Everything has increased. And also eat out, of course. From the daily menu to the tasting menus very popular in haute cuisine establishments. The presentation of the 2025 Michelin guide and the inclusion of more than thirty restaurants in the list of establishments distinguished by a star generally raises the question: how much does it cost to eat in one of them?
The answer varies greatly by location, as a Michelin-starred menu in Madrid or Barcelona is not the same as outside of the country’s major cities. Without getting into the game of cheap and expensive, and assuming that it is a considerable amount for the majority, the truth is that, in recent times, 100 euros per person has become a reference figure for these Michelin restaurants.
The good news is that by browsing the list of new releases it is possible to find a dozen houses distributed in different parts of the country where it is possible to find options below the border of 100 euros and even for much less ‘money. At least some of their tasting menus because obviously the wine can end up driving the price up a lot more. So, those who want to have fun and, in addition, discover interesting proposals in the hands, often, of young chefs, should take note of this short list.
Handles
We begin this journey in Huesca with the help of Iris Jordán, who has just become the youngest chef in the country to achieve a star with Ansils. Unfortunately, there are not many women in the Guide’s list, which is why Jordán’s merit in this mountain restaurant in Benasque is greater. Traditional cuisine with its own interpretation that can be enjoyed from 70 euros on the Monte Bajo menu.
Origin
After traveling and cooking in restaurants around the world, Álex Vidal decided to return home to cook on his territory with products from Carcaixent (Valencia) and its surroundings. This is precisely the object of Origen’s proposal, who makes sustainability and locality two of his flags. The fact that they also talk about social responsibility and working conditions, key elements of the project, makes it, beyond food, even more interesting. They work with three different menus, with prices starting from 58 euros per person.
Epilogue
In Tomelloso, Ciudad Real, and with the Guadiana River as a common thread for the stories they want to tell at the table, is the Epílogo restaurant, which has also just received its first Michelin star. Rubén Sánchez-Camacho is at the head of this house, one of the references of the so-called new cuisine of La Mancha and where regional products are combined with the most modern culinary techniques. They offer two menus at very attractive prices of 55 and 76 euros per person.
Pabou
It has become the most expensive city in the country to eat in, so thinking about a Michelin star in Madrid for less than 100 euros seems really complicated. Despite this, this is currently what the Pabú restaurant offers, where it has already obtained a recently won star. Micro-seasonal and French cuisine with local products where vegetables reign supreme. Coco Montes renews its dishes every day and if we want to try what it does, we can do it during the week with an executive menu for 76 euros, drink included.
Mesón Sabor Andaluz
Head south to Alcalá del Valle in Cádiz to discover or rediscover a house with 25 years of history and which Michelin has now written in capital letters on the Andalusian gastronomic map. “The earth raises us, the earth eats us,” says chef Pedro Aguilera, who claims a radical temporality in the products he cooks at Mesón Sabor Andaluz. They offer two menus starting at 76 euros.
Hanging houses
With this name it goes without saying that there is the restaurant of Jesús Segura, which has just joined the list of Michelin-starred establishments. Located in what is said to be the most beautiful house in Cuenca, the proposal is to draw on the culinary tradition of this city to represent on the plate the border between urban and nature that defines these landscapes so well. The Volver menu at Casas Colgadas costs 70 euros, but there is also another longer option for 95 euros.
Arcas House
The province of Huesca adds another star with Casa Arcas, a restaurant located in the hotel of the same name and which avoids the classic ideas of luxury and exclusivity usually associated with Michelin stars. An honest proposal that leaves all the emphasis on the landscape and the product and with menus starting from 55 euros or even a shorter and more economical option for hotel guests.
Prodigy
Barcelona is also not very economical if you think in terms of Michelin stars. But, at least for now, one of the new additions to the list, the Prodigi restaurant, offers its tasting menu for 80 euros and, be careful, because it offers a lunch menu for 35 euros. We will see if this continues with the arrival of the star but, in any case, what Jordi Tarré is doing in the city and with these prices is more than reasonable.
Sentences
Since this year’s Michelin Gala took place in Murcia, it’s worth stopping in the area to check out Frases, which also adds to the guide’s fame. Cuisine is its own language and each of the dishes (the phrases), explain María Egea and Marcos A. Iniesta, serve to define their project. They offer a unique tasting menu priced at 85 euros.
Manolo Franco’s house
We return to Madrid, but this time on the outskirts, in Valdemorillo. Manu Franco returned here after devoting many years to sports journalism to take the reins of the family business. Five years later, his restaurant has managed to make this city known with several menus that suggest “closing your eyes” to eat the mountain and some souvenirs. For those who dare to try the experience at La Casa de Manolo Franco, you can do so during the week in the evening with their tasting menu for less than 70 euros.
