What is it? State Bird Provisions is the most affordable Michelin-starred restaurant in America (which is ironic, because it’s located in San Francisco, the second-most expensive city in the country). When it opened in 2011, the restaurant mainly focused on its signature quail recipe (still on the menu today as CA state bird with provisions) and has since evolved into an eclectic, sumptuous menu of California ingredients served dim sum-style with quite a bit of Asian inspiration.
What’s the deal? The most expensive item comes in at $45 while Michelin lists a night out averaging $25 to $90. Savory standouts include Wagyu toast, yuba and shitake inari, and Sichuan pepper-beef tongue with fried rice.
For most of us, booking a meal at a Michelin-rated restaurant is a special occasion—preferably when someone else is picking up the check. But if you’re thrifty, parsing the lauded list by price can offer surprisingly affordable options. Sure, even the cheapest Michelin-starred restaurants in the U.S. aren’t exactly cheap, but they won’t break the bank, either.
Michelin ratings come with one- to three-star symbols awarded by the French tire company (yes, the same company that brought us the Michelin Man mascot). Last September was the first time that Michelin released its famous guide since the pandemic began, and since we’re always hungry for cheap eats in the U.S., we sorted through the star-studded list to find the best restaurants offering the biggest bang for your buck.
All of our top picks can be enjoyed for under $200, and in most cases, for under $100. From Los Angeles to Chicago and New York, take a look at our list below of the best, most affordable Michelin-starred restaurants in the U.S. this year.
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