Cheapest Michelin restaurants UK: 16 of the most affordable fine-dining experiences in Britain

Synonymous with starched white tablecloths and silver service, Michelin-starred restaurants are rarely associated with the word ‘budget’. However, as luck would have it the cheapest Michelin restaurants in the UK have actually managed to make fine dining somewhat more affordable.

We’re not saying you’re going to be able to beat a meal deal from your local Tesco, but we do think it’s surprising how far your spend will go at some of the UK’s best restaurants if you know where to look. The easiest way to cut back on cost is to plump for a lunch instead of a dinner, where typically prices are much lower but the standard of cookery remains the same.

Whether you’re looking to treat someone special or elevate your average midweek lunchtime, there are a handful of high-end dining experiences across the UK that are comfortingly easy on the finances. These spots showcase excellent dishes whilst ensuring a level of affordability that isn’t always the case with Michelin dining.

As a general rule, those looking for Michelin-style meals at a snip of the price might find what they’re looking for via the Bib Gourmand accolades instead of diving in straight at the deep end of Michelin stars. The Michelin Bib Gourmand is supposed to highlight restaurants offering both excellent quality food and good value for money. These types of places often do away with the hallmarks of fine-dining, instead focusing on food and experience. Note that there are no official qualifying criteria for Bib Gourmands so as always, have a look at the menu before you book as menu pricing changes regularly at many restaurants. 

From tapas in Nottingham to a cracking modern Italian spot in Glasgow, the best cheap Michelin meals in the UK are spread far and wide and truly offer something for everyone. Find out more about them below. 

Cheap Michelin star restaurants UK

Cheap might not be the first word that pops into your head when you think about Michelin dining, but these restaurants just prove that excellent quality food doesn't have to cost a fortune.

Heft, Cumbria

What: Kevin and Nicola Tickle’s gorgeous restaurant in High Newton is their love letter to Cumbria - the county where they both grew up. Like his food at Forest Side, Kevin’s cooking delves deep into the bounty of Cumbrian produce from sea and land. The lunch menu is super value at just £45, featuring dishes like corn fed chicken breast with mead glazed Roscoff onion, and stone fruits with goat’s milk, marigold and brown butter crunch.
Michelin credentials: One Michelin star
Cost: Set lunch for £45
Where: High Newton, Grange-over-Sands, LA11 6JH
Book now: Heft

The Elephant, Devon

What: Simon Hulstone is one of the UK’s old hands when it comes to fine dining, and you can expect top quality classic cooking at The Elephant - a restaurant that has held a Michelin star for nearly twenty years. The lunch menus - £32.50 for two courses or £38.50 for three - are absurdly good value for anyone lucky enough to be in Torquay around lunchtime.
Michelin credentials: One Michelin star
Cost: Two course lunch for £32.50
Where: 3-4 Beacon Terrace, Torquay, TQ1 2BH
Book now: The Elephant

The Mason’s Arms, Devon

What: Mark and Sarah Dodson have run The Mason’s Arms for many years now, and it remains an exemplary example of what a great gastropub should be - cosy, welcoming, with top class food. Mark was once the head chef of three Michelin-starred The Waterside Inn so it's no surprise you get amazing bang for your buck here, with a £36 three course menu that includes extremely well priced wine pairings.
Michelin credentials: One Michelin star
Cost: Three courses for £36
Where: Knowstone, South Molton, EX36 4RY
Book now: The Mason’s Arms

The Barn at Moor Hall, Lancashire

What: We were blown away by how good The Barn was when we visited - this restaurant lives in the shadow of magnificent two Michelin-starred Moor Hall, but in many ways the cooking is just as accomplished. £42 for three courses at lunch is a steal, but there’s also a set dinner menu for £48 which is worth a visit too.
Michelin credentials: One Michelin star
Cost: Three course lunch for £42
Where: Prescot Road, Aughton, L39 6RT
Book now: The Barn at Moor Hall

Crocadon, Cornwall

What: Founded by former L'Enclume chef Dan Cox, this farm-to-table restaurant celebrates the intimate relationship between soil health and the flavour of his produce. The on-site farm boasts orchards, grazing space and even a microbrewery in his commitment to self-sufficient and sustainable farming. Here, tasting menus can hardly be called cheap, but there’s a pretty hefty Sunday Feast Menu for just £50, which is a very affordable way to experience this level of cooking. The menu features a selection of dishes which can include the likes of pig's head with beetroot, sheep rump with Caraflex cabbage, or confit swede with potato and shitake mushrooms.
Michelin credentials: One Michelin star
Cost: Sunday feasting menu for £50
Where: St Mellion, Saltash, PL12 6RL
Book now: Crocadon

The Walnut Tree, Monmouthshire

What: Shaun Hill's cosy, Michelin-starred restaurant makes a point of serving the kind of food that Shaun himself likes to eat: simple, balanced and centred around first class ingredients. Set menus for lunch change every day, and feature dishes like blade of beef with bacon, mushroom and red wine sauce, and skake with shrimps, dill and Jansson's temptation. Two courses are yours for £42, or enjoy three courses for £50. 
Michelin credentials: One Michelin star
Cost: Two-course lunch for £42
Where: Llanddewi Skirrid, Abergavenny, NP7 8AW
Book now: The Walnut Tree

The Coach, Buckinghamshire

What: Tom Kerridge's gastropub serves simple, classic food with a modern touch - and it's so good it went and earned itself a Michelin star in 2017. The good news is that eating here isn't off limits if you're strapped for cash. It serves an excellent value set lunch menu which includes two courses for £15, and a third course for an extra £7.50. The menu changes weekly and is available Wednesday to Friday, but examples include mushroom soup with truffle and hazelnut pesto, fishcakes with mustard mayonnaise and a poached egg, and blood orange posset with cardamom meringue and salted oats. 
Michelin credentials: One Michelin star
Cost: Two-course lunch for £15
Where: 3 West Street, Marlow, SL7 2LS
Book now: The Coach

John's House, Leicester

What: Rustic and wonderfully understated, John's House is one of the most unsuspecting Michelin star restaurants out there, and it's all the better because of it. Chef John Duffin is the man behind the masterpiece, who produces skilled dishes on his family farm in Mountsorrel using ingredients grown on the land. While a seven-course tasting menu for dinner comes in at a rather hefty £120, you can dine for lunch for a mere 49 quid, which gets you the likes of lightly smoked salmon with leek, horseradish and lovage, and poached Cornish cod with barley risotto, prawns and pink grapefruit.
Michelin credentials: One Michelin star
Cost: Three-course lunch for £49
Where: 139-141 Loughborough Road, LE12 7AA
Book now: John's House

The Hind's Head, Berkshire

What: Starting off life as a hunting lodge, The Hind’s Head now stands as a quintessential British pub. Bought by Heston Blumenthal back in 2004, this joint retains plenty of its 15th century charm with exposed wooden beams and period fireplaces across the different dining rooms. Whilst the a la carte menu isn’t obscenely expensive, it’s the lunch set-menu that earned The Hind's Head a place on this list. Here, you can choose dishes such as mushroom parfait with puffed wild rice or even have the chance to try Heston’s famous triple cooked chips alongside battered Cornish fish. Choose a starter, main and dessert, paired with a glass of NV Piper-Heidsieck for just £50 - that sounds like a pretty good deal to us!
Michelin credentials: One Michelin star
Cost: Three-course lunch and a glass of Champagne for £50
Where: High Street, Bray, SL6 2AB
Book now: The Hind's Head

The Cross, Warwickshire

What: The Cross was awarded its Michelin star back in 2014 - within the first year of opening - and has retained it ever since. While it's possible to spend a fair penny on its tasting menu, which is a hefty £115 per person, pop in for lunch instead to dine on its three-course set lunch for just £50. Think slow-cooked beef cheef ravioli with Jerusalem artichoke, hazelnuts, cavolo nero and red wine sauce, or confit duck leg with puy lentils, smoked sausage, hispi, shallot and sherry vinegar jus.
Michelin credentials: One Michelin star
Cost: Three courses for £50
Where: 16 New Street, CV8 2EZ
Book now: The Cross

The Whitebrook, Monmouthshire

What: A classic choice for Welsh foodies, The Whitebrook has held a Michelin star for a number of years and hasn’t let the accolade inflate its prices beyond the realms of relative affordability. We’re not saying this one’s a bargain, but for the quality of the cooking and the comfortable setting it offers considerably good value for money. The best bet is the £56 lunch menu which takes you through three courses of farm-to-fork food. From the Wye Valley asparagus served with maritime pine, hogweed and tintern mead sauce, to poached pears with buttermilk and yoghurt crumble, everything is designed to squeeze maximum flavour from just a few key ingredients.
Michelin credentials: One Michelin star and a Michelin Green star
Cost: Three-course lunch from £56
Where: Monmouth, NP25 4TX
Book now: The Whitebrook

Cheap Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurants UK

The Michelin's Bib Gourmand award puts a focus on menus that are excellent value for money - although that doesn't mean that they are always affordable! Below you'll find several of the cheapest spots where you can enjoy excellent cuisine without the scary prices.

The Loch & The Tyne, Berkshire

What: You might not be expecting one of Adam Handling’s joints to make it onto this list, after all, a tasting menu at the famous Frog will set you back a whopping £195. But outside of the capital, it seems that the prices are much more reasonable. Out in the Berkshire countryside, you’ll find The Loch & The Tyne, which allows diners to enjoy elevated cuisine in a more relaxed atmosphere. This traditional pub continues the chef's ethos towards championing sustainability and low-waste in his restaurants, whilst still serving up delicious food. Here, a two-course set lunch will only set you back £28, with the option to choose three-courses for just £37. Enjoy pub classics such as chicken with turnip and mushroom alongside comfort-food desserts of trifle and sticky toffee pudding. 
Michelin credentials: Bib Gourmand 
Cost: Two-course lunch set menu for £28, three-course for £37
Where: 10 Crimp Hill, Old Windsor, SL4 2QY
Book now: The Loch & The Tyne

El Gato Negro, Manchester

What: Taking up residence on Manchester’s King Street, El Gato Negro exudes a vibrant and energetic atmosphere spread across three storeys. Here, guests have the option for al-fresco dining on the ground floor or rooftop terraces, to take up a spot at the chef’s table or simply sit back and relax in the dining room - all whilst tucking into reasonably priced food. Weekday’s sees a three for £20 deal across several of the restaurant’s tapas dishes, including salt cod croquetas, Iberico chorizo and padron peppers. Enjoy those classic Mediterranean flavours without having to worry too much about the bill. 
Michelin credentials: Bib Gourmand
Cost: Three for £20 weekly deal on tapas dishes
Where: 52 King Street, M2 4LY
Book now: El Gato Negro 

BOX-E, Bristol

What: With space for just 14 guests, BOX-E’s unpretentious approach is reflected perfectly in its location within a shipping container. For the adventurous diner there’s a blind seven-course tasting menu that’ll set you back £55 per person, while elsewhere the a la carte gives you more autonomy over your spend. Starters begin from around £8.50 while mains range from around £15-20. Expect sparklingly fresh seasonal plates made using top-class British ingredients. Think charred sprouting broccoli with goat's curd, hazelnuts and black garlic, and golden beetroot with smoked trout, apple and horseradish.
Michelin credentials: Bib Gourmand
Cost: Mains from £15, seven course-tasting menu for £55 per head
Where: Unit 10 Cargo 1, BS1 6WP
Book now: BOX-E

Iberico World Tapas, Nottingham

What: The cosy, casual vibes at Iberico World Tapas have made this sweet Spanish spot a foodie pilgrimage for many. Expect family-style surrounds elevated by a stellar run of classic tapas plates. If you’re keen on counting the pennies then let us point you in the direction of the Express Dining menu. Here you’ll find two tapas dishes plus bread for £18.95. A couple of fancier things come with a £2.50 supplement but the bulk of the menu is included in the price - we’re talking crispy patatas bravas covered in allioli as well as melting pork shoulder croquetas with burnt apple and fennel.
Michelin credentials: Bib Gourmand
Cost: Express menu from £18.95
Where: The Shire Hall, High Pavement, NG1 1HN
Book now: Iberico World Tapas

Celentano’s, Glasgow

What: Celentano's chef Dean Parker spent years working for revered London chef Robin Gill before making his way home to Glasgow to set up shop over on the east side of the city. Here he runs Celentano’s with his wife Anna. The pair focus on Italian plates and the results are fantastic. Our advice? Don’t skip the snacks – they're the best bit – and definitely leave room for dessert to try the kitchen’s creative take on an affogato. Cost-wise, you can get a small plate of pasta here from £13, while snacks start at £3. It also runs a tempting lunch offer on Wednesdays and Thursdays, which includes a plate of pasta with a glass of wine for £16.50. 
Michelin credentials: Bib Gourmand
Cost: Pasta from £13
Where: 28-32 Cathedral Square, G4 0XA
Book now: Celentano’s

Heading to the capital? Make the most of your money with our guide to the cheapest Michelin meals in London!