Where Visionary Chefs and Exceptional Ingredients Create Experiences Worth Crossing Continents
When you’ve experienced the world’s finest destinations, you understand that true luxury lies not in checking boxes but in discovering moments that transcend expectation. As you plan your summer 2026 travels, the latest Michelin Guide selections offer compelling reasons to chart new courses across the globe. These Michelin restaurants house visionary chefs. They are redefining excellence on every continent, where each course becomes its own destination worthy of your journey.
The Michelin Standard: What Earns the Stars
The Michelin Guide’s legendary anonymity and rigor have made its stars the most coveted recognition in gastronomy for over a century. Inspectors visit establishments multiple times, always incognito, evaluating five universal criteria: quality of ingredients, mastery of technique, harmony of flavors, expression of the chef’s personality, and consistency across the entire menu and over time.
A single star signifies “high-quality cooking, worth a stop.” Yet even this entry-level recognition represents the pinnacle of culinary achievement. Fewer than 3,000 restaurants worldwide hold any Michelin distinction. When you reserve a table at a newly starred establishment, you’re witnessing a chef’s defining moment. You experience their vision before the world catches up.
United States: Regional Excellence Refined
From sea to shining sea, America’s newest Michelin restaurants celebrate regional identity while pushing culinary boundaries with confidence and creativity.
Friday Saturday Sunday
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Recently receiving 1 star, Philadelphia’s restaurant proves that focused menus deliver extraordinary experiences. Chef Chad Williams’s multicourse format allows him to balance luxury ingredients with precise technique. His crispy sweetbreads convert skeptics, while his New York strip demonstrates that perfect seasoning elevates even classic preparations.
Providence
Hollywood, California
Since 2005, Providence has defined California seafood cuisine, earning it 3 Michelin stars. Chef Michael Cimarusti’s commitment to sustainable, wild-caught American seafood shines in dishes like lobster mousse and box crab tart, while signatures such as soft-poached egg with uni remain luxurious additions to an already impeccable tasting menu.
Emeril’s
New Orleans, LA
Chef E.J. Lagasse honors his father’s legacy while charting his own course to 2 Michelin stars. His contemporary refinement brings new dimensions to BBQ shrimp tarts and deep-flavored gumbo, proving that Creole cuisine continues evolving in the hands of passionate chefs who understand both tradition and innovation.
Europe: Where Tradition Meets Innovation
From the alpine foothills of Germany to the vibrant streets of London and Vienna’s elegant avenues, Europe’s newest Michelin restaurants prove that the continent’s culinary legacy continues evolving in remarkable directions.
Krone
Schlier, Germany
Located in Germany’s Lake Constance region, the establishment showcases Chef Benedikt Geßler’s commitment to Demeter and organic produce. His modern seasonal cuisine unfolds in a setting where old oak floors meet cherry-wood paneling, creating an atmosphere as refined as the “Chef Menu” and “Végétal Menu” that have earned this family-run establishment its recognition.
Island
London, United Kingdom
In London’s King’s Cross, Island brings playful sophistication to surf and turf. Chefs Brad Carter and Tom Brown unite their respective expertise in meat and seafood, creating inventive skewers like duck and mussel or lamb belly and clam that challenge convention while honoring both elements. The lively atmosphere matches the bold cooking.
Jola
Vienna, Austria
This eatery proves that plant-based cuisine belongs among gastronomy’s elite. Chef Jonathan Wittenbrink’s creative surprise menu features dishes like aubergine-stuffed raviolo with intense tomato essence, while Larissa Andres orchestrates service with effortless charm. Even the menu itself makes a statement as it is printed on plantable seed paper that blooms after you take it home.
Middle East & Asia: Culinary Crossroads
Where ancient spice routes meet contemporary technique, the Middle East and Asia’s newest Michelin restaurants demonstrate how tradition and innovation create cuisine that honors heritage while embracing the future.
Villa Mamas
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
The restaurant features Chef Roaya Saleh, who brings Khaleeji cooking from her native Bahrain to overlook the UNESCO World Heritage site of At-Turaif. Her lamb mozat served on vermicelli rice with pine kernels represents authentic Bahraini tradition, while the air-conditioned terrace provides the ideal setting for experiencing these flavors.
Rakuhoku Nakayama
Kyoto, Japan
Japan’s Rakuhoku Nakayama demonstrates that mastery lies in focused excellence. This omakase establishment centers on tempura fried in cottonseed oil for ethereal lightness, complemented by hill-grown rice from the proprietress’s family terraces. The photograph of those terraces hanging inside reminds you that great cuisine connects land to plate.
I-SANG
Bangkok, Thailand
Chef Lee Sanggun crafts sophisticated fusion of Korean technique with Thai ingredients. His crispy crab, a playful interpretation of Korean fried chicken, and comforting perilla oil guksu showcase how global experience and local produce create something entirely new within a calm, minimalist space.
Your Journey to Culinary Excellence
Savoring the latest Michelin restaurants deserves a journey as refined as the destinations themselves with the same attention to detail and personalized service you’ll find at each table. Contact us today or use our Flight Finder Tool to design your culinary journey, where your flight becomes the first course in an unforgettable experience.