Three‑star firsts in Latin America
For the first time ever, two São Paulo restaurants — Evvai and Tuju — were awarded three Michelin stars in the 2026 guide, marking Latin America’s debut at the top Michelin level. The distinction was announced during the 2026 presentation held at Rio’s Copacabana Palace, and media noted tasting-menu prices reported around €250 per person at the events covered. (elespanol.com)
Latin America has its first three-Michelin-star restaurants: Evvai and Tuju in São Paulo now sit at the guide’s highest level. (michelin.com) Michelin announced the awards on April 13 at the Copacabana Palace in Rio de Janeiro during the launch of the 2026 Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo guide. Michelin said both restaurants were promoted from two stars to three. (guide.michelin.com) Evvai is led by chef Luiz Filipe Souza and blends Brazilian and Italian influences; Tuju is led by chef Ivan Ralston and builds seasonal tasting menus around Brazilian produce, especially from São Paulo. Michelin’s restaurant pages describe both houses as research-driven, tasting-menu destinations. (guide.michelin.com 1) (guide.michelin.com 2) The jump matters inside Michelin’s own scale. Three stars are the guide’s top rank, above one star for “high-quality cooking” and two stars for “excellent cooking,” and until this week no restaurant in Latin America had reached that tier in a Michelin guide. (guide.michelin.com) (michelin.com) The result also reshaped the 2026 Brazil list below the top line. Michelin said D.O.M., Lasai and Oro kept two stars, while Rio restaurant Madame Olympe won one star, bringing the guide’s one-star total to 19. (michelin.com) (guide.michelin.com) Michelin has published guides for Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo since 2015, but the 2026 edition is the first to award three stars in Brazil. Michelin announced in December that the 2026 ceremony would return to Rio, with the April 13 presentation set for the Copacabana Palace. (guide.michelin.com 1) (guide.michelin.com 2) The restaurants now join a small global club. Michelin said the two São Paulo winners became the first in the region to enter the guide’s three-star category, which the company’s release framed as a milestone for both Brazilian and Latin American dining. (michelin.com) The prices place the meals firmly in special-occasion territory. Brazilian outlets reported tasting menus starting around 1,150 to 1,250 reais per person, with full experiences rising above 3,000 reais when drink pairings are added. (gq.globo.com) (terra.com.br) For Michelin in Brazil, the headline this year was simple: the guide’s top distinction is no longer absent from Latin America, and it arrived with two addresses in the same city. (michelin.com)
