options available.

6. Ithaa, Maldives

Credit: flickr_memorypixel

Ithaa restaurant in the Maldives is located 5 meters (about 16.5 feet) below the surface and has 180-degree views of the vibrant coral gardens. The cuisine has a European slant, and is constructed into a six-course tasting menu paired with champagnes. The menu offers items like Malossol Imperial caviar with sour cream and potato blinis, and yellowtail king fish with saffron champagne risotto and beurre blanc foam. The all-inclusive six-course option will cost around US$320 per person (plus a 10 percent service charge and 8 percent tax per person), but the restaurant does offer a slightly less expensive four-course lunch tasting menu that costs US$125 per person.

5. Aragawa, Tokyo, Japan

Credit: Argawa

For the high-end diner who loves a truly exquisite place, Aragawa in Tokyo is not to be missed. The restaurant highlights purebred Tajima cattle that are raised for more than 28 months in the Sanda region of Hyogo Prefecture, where only animals who meet specific criteria are selected for designation as Sanda beef, according to the restaurant. The prices are astronomical here, and a meal can cost up to US$370 per person for the ultimate beef experience.

4. Maison Pic, Valence, France

Credit: Relaisand Chateaux

Maison Pic is a legendary French restaurant in Valence, France, that boasts three Michelin stars. Today, chef Anne-Sophie Pic is crafting the food and menus just as her father, Jacques Pic, did before her, and her grandfather, André Pic, before that. (All three Pics achieved three Michelin stars during their tenure.) For most decadent experience at the restaurant, guests can choose the Collection Pic menu, which costs roughly US$445 per person. Anne-Sophie is known for putting her own twist on classic menu dishes that have been served going back to the 1930s.

3. Masa, New York City

Credit: flickr_Rafael-Chamorro

Located in the Time Warner Centre in the heart of New York City, Masa is one of the most luxe dining experiences you can have in the Big Apple. Run by chef Masa Takayama, who was born in Tochigi, Japan, the three-Michelin-star restaurant only offers a tasting menu. It costs close to US$450 per person before beverages, gratuity, or tax, for the ultimate Japanese experience. To even cancel a reservation could cost you US$200 per person.

2. Restaurant Le Meurice, Paris

Credit: Dorchester Collection

Famed chef Alain Ducasse makes our top 10 list twice this year. At Le Meurice in Paris, he knows how to put together a costly menu. His collection menu at Le Meurice costs a cool US$509 U.S. (€380) per person for dinner, and his lunch menu will cost you US$174 (€130), and those prices are before beverages, tax, and tip. While the food is outstanding, the ambience is arguably just as fantastic, as it was inspired by the Salon de la Paix at the Château de Versailles.

1. Kitcho, Kyoto, Japan

Credit: flickr_Jun-Seita

One of the priciest dining experiences in Japan is at Kitcho, a beautifully designed restaurant run by award-winning chef Kunio Tokuoka. The chef believes every dish that is served to his customers is a work of art and represents the sights and smells of Japanese culture. A meal at this high-end establishment will run close to US$600 per person, but it's worth every penny, according to the chef.

Top image: Kitcho Restaurant, via A Life Worth Eating.

[Source: The Daily Meal. Edited. Top image added.]