Most Expensive Dishes in the World: List of 10 Fancy Foods

Virginia Woolf once notably wrote, “One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well,” a sentiment to which I wholeheartedly relate–and if you’re here, you probably do as well! And, we are in some good company;

Food is a building block of life, good food is a balm to the soul, and expensive food? Well, that’s an indulgence. And some might say indulgence is a sin, but you won’t hear that from me. Researchers have found that what you eat has a direct effect on your brain function, which means it also has an effect on your mood. Now, the good folk at Harvard probably focused on healthy whole foods while drawing their conclusions, but as far as I’m concerned, there’s room for pleasurable, costly food in there as well! Money can’t buy happiness? Never say that to a foodie!

TikTok mukbanger Janie Devours is the ideal poster child for the intersection of expensive food and happiness; in her near-daily videos, the elegantly dressed Angeleno with her perfect red-lipsticked smile bites into Michelin-starred nibbles, beautifully sculpted pastries, and even manages to make a humble pan of instant ramen look indulgent and costly. It seems nothing delights her more than truly excellent, expertly prepared food from the world’s finest chefs. Want to follow in her fancy footsteps? Then why not try something from our list of the top ten most luxuriously indulgent and expensive foods in the world?

When Cost Is No Object: The World’s Top Ten Priciest Foods

Being a food-savvy, I have curated (after a handy research which is based on the opinions of food lovers around the world) the ten most expensive foods on earth that you might want to take a look at!

1. Saffron

Given how fragile and seemingly insubstantial they are, it may feel incredible that the slender, russet-colored stamens of the crocus flower are the world’s most expensive seasoning. But each crocus bloom, planted in late summer and harvested in the months of October and November, can only yield three stamens, which must be delicately extracted by hand and carefully dried before they can be used. It’s the scarcity–it can take hundreds of blooms to produce a single kilogram of saffron–and the painstaking manual labor that are the main reasons saffron is the world’s most expensive spice by weight. But oh, it’s so delicious in a gorgeous pilaf!

Just How Expensive Is Saffron?

As of February 2025, retailer Sunland Saffron notes that “Super Negin” saffron, the highest grade saffron available, averages between $6.50 and $9.50 per gram. Given that a single thread weighs approximately a mere 0.003 grams, you can imagine how many of those would be needed for a full kilogram, which can wholesale for up to $3,800! Think about that the next time you’re deciding whether or not to serve an authentic Valencian paella at your next dinner party.

2. Wagyu Beef

In the rolling hills of Japan’s Hyogo Prefecture, Wagyu cattle are raised to become the world’s most expensive and sought-after cuts of beef. Premier amongst the most premier cattle are the Tojima breed, from which the Wagyu variety of beef known as Kobe is sourced. This beef is known for its exceptional melt-in-your-mouth tenderness, high levels of fat marbling, and rich flavor. While the stories of the cattle receiving daily massages and premium beer to drink are not true, the cows are treated well and carefully fattened. This contributes to a price per cow of approximately $30,000, according to Business Insider!

Just How Expensive Is Wagyu Beef?

For the most premium Wagyu experience, you’ll want to try the Kobe beef. Kobe Steakhouse, a popular restaurant, advises that Kobe beef can be between $200 and $500 per pound. Between the fatty deliciousness and the price tag, that’s certainly a steak fit for a king!

3. Densuke Watermelon

Watermelon is the most perfect summer treat regardless of your tax bracket, but being wealthy enough to put your hands on a succulent Densuke watermelon would probably go a long way towards increasing your summer delight.

Grown on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, Densuke watermelons have a unique black rind thanks to the volcanic island soil. They’re also nearly seedless, and are reported to taste like elevated watermelon. Because they’re only grown on Hokkaido and have so few seeds, the quantity grown each season is very limited, and so the fruit is extremely coveted.

Just How Expensive Are Densuke Watermelons?

In 2008, a 17-pound Densuke watermelon sold for $6,100 at auction, setting an incredible record in Japan. But typically, they are somewhere between $150 and $300 per fruit. Given that your average American watermelon costs closer to $10 for a good big one in the standard grocery store, that’s still a bit of an eye-watering price tag.

4. Matsutake Mushrooms

As a bit of a mushroom enthusiast–you’ll find me making mushroom soup, eating mushroom pizza, enjoying mushroom gravy on a vegetarian cutlet, and so much more–it’s a top of my foodie bucket list item to try the elusive, expensive Matsutake mushroom. Yet another rare delight originating in Japan, the Matsutake mushroom is also known as the “Pine Mushroom,” and is reputed to have a meaty flesh and a cinnamon-spice scent.

Matsutake don’t only grow in Asia; there are also varieties that can be found in North America and even Europe. But hardcore Matsutake fans consider only the Japanese Matsutake to be the real one. And these cannot be cultivated, but rather must be found wild; they must be harvested by expert foragers, as they have some poisonous doppelgängers; and, lastly, they can also be infested by egg-laying insects, decreasing the amount of Matsutake available to sell. These factors make them quite a pricey and sought-after fungus indeed.

Just How Expensive Are Matsutake Mushrooms?

In Japan, real Japanese Matsutake in perfect condition are highly prized and given as precious gifts. Though not quite as breathtakingly expensive as their fellow fungi the white or even the black truffle, they are reported to fetch anywhere from $650 to nearly $1000 per kilogram in a typical sale–but a recent auction in Japan saw the first official Matsutake harvest of the season go for a whopping $5,600 for 8 mushrooms weighing just over a quarter of a kilogram.

5. Bluefin Tuna

Delectable and tender bluefin tuna is a popular presence on beautiful sushi platters. It has a flavor that’s described as buttery and robust, with hints of the ocean and a gorgeous fatty layer; often, it’s called the seafood equivalent of Wagyu!

But bluefin has been overfished thanks to its popularity, and so now it is quite tightly regulated both in terms of how much can be caught and how it can be caught. This enforced scarcity has further driven up the cost of an already pricey fish.

Just How Expensive Is Bluefin Tuna?

Bluefin tuna can go for about $200 per pound! The world record price for a whole bluefin is $3.1 million, for a fish weighing in at an astounding 612 pounds–that’s a little over $5,000 per pound for that particular fish. Whew!

6. Ruby Roman Grapes

Japan really has become the epicenter of delicious, luxurious and sought-after foods. In recent years, those with deep wallets have flocked to Ishikawa prefecture, where the gloriously globular, intensely sweet Ruby Roman grape has been carefully cultivated and is fiercely guarded.

Specially developed over a period of fifteen years, the Ruby Roman grape is firm yet juicy, making for a pleasant eating experience. And at about 20 grams of sugar per grape, they’re also an incredibly sweet treat! But because they are only grown in Ishikawa, handpicked, strictly quality controlled, and so very carefully protected, these grapes are difficult to obtain and cost accordingly.

Just How Expensive Are Ruby Roman Grapes?

These aren’t your mother’s grocery store seedless white grapes–you’re looking at about $300 per bunch at a minimum. And if you live outside of Japan, prepare to shell out even more for shipping.

7. Beluga Caviar

Beluga caviar is widely recognized as the most luxurious of its kind; it consists of the roe of the beluga sturgeon huso huso fish. The large pearly eggs have a delicate taste and a buttery smooth mouthfeel; one taste will make you feel as though you’ve been transported right to the shores of the ocean for an unparalleled culinary experience. Unfortunately, beluga caviar is an extremely sought-after delicacy, and the consequence of that popularity is that it’s landed this species on the endangered red list.

Just How Expensive is Beluga Caviar?

Female Beluga sturgeon fish take fifteen years to reach maturity and begin producing eggs, so you’re already waiting a while just to start the process of obtaining caviar. Then, new regulations to combat overharvesting and the introduction of humane harvesting methods have added extra labor to the roe gathering process. All in all, the scarcity and labor involved result in real Beluga caviar going for about $7,000 to $10,000 per kilogram.

8. Kopi Luwak Coffee

Originating in Indonesia, this is a pretty peculiar and yet extremely sought after delicacy amongst real hardcore coffeeheads. Popularly known as civet coffee, Kopi Luwak coffee consists of coffee cherries that have been eaten by the Asian palm civet; the digestive process ferments the cherries, which are then excreted and gathered. Kind of weird, right? But don’t worry! During the harvesting process, the excreted cherries are thoroughly and repeatedly cleaned. Once roasted, the coffee has a smooth and earthy taste with hints of sweetness and a bit of a chocolate note as well.

Just How Expensive is Kopi Luwak Coffee?

The per pound price of Kopi Luwak coffee can range from $100 to $600, with the higher end pricing giving you a better shot at sourcing ethically harvested free-range coffee rather than exploitative factory farmed coffee.

9. Oysters

Oysters are fairly iconic on the seafood market; no mean feat given how popular in general seafood is as a global cuisine. Originally a staple food that anyone could buy affordably, they have now become an expensive, exclusive cuisine.

How did this happen? As with many seafoods, overharvesting has become a significant problem. Then, consider that oysters take two to three years to come to maturity and be large enough to eat. So there aren’t enough wild oysters and they grow slowly; fine, then, oyster farming is on the rise. Except then you have to consider ethical and sustainable farming options! And none of this takes into account the expertise required to safely process and prepare oysters for serving. Altogether, it really shouldn’t be surprising that oysters have shifted from a food for all to a food for a select few.

Just How Expensive Are Oysters?

The oyster market is a volatile one that shifts often. Currently, a pound of oysters can be anywhere from $14.95 to $19.99, but this changes by the day and by the vendor.

10. Elvish Honey

Elvish Honey isn’t your everyday plastic bear clover honey from the grocery store. This Turkish honey is rare and special, certainly a luxurious delicacy. Produced by the ferociously protective Anatolian honey bee, the honey must be carefully harvested at night when the bees are less active, and only 50% of the honey in the hive is harvested. Of that 50%, half of that is stored to return to the bees in winter–so only a quarter of what is produced is ever available for sale, about 2.5 kilograms per hive.

And what a honey it is! The bees feed on Anatolian rhododendrons, giving the honey a rich floral flavor and allegedly, medicinal benefits. It’s beautifully packaged in heavy glass bottles that evoke a magical feel. Elvish Honey is a rare, luxurious product in every way.

Just How Expensive Is Elvish Honey?

Sold as a culinary luxury, Elvish is currently $1,750 per 150ml bottle and can only be obtained through that icon of upscale London shopping, Harrod’s.

Fast Food: A New Luxury Frontier?

According to LendingTree, 80% of Americans now think of fast food as a luxury. And while they are not wrong in terms of pricing–$10-$15 for combo meals isn’t exactly economy pricing, and the good old dollar menus seem to be a thing of the past–there are actually some chains out there offering a more premium experience.

Arby’s occasionally offers Wagyu burgers, though it should be noted that these are made from American Wagyu, not Japanese. Fast-casual chain Shake Shack likes to punch up their menus from time to time with truffle mushroom burgers, both white and black varieties. And of course, you will sometimes see stalwarts such as McDonald’s and Burger King come up with premium Angus burgers or truffle sauces and fries. Perhaps we’ll see more fast food chains offering upscale menu items in the future?

And The World’s Most Expensive Food Is…

Of course you’ve heard of Beluga caviar and that it’s got quite a price tag, but did you know there’s a variety of Beluga caviar that’s the very most expensive of all?

Almas Caviar, being a Beluga caviar, is the roe of the Huso Huso sturgeon. But it’s the very best of the best in terms of Beluga caviar. It can only be harvested from Iranian sturgeon that come from a specific region of the southern Caspian Sea. Making the caviar still more rare, it must be harvested from albino females only, resulting in luscious cream-coloured roe that resembles pearls. The albino Iranian sturgeon is a very uncommon mutation amongst an already endangered species, so the caviar obtained from its females is an extremely scarce and special commodity indeed, and it’s priced accordingly.

How Expensive is Almas Caviar?

Almas Caviar is the Guinness World Record holder for the World’s Most Expensive Caviar, and they say the delicacy regularly sells for about £20,000 per kilogram, or around $27,000 as of publication.

Luxury Eats: Indulgent Nibbles For The Rich and Famous

Fish, steak, grapes and mushrooms… isn’t it amazing how things we eat every day ascend to new heights when they’re specially grown and difficult to obtain? But it’s not just the scarcity that makes them special; the way these things are cultivated results in a genuinely more premium product, that bit more succulent, more flavorful, more juice, simply more altogether. It’s the whole package that makes them worth their prices, and make them something for foodies to dream about and aspire to. Which expensive luxury food is on your bucket list?