List of Michelin-starred restaurants in California
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
As of the 2026 Michelin Guide, there are 83 restaurants in California that hold a Michelin star.[1]
The Michelin Guides have been published by the French tire company Michelin since 1900. They were designed as a guide to tell drivers about eateries they recommended to visit and to subtly sponsor their tires, by encouraging drivers to use their cars more and therefore need to replace the tires as they wore out. Over time, the stars that were given out started to become more valuable.[2]
Multiple anonymous Michelin inspectors visit the restaurants several times. They rate the restaurants on five criteria: "quality of products", "mastery of flavor and cooking techniques", "the personality of the chef represented in the dining experience", "value for money", and "consistency between inspectors' visits".[2][3] Inspectors have at least ten years of expertise and create a list of popular restaurants supported by media reports, reviews, and diner popularity. If they reach a consensus, Michelin awards restaurants from one to three stars based on its evaluation methodology: One star means "high-quality cooking, worth a stop", two stars signify "excellent cooking, worth a detour", and three stars denote "exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey".[4] The stars are not permanent and restaurants are constantly being re-evaluated. If the criteria are not met, the restaurant will lose its stars.[2]
California has a long history of renowned chefs along with having its own style of cuisine. Early California chefs such as Julia Child, Alice Waters,[5][6] and Sally Schmitt[7][8] helped shape the food and dining scene in California. By the 1980s, chefs like Wolfgang Puck further shaped California cuisine.[9] In the 2000s chefs such as Thomas Keller and Nancy Silverton continued to shape Northern and Southern California.
The dining scene in California continues to have a strong influence on food and dining. Long-standing 3-star restaurants such as The French Laundry and Benu offer some of the top rated restaurants in the world. As of 2026, more 3-star restaurants are in California than any other region in North America.
The California Guide came about in 2019 as the result of the merger of two other ones; San Francisco and Los Angeles.[10] The San Francisco Michelin Guide was the second North American city chosen to have its own Michelin Guide beginning in 2007. Unlike the other U.S. guides which focus mainly in the city proper, the San Francisco guide included all the major cities in the Bay Area: San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose and Berkeley, as well as Wine Country, which includes Napa and Sonoma.[11] Michelin published restaurant guides for Los Angeles in 2008 and 2009 but suspended the publication in 2010.[12] In 2019 Michelin replaced the San Francisco guide with a statewide guide which would bring back the Los Angeles market along with the rest of Southern California and included Northern California as well. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and wildfires in California, the French tire company's restaurant guide for California took a hiatus in 2020.[13]
2019–2026 statewide lists
Beginning in 2019, the Michelin Guide covers the entire state of California.[10][14][15] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and wildfires in California, the French tire company's restaurant guide took a hiatus in California in 2020.[16]
Northern California
 |
One Michelin star |
|---|---|
 |
Two Michelin stars |
 |
Three Michelin stars |
— |
The restaurant did not receive a star that year |
| Closed | The restaurant is no longer open |
Southern California
|
One Michelin star |
|---|---|
|
Two Michelin stars |
|
Three Michelin stars |
— |
The restaurant did not receive a star that year |
| Closed | The restaurant is no longer open |
2008–2018 Los Angeles lists
|
One Michelin star |
|---|---|
|
Two Michelin stars |
— |
The restaurant did not receive a star that year |
| Closed | The restaurant is no longer open |
The Michelin Guide suspended guides for the Los Angeles area in 2010 "due to the economic environment".[61]
2007–2018 San Francisco Bay Area and Wine Country lists
|
One Michelin star |
|---|---|
|
Two Michelin stars |
|
Three Michelin stars |
— |
The restaurant did not receive a star that year |
| Closed | The restaurant is no longer open |
Notes
- Le Comptoir at Bar Crenn, specifically had the Michelin star
- The original location was in Atwater Village, Los Angeles but relocated in 2025 to Echo Park
- The original location in 2012 was West Los Angeles but relocated in 2021 to Santa Monica
- The original location in 2019 was Beverly Hills but upon reopening in 2024 it is now in West Hollywood
