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In a city where a bagel with schmear can run you $15 and your rent eats half your paycheck, it takes a lot to be dubbed the most expensive restaurant in New York. But Le Bernardin, Midtown’s crown jewel of French seafood, has now claimed the top spot.
According to a new study by Love Food, the three-Michelin-starred institution has officially claimed the title of New York State’s priciest restaurant, thanks to its $350 tasting menu that reads more like poetry than dinner.
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Chef Eric Ripert’s iconic seafood temple has been wooing critics and deep-pocketed diners since 1986, and its newest accolades only cement its status. Not only did it land on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants extended list for 2025, but it now also leads the state in luxury dining, with caviar to match. (Literally: An ounce of the royal stuff will set you back $220.)
So what does $350 get you? An eight-course symphony of oceanic indulgence. Expect foie gras-topped yellowfin tuna; steamed lobster in citrusy shellfish broth; Dover sole with cauliflower, Romanesco and toasted almonds; and red snapper served over nori rice in a velvety green curry. You’ll cruise through salmon with Royal Osetra caviar, buttery halibut with baby vegetables and a pair of decadent desserts (think: spiced cherries with yogurt sorbet and a warm Peruvian chocolate tart with Tahitian vanilla ice cream). Wine pairings? Naturally—and yes, they’ll cost extra.
The West 51st Street dining room remains a bastion of white tablecloths and jackets-required formality, with just enough modernity from slick leather banquettes and a sweeping 24-foot seascape by Brooklyn artist Ran Ortner to remind you this isn’t your grandmother’s prix fixe.
And if you can’t quite swing the tasting menu, the lounge offers a luxe-but-more-accessible workaround in the form of a $54 lobster roll and cocktails like the mezcal-forward MLC or the Dalloway Sour, laced with chamomile and rose.
In a city that worships at the altar of food, Le Bernardin remains the high priest. Pricey? Absolutely. But for those seeking culinary transcendence, it’s money well spent—and in New York, that’s saying something.