SZ to debut in Michelin Guide

Michelin has announced that Shenzhen will be included in France’s famed Michelin Guide — a popular reference guide for fine dining for over a century —  for the first time, the company’s China arm said Monday via its WeChat account. Ningde in Fujian Province was also added.

Photo from Michelin’s official website

The inclusion marks a milestone for Shenzhen and will be realized in the combined 2026 Michelin Guide of Guangzhou & Shenzhen, which merges the two cities into a single regional edition.

Michelin (China) Investment Co. Ltd. said the new guide aims to showcase the distinctive food cultures of both cities — Guangzhou’s culinary heritage and Shenzhen’s creativity and diversity.

“Following Fujian and Jiangsu, we are delighted to continue deepening our exploration on the Chinese mainland,” Michelin Guides’ international director Gwendal Poullennec said.

“The inclusion of Ningde allows us to delve deeper into the culinary treasures of eastern Fujian. The launch of the Guangzhou and Shenzhen guide aims to systematically showcase the unique food cultures of these two cities,” he said.

“Guangzhou’s classics and heritage, alongside Shenzhen’s diversity and innovation, will be dynamically presented through the guide, jointly celebrating the vibrancy and diversity of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area’s dining scene,” he added.

Local food events will follow, with the Caiwuwei International High-end Consumption Block in Luohu District’s Guiyuan area set to host the 2025 Michelin Food Festival. The event will feature star chefs from Michelin-starred restaurants across China, giving residents and visitors a chance to sample high-quality culinary delights.

For more than a century, the Michelin Guide has been a global benchmark for dining and hospitality. Published by the French tiremaker, the iconic red-bound Le Guide Rouge awards one to three stars to restaurants for excellence in creativity, technique, and consistency.

Today, the Michelin Guide operates in 32 countries and lists more than 3,000 starred establishments. In 2020 it introduced the Green Star to recognize chefs committed to sustainable gastronomy, and it also includes hotel recommendations and booking options through Tablet Hotels.