The number of Michelin-starred restaurants in the UK and Ireland has reached a new high – but some major cities are still missing out on the finest dining locations, a new map shows.
After 26 restaurants were honoured at this year’s award ceremony hosted by the Michelin Guide Great Britain and Ireland, there are now 220 upper-crust eateries that hold a Michelin star.
That includes 156 in England, 11 in Scotland, six in Wales, two in Northern Ireland, 18 in the Republic of Ireland, and one in the Channel Islands. In Bristol, Wilsons in Redland was given its first Michelin Star, joining Bulrush in Cotham, as two restaurants in the city now hold the prestigious award.
Three restaurants in Bristol were also awarded Bib Gourmands from the Michelin Guide. The number of restaurants with a Michelin star has gone up in each of the last five years, rising from 185 in 2021 and increasing by another 14 since 2024.
But the options for fine dining depend even more on which part of the country you live in – with 85 of the Michelin-star restaurants now in London, including 12 new additions to the list. London is followed by the North West and the South East with 20 each.
The North East has the fewest options for luxury dining, with just four Michelin-star restaurants. Several major cities, including Leeds, Bradford, Southampton, Portsmouth, Sheffield, Leicester, and Coventry, do not have any Michelin-star restaurants at all.
You can find out how close you are to your nearest Michelin-star restaurant using our interactive gadget.
“Modern cuisine” is the most common food served by Great Britain and Ireland’s Michelin-star restaurants. A third of restaurants in the list (33%, or 73 restaurants) offer a modern cuisine menu, presenting cooking using new techniques, ingredients, and presentation.
“Modern British” (22% or 48 restaurants) and “creative” (6% or 14 restaurants) are the next most popular styles among Michelin-star restaurants. But – assuming diners are willing to travel far enough – they can find Michelin-star restaurants catering to all manner of tastes, including Italian, French, Indian, Mediterranean, Chinese, Thai, Turkish, and traditional British.
For the first time, a vegan restaurant was added to the list of Michelin-star restaurants after the most recent awards ceremony. Ten restaurants now hold three stars, the highest honour, and 29 have two stars.