It’s no small feat to achieve a Michelin star. The accolade is given to the best of the best of restaurants, symbolizing exceptional food quality without taking into account other factors, such as the decoration or style of a restaurant, according to the Michelin website. So what does the upper echelon of fine dining look and taste like in different regions of the world?
I’ve eaten at Michelin-starred restaurants in the West Coast, East Coast, Europe and Asia. Based solely off of the food, I didn’t think they all were necessarily better than other non-starred restaurants I’ve eaten at. However, they all were exceptionally better in terms of service, all offered some form of “freebie” and all were pristinely clean. Combining these attributes with excellent food yielded dinners that were more than just dinners – they were experiences.
Glovers Alley – Dublin, Ireland
Price: $179 for 6-course prix-fixe.
Background: Created by chef Andy McFadden in 2018, Glovers Alley is located on the second floor of The Fitzwilliam Hotel overlooking St. Stephen’s Green. It was first awarded a Michelin star in 2022, and has continued to retain it each year since.
Ambiance: Glovers Alley offers a charmingly retro yet glamourous ambiance, with plush teal booth seating, pink chairs, gold accents, mirrored ceiling and a floral-patterned carpet. Look out the window to see the lush greenery of famed St. Stephen’s Green below.
Food: Strictly speaking from a food perspective, Glovers Alley was my favorite Michelin-starred meal I’ve had. Each dish had an unexpected zing that truly wowed my taste buds. Take the scallop course, for example: It was spicy, acidic, deeply savory and slightly sweet. The beet “tartare” featured a thin layer of beet jelly encasing finely diced beets with crunch from hazelnuts and spice and acidity from mustard. Each dish was innovative, delicious, stunning and unlike anything I’ve tried before. Also, the portion sizes were perfect – I didn’t need a second dinner (unlike some tasting menus I’ve tried).
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Freebies: The dinner started with an amuse bouche of a crispy and creamy cheesy onion tart and a savory beet macaron. Next came a bread course, where I was presented with four breads, of which I opted for two (I was told I could try all four and that it was bottomless): a spiral Parmesan roll and Guinness bread. With my check, I was given two dark chocolate truffles, an Earl Grey macaron and passionfruit-hazelnut chocolate truffle.
Overall thoughts: Glovers Alley met or exceeded my expectations throughout my dining experience. While pricey, it was absolutely worth it, and I would definitely return.
Saneh Jaan – Bangkok, Thailand
Price: $58 per person for a two-person sharing set through Hungry Hub. Set dinners range from $74-$86 per person.
Background: The Michelin Guide first came to Bangkok in 2017, and Saneh Jaan was one of the first Thai restaurants to be awarded a Michelin star. Named after a traditional Thai dessert served at auspicious occasions, the restaurant aims to preserve authentic Thai flavors. Saneh Jaan offers prix-fixe lunch and dinner, as well as a la carte dining.
Ambiance: Saneh Jaan is a very large restaurant with an ambiance that skews a bit more old-school than other Michelin-starred restaurants I’ve visited. The space is very open, with all diners clearly in view of each other, and the lighting is quite bright. The walls are cluttered with framed photos, and the space is relatively neutral colored except for occasional pops of bright red.
Food: I opted to use Hungry Hub, an online booking platform in Thailand, to save money on my meal at Saneh Jaan. Instead of paying around $80 for a prix fixe, I selected six dishes from a list of 40 for just $58. Unlike other Michelin-starred restaurants I’ve been to, Saneh Jaan has a massive menu and gives hefty portions of food. To give you an idea of just how big the portions were, I ended up taking home more than half of the food I was served. The traditional sweet and sour crispy rice vermicelli with river prawn was assembled tableside, which had an old-school elegance to it that was quite enjoyable.
Freebies: A crispy eggroll was presented under a cloche before the start of the meal.
Overall thoughts: If I were to isolate just the food at Saneh Jaan, it wasn’t my favorite restaurant in Bangkok – non-Michelin-starred Aunglo by Yangrak was. Where Saneh Jaan truly excelled was in its service. I was provided a shawl without asking, as the restaurant was cold, and I didn’t have a jacket. My server thoughtfully described every dish on the 40-option menu when I asked and provided recommendations for me based on flavor profiles and ingredients I enjoy.
Sorrel – San Francisco, California
Price: $125 for a five-course prix-fixe meal.
Background: Created in 2018 by chef-owner Alex Hong, Sorrel offers prix-fixe menus of local Californian-inspired cuisine with Italian influences. Dishes highlight ingredients from local farmers’ markets and Sorrel’s rooftop garden. The restaurant has held a Michelin star every year since 2019.
Ambiance: Sorrel features a minimalistic design that creates a modern, nonfussy atmosphere. The room is one small rectangle, with an open kitchen at the back.
Food: Out of the five courses, the standout was the buckwheat gnudi with sweet corn, shishito and chanterelle. A myriad of flavors and textures, the dish kept me wanting to dig back in for more. The other three savory dishes were presented beautifully; however, I wasn’t wowed by the flavors. The dessert, a play off of s’mores, was much too sweet and cloying for my preference, and I would have liked to see some type of acidic component to cut through the richness and make it more palatable.
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Freebies: A palate cleanser presented before the dessert course was a nice addition. After the dessert course, pate de fruits were set at the table, and I was also given a takeaway box with a peppermint bonbon and miniature olive oil madeleine.
Overall thoughts: Be prepared to eat a second dinner after Sorrel. The portions are small, even for prix-fixe. Sorrel does not have a full liquor license; as such, it does not offer cocktails. While I enjoyed the majority of the dishes, the flavors were on the safe side. Sorrel’s strength lies in its plating — each dish was absolutely stunning.
Tail Up Goat – Washington, D.C.
Price: A la carte options, with snacks ($14-$17), savory ($18-$45) and sweets ($15-$16).
Background: Serving Mediterranean fare and Caribbean-inspired drinks, Tail Up Goat opened in 2016 and has held a Michelin star since 2017. The restaurant will permanently close at the end of 2025, coinciding with the end of its lease.
Ambiance: Tail Up Goat offers the most casual ambiance out of any Michelin-starred restaurant I’ve dined at. It’s warm, welcoming, nonstuffy and approachable, with the front half of the restaurant the bar and the back half the dining room.
Food: The smoked rabbit croquettes with pear butter were executed perfectly, but I thought the gnocchi with spicy pork belly ragu left a bit to be desired, as none of the flavors really popped. It wasn’t any better than the gnocchi that I had the next day at non-Michelin-starred Royal.
Freebies: The meal started with a pineapple and green tea shrub to start, which awoke my taste buds with its sweet, salty and sour flavors. I was also given a complimentary nonalcoholic cocktail, made with strawberry syrup, amaro and spruce tip-infused verjus, to go with my meal.
Overall thoughts: If you dislike a pretentious vibe but enjoy fine dining, Tail Up Goat is the restaurant for you. The restaurants’ greatest strength is its knowledgeable, attentive and personable service.
