25 Most Exclusive Restaurants Around The World

Posted by , Updated on November 23, 2023

People love to eat out. According to various surveys, going to restaurants is one of the most common social activities worldwide. Pretty much everyone loves to visit their favorite restaurant every now and then.

A simple look at the restaurants in every city will help you realize that most of them are full of diners not only on the weekend but also throughout the week. For that matter, people love eating not just in restaurants but also in markets, food stalls, food trucks, and so on.

So, if you happen to be a food aficionado or a food junkie and you love exploring new restaurants, the following list of 25 Most Exclusive Restaurants Around The World will probably excite you. At the same time, they just might discourage you. Yep, sadly, you won’t likely be able to enjoy a meal in any of the restaurants that follow.

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25

Next, USA

1024px-Achatzhttps://www.nextrestaurant.com/

According to leading chefs Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas, Next constantly explores the world of cuisine and changes its menus in order to offer a completely new dining experience every four months.

In reality, booking a table at Next in Chicago isn’t all that hard. What makes things exclusive is the ever-evolving menu, which creates specific dishes extremely hard to find again if you visit a season or two later.

24

Huashan Teahouse, China

huashan1https://curiosity.com/topics/huashan-teahouse-serves-the-most-dangerous-tea-in-the-world-curiosity/

At Huashan Temple’s teahouse, you’re always welcome, as it’s not a super expensive or exclusive restaurant. The thing is that you will have to make a treacherous trek up a mountain in China’s Shaanxi province.

The pathway, often called the most dangerous hike in the world, includes little more than wooden planks and chains at some points in the journey. Despite some hikers falling to their death, people keep making the trip to the temple. If you make it there safely, it will most likely be the most satisfying cup of tea you ever drink.

23

Mugaritz, Spain

130510002506-mugartitz2https://www.mugaritz.com/

Only open for specific days from early April to December, the restaurant caters to just 50 diners. You also have to send in a reservation request first.

The restaurant will then either send you a booking confirmation (if there’s availability) or offer an alternative choice. The chefs there claim to create art with their dishes, which is the reason they are open so few days during the year.

22

Brae, Australia

1_Braehttps://braerestaurant.com/

According to local news, Brae is a restaurant where pretty much everyone in Australia wants to eat. However, this would mean making a reservation up to three months in advance.

Further, there’s an extra obstacle to making a reservation there. Most of the tables are held back for guests staying in one of the six guest rooms, so you’ll have to add about $417 for a night’s stay on top of the $190 menu.

The only sure thing is that dining at Brae is far from cheap.

21

Noma, Denmark

Noma_entrancehttp://noma.dk/

Located in Copenhagen, Noma is one of the most popular, exclusive restaurants in the world. Specializing in “New Nordic” cuisine, Noma serves creative menus that change with the seasons.

In case you’re planning to eat there anytime soon, we’re afraid that you will have to wait until 2020. Reservations for Noma generally close early, once the restaurant is fully booked until the end of the year.

20

Disfrutar, Spain

img_2091http://www.disfrutarbarcelona.com/web/

In Disfrutar, located in the beautiful city of Barcelona, you should expect the unexpected, which is the main reason it’s almost impossible to get a table there.

See, the tables are only available to book 180 days in advance. Those who don’t get in can sign up for the waiting list. The classic menu is around $177 and includes totally unique inventions like crispy egg yolk and liquid salad.

19

Schloss Schauenstein, Switzerland

2125971_previewhttps://www.cntraveler.com/restaurants/furstenau/schloss-schauenstein

This fancy restaurant is created inside an 18th-century castle in the Swiss Alps. Using a focused set of ingredients, head chef Andreas Caminada crafts a series of six three-Michelin-star-worthy plates for about $267.

The menu includes delicacies such as goose liver with goat cheese and sweet maize, or seared trout with tarragon sauce, beets, and pea purée. Just make sure you book a table in Schloss Schauenstein six to nine months before you hope to dine there.

18

n/naka, USA

n-naka-spring19-06-1-1024x820https://n-naka.com/

This LA-based Japanese restaurant accepts reservations every Sunday at 10 am PST. According to the rumors, you’ll most likely have to wait at least three months to get a taste of its menu.

The dinner typically lasts up to three hours and the modern kaiseki (traditional multi-course Japanese dinner) will set you back $275.

17

Le Meurice, France

le-meurice-alain-ducassehttps://www.dorchestercollection.com/en/paris/le-meurice/restaurants-bars

This Versailles-inspired restaurant literally oozes wealth and luxury, from the antique mirrors and crystal chandeliers to the five-course Collection menu.

For about $445, one can taste three specialties only served in this restaurant, plus a selection of cheeses and desserts.

16

Ultraviolet, China

scene4https://uvbypp.cc/

Shanghai’s most popular restaurant caters to ten diners per night. The visitors usually gather around one table, where 22 courses are served alongside a multi-sensory atmosphere of music, video, scents, and simulations.

This unique and very Chinese experience costs about $600. The dishes rotate frequently to ensure that none of the guests leave the restaurant hungry or unsatisfied.

15

Sukiyabashi Jiro, Japan

Sukiyabashi-Jiro-20161106-Instagram-User-davidbeckham-Maphttps://www.sushi-jiro.jp/

Bookings for this Tokyo-based sushi restaurant open on the first day of the month for that month’s seating, although lines can be busy for days.

Once there, a hungry client will have to follow the strict rules of the restaurant’s chef on how to eat the sushi. The 20-piece meal costs 40,000 Yen, which is about $370. (Not sure I love sushi that much.)

14

é by José Andrés, USA

e-01http://www.ebyjoseandres.com/

Tucked away in a small private room adjacent to Jaleo’s bustling bar and paella grill, é by José Andrés in Las Vegas offers a unique tasting menu of Spanish avant-garde dishes.

Accessed through a glass door emblazoned with the letter é, the room is dominated by a steel-topped bar with seating for nine. The only way to dine in this nine-seat restaurant, though, is to enter with a golden ticket. These golden tickets are sold up to three months in advance.

Needless to say that VIPs and celebrities usually get these tickets so a “commoner” might need to wait for a year or two to buy one.

 

 

13

Maison Pic, France

Chef_Anne-Sophie_Pichttps://www.anne-sophie-pic.com/

The leading chef in this restaurant, Anne-Sophie Pic, holds the distinction of being one of six female chefs in the world to run a Michelin three-star kitchen.

Her delicious and inventive nine-course Menu will cost you $375 but it will provide an unforgettable experience. The only problem is that you may have to wait nearly a year to make a reservation.

12

The Polo Bar, USA

20160721_polo_bar_c04_s05https://www.ralphlauren.com/global-polo-bar?ranMID=37812&ranEAID=TnL5HPStwNw&ranSiteID=TnL5HPStwNw-A8lEU8AqTYtnLSS6G6tNFQ&utm_source=Affiliate&utm_campaign=TnL5HPStwNw&utm_medium=TnL5HPStwNw-A8lEU8AqTYtnLSS6G6tNFQ&SiteId=TnL5HPStwNw-A8lEU8AqTYtnLSS6G6tNFQ

Ralph Lauren’s first New York restaurant, The Polo Bar is probably the most exclusive restaurant in the United States. Unless you’re a famous celebrity or powerful politician, it’s nearly impossible to get a table, even if you’re rich but not “famous.”

If you call to book, no one answers and there’s no availability online. If you’re brave enough to show up at the restaurant uninvited, two bouncers ensure that only those with a reservation are allowed in.

11

Osteria Francescana, Italy

Botturahttps://osteriafrancescana.dinesuperb.com/

According to many Italian experts, this restaurant has changed modern Italian cuisine for good. Further, Osteria Francescana was one of the first restaurants worldwide to claim the prestigious “Best of the Best” award, a new category under The World’s 50 Best Restaurants.

Eating there, however, is a little tricky. Other than its menu costing about $350, reservations can be done only through their website.

Reservations are released at 10:00 AM (Italian time) on the first day of each month, three months in advance. In case of a Saturday or Sunday, the reservations open on the first Monday of the month.

10

Inis Meáin, Ireland

URLAUBSARCHITEKTURInisMeain-14-0https://inismeain.com/

Inis Meáin Restaurant & Suites was created by Marie-Thérèse and Ruairí de Blacam in 2007, with the aim of enabling guests to experience their island of natural beauty.

Its unique location is the key to why Inis Meáin is constantly booked. The restaurant is designed and built in such a way that every detail is inspired by the island and its remote way of life.

As for the food? The few lucky visitors who have been there described it as one of the best meals they ever had.

9

Per Se, USA

Per-Se-©1-Daniel-Kriegerhttps://www.thomaskeller.com/perseny

Even with its $325-a-head price tag, making a reservation with this luxurious restaurant in New York City isn’t easy at all. The lucky customers who have had the chance to eat there state that it’s worth the cost (and wait) to experience Thomas Keller’s signature “oysters and pearls.”

Further, his famous “oysters and pearls” are followed by a succession of eight impeccable dishes in which no ingredient is repeated.

8

Takazawa, Japan

Takazawa-in-Tokyo-20171114-Kate-Hudson-Instagram-Maphttp://www.takazawa-y.co.jp/reservation-en/

Making a reservation in this ten-seat sushi restaurant is a matter of speed, as reservations open for only a few minutes on the first day of each month.

Other than being fast, you need to be quite wealthy to eat there; the cheapest menu costs “only” $370, excluding the drinks.

7

Fäviken, Sweden

MV5BMjE5NTc4NTk3N15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwOTMyNzE4NTE@https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F%C3%A4viken

By the time you read this list, Fäviken might not even exist. This Michelin two-star restaurant’s final day of service is scheduled to be the 14th of December, 2019.

The World’s #1 restaurant for 2012 will no longer serve a very few lucky clients because the owner wants to do other things than owning one of the most exclusive restaurants in the world. 

6

El Celler de Can Roca, Spain

el-celler-de-can-roca-sign-2-1https://cellercanroca.com/

To make a reservation and eventually taste the dishes of this Michelin three-star restaurant could be described as a mission impossible; well, almost impossible.

If you’re patient and lucky enough, you can get in touch with them on the first day of each month, at midnight … the only date this restaurant receives calls for reservations.

5

Mesa 1, Mexico

https___blogs-imageshttps://www.forbes.com/sites/eustaciahuen/2016/12/30/worlds-most-exclusive-restaurant-serves-only-one-seating-a-day/#45ae2a7c760a

There’s only one table at Mesa 1 in Mexico and one sitting per evening. Located in the exclusive W Punta de Mita resort, you can book your table for two to 18 people.

Keep in mind that if you’re lucky enough to book the table (you’ll encounter a super long waiting line) you will need to pay $300 per person, plus a $200 reservation fee for a seven-course menu.

As you probably understand by now, this restaurant is not for everyone’s pocket.

4

Ithaa Undersea, Maldives

b2bab9fd-79b2-4435-e299-0390705ec466https://www.conradmaldives.com/dine/ithaa-undersea-restaurant/

Situated more than 16 feet below sea level in the Indian Ocean, this glass-enclosed wonder is as pleasing to the eyes as it is to the palate.

The restaurant can’t welcome more than 14 people per night. These lucky few have the opportunity to take in a 180-degree view of coral reefs and sharks while eating spicy sea snails and veal tenderloin from the exclusive menu.

3

La Mesita de Almanza, Argentina

La-Mesita-de-Almanzahttps://www.facebook.com/lamesitadealmnanza

Eating in this 18-seat restaurant isn’t the easiest thing to do for sure. To begin with, it’s located on the island of Tierra del Fuego in Argentina, the southernmost tip of South America. It’s incredibly hard to even get access to the island, which is often called the end of the world.

Further, the restaurant is literally closed for most of the week and any phone calls often go unanswered. If you’re lucky enough to eat there, however, rumors have it that some of the best seafood on the planet is served there.

2

Damon Baehrel, USA

2-IMG_2759-lghttps://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/462788/Inside-Damon-Baehrel-s-restaurant-where-you-wait-FIVE-YEARS-for-a-table

This restaurant is located in the home of Damon Baehrel and his wife … in their basement, to be exact. The location is tucked away in the hamlet of Earlton in Coxsackie, New York.

Damon claims to acquire all the ingredients used in the restaurant, such as pine flour, acorn oil, and vinegar, directly from his 12-acre property. The seafood and meats are sourced from a neighboring organic livestock farm.

What’s more impressive about this 16-seat restaurant is that it has a ridiculously long waiting list. Some reports state the waitlist is from 5 to 10 years. Regardless, people from more than 50 different countries have traveled to Earlton, New York, over the past few years to taste Damon’s food.

1

Mirazur, France

mirazur-menton-e1564145864974https://www.theworlds50best.com/the-list/1-10/Mirazur.html

Not too long ago, Mirazur was classified as the world’s best restaurant at an awards ceremony in Singapore, organized by the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.

This magnificent eatery on the French Riviera has been praised for a number of its dishes, including salt-crusted beetroot from its own garden, with caviar cream. The only bad thing about Mirazur is that very few selected clients can enjoy these dishes as the restaurant is not very welcoming to “everyday” people.



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