New Michelin winners
Brighton & Hove’s Maré just earned a Michelin star in early 2026 — a symbolic return for the region and a marker of Hove’s rising food status. (cntraveller.com) France’s 2026 guide also added a new Three‑Star restaurant, and Hong Kong’s Lai Ching Heen at Regent Hong Kong picked up two Michelin stars in the 2026 Hong Kong & Macau Guide — signals that both classic and regional fine dining are shifting this year. ( )
Maré opened on Church Road in Hove in September 2025 and describes its offer as a seasonally rotating menu that champions Sussex and local produce. (thedrinksbusiness.com) Local coverage notes Brighton & Hove had not hosted a Michelin‑starred restaurant for nearly 50 years, with the city’s last recognised fine‑dining site traced back to the 1970s in multiple regional reports. (brightonandhovenews.org) The Michelin awards for Great Britain & Ireland were revealed at a ceremony in Dublin on 9 February 2026, the event where the Guide published its latest UK and Ireland listings. (brightonjournal.co.uk) Chef‑patron Rafael Cagali is the driving force behind Maré; Cagali is also the founder of London’s Da Terra, which earned two Michelin stars after opening in 2019, and Maré’s day‑to‑day kitchen leadership is credited to head chef Ewan Waller. (guide.michelin.com) In France, Les Morainières in Jongieux, Savoie was promoted to three Michelin stars in the MICHELIN Guide France & Monaco 2026 announced on 16 March 2026, the only restaurant elevated to the top tier this year. (ecostylia.com) The France & Monaco 2026 selection totals 668 starred establishments (31 three‑star, 84 two‑star and 553 one‑star restaurants), while the MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong & Macau 2026 listed 278 venues and confirmed Lai Ching Heen at Regent Hong Kong as a two‑star Cantonese restaurant with 17 consecutive years of Michelin recognition. (michelin.com)
