Michelin Star
The most internationally recognised restaurant award. Awarded in three levels by the Michelin Guide, anonymously inspected, reset annually.
The Michelin Star is the most widely recognised restaurant distinction in the world. Awarded by the Michelin Guide (founded in 1900 by the French tyre company as a road-trip handbook), stars come in three tiers: one star ('a very good restaurant'), two stars ('excellent cooking, worth a detour') and three stars ('exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey'). Inspectors visit anonymously, pay for their meals, and judge on five criteria: product quality, technique, harmony of flavours, the chef's personality in the cuisine, and consistency across the menu and over time. The full guide also awards Bib Gourmand (for value), Michelin Selected (for inclusion without a star), Green Stars (for sustainability) and Young Chef awards. Stars reset every year; restaurants can be promoted, demoted or removed entirely. The annual gala ceremony is the most-watched event in restaurant journalism.
How it's served
Not served, displayed. Restaurants with stars usually mount the official plaque near the entrance and add the star count to the website, menu and reservation system. The guide has separate red editions for major countries; Spain has had its own annual edition since 1910.
Regional variation
Some countries get a more detailed guide than others. France, Italy, Spain, Japan and the United States get their own annual editions; other markets are covered in regional editions or not at all. The Spanish guide is announced annually in November; the most recent edition (2026) was announced in Toledo in late November 2025.
- Origin
- France (Michelin Guide, 1900)
- Etymology
- Named after Michelin, the French tyre manufacturer that started the guide in 1900.
Where to try it in Barcelona
31 restaurants on Guidavera mention michelin star in their kitchen description. Showing the top 24.
- ABaCSarrià-Sant Gervasi
- Cocina Hermanos TorresLes Corts
- DisfrutarEixample
- LasarteEixample
- AleiaGràcia
- Cinc SentitsEixample
- EnigmaSant Antoni
- Enoteca Paco PérezBarceloneta
- Mont BarEixample
- AlkimiaSant Antoni
- AngleEixample
- AtempoEixample
- CaelisGothic Quarter
- COME by Paco MéndezSant Antoni
- Dos PalillosEl Raval
- FishologyEixample
- HisopSarrià-Sant Gervasi
- HofmannSarrià-Sant Gervasi
- KamikazeEixample
- Koy ShunkaGothic Quarter
- LluernaSanta Coloma de Gramenet
- MAE BarcelonaSarrià-Sant Gervasi
- MomentsEixample
- ProdigiEixample
Frequently asked
What does a Michelin Star mean?
An anonymous-inspector recognition that a restaurant meets one of three quality levels: one star ('a very good restaurant'), two ('excellent, worth a detour'), or three ('exceptional, worth a special journey'). Awarded by the Michelin Guide on five criteria: product quality, technique, harmony, the chef's personality, and consistency.
How does a restaurant earn a Michelin Star?
Through repeated anonymous visits by Michelin inspectors over many months. The inspectors pay for their meals, never identify themselves, and judge on objective criteria. There's no application, no public process. Stars are announced at an annual national gala; the timing varies by country (Spain's is in late November).
Can a restaurant lose its Michelin Star?
Yes. Stars are reset every year, and restaurants can be demoted, removed or asked to return their star at any annual edition. Demotions are public events in restaurant journalism. The Guide's stated reasons are usually consistency, product quality or chef changes; the actual process remains opaque.
Related terms
- Bib GourmandThe Michelin Guide's value distinction: a quality meal at a moderate price. Capped per country (around €40 in Spain) and announced alongside the annual star ceremony.
- Menú degustaciónTasting menu: a multi-course set sequence (often 10-25 courses) at a fixed price, with no à la carte option. The default format at most modern fine-dining restaurants in Spain.