The top spot might surprise you…
Isabella Craddock
Michelin is the most recognised standard of excellence in the restaurant industry today. The brand started way back in 1889 in the small French town of Clermont-Ferrand when brothers Andre and Edouard Michelin founded their now-famous tyre company. The idea was to give people something to do on the roads, to stop off at the best places to eat, and fast-forward to 1926 and the Michelin Star was born. Today, it’s one of the most coveted awards for the dining industry, influencing not only road trips, but culinary travels worldwide.
Today, there are around of 3,300 Michelin stars spread across the world, giving a great excuse to embark on some gastronomic globetrotting, and in 2023, the coveted system was launched into Dubai with the debut Dubai Michelin Guide. While the country with the most Michelin-starred restaurants is France, the leading city is thousands of miles away. These are the cities with the most Michelin-starred restaurants (including the coveted new Green star) in the 2024 guide. But with the 2025 guide around the corner, this could set to change very soon..
Cities with the most Michelin-starred restaurants
1 – Tokyo, Japan – home to 194 Michelin-starred establishments
One might assume it would be the French capital that took the top spot, but another culinary hero is in the top spot: Tokyo. Japan’s energetic capital is known for its cuisine: ramen, sushi, bento boxes, but cementing itself even as the world’s culinary capital, Tokyo was awarded 251 Michelin Stars across 194 restaurants in the 2024 guide. There were 12 three-star restaurants on the list, notably kaiseki restaurant Kanda, modern French Quintessence and Joël Robuchon. Tokyo’s two-star restaurants now include the Peruvian-Japanese restaurant MAZ, supervised by chef Virgilio Martínez Véliz from Restaurant Central in Lima, Peru. As the city with the most Michelin-Starred restaurants in the world, Tokyo showcased its dynamism and evolution with 16 restaurants newly receiving One Michelin Star and one new restaurant receiving the Green star (now a total of 11).
2. Paris, France – home to 136 Michelin-starred establishments
It comes as no surprise that the French capital is home to an outstanding number of Michelin-starred restaurants, a total of 129, and six Green stars, to be precise. Nine of Paris’ restaurants were awarded three stars, including Plénitude at the beautiful new Cheval Blanc Paris, Japanese Restaurant Kei by chef Kei Kobayashi and Parisian institution Alléno Paris au Pavillon Ledoyen set in the Jardins des Champs-Élysées. 15 restaurants were awarded two stars, and 105 were given one star (13 up from 2023), making Paris one of the top destinations for a Michelin-starred culinary break. The seven Green star restaurants incude Table – Bruno Versus (also a two star) and Arpege (also a three star).
3. Kyoto, Japan- home to 103 Michelin-starred establishments (including ryokans)
Showing just how serious Japan is about its food, and how world-beating its culinary industry is, the city of Osaka hits the list as the third city with the most Michelin stars in the world. The city has 103 Michelin-starred establishments (134 Michelin stars), including six with three stars, 19 restaurants and one ryokan with one star: Kanamean Nishitomiya. Three-starred restaurants predominantly focus on Japanese cuisine, and must-visits are Isshisoden Nakamura, founded over 180 years ago, Hyotei on the grounds of the zen Nanzenji Temple and modern and playful Gion Sasaki.
4. Osaka, Japan – home to 95 Michelin-starred establishments
Japan clearly takes the top spot for travellers looking for a culinary break, with its three most famous and visited cities all featuring in the list of cities that have the most Michelin-starred restaurants. As Japan’s second-largest city, Osaka is known for its diverse and effervescent culinary scene, home to 95 Michelin-starred establishments and 110 Michelin stars. Amongst others, Ryō-shō was newly awarded Two Michelin Stars, housed in a Sukiya-style building marrying western ingredients with Japanese dishes, alongside VELROSIER, a modern designer restaurant fusing Chinese and French flavours and techniques (think foie gras-filled monaka wafer cakes).
5. London, UK – home to 80 Michelin-starred establishments
Knocking New York City off the fifth spot is the UK capital, with 80 establishments named in the 2024 Michelin guide. Up from 71 in 2023, the accolade is a testament to London’s dining scene – one of the most innovative and exciting in the world – and its melting pot population. Michelin-starred restaurants include culinary icons like Mayfair’s Hélène Darroze at the Connaught, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London and Galvin La Chapelle, but also more laid-back, humble eateries, like the aptly named Humble Chicken in Soho and Fulham’s The Harwood Arms (the city’s only Michelin-starred pub).
