By Alfredo Espinola
The Mexican culinary scene is shining brightly once again. The MICHELIN Guide, a global benchmark for culinary excellence, has unveiled its 2026 selection for Mexico, and with seven new MICHELIN Stars, three Green Stars, 16 Bib Gourmands, and 31 restaurants recommended for the first time, the country is cementing its place on the international culinary map.
A country that captivates the inspectors
The MICHELIN Guide began examining Mexican restaurants in 2024, and this year the inspectors expanded their exploration to Jalisco, Puebla, and Yucatán, joining the regions already covered: Mexico City, Oaxaca, Baja California, Baja California Sur, Quintana Roo, and Nuevo León.
Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the MICHELIN Guide, sums it up perfectly: “Mexico continues to reveal extraordinary culinary stories, shaped by deeply rooted traditions, exceptional local ingredients, and a new generation of chefs who are redefining the country’s gastronomic identity with creativity and vision.”
The giants that stand firm
In the heart of Polanco, Mexico City, two names continue to set the standard for Mexican haute cuisine: Pujol and Quintonil. Both retain their two MICHELIN stars, reaffirming their status as the country’s premier culinary landmarks.
- At Pujol, Enrique Olvera reinvents classic flavors with dishes such as the famous mole madre, aged for years and served alongside a fresh version.
- At Quintonil, Jorge Vallejo focuses on local ingredients in creations such as the blue corn tostada with crab and green pipián.
Seven new stars shining on Mexico
The 2026 edition celebrates the addition of seven restaurants to the select group of One MICHELIN Star establishments, bringing the country’s total to 27. The list includes restaurants in Mexico City, Jalisco, and Yucatán.
- Gaba (Mexico City): From a daytime café to a bold nighttime kitchen, Chef Víctor Toriz surprises with shared dishes that fuse seasonal inspiration and tradition.
- La Once Mil (Mexico City): A taco temple that stands out for its top-quality meats and handmade tortillas, accompanied by a range of memorable sauces.
- Huniik (Yucatán): Roberto Solís celebrates Yucatecan cuisine with an immersive tasting menu, inspired by cenotes and local products.
- Huniik Bar (Yucatán): A corn-focused omakase experience, featuring bold reinterpretations such as duck with heirloom tomatoes in the style of cochinita pibil.
- Ixi’im (Yucatán): Luis Ronzón brings a global perspective to Mayan techniques like pib, using local ingredients and offering warm, hospitable service.
- Alcalde (Jalisco): Paco Ruano offers a contemporary tasting menu that highlights local products, with dishes such as octopus with white mole and creative desserts.
- Xokol (Jalisco): Óscar Segundo and Xrysw Ruelas Díaz champion traditional Mexican cuisine in a communal space, featuring standout dishes like suckling pig empalme and pulque flan.
Sustainability also has its star
This year, the MICHELIN Guide recognizes three restaurants with the Green Star, a symbol of commitment to responsible gastronomy:
- Damiana (Valle de Guadalupe, Baja California): Seasonal cuisine featuring produce from its own gardens and farm.
- Ixi’im (Yucatán): Over 100 Mayan ka’anches supply its kitchen, complemented by artisanal bread, dairy, and fermented products.
- Xokol (Jalisco): All the corn comes from the milpa, an ancestral polyculture that promotes biodiversity and sustainability.
With these additions, Mexico now has 11 restaurants with a Green Star, inspiring a movement toward more conscious practices.
Bib Gourmand: accessible quality
The Bib Gourmand distinction recognizes restaurants that offer high-quality cuisine at reasonable prices. This year, 16 new establishments join the list, bringing the total to 63. Puebla leads with eight additions, followed by Yucatán and Jalisco with three each, as well as Baja California and Nuevo León.
These venues demonstrate that culinary excellence is not reserved solely for haute cuisine, but can also be found in accessible, neighborhood-style dining.
Recommended restaurants and special awards
In addition to the stars and Bib Gourmand, the MICHELIN Guide recommends 31 restaurants for the quality of their cuisine, bringing the total in Mexico to 133. The diversity is vast: ranging from traditional offerings to contemporary innovations.
The ceremony also honored outstanding professionals with the Special Awards:
· Service Award: (sponsored by Mestres) Huniik’s service team, for their genuine hospitality.
· Sommelier Award: (sponsored by Casa Madero) Jonathan Robles (Mural de Los Poblanos), with a wine list featuring over 100 Mexican wines.
· Exceptional Cocktail Award: Priscila Moreno at Máximo, (sponsored by Reservas de la Familia) with creative cocktails such as the avocado leaf sour.
· Young Chef Award: Xóchitl Valdés (Pancho Maíz), a young talent who has worked with leading figures such as Carlos Galán and Roberto Solís.
MICHELIN Guide Mexico 2026
A quick glance at the new edition reveals a country pulsing with creativity and tradition. The figures paint a picture of excellence:
- 225 restaurants in the total selection: a vibrant map of culinary talent.
- Two MICHELIN Stars: 2 gastronomic temples that continue to shine at the pinnacle.
- One MICHELIN Star: 27 gems, with 7 new additions raising the bar.
- Bib Gourmand: 63 spots proving that quality can also be affordable, with 16 new entries.
- Recommended: 133 restaurants that won over the inspectors, including 31 fresh discoveries.
- MICHELIN Green Star: 11 projects committed to sustainability, 3 of them recognized for the first time.
The MICHELIN Guide in North America
The history of the MICHELIN Guide in North America is also the story of how culinary excellence has been charted across an ever-expanding map. It all began in 2005, when New York received the region’s first edition. Since then, expansion has been steady and strategic, adding iconic destinations and revealing the continent’s culinary diversity.
- Chicago was added in 2011, followed by Washington, D.C. in 2017.
- In California, the guide debuted in San Francisco in 2007 and expanded its coverage to the entire state in 2019.
- Florida joined in 2022 with Miami, Orlando, and Tampa, expanding in 2025 to Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beaches, and St. Pete-Clearwater, until achieving statewide coverage in 2026.
- In Canada, Toronto and Vancouver joined in 2022.
- The expansion continued with Colorado and Atlanta in 2023.
- In 2024, Mexico, Texas, and Quebec were added.
- The year 2025 saw the addition of the Southern United States, Boston, and Philadelphia.
- In 2026, the guide reached the Southwestern United States.
- Finally, in 2027, the Great Lakes region will be added.
Each addition not only expands the Guide’s reach but also reveals new culinary stories, visionary chefs, and local traditions that enrich the global gastronomic landscape.
Mexico, a feast of creativity and tradition
Mexican cuisine, with its blend of ancestral tradition and contemporary vision, has established itself as one of the most exciting in the world. And the MICHELIN Guide, with its rigor and objectivity, rightly celebrates it.