11 Countries With the Most Michelin-Starred Restaurants
Receiving a Michelin star is one of the highest honors a restaurant can achieve. If you manage to secure a reservation, you can rest assured it will be a once-in-a-lifetime dining experience.
These countries and territories have the most Michelin-starred restaurants anywhere in the world. Spoiler alert: The United States made the list.
Crunching the Numbers
To determine which countries and territories have the most Michelin-starred restaurants, the global data and business intelligence platform Statista gathered data on which countries and territories have the most Michelin-starred restaurants as of July 2023.
A Cut Above
Inspectors from the Michelin Guide evaluate and award the most outstanding restaurants in their eyes with one to three Michelin stars based on five criteria:
- Quality of the ingredients used
- Mastery of flavor and cooking techniques
- The personality of the chef in the cuisine
- Harmony of flavors
- Consistency between visits
1: France
France comes out on top, with 625 restaurants receiving one, two, or three Michelin stars. From Accents Table Bourse in Paris, one of the least expensive Michelin-rated restaurants, to dining inside the Eiffel Tower at Le Jules Verne, you will surely be delighted.
2: Japan
With 414 Michelin-starred restaurants, Japan has the second-most number of Michelin-starred restaurants in the world. As expected, you can find world-class sushi that seems otherworldly at places like Sushi Ryujiro. Or, you can experience culinary excellence at three-star restaurant hotspots like Makimura.
3: Italy
When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, you must be dining at an Italian Michelin-star restaurant. It has 380 to choose from, including Enoteca Pinchiorri, awarded three stars for its artful Tuscan-inspired dishes, and a wine list that’ll take you as long to read as it does to finish your drink of choice.
4: Germany
Following closely behind Italy, Germany boasts 328 Michelin-starred restaurants within its borders. Among the notable stops is Atelier, a two-star restaurant with unique plates, like one with Japanese hamachi, Osciètre Prestige caviar, white asparagus, lettuce, and Piedmontese hazelnut.
5: Spain
Spain rounds out the top five countries with the greatest number of Michelin-starred restaurants. Full of masterful flavors infused with culture and traditions, Spain’s 248 Michelin-star restaurants will take your taste buds on a journey that’ll leave you wanting to experience again.
6: United States
The US is a melting pot of cultures and cuisines, which has undoubtedly helped it lead the way in being one of the top countries in the world to boast the greatest number of Michelin-starred restaurants. Two hundred twenty-three restaurants, to be exact. According to the Michelin Guide, an experience at Thomas Keller’s Per Se in New York will be “savored, recounted, and remembered.” Note to self!
7: United Kingdom
When visiting our friends across the pond, you may want to add a Michelin-starred restaurant to your itinerary; the United Kingdom is home to 187 Michelin-awarded restaurants. Not only does Sketch in London have bathrooms so unique that celebrities have taken mirror selfies in them, but it also boasts three Michelin stars for its unique cuisine.
8: Belgium
If you’re looking for an authentic taste of the region in Belgium, why not stop by one of its 138 Michelin-starred restaurants? As a proud ambassador of Luxembourg, Clément Petitjean works closely with local producers at one-starred La Grappe d’Or on what the Michelin Guide calls “a highly personal and inspired celebration of the region.”
9: Switzerland
Switzerland is home to more than just stunning views of the Alps. One of the country’s 128 Michelin-starred restaurants is aptly named Memories, as you’ll certainly never forget your dining experience there. The environment won’t soon forget it either; over 90% of the produce Memories uses comes straight from the Alps.
10: Netherlands
The Netherlands has 123 Michelin-starred restaurants, and one is in a particularly unique location. You wouldn’t think you’d find a three-star Michelin restaurant in a former prison, but that’s exactly what to expect at De Librije.
11: Mainland China
If you visit one of mainland China’s 122 Michelin-starred restaurants, you can trust that it’ll be more than your average American Chinese food experience. For example, Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet in Shanghai offers a “multi-sensory dining experience,” and the location is kept a secret for an extra wow factor.
Check Please
It’s well known that a trip to any Michelin-starred restaurant will cost you more than your average fine dining experience, but that’s all part of the appeal. The most expensive Michelin-starred restaurant worldwide is Sublimotion in Ibiza, Spain. A full-tasting course costs over $1,700. Start saving your pennies!
Simply the Best
Widely considered the Oscars of gastronomy, William Reed Business Media’s list of “The World’s 50 Best Restaurants” ranked Peruvian restaurant Central in their coveted top spot in 2023. Central utilizes ingenious ingredients from Peru’s coastal region, the Andes highlands, and even the Amazon rainforest.
21 Most Commonly Mispronounced Wines
Some casual wine drinkers resort to asking for “red” or “white,” but research shows Americans want to know how to pronounce their favorite varietals. This list reveals the top wines we need help saying aloud.
21 Most Commonly Mispronounced Wines
Traveling Without ATM Fees
How does never paying an ATM fee when you travel sound? Discover the trick to doing just that from a traveler who’s saved hundreds of dollars in ATM fees.
