THE PRICE HIKE

Is Eleven Madison Park more expensive than Noma, the “World’s Best Restaurant”?

The question was raised during an insightful discussion on Eater last week, when NyMag’s Adam Platt, Betsy Andrews, TONY’s Jordanna Rothman, Robert Sietsema of the Village Voice, BuzzFeed’s Matt Buchanan and Bloomberg’s Ryan Sutton contemplated Eleven Madison’s move to raise its entry-level price point to $195; the cheaper $125 menu will be eliminated. 

And so it goes that yes, Eleven Madison will in fact be more expensive than Noma, at the prevailing exchange rates at least. Noma’s 20-course menu is 1500 DKK, or $249 USD. Add on 950 DKK wine pairings and you’re at $407. Eleven Madison Park’s tasting comes to $251 after tax & tip, or $438 with the beverage pairing. Keep in mind that Noma’s prices are reflective of VAT; tipping isn’t expected in Copenhagen.

Then again, lots of restaurants are more expensive than Noma (Masa, Per Se, Alinea, etc). And it’s also worth noting that many of the commenters on Eater last week, myself included agreed that Eleven Madison Park’s pricing is fair. But we’re all a little worried curious about the magic tricks.