Explore: luxury

Popularly known as the gold standard of sparkling wine, true Champagne only comes from the actual Champagne region in France. It is produced using the so-called méthode Champenoise; the process in which secondary fermentat... READ MORE

French for fatty liver, this decadent, expensive food product is made by using a controversial force-feeding process known as gavage, in which corn is fed to ducks and geese (primarily to the hybrid male Mulard ducks) th... READ MORE

Fugu is the Japanese word for a fish known as pufferfish, blowfish, or globefish. The fish is infamous for its poisonous parts that contain the lethal poison tetrodotoxin, highly concentrated in the liver, ovaries, eyes, and skin. Trained... READ MORE

Kobe beef is a Japanese delicacy and one of the most popular regional specialties in Japan. The beef comes from the Tajima-gyu breed of cattle in Japan's Hyogo Prefecture, where Kobe is the capital and gives the beef its name. It is chara... READ MORE

This variety of Iberian ham is produced with meat coming from acorn-fed Iberian pigs that are either 75% or 50% pure Iberian breed, meaning they have been crossbred with other pigs such as the Duroc breed. As in the case of jamó... READ MORE

Produced since the Middle Ages and famous throughout the world, the traditional balsamic vinegar of Modena is made from a reduction of pressed and cooked Trebbiano and Lambrusco white grapes. The grape juice is boiled down to app... READ MORE

Beluga caviar (the roe of beluga sturgeon) is one of the most prized caviar varieties in the world. Since it can take up to 25 years for the animal to mature and start producing roe, this caviar is extremely rare, expensive, and extravagant. Belug... READ MORE

This French delicacy is one of the most common ways to prepare foie gras. In this case, seasoned and raw foie gras de canard or duck foie gras is pressed into a terrine container or any similar container, and it is then left to marinate d... READ MORE

Regarded as the most exquisite variety of Iberian ham, or jamón ibérico, this ham is made with the meat of 100% purebred black Iberian pigs that have been roaming freely across oak pastures (Dehesa) and feeding on a... READ MORE

Salted roe of the sevruga sturgeon is one of the most common and renowned caviar varieties in the world. Native to the Black and Caspian Sea, sevruga reproduces faster than other sturgeon varieties, which makes the caviar plentiful and more afford... READ MORE

Often called the caviar of the East, bird nests are an exquisite delicacy found in many Asian cuisines. In places like Hong Kong, where the demand for bird nests often outweighs the supply, their price reaches up to $10,000 for a single k... READ MORE

Tartufo bianco d'Alba is an extremely rare Italian white truffle (lat. Tuber magnatum pico) found in the Alba region from October to December. The truffles grow symbiotically with hazel, poplar, beech, and oak. Their rich flavor ... READ MORE

Matsutake are extremely expensive Japanese mushrooms characterized by a strong, distinctive, and aromatic odor. They are always gathered by hand, found under fallen leaves near pine trees, hence the name matusutake, or pine mushrooms<... READ MORE

Known as crème de la crème of Italian hams, with a tradition dating back to the 14th century, Culatello di Zibello is one of the most prized products of Parma nowadays made only with pigs raised in the regions of Emilia-Roma... READ MORE

Azafrán de la Mancha is a saffron grown in the autonomous community of Castilla-La Mancha. It is a spice produced by drying the stigmas of the Crocus Sativus, L. plant. It has a floral and slightly bitter flavor and gives ... READ MORE

Argan oil is a plant oil produced from the kernels of the argan tree (lat. Argania spinosa L), which is native to Morocco. Well adapted to the harsh environment, surviving extreme heat and thriving in the barren soil, the endemic argan tr... READ MORE

Named after the French Périgord region, black Périgord truffles (lat. Tuber mélanosporum) gr... READ MORE

Mejillón de Galicia are the fresh mussels (lat. Mytilus galloprovincialis), cultivated using rafts in the area of the Galician rías in the provinces of A Coruña and Pontevedra. These mussels have bri... READ MORE

Found off the coast of northern Australia, Moreton Bay bug belongs to the Thenus species of slipper lobsters and encompasses reef bug, officially known as Thenus australiensis and mud bug, officially named Thenus par... READ MORE

This seafood lover’s delight is typically served at upscale Chinese restaurants specialized in Cantonese cuisine. The contents of the bird’s nest usually include jumbo shrimp, squid, and scallops that are stir-fried with fresh vegetabl... READ MORE

Peri Bali is an extremely expensive Turkish honey originating from the mountains of Saricayir Dagi from Artvin province. The honey is extremely rare – it's harvested and extracted from the high walls of a cave, thus being incapable ... READ MORE

Kona coffee is a highly prized, gourmet Arabica coffee grown exclusively in the Kona district on the Big Island of Hawaii. Nestled along the fertile volcanic slopes of Mauna Loa and Hualālai, Kona coffee thrives in a ... READ MORE

Moules de Bouchot are mussels that are cultivated on stakes from larvae caught in their natural habitat, exclusively. When the species Mytilus edulis and Mytilus galloprovincialis are cultivated, they produce moules de Bouchout. ... READ MORE

Huîtres Marennes Oléron are oysters from the Bassin de Marennes Oléron area in France, where shellfish farming is a principal activity. The oysters are matured and fattened on oyster beds after which they are sold fres... READ MORE

Sardinia's red gold, Zafferano di Sardegna refers to the dried threads plucked from the saffron flowers which are believed to have been introduced to the island thousands of years ago by the Phoenicians. Today, Sardinian saffron is produc... READ MORE

Named after the Tuscan town where it's been cultivated since the 1200s, San Gimignano saffron owes its exceptional purity, strong flavor and intense aroma to the pedoclimatic conditions of the designated production area and the mild Mediterranean ... READ MORE

Pule is the world's most expensive cheese. Originating from Zasavica Nature Reserve in Serbia, the cheese is made with the milk coming from Balkan donkeys, making the product extremely unique and rare. It takes about 25 liters of donkey m... READ MORE

Coquille Saint-Jacques des Côtes-d'Armor are scallops of the pecten maximus species that are sold whole, either fresh or frozen in their shells. They come from the seabed in the Côtes-d'Armor region, famous for its fi... READ MORE

Dublin Bay prawns are small, orange colored lobsters that are caught by nets and sorted, then brought to the markets. They are often prepared with lemon and garlic, dipped in sweet chili, or added to various salads and soups. Apparently, the prawn... READ MORE

Conwy mussels are sustainably caught mussels best known for their striking visual appearance with colorful shells, tasty meat and their oval shape that is pointed on one end. They are hand raked and caught on the Conwy Estuary in North Wales, from... READ MORE

Sassicaia is a subzone of the Bolgheri DOC that has been established in 2013. The wine region is exclusively occupied by the estate Tenuta San Guido that produces a unique red wine based on Cabernet Sauvignon. This native Bordeaux grape was introd... READ MORE

Traditionally farmed in bays, inlets, and sheltered estuaries, Sydney rock oyster was the first aquaculture species in Australia. The oyster has a thick, smooth shell, while the flesh is silky and tender with a distinctively strong flavor... READ MORE

Inhabiting the shallow waters of Australia and New Zealand and only available wild-caught, Balmain bug is an oddly shaped slipper lobster that has a reddish brown shell, narrow tail (where most of the meat is), and no claws. Its meat rang... READ MORE

True Belon oysters are produced in the area around the French river Belon, and some say that they are some of the rarest oysters in the world. They have a flavor reminiscent of brine and an intense copper finish, and they are full of umam... READ MORE

Named after the province and region of its origin, Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Reggio Emilia is a balsamic vinegar obtained by fermenting and refining cooked grapes of the Lambrusco and Trebbiano varieties. The grape... READ MORE

This saffron variety is grown exclusively on Azerbaijan's Absheron Peninsula for more than a thousand years. It is usually grown in small quantities on farm fields, and currently, 1 kg of Absheron saffron costs about $11,000. The expensive spice i... READ MORE

Krokos kozanis is a spice taken from the bulb stigmas of the saffron plant, part of the Iridaceae family. It is produced within the various municipal areas of Kozani, in the region of West Macedonia in the northern part of Greece... READ MORE

Malostonske kamenice are fresh european flat oysters produced in the Mali Ston bay near the city of Dubrovnik. Special reserve Mali Ston bay, a protected area of nature, represents one of the last preserved habitats of this oyster species... READ MORE

Moules de Bouchot de la Baie du Mont-Saint-Michel are fresh mussels of the Mytilus edulis species, farmed on the high wooden stakes placed in water in the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel between the regions of Ille et Vilaine and Manche... READ MORE

Ichigoni is a traditional soup and a specialty of Hachinohe in the prefecture of Aomori. The soup is made with sea urchin, abalone, and a seafood broth. It's typically served with green onions and thinly sliced shiso herb. Ichigoni is considered a... READ MORE

San Miniato hills are one of Europe’s most prosperous areas for the growth of white truffles, locally also known as cibo da re, meaning kings’ food. Tartufo di San Miniato (lat. Tuber magnatum) has a shiny ou... READ MORE

Munder safran is a variety of saffron produced in the area around Mund, a small village in the Swiss canton of Valais. This precious, deep red spice is derived from the powdered, dried stigmas of the flower known as Crocus sativus LREAD MORE

Yartsa gunbu is the most expensive fungus in the world. Also known as Himalayan Viagra and many other names (such as summer grass, winter worm in Tibetan), this fungus is a parasite that infects ghost moth caterpillars, which liv... READ MORE

THIS SPECIES IS AT RISK OF EXTINCTION DUE TO EXCESSIVE GATHERING. Also known as Caracol rosado, Lobatus gigas, or the Aztec name Teccizmama, Caribbean sea queen conch is one of the largest Caribbean mollusks. Th... READ MORE

Known by various names, this pear-shaped oyster is native to both New Zealand and Chile. In New Zealand, it is mainly wild caught in the South Island’s Foveaux Strait, Golden Bay and Tasman Bay. Since it is a deep-water oyster, it dies after... READ MORE

Grown exclusively in the valley of Navelli located near the town of L'Aquila, at an altitude ranging from 350 to 1000 meters above sea level, in an area comprising of only 8 hectares of land, this variety of saffron was first introduced to the reg... READ MORE

Zubaidi desert truffles are a highly prized delicacy in Saudi Arabia, celebrated for their mild, nutty flavor and cultural significance. Found in the deserts of Saudi Arabia (especially the Northern Borders Province), these truffles, known locally... READ MORE

Mangrove oysters, known as huitres de paletuviers in French, are small marine bivalve mollusks that are found in New Caledonia’s mangrove swamps, where they are either living on mangroves’ roots or attached to rocks. ... READ MORE