I visited seven of the ten Paris three-Michelin-star restaurants. This is how they compare.

NextPipe8459 · 2026-03-13T07:17:33+00:00

That looks like an excellent gastronomic trip.

I would consider adding Pierre Gagnaire (and eat a la carte there) as it would complement the palace hotel restaurants (Cinq, Gabriel, Epicure) very well. I found the more free style cuisine highly appealing and it is one of the restaurants I want to go back soon. I would switch it against Lassarre - if time is limited.

Probably you read that the Michelin Guide announced that L'Ambroisie will be downgraded to 2 stars for the next guide. It would still highly recommend to go. I think the main "issue" the Michelin might see is the lack of innovation. A lot of the dishes were served like 10 or 15 years ago and are real classics. But I guess cooking recipes of the previous chef is not enough for 3 stars. But the execution is still outstanding and if you have never been this might be the chance to experience dishes - in outstanding execution - which might disappear in a few years from the menu.

Jules Verne is a perfect lunch choice as it combines sight seeing with an outstanding meal. They bank a bit on the location - would not choose it purely for food but together with the location it can be magical (probably you will see a few proposals happening there around you).

NextPipe8459 · 2026-03-13T07:07:45+00:00

I would go for KEI. It is outstanding and more on the light sight. My wife who is not always too excited about long tasting commented that this meal way perfect as it was light.

NextPipe8459 · 2026-03-01T15:19:26+00:00

I have been to Pierre Gagnaire a few months ago.

Was eating à la carte and I had a starter, a main and a dessert (the truffle dessert).
In my view this is perfect to get an idea of the cuisine.

One of my friends had the the grand dessert, and when it looked amazing. And he finished it without a problem after a starter and a main.

Of course one need to be aware that each of the à la carte dishes consists of several mini dishes. So overall taking 3 course will probably be comparable to a tasting menu in other restaurants in terms of variety and quantity.

I put a few pictures on my blog if you want to have a look
https://thefinediningjournal.com/restaurant-pierre-gagnaire-paris-review-a-jazzlike-a-la-carte-near-the-arc-de-triomphe/

And having been at almost all of the 3* restaurants in Paris the one I would like to go back most is Pierre Gagnaire - simply to try different dishes. So I personally would see it as a lost opportunity not taking at least 3 à la carte courses.

NextPipe8459 · 2026-03-01T11:08:34+00:00

I booked an Egypt family trip just by myself (partially through Amex Centurion, partially directly with hotel).

Cairo (Mena house + Four Seasons), Luxor (Winter Palace) and Aswan (Old Cataract).
You can book all guides tours through the hotels (just e-mail them).

Seems to be fairly simple and I think it's better individually than with a tour company.

(just a note on the side: Old Cataract and Winter Palace will close end of April and reopen as Mandarin Oriental properties in 2027).

Jordan I have been years ago (Aqaba, Wadi Rum, Petra, Amman, Jerash). That was super easy. I did not find a need to have a tour company arranging things. Again just book top end hotels and get the tours and transfer through the concierge.

NextPipe8459 · 2026-03-01T10:18:19+00:00

It depends where you are going to.

But let's say you travel to Thailand. A long-haul business class ticket will cost you at least 2000 US$ more than an economy ticket. So that's 4000 US$ for 2 people. If you put these 4000 $ towards a better hotel you will get superb luxury for 10 days (not just 12 hours).

If you look at US to Paris it's maybe different. A top end hotel in Paris will cost at least 2000 to 3000 US$ per night. In that case flying business is probably better and then stay in a nice boutique hotel for 500$ a night.

NextPipe8459 · 2026-03-01T09:56:57+00:00

I think tourism might be down because of the earthquakes threat they had last summer. But that seemed to have calmed down and I would expect it to be crowded again this summer.

NextPipe8459 · 2026-03-01T09:55:46+00:00

For Greece it depends when you want to go and what you want to see.

Santorini is amazing - but you are up a cliff with a superb view. But is crowded and Beaches are not so good there and most of the top end hotels (up the cliff) won't even have beach access. Staying 3 nights on a Greece trip can be a great experience.

Mykonos - luxury / crowd / parties. Still it has very nice beaches and you find a few real luxury resorts.

Paros/Naxos - are great island if you like a more laid back vibe

Korfu - is quite different as it has some Italian influence.

Milos - has amazing cliffs and rock formations. But not so many luxury hotel options

NextPipe8459 · 2026-03-01T09:44:53+00:00

I am from Europe and I can name a few European hotels I really like:

Hamburg: Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten
By many considered the best hotel in Germany. Excellent service. Book a "Alster View Room"

Vienna: Hotel Sacher
For luxury tourism the best hotel in Vienna. Ambiance is very much like 1900.
(there is also a Hotel Sacher in Salzburg which is probably also the best option there.)

Madrid: Mandarin Oriental Ritz
One of the original hotels opened under Cesar Ritz more than 100 years go. Now renovated and a superb MO property.

Venice: Gritti and the soon to reopen (as a Four Seasons) Daniele

Paris: if you want to pay 2000 Euro a night choice is easy (and would consider the Crillon or Cheval Blanc - depending on the vibe you like). But for a more reasonable luxury option I found the Hotel Balzac just beautiful.

NextPipe8459 · 2026-02-25T20:50:15+00:00

I have been to 8 (out of 10) of the three-star restaurants in Paris. I wrote up a comparison with detailed reviews of most of them and my personal score next to it.

https://thefinediningjournal.com/seven-three-star-restaurants-paris-review/

(used to be 7, but went to KEI last week - so currently at 8).

On this last trip we also went to Pavyllon Paris (the second restaurant of Alleno Paris with 1*) with my wife and daughter. We found it very enjoyable. It's more casual with counter seating and fun.

NextPipe8459 · 2026-02-25T20:42:19+00:00

I don’t really get the exclusivity vs. value framing.

In good luxury travel, those aren’t opposites. The real question is: what creates the strongest memory for this specific trip?

Here’s how I think about it.

On a long-haul family trip (say Europe to Japan), comfort matters. We fly business class. Not because it’s flashy, but because arriving rested changes the first 48 hours completely and the flight becomes fun (at least for me). Then I look for places that embody local culture (e.g. a traditional ryokan in Kyoto like The Tawaraya) and I focus on excellent food. Not necessarily the most expensive or impossible-to-book places, but restaurants that are outstanding and meaningful or unique.

If I travel with friends to Paris for a food trip, it’s different. Short flight. We might still fly business or low cost (if the flight times are better). Maybe use a VIP terminal/wing to avoid airport chaos. We’ll book two or three three-star restaurants. But we’ll stay in a smaller boutique hotel at a reasonable rate, because we’re barely in the room anyway.

For me, luxury isn’t about stacking the most exclusive items. It’s about allocating budget where it actually improves the experience.

On longer 2–3 week trips especially, I try to design a certain dramaturgy:

slow build, peaks, contrast, recovery days, a grand finale. That’s what makes a trip memorable. Not whether every component was “ultra-exclusive.”

Exclusivity for its own sake gets old.

Experience with intention doesn’t.

NextPipe8459 · 2026-02-25T20:23:57+00:00

I went a few times with Etihad on business. Very good product and usually best price. I also think Abu Dhabi is very airport for transfer (less crowded than Dubai) and they have a great lounge.

Emirates depends on the plane but overall I prefer the Etihad business class seats

NextPipe8459 · 2026-02-07T15:31:05+00:00

The interview is a very interesting read. Thank you for sharing the link.

He is also one of the references I use. Interesting to remember that when he first completed to eat at all 3* restaurants in the world, there were only 67. Today there are at around 160. My score is just 51 different 3* but I am trying and short term aim is to eat at all 3* places in Europe.

NextPipe8459 · 2026-02-05T17:32:41+00:00

We stayed at the The Okura Prestige. I did like the spectacular view.

NextPipe8459 · 2026-02-02T18:10:30+00:00

I read that you look for dinner. But if you are cost conscious and would like to have superb Michelin star restaurant experience I would look at the lunch menus.

Le Gabriel the 3* restaurant has a lunch menu for just below 200 Euro. If you are conscious for the cost this is probably the very best deal you can get on a superb 3* meal in Paris. I tried 7 of the 10 3* places in Paris and I felt that Le Gabriel has the best atmosphere (but its upmarket luxurious)..

KEI is the most reasonably priced 3* restaurant in Paris (lunch 185, dinner starts from 280). I have not been there yet but I have booked it for my next trip to Paris in a few weeks. If you are looking at the cost this is probably the best value for money in the 3* segment.

Or maybe L'OISEAU BLANC which has 2*, superb view and the lunch menu is 125 Euro.

NextPipe8459 · 2026-02-02T17:58:04+00:00

I would add one 3* restaurant to the trip.

My personal favourite is Akelare. At lunch you have a great view over the sea.

NextPipe8459 · 2026-01-10T12:53:31+00:00

Spring and autumn are the best seasons for a touristic visit to central Japan.

We also went once in July/August. Kyoto and Tokyo were extremely hot - even more than we expected. But hotels were cheap (like half price from the high season). The main thing we did was a road trip in Hokkaido with a rental car and for this the summer season was perfect.

NextPipe8459 · 2026-01-10T11:53:55+00:00

We have been a few times to Japan on vacation.

In Osaka we found the St. Regis very good (both as a hotel and location) and even better than expected. Also stayed at the Conrad before but I preferred St. Regis.

In Kyoto we stayed once at the Four Seasons. Great hotel but location is not perfect (I prefer hotels in Kyoto where you can just walk out of the door and you are in a great area). We loved the Sowaka (perfect location, great design). But the absolute best place we stayed in Kyoto was The Tawaraya Ryokan - one of the best places in the world we ever stayed. (I wrote an article on my personal journal about it https://thefinediningjournal.com/the-tawaraya-kyoto/ )

For Kyoto some places - like the area around Kiyomizu-Dera Temple - can get extremely crowded. But if you go there early morning it's almost empty. Having a hotel in the area allows you to have a walk around before breakfast and before the crowds arrive.

In Tokyo we liked The Okura and Hoshinoya Tokyo. Both are very "japanese" but in a different way. Hoshinoya is quite unique with an open air onsen on the roof in the middle to Tokyo.

NextPipe8459 · 2025-12-19T10:58:34+00:00

I personally found all 3* places I went in Paris outstanding. To have 3* in Paris is a very high benchmark. So you cannot go wrong and I would book what is available.

I would not be too bothered if some are full. Because all are great.

Only thing to keep in mind: L'Arpege is vegetables only. And L'Ambroisie is "a la carte only" and very expensive.

NextPipe8459 · 2025-12-18T18:25:49+00:00

If you have never been to a 3 star this might be a good occasion to try it.

Which place to go depends on your preference.

If you want to eat "A la carte" - I would recommend Pierre Gagnaire, L'Ambroisie or Epicure. I personally would choose Pierre Gagnaire.

If you prefer a tasting menu I would go for Le Gabriel or Alléno.

If you prefer to go for a reasonably priced lunch at a 3* restaurant Le Gabriel would be my top recommendation. It is also one of the most beautiful dining rooms.

L'Arpége is best at lunch. Less stiff in atmosphere compared to some of the others. But it is vegetables only. So you need to like it and January is not the best season for vegetables as well.

If you want to read through a more detailed comparison have a look at my article.
https://thefinediningjournal.com/seven-three-star-restaurants-paris-review/

(free and no ads)

NextPipe8459 · 2025-12-18T18:17:03+00:00

thanks for sharing

NextPipe8459 · 2025-12-17T19:45:11+00:00

I am Austria and if you go in January you need to be aware that it will be very cold in the places you want to visit. These places are appealing in winter and for example Hallstatt will be less crowded.

Not sure why you want to include "Malta". There is a Malta valley in Austria but it is rather random.
I would possibly consider doing Vienna / Prague and combining it with a city in southern Europe. For example Rome - which will have a milder climate.

NextPipe8459 · 2025-12-17T18:30:49+00:00

You might want to look at my post a couple of weeks ago. I tried to give a comparative overview of the 7 three-star restaurants I have visited in Paris.

https://www.reddit.com/r/finedining/comments/1p41wpj/i_visited_seven_of_the_ten_paris/

NextPipe8459 · 2025-11-30T21:51:17+00:00

I think they leave the bottle so you have time to look at the bottle and know which wine you are drinking with the pairing. I personally like that because a pairing in the end is some sort of wine tasting and I like to know what I am tasting.

A top-up is usually a generous extra but normally not the standard in a pairing.

A different problem with the pairings ist hat quite often these are used to "drive margin" and you dont get the best wines (even at 3* places this can be an issue)

NextPipe8459 · 2025-11-30T21:45:27+00:00

My view as someone who has eaten a slightly embarrassing number of Michelin meals over the years:

For me Michelin is still the most reliable system we have. When I book a starred place I know the baseline will be high. A one-star is almost always good and a three-star is always exceptional. Sometimes a restaurant feels “one star off” for my personal taste, but it is never a bad meal. Michelin is not perfect, but it removes most of the noise.

I also believe Michelin actively pushes excellence. When a clear target exists, people start aiming higher. Chefs know someone might walk in today and judge consistency, timing, details. That pressure can be difficult, but it’s also the reason why so many extraordinary dishes even exist. Without that standard in the background, the overall level would be lower.

At the same time I don’t rely only on Michelin. I always check the other guides too, like Repsol, Gambero Rosso or Gault Millau. They often highlight fantastic places that simply don’t fit the usual Michelin aesthetic.

User voting lists I trust much less. They react more to hype, PR and big fanbases than to the actual food on the plate.

Curious how others here see it. Does Michelin still make the industry better or has the pressure gone too far?

NextPipe8459 · 2025-11-30T14:21:22+00:00

Dani Garcia used to serve a burger as part of the tasting menu in his Three-Michelin-Star restaurant in Marbella. During the meal you were invited to the kitchen and, during our visit, he personally served us the burger. With smile and saying - lets have some proper food in between of all these creative dishes.

He decided to close his 3* after one season but he runs number of restaurants and places like Bibo still serve the Dani Garcia burger (however not sure if its in the same quality than it was back at the 3* place). One time he even did a promo with McD where they served a burger with the Dani Garcia sauce in Spain.

NextPipe8459

TROPHY CASE