Michelin adds nine NYC restaurants
The Michelin Guide added nine restaurants to its New York selection this week — five in Brooklyn and four in Manhattan — as a mid‑cycle update ahead of the main 2026 ceremony. Coverage emphasized Brooklyn’s dominance in this round and noted Michelin updates its selection twice a year. (fox5ny.com) (patch.com) (ny.eater.com)
Michelin added nine New York City restaurants to its 2026 New York selection on April 15, with Brooklyn taking five of the new spots. (guide.michelin.com) (fox5ny.com) The Brooklyn additions are Entre Nous in Clinton Hill, Los Burritos Juárez in Fort Greene, Bong in Crown Heights, Vato in Park Slope, and I Cavallini in Williamsburg. The Manhattan additions are Le Chêne in Greenwich Village, Hwaro in Midtown West, Elcielo New York in NoMad, and Cove in SoHo. (guide.michelin.com) (fox5ny.com) Michelin said these restaurants enter the guide as recommended places before any stars or Bib Gourmand awards are announced. The guide adds new restaurants to its selection twice a year, while stars and Bib Gourmands are held for the annual ceremony later in 2026. (guide.michelin.com) (fox5ny.com) That makes this update an early signal about which dining rooms inspectors are tracking ahead of the next New York awards. Crain’s described the nine restaurants as candidates for the 2026 Michelin awards, and Michelin says selected restaurants can later be promoted to stars or Bib Gourmands. (crainsnewyork.com) (fox5ny.com) Brooklyn’s share stood out in this round because five of the nine additions landed there, spanning wine bar fare, regional burritos, Cambodian small plates, a daytime tortilleria, and Italian cooking. Michelin’s own notes highlighted Entre Nous for its wine program, Los Burritos Juárez for El Paso and Ciudad Juárez-style burritos, Bong for Cambodian shared plates, Vato for house-made flour tortillas, and I Cavallini for an Italian menu from chef Nick Curtola. (guide.michelin.com) (timeout.com) The Manhattan picks were spread across downtown and midtown, and several arrived with established names behind them. Michelin described Hwaro as chef Sungchul Shim’s 22-seat counter inside Gui, while Time Out noted Elcielo comes from chef Juan Manuel Barrientos, who already has Michelin-starred restaurants in Washington and Miami, and Cove is chef Flynn McGarry’s new project. (guide.michelin.com) (timeout.com) Michelin says inspectors judge restaurants on ingredient quality, harmony of flavors, mastery of techniques, the chef’s voice, and consistency across visits. Fox 5 reported that inclusion in the guide means inspectors already consider a restaurant worth recommending, even before higher distinctions are decided. (guide.michelin.com) (fox5ny.com) For diners, the practical effect is simpler: these nine restaurants now carry Michelin’s “New” marker in the guide and move onto the short list for the 2026 ceremony. Michelin’s next public decision in New York will come when it reveals which of them, if any, rise from recommendation to award status. (guide.michelin.com) (timeout.com)
