These Cities Currently Have the Most Michelin-Starred Restaurants Worldwide. You May Be Surprised by Which Cities Are Not on the List

WRITTEN BY 5 REASONS TO VISIT® EDITORIAL STAFF

PUBLISHED APRIL 2023 • 4 min read

Founded by brothers André and Édouard Michelin, the Michelin tire company—with its lovable fluffy mascot, the Michelin Man—started the Michelin Guide in the late 1800s as a means of informing long-distance drivers of worthwhile places to stop and have a bite to eat while traveling. By 1926, due to the popularity of the guide, the star system was born.

Now highly coveted and an immense source of pride for those selected, Michelin stars are awarded to restaurants that excel in five specific areas: quality of ingredients, harmony of flavors, mastery of techniques, personality of the chef expressed through cuisine, and consistency across the menu and over time. Each restaurant that receives a star is evaluated completely anonymously numerous times over the course of a year before a decision is made, ensuring only the best of the best are selected.

Tokyo was the city with the most Michelin-starred restaurants in the world as of January 2022, with 203 of the Japanese capital's eateries boasting at least one of the tyre giant's coveted stars. Japan dominated the top five, with Kyoto coming in second with 108 starred establishments (in tie with Paris), and Osaka rounding out the top three with 96. Out of the top 10 most starred cities, seven were located in Asia.

TOKYO, JAPAN — 203

PARIS, FRANCE — 108

KYOTO, JAPAN — 108

OSAKA, JAPAN — 96

HONG KONG — 71

NEW YORK CITY, USA — 65

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM — 65

SINGAPORE — 49

SHANGHAI, CHINA — 47

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA — 33

SAN FRANCISCO, USA — 31

BANGKOK, THAILAND — 30

WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — 23

BERLIN, GERMANY — 23

MADRID, SPAIN — 21

CHICAGO, USA — 20

BARCELONA, SPAIN — 19

LYON, FRANCE — 17

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND — 16

ROME, ITALY — 16

MACAU — 15

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM — 15

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