The Michelin Guide is renowned for recognising and awarding its famed stars to the world’s best restaurants – and now, it’s coming to Australia for the first time.
In massive news for the local dining scene, the Michelin Guide will be launching in just one Aussie state: South Australia.
Unbeknownst to many South Australian restaurant owners, they have already been under the scrutiny of the same anonymous inspectors who award stars in world-class gastronomic destinations like Italy, France and Japan.
The selected restaurants will feature in the inaugural Michelin Guide South Australia 2027, with the chosen venues set to be revealed at a special event later this year in October 2026.
Dining venues considered for inclusion span the entire South Australian region, with those that made the cut reflecting the richness and diversity of its culinary landscape.
International Director of the Michelin Guide, Gwendal Poullennec, shared his excitement over the Guide’s arrival down under in a state that takes immense pride in its local food scene.
‘South Australia offers an impressive diversity of culinary expressions within a single destination,’ said Gwendal.
‘The strength of its identity lies in the freedom chefs enjoy to define their own voice, guided by outstanding produce, a strong relationship to the land, and a confident openness to global influences.’
An announcement confirmed that The Michelin Guide is coming to Australia for the first time, launching in South Australia
Although Australia has long been renowned for its world-class dining, up until now none of its restaurants have ever received a Michelin Star.
The reason? The Michelin Guide has never been able to reach an agreement with Australia’s tourism authorities to fund a local edition.
But thanks to the support of the Government of South Australia, some lucky South Australian venues will soon appear in their own local version of the globally-renowned tome.
‘We are proud to welcome the Michelin Guide to South Australia,’ said South Australia’s Minister for Tourism Emily Bourke.
‘Today’s announcement is a fantastic recognition of what we already know: our state sits atop the nation’s foodie must-visit list.
‘With its mix of culture, food, wine, and natural beauty, South Australia offers a vibrant calendar of food festivals and wine events, celebrating culinary excellence from city dining experiences to regional gourmet celebrations. We look forward to sharing this with Michelin Guide readers around the world.’
The announcement of the Guide’s arrival in South Australia also saw Gwendal let slip some insight about what the anonymous Michelin inspectors recently discovered as they dined and tasted their way around the southern Aussie state.
‘Our Inspectors were struck by the authenticity and personality of the region’s dining culture, and we are delighted to spotlight South Australia on the Michelin Guide stage,’ he hinted.
South Australia has always enjoyed a reputation for its excellent homegrown produce, which results in an exquisite local food and wine scene
Inspectors evaluate restaurants according to five universal criteria – and these would have also been applied to venues in South Australia.
The criteria are: the quality of ingredients, mastery of cooking techniques, harmony of flavours, the personality of the cuisine, and consistency, both over time and across the menu.
The recognised restaurants are then awarded up to three of the prestigious Michelin Stars.
One Michelin Star is awarded to restaurants for ‘high-quality cooking that is worth a stop’. Two Michelin Stars are given out for ‘excellent cooking that is worth a detour’.
The highest distinction is three Michelin Stars, given to restaurants offering ‘exceptional cuisine that is worth a special journey’.
As of 2026, there are approximately 157 restaurants worldwide holding the maximum three-Michelin-star rating.
The Michelin Guide has been operating for 125 years. Any restaurant selected for inclusion not only receives the prestigious title and accolade, but often enjoys a flow-on effect of increased business.
The Michelin Guide’s mission has stayed mostly unchanged since its inception: to guide international travellers and local food lovers to the best restaurants, to highlight global culinary scenes, and to promote travel culture.
For the first time ever, The Michelin Guide will be expanding into Oceania. Restaurants are being considered across Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown
But the evaluation process for inclusion in the Michelin Guide is famously rigorous.
Inspectors are full-time employees who dine out roughly 300 times a year. Each visit is anonymous, and inspectors pay their own bills.
The identities of the inspectors are also fiercely protected, with reports that they are not even allowed to reveal their job to friends.
Interestingly, the Guide was founded in 1900 by the Michelin tyre company as a way to encourage growth of the then-burgeoning automobile industry.
In November 2025, it was announced that the Michelin Guide would be expanding into the Oceania region for the first time ever, with dining spots across four New Zealand cities being considered for the inaugural 2026 edition.
The Aotearoa New Zealand edition of the Michelin Guide is due for release in mid-2026 and will feature the best establishments across Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown.
The impending release is anticipated to cement New Zealand’s status on the global culinary map – and is expected to entice foodie tourists to its shores.
Some of the best-known international venues to currently hold a coveted three Michelin Star rating include L’Enclume in England, The French Laundry in California, US, Atelier Crenn in San Francisco, US, Maido in Peru, and Restaurant Bareiss in Germany.
And now that a South Australian version of the Guide is on the horizon, we might soon get to see a South Australian venue join these prestigious ranks.
