Michelin adds 21 California restaurants

Michelin added 21 California restaurants to its guide on May 20, expanding its statewide selection a little more than a month before the 2026 California ceremony. The new entries include 11 in the Los Angeles area, seven in the San Francisco Bay Area and three elsewhere in the state, according to Michelin and local outlet reports. Michelin said the additions are new selections in the guide rather than star awards. The company said its 2026 California distinctions, including stars and Bib Gourmands, will be announced on June 24 in San Diego. ### So what exactly did Michelin announce? Michelin said the restaurants were added to its California selection as part of its twice-yearly update cycle. The company said new establishments appear on its website and app with a “New” symbol before the annual ceremony, where distinctions such as stars and Bib Gourmands are revealed. The May 20 update covered restaurants across several regions of the state. (guide.michelin.com) NBC Los Angeles reported that Michelin’s latest California update recognized 21 restaurants, while Eater San Francisco reported that seven Bay Area restaurants in San Francisco, Oakland and Los Gatos were among the additions. ### Which Los Angeles restaurants made the list? Los Angeles-area additions included Sonoratown, along with a mix of omakase counters, tasting-menu restaurants and neighborhood spots, according to local reports cited in the source briefings. Michelin’s own write-up also described new Los Angeles additions including Miura in Beverly Hills, ALTO in Studio City, Casa Leo, Electric Bleu, Kojima, Lielle and Lynx, with inspectors highlighting formats ranging from omakase to live-fire and tasting menus. (nbclosangeles.com) Michelin’s descriptions were specific about the range of formats it added. The guide called Miura “a highly tuned omakase,” described Electric Bleu as a French bistro with a California accent, and said Lielle had become hard to book because of demand for chef Marcus Jernmark’s tasting menu. ### Are these restaurants Michelin-starred now? (guide.michelin.com) Michelin said no new stars were announced in the May 20 additions. The newly listed restaurants are now part of the California guide and remain eligible for distinctions that will be disclosed later, including stars, Bib Gourmands and special awards, according to Michelin and local reports. (guide.michelin.com) That distinction matters because Michelin’s selection process unfolds in stages. Restaurants can first appear as new additions in the guide and then receive, keep or miss out on stars and other awards when the full California reveal is held. ### How broad was the update beyond Los Angeles? Seven Bay Area restaurants were added in San Francisco, Oakland and Los Gatos, Eater San Francisco reported on May 20. (guide.michelin.com) The statewide total of 21 means the remaining additions were split outside Los Angeles and the Bay Area, with Southern California markets including San Diego also represented in local coverage. Westside Today reported that six of the new Los Angeles-area additions were on the Westside. That local breakdown underscored how heavily the latest update leaned toward the Los Angeles market even within a statewide announcement. ### What happens on June 24? June 24 is the date Michelin set for its full 2026 California Guide ceremony in San Diego. (sf.eater.com) Michelin said that is when it will reveal stars and Bib Gourmands for California, after the interim additions published in May. San Diego will host the event, according to Michelin’s announcement and local coverage. (guide.michelin.com) Until then, the 21 newly added restaurants will appear in Michelin’s California selection online and in the Michelin Guide app as new entries rather than award winners.