How to Eat at Michelin-starred Restaurants Without Going Broke

Bar menus with smaller price tags are nothing new at high-end restaurants. But a handful of Michelin-starred places have reinvented the experience for bar patrons. Take the three-star Restaurant at Meadowood, one of Napa Valleys crown jewels for carefully composed farm-fresh cuisine. Its snack program serves up seven bites of the chefs fancy for $40just a fraction of the $330 tasting menu. The bar bites are miniature but no less intricate than the full-sized courses, giving diners a taste of Christopher Kostows flair for food-as-art.

On the East Coast, Aldea in New York City just launched a similar Seven Signature Bites bar menu in celebration of its seventh birthday. What we love about this new feature from chef George Mendes is that the Portuguese snacks are all bite-sized derivatives of the one-star hotspots most beloved dishesmeaning youre not sacrificing the classic Aldea experience for price. Choose three for $21, five for $35, or all seven for $49. The uni toast with cauliflower puree, duck confit rice with chorizo, and salted caramel sonhos (fried dough) are all standouts.

Many know that lunch is always more affordable than dinner, but we were blown away by just how budget-friendly Fiolas lunch offerings are. Washington, D.C.s restaurants have been rated for the first time, and this one-star Italian spot has a great deal with its $20 Presto lunch. Youll get one entreetry the ahi tuna and hamachi crudo ($18 alone on the afternoon patio menu), mushroom risotto, or olive oil-poached halibutand a beverage like ginger and basil lemonade or Prosecco spritzer.

San Franciscos Quince serves up contemporary Northern Californian fare with French and Italian influences. It just gained its third star, and its signature tasting menu is set at $220 for 12 courses. Dine on Monday through Thursday, though, and youll also have the option of a six-course seasonal prix-fixe for $165. It's still a splurge, but rest assured that you'll be enjoying the same delicious spiny lobster, Tsar Nicolai Caviar, and white truffle pasta for a relative bargain. (Theres also a salon menu with dishes ranging between $14 and $42, with an occasional premium item like the $80 white truffle risotto.)

While you can find the occasional good prix-fixe deal, the truth is that tasting menus at many Michelin-rated restaurants start from $85 per person and up. For a cost-effective alternative, focus on establishments that offer la carte options. At places like the Dabney in D.C., recently awarded one star, it's easy to share a few small but filling plates for under $35 per person. Try Mid-Atlantic delights like charred bok choy hush puppies ($13), roasted beets with smoked dried scallop ($14), whole barbecued quail ($18).

Chase exclusively after white glove service and your wallet will always take a hit. But go after refined food in more relaxed environments and youll find the sweet spot between quality and affordability. Case in point: The electric and buzzy Uncle Boons in New York, which snagged one Michelin star for its well-balanced Thai flavors. At this pub-like eatery, try whisky- and chili-glazed pig ears ($6); laab neuh gah, a spicy chopped lamb salad ($16); or khao soi curry with homemade egg noodles and chicken leg ($21). Wash it down with $7 brews or $44 pitchers of cocktails (also offered in $12 glasses).

Further south in the Bay Area, Adega has the dual distinction of bringing San Jose its first Michelin star as well as putting a much-deserved spotlight on Portuguese cuisineAldea is the only other Portuguese restaurant in the country to hold any stars. Adegas $65 prix-fixe menu features six courses, including the restaurant's popular oven-roasted octopus alongside regional specialties like sauted cubed pork with fried potatoes and clams. (Not so hungry? Your meal here gets even more affordable thanks to an la carte menu with starters from $10, entrees from $21, and desserts from $8.)

If you love a good wine pairing but dont fancy liquor upcharges, book at table at a Michelin-starred BYOB restaurant. The three-star 42 Grams, which got its start as an underground supper club in Chicago, stands out for sending patrons wine recommendations for each course ahead of their meal. Of course, youll still have to shell out around $200 for a blind tasting menu of roughly 12 courses. But at least youll be saving the $65 to $200 that traditional pairings require as you tuck into the chefs fanciful, molecular-inspired creations.

This isnt to say that restaurants with two or even three Michelin stars cant offer great value, but the one-star options do tend to be the generally more affordable onesand youll notice that most restaurants that we call out here for offering more than one menu, especially la carte ones, also fall under this category. One great option: The Breslin in NYC, where the signature chargrilled lamb burger is served with thrice-cooked chips and runs $25. Share an appetizer like the popular scotch egg, or order your own Brooklyn brew, and you still wont break $40 each.

The group purchasing power mentality, best embodied in coupon sites like Groupon, can be applied for dining out too. Experience this at Mourad, where the specialty is Moroccan fare spun from local Californian ingredients. The San Francisco restaurant offers five family-style options that come out to $25 to $40 per person, including one protein and four sides. Choose from 72-hour braised short ribs, lamb shoulder, lemon chicken, snapper with red charmoula marinade, and duck and sausage. For comparison, most meat entres on the dinner a la carte menu run $36 to $40, while the sides are $8 each.