Eating wonderful food is one of life’s great pleasures. That’s what the MICHELIN Star represents: it directs you to restaurants that serve truly memorable dishes. And while this experience can often prove expensive, there are thankfully a great number of Starred restaurants who go out of their way to offer more affordable ways to enjoy their fabulous cooking. The trick to cheap Star dining is so often the same: go at lunchtime. Fixed-price menus and more budget-conscious offerings are far more common in the middle of the day – and who doesn’t love a luxurious long lunch? Here's our list of the cheapest MICHELIN-Starred restaurants for lunch.
33 The Homend, Ledbury
One of the UK’s most recent MICHELIN Stars is also, it turns out, one of its most affordable. It’s no surprise, given the low-key, homely charm of 33 The Homend. This the kind of restaurant where you can feel the personal touch of those running it: namely Elizabeth and James Winter, experienced operators who know how to provide proper hospitality. The food’s pretty impressive, too, as is the affordability of the fixed-price lunch menu.Three Courses, Thurs-Fri Lunch – £54
Bulrush, Bristol
The next stop on our tour of the cheapest Star meals is Bristol, where the high-level cooking comes within the confines of a neighbourhood restaurant. Cotham is the area in question, situated in the north of the city. Local produce feeds the dishes, which have an Anglo-French base with Japanese elements.Six-Course Tasting Menu, Fri-Sat Lunch – £48
Elephant, Torquay
Offering some of the best value for money across all of our Starred restaurants is The Elephant, which sits in a fine Georgian property overlooking Torquay Harbour. The mostly local produce is of great quality and is brought to life with the help of delicious sauces and harmonious flavour combinations. If you’re after a lighter lunch, then you can even enjoy a two-course option for £35.95.Three Courses, Weds-Sat Lunch – £42.50
heft, Newton in Cartmel
The Lake District is home to many a MICHELIN-Starred restaurant, but heft is the one to visit if you’re after a good value lunch. It’s also perhaps the most thoroughly Cumbrian of all restaurants up here, with Chef Kevin Tickle using his knowledge of the local landscape to inform his detailed cooking. A two-course Sunday menu is also a good deal at £45, with options like whole roasted fish and Herdwick hogget rump.Four Courses, Thurs-Sat Lunch – £49
Home, Penarth
It’s always nice to dine in a restaurant run with a personal touch – and that’s exactly what you get at Home. It’s all in the name really: a comforting, welcoming place run by several members of the Sommerin family, including founder James and his daughter Georgia in the kitchen. The best news? Their finely calibrated cooking is available at an attractive price on Sunday lunchtimes, with a classic roast dinner at its heart.Three Courses, Sunday Lunch – £55
House of Tides, Newcastle Upon Tyne
Kenny Atkinson is big news in Newcastle, providing the city with MICHELIN-Starred dining at both House of Tides and his chef's-table operation SOLSTICE. The former is the home of his most affordable cooking, which comes in the form of a 'Sunday Feast'. For an appealingly low price tag, diners can enjoy a selection of snacks to share followed by Kenny's take on a roast, including side dishes like roasted carrots with honey and cumin.Three-Course 'Sunday Feast', Sunday Lunch – £55
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John’s House, Mountsorrel
Rustic character and warm service enhance the wholly enjoyable experience at this 16th-century farmhouse, where John himself is in the kitchen, while his brother Tom looks after the farm – and Tom clearly does a good job, as there’s some wonderful produce on offer. It’s all cooked well too, with John bringing both balance and depth of flavour to the dishes. Add to that the attractively priced lunch menu, and it’s easy to see why this place is so popular.Three Courses, Weds-Sat Lunch – £49
Morston Hall, Morston
Galton Blackiston’s lovely restaurant with rooms, a jewel in north Norfolk’s crown, has held its MICHELIN Star for over 25 years – a testament to both the consistency and quality of the kitchen. Blackiston’s cooking is a love letter to Norfolk produce, including that from his own garden, and while dinner consists of a tasting menu, Sunday lunchtime offers the rare opportunity to choose your three courses for a fixed price of £50.Three Courses, Sunday Lunch – £50
Rogan & Co, Cartmel
Simon Rogan’s renowned farm-to-table approach is on full display at this neighbourhood restaurant located a stone’s throw from his flagship operation. Simple, pared-back dishes allow the carefully sourced and naturally delicious produce to shine without resorting to unnecessary adornment. The set lunch menu currently presents the best value for money, offering you a more affordable taste of the Rogan ethos.Three Courses, Weds-Fri Lunch – £49
Simpsons, Birmingham
One of Birmingham’s best restaurants, Simpsons is a wonderful showcase of pure, clean cooking and well-judged balance. It’s long been a great spot for vegan diners too, and there’s a plant-based option at each course of the fixed-price lunch menu. To add even further to the appeal, while a lot of affordable lunch menus are only available midweek, this one runs every day the restaurant is open.Three Courses, Weds-Sat Lunch – £49.50
Skof, Manchester
Manchester’s industrial past is clear to see in this warehouse conversion where the buzz of contented diners bounces off the exposed brick walls and iron girders. Chef and founder Tom Barnes used to work with Simon Rogan at L’Enclume and Rogan’s 'Our Farm' development provides vegetables for the carefully constructed dishes. Come at lunchtime and you can experience the immensely skilful cooking for less.Four Courses, Thurs-Sat Lunch – £55
sō–lō, Aughton
The Lancashire village of Aughton is rather lucky when it comes to restaurants. Not only is it home to not one but two MICHELIN-Starred restaurants at Moor Hall, but residents and visitors alike can also enjoy the modern, flavoursome cooking at this converted former pub. Chef Tim Allen has plenty of experience behind him, and it shows in the seasonally influenced cooking that has the good sense to let the core ingredient shine.Three Courses, Thurs-Sun Lunch – £52
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The Cross, Kenilworth
There is a considerable amount of textbook culinary craft on display at The Cross. Throughout the menu, the technical skill of the chefs is evident in bold, refined dishes with a strong classical base. The restaurant itself is hugely characterful, with an enclosed terrace ideal for summer and a cosy bar that would make a great place for a pint. There’s a good buzz in the air and the attentive service team look after you well.Three Courses, Weds-Sat Lunch – £55
UNALOME by Graeme Cheevers, Glasgow
In Buddhism, the Unalome represents the path we take in life. The eponymous chef’s path took him to jobs at some of the finest country house hotels in Scotland, then back to his hometown of Glasgow, where for several years he has run this deservedly popular restaurant. Cheevers’ precise, seasonal cooking provides a showcase of Scottish produce – and if you come at lunch, it’s available at a fraction of the price.Three Courses, Thurs-Sun Lunch – £55
Walnut Tree, Llanddewi Skirrid
This restaurant comes with an illustrious past and a prime location in the rolling borderlands of Wales, while a loyal band of regulars is testament to the quality of the cooking. For the most part, dishes showcase tried-and-tested combinations, executed with care and technical skill, although there is the odd international influence. The wine list is notably good too.Three Courses, Weds-Sat Lunch – £50
Wilsons, Bristol
There are few MICHELIN Stars with a more ingrained ethos than Wilsons. Run in tandem with its own smallholding on the edge of Bristol, this local gem serves fresh, seasonal produce that provides delicious natural flavours. Those flavours are allowed to shine and are gently enhanced by the careful craft of the kitchen. A three-course version of the menu is available for midweek lunches, and is an absolute steal at under £40.Three Courses, Weds-Fri Lunch – £39
The following restaurants also offer great value lunch menus, as well as sensibly priced MICHELIN-Star dining at dinner:
Bridge Arms, Bridge
Campagne, Kilkenny
Fordwich Arms, Fordwich
Hinds Head, Bray
Le Champignon Sauvage, Cheltenham
Pea Porridge, Bury St Edmunds
Starling, Esher
The Barn, Aughton
The Coach, Marlow
The Masons Arms, Knowstone
The Sportsman, Seasalter
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Hero Image: A delicate snack from House of Tides, one of the cheapest MICHELIN-Star restaurants in the UK & Ireland. © House of Tides
