19 Rare and Expensive Foods From Around the World
You think a $40 entree is expensive? Imagine paying $1,300 for a 16-ounce piece of wagyu steak. There are some foods that command astonishing prices, whether it’s a $3,000 ham or a $8,000 pizza. We may not be able to try all of them (or any of them, for that matter!), but we can certainly dream. Take a look at 19 of the world’s most expensive foods, and consider whether you’d be willing to shell out big bucks for a bite of luxury.
1. Toak Chocolate
The To’ak chocolate bar hails from Ecuador and is incredibly rare. In 2014, they only had 574 bars of this stuff in the world. The chocolate comes from the 5% of mass produced cacao beans not used by the majority of chocolate companies around the globe. A package of its reserve chocolate costs around $230 for around 1.5 ounces.
2. Kopi Luwak Coffee
The best coffee beans in the world come from a procedure where the coffee cherries are digested and defecated out by an Asian palm civet. As disgusting as it sounds, it’s a method that has been used for a very long time and helps keep the price so high. And about those prices: Cups of Kopi Luwak coffee can cost over $100 per cup.
3. Matsutake Mushrooms
Matsutake mushrooms, also known as pine mushrooms, are highly valued in Japanese cuisine and can be quite expensive. Prices for Matsutake mushrooms can range from $20 to $100 or more per pound, depending on the quality and availability. They are considered a delicacy, and the price can fluctuate depending on the time of year and location of harvest. The most highly prized Matsutake mushrooms are those harvested in the wild, rather than cultivated, as they are believed to have a stronger, more complex flavor.
4. Japanese Wagyu Beef
Japanese Wagyu beef can be quite expensive, with prices often ranging from $20 to $200 or more per pound, depending on the quality grade and cut of meat. The most highly prized cuts, such as the tenderloin and ribeye, can cost significantly more than other cuts. Additionally, the specific region the beef is from, the farm, and the age of the cow can also affect the price. It is considered a luxury item and often used in high-end restaurants.
5. Saffron
Saffron is considered one of the most expensive spices in the world due to the labor-intensive process of harvesting and processing the threads. A pound of Saffron can cost anywhere from $500 to $5000 or more, and a small amount, such as 0.5 grams, can cost as much as $10. The price can also vary depending on the quality of the saffron, with higher-quality threads typically commanding a higher price. Additionally, the origin of the saffron can also affect the price, with saffron from certain regions such as Iran and Spain considered to be of a higher quality and, therefore, more expensive.
6. Baby Eel
Baby eel, also known as “elvers” or “glass eels,” can be quite expensive due to their rarity and high demand. Prices for baby eel can range from $200 to $2000 or more per pound, depending on the time of year, location of harvest, and overall market conditions. They are considered a delicacy in certain countries and are often used in dishes such as sushi and tempura. However, due to the high price and intensive farming, the supply of baby eel is limited and they are not widely available. Additionally, some countries have banned the trade of wild baby eel due to overfishing, making the farmed ones more expensive.
7. Bluefin Tuna
The price of tuna runs the market. It can range anywhere from $500 to $3,500 a pound depending on demand, but rest assure, bluefin tuna prices have gone up in value steadily since 2012 and continue to rise thanks to increasing demand across the seafood markets. Tokyo sets the market for bluefin tuna every year, with sushi being one of the biggest food items it is used in.
8. Beluga Caviar
Prices for beluga caviar can range from $50 to $500 or more per ounce, depending on the quality and availability. The most highly prized beluga caviar is that which comes from wild sturgeon caught in the Caspian Sea. Farmed beluga caviar is also available but considered less desirable due to the taste and texture difference. Additionally, the size and color of the caviar eggs can also affect the price, with larger, lighter-colored eggs typically commanding a higher price. However, overfishing and habitat destruction have caused wild beluga sturgeon populations to decline, making the caviar quite rare, and expensive.
9. Edible Gold Leaf
Edible gold leaf is a very thin sheet of gold that is used as a decorative ingredient in food and drinks. Depending on the size, quality and amount, it can be quite expensive. Prices for edible gold leaf can range from $5 to $50 or more per sheet. The leaf is extremely thin and fragile and can be hard to handle, making it more expensive than other forms of gold. It is mostly used as a decorative element in high-end desserts, chocolates, and drinks. Edible gold leaf does not have a specific taste; it’s mainly for visual appeal.
10. Jamon Iberico
Anyone can cook ham, but it takes a certain specialist to cook an Albarragena Jamon Iberico de Bellota, which runs for around $2,800. This is ham that comes from pigs grown only for this exact meat. The pigs are fed acorns and roots only which ends up giving them a flavor unmatched by any other meats.
11. Densuke Black Watermelon
Black watermelon? Really? This type of melon is grown on the Northern Japanese island of Hokkaido and is mainly used as a gift due to both its size, shape, and scarcity in Japan. While it was once auctioned off for over $6,000, you can find them in Japanese grocery stores for upwards of $300.
12. Chef Renato Violas Louis XIII Pizza
When something is considered luxurious, it is prestigious and beautifully constructed. The Louis XIII pizza is a perfect example of luxury as the pie takes 72 hours to make because of the delicate process of allowing the dough time to rest. The ingredients add to the price tag (over $8,000) and include caviar, lobster, and pink Australian sea-salt.
13. Fortress Stilt Fisherman Indulgence Dessert
Not only do you get a $14,500 dessert that honors stilt fishing in Sri Lanka, you get a beautiful 80 carat aquamarine jewel that is worth about the price of the meal. So in essence, you are buying the jewel and getting a little food, too.
14. Lost Gardens of Heligan Pineapples
The official website of the gardens known as Heligan state that the pineapples are so expensive because they are rare and hard to grow. Seriously, the flower buds are extremely hard to find but even if you do find one, the next step, growing them, is even tougher. Maybe that’s why each one costs over $1,200?
15. Yubari King Melon
The Yubari King Melon is a type of cantaloupe that garners a sizable price tag (about $200 each) in Japan as part of their many traditions where the melon is given as a gift. The majority of those that will eat this melon probably will never even eat it, and will keep it instead as a trophy.
16. Frrrozen Haute Chocolate
At Serendipity 3 in New York City, you’ll find a frozen hot chocolate that costs $25,000. Five grams of 24-carat gold are melted into the chocolate. Is any of this necessary? No, but people still order it.
17. Almas Caviar
Everyone knows about caviar and it’s high price tag, but Almas Caviar stands out because it goes back centuries to the days of kings and emperors. At a cost of $34,000 per kilogram, it certainly seems royal.
18. Lindeth Howe Pudding
Some food items are only priced this high for one reason: bragging rights. If anyone buys it, they aren’t buying the flavor or taste as much as they are simply buying it to show off that they can afford something with this big of a price tag. This $34,000+ pudding comes with gold caviar and is made with some of the world’s most high-end chocolate. Oh, and they added a 2-carat diamond for good measure.
19. Italian White Alba Truffle
As with most high-priced products, rarity and demand cause for a value so significant that it ends up costing six figures. The Italian White Alba Truffle runs for nearly $161k because the white truffles are only available for a few short months each year in a tiny part of Italy, where they then must be foraged by pigs, causing the amount available to decline each year. Needless to say, every single year, white truffles become more extinct and harder to find.