Decadence Redefined in Michelin Stars

Have you ever wondered what places inspire Top Chef competitors? These chefs focus on more than just food, making dining a dynamic experience. Our list of 10 Michelin restaurants and their most popular dishes inspire creatives everywhere to reach for culinary greatness.

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1. Alinea

Chef Grant Achatz has built up a 3-star Michelin rating at his Chicago restaurant. Diners can escape reality in a beautifully dark atmosphere contrasted by colorful food and a masterful dining experience.

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Most Popular Dish: Potato Truffle Explosion

A meal loved by many, the potato with black truffle and butter was first served at Trio before Achatz moved on to his own restaurant. You’ll need to pull a pin to release the hot potato into the cold soup—it’s a culinary treat to engage more than just your taste buds.

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2. Addison

The first San Diego restaurant to reach 3 Michelin stars, Addison combines influences from around the world with Southern Californian culture. Located in the Fairmont Grand Del Mar, you can enjoy fine dining and immaculate accommodations all in one trip.

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Most Popular Dish: Caviar And Rice

Chef Bradley’s popular dish captures the Californian essence by combining Koshihikari rice and Regiis Ova caviar. With hints of Japanese culture so prevalent on the West Coast, diners are reminded of important history with every delicious serving.

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3. Masa

If sushi is a passion of yours, then visit Masa, the only three-star restaurant to cater to this crowd in the US. Located in New York, this restaurant provides a bright wooden ambiance reminiscent of Japanese architecture.

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Most Popular Dish: Osetra Caviar

Luxury and Japanese culture are combined to provide a decadent dish replete with fragrant truffles and Osetra caviar. He garnishes the food with brilliant pops of color to enhance both the visual and flavor experience.

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4. Per Se

Per Se has held three stars since 2006 and it’s a restaurant with perfect lighting—diners can indulge in clear, beautiful daytime meals or wait for dinnertime’s warm and seductive ambiance. Either way, Thomas Keller designed a space that requires its guests as finely dressed as its plates. 

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Most Popular Dish: Oysters And Pearls

Loved by many, the Per Se oysters and pearls couple pearl tapioca and island creek oysters, covered in white sturgeon caviar. Chef Keller has it included on every menu; it’s an incredible course inspired by a love for tapioca and surprising the palette. 

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5. Le Bernardin

This three-Michelin-star seafood restaurant provides warm wood accents and lighting for an elegant, comforting atmosphere. Born in Paris in 1972, Le Bernardin moved to New York in 1986 and has been a favorite worldwide ever since.

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Most Popular Dish: Pounded Tuna

Though Maguy Le Coze and Eric Ripert try to stray from the concept of a signature dish, their pounded tuna is regularly requested. It’s an impossibly thin layer of tuna over foie gras that’s then spread across a toasted baguette—and it makes for a delicious eating experience.

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6. The Inn At Little Washington

The quaint Inn at Little Washington has 3 Michelin stars and a special green star awarded for maintaining a high standard of sustainable practices. Chef O’Connell sources natural ingredients from local markets and even has five gardens and beehives manned by full-time farmers.

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Most Popular Dish: Lamb Carpaccio With Caesar Salad Ice Cream

Chef O’Connell’s lamb carpaccio provides an excellent display of paper-thin lamb in concentric circles topped with Caesar salad ice cream. The chef cautions that the ice cream is meant to enhance the meat, rather than being eaten on its own. 

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7. The French Laundry

While the dining room’s light and airy atmosphere is wonderful, what’s more fascinating is that Thomas Keller has an underground geothermal loop to control water, refrigeration, and heating temperatures. It’s not surprising that he’s earned a green star. 

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Most Popular Dish: Cornets

A delectable canape, Chef Keller’s cornets are a crowd-pleaser. They’re cone-shaped pastries filled with salmon tartar and a sweet red onion creme fraiche. This excellent finger food is then topped with a chive garnish. His cookbook has more details about this and other recipes!

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8. SingleThread

Most of the produce used is grown on SingleThread’s 24-acre farm, proving why the restaurant earned a green Michelin star. To top it all off, a dark atmosphere and lounge-style seating deliver a sense of Californian wine country. 

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Most Popular Dish: Roasted Black Cod And Vegetable Fukkura-san

Chef Kyle Connaughton makes an amazing dish mixed with charred leeks, spring vegetables, and saikyo miso broth. Prepared in a Fukkura-san, these ingredients form a deliciously tender texture that’s a joy to taste.

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9. Quince

The dark ambiance of Quince provides a romantic setting where people can dine on fresh food delivered exclusively from Fresh Run Farm. Working with a pioneer of sustainable agriculture, chefs Michael and Lindsay Tusk have earned Quince a green star.

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Most Popular Dish: Tagliolini With Smoked Eel And Fava Beans

This dish consists of perfectly cooked ribbon pasta with smoked eel lying on a bed of pureed fava beans. Warm and creamy, it’s an excellent winter meal that pairs well with Quince’s cozy dining experience.

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10. Atelier Crenn

Chef Dominique Crenn earned a Green Star for her biodynamic relationship with local farmers. The various wood textures of the dining area accent the floral and woodland-inspired dishes served at Atelier Crenn.

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Most Popular Dish: Walk In The Forest

A mushroom medley winds across the plate on a layer of burnt pine meringue. The forest path is highlighted with purple pansy petals leading to a tall, thin slice of dehydrated royal trumpet mushroom at the end. Talk about an interactive journey through the taste buds.

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