California’s star-struck chefs, hospitality workers, and restaurateurs all convened in downtown San Diego on Wednesday, June 24, to attend the Michelin Guide: California ceremony. It’s there that chefs found out the starred status of their restaurant for 2026, whether jumping onto the guide for the first time or retaining a one-, two-, or three-starred ranking.
The biggest news of the night was the fact that not one, but two, Bay Area spots joined the ranks of three-Michelin-starred restaurants. Chef Val M. Cantu’s fine-dining restaurant Californios, and chef Brian Limoges’ Enclos made the jump from two stars to three, the only restaurants to earn that distinction this year. Californios is the first Mexican restaurant in the United States to earn the three-Michelin-starred distinction; the restaurant earned its first Michelin star in 2015, later becoming a two-Michelin-starred restaurant in 2017. Meanwhile, Enclos has been a Michelin favorite from the start: The restaurant leapt into the two-Michelin-starred distinction in 2025, just six months after opening, and has already leveled up to three stars.
Nine new restaurants were added to the list of one-starred designations, with three Bay Area restaurants nabbing the honors. Troubadour in Healdsburg, plus Naides and Wolfsbane in San Francisco, each earned a star. Also joining the list of new one-star honorees were Corridor 109, Kojima, Lielle, Lucien, Miura, and Seline in Southern California.
The Bay Area also took home some special Michelin distinctions. Evan Williams and the bar team at San Francisco’s Maria Isabel took home the Exceptional Cocktail Award.
Frida Blomdahl Hay, general manager at Sons & Daughters, took home the Michelin Service Award, as well.
Unfortunately, as new restaurants rise to the starred ranks of Michelin restaurants, a few Bay Area restaurants were relieved of their star designation. Kenzo in Napa lost its stars. In San Francisco, Le Comptoir at Bar Crenn, O’ by Claude Le Tohic, and the Shota all had their one-star designation removed. At least one of those removals was expected: Chef Dominique Crenn announced in early June plans to shut down her French omakase counter, Le Comptoir at Bar Crenn. Bar Crenn itself remains open.
The head-scratcher of the night was the seeming return of Green Stars, just a month after the tire guide stated it would retire that designation. Green Stars highlight “restaurants at the forefront of the industry when it comes to their sustainable practices,” per an explainer from Michelin, and were first launched in 2020. The elimination of Green Stars was (briefly) announced alongside the new Michelin initiative, “Mindful Voices,” which is “designed to highlight individuals who, through their commitment and actions, are pioneering new approaches in the fields of gastronomy, hospitality and wine,” per a Michelin press release last month. Yet, at Wednesday’s ceremony, two restaurants were given new Green Star distinctions: Monte’s in Santa Barbara and Six Test Kitchen in Paso Robles.
Michelin’s foray into California began with the guide ranking the San Francisco Bay Area in 2007; Los Angeles had its own guides in 2008 and 2009, before that city’s guide underwent a decade-long pause. Eventually, Michelin expanded to cover the entire state in 2019, thanks to the California Tourism Board, which gave Michelin $600,000 for the extended coverage of the state’s restaurants.
Here’s the full list of Bay Area Michelin-starred restaurants for 2026:
Atelier Crenn, San Francisco
Californios, San Francisco (Promotion)
Enclos, Sonoma (Promotion)
The French Laundry, Yountville
Acquerello, San Francisco
Aubergine, Carmel-by-the-Sea
Sons & Daughters, San Francisco
Auberge du Soleil, Rutherford
Chez Noir, Carmel-by-the-Sea
Hilda and Jesse, San Francisco
Mister Jiu’s, San Francisco
Naides, San Francisco (New)
Niku Steakhouse, San Francisco
The Progress, San Francisco
San Ho Won, San Francisco
State Bird Provisions, San Francisco
Troubadour, Healdsburg (New)
The Village Pub, Woodside
Wolfsbane, San Francisco (New)
