Here are the restaurants in the capital that have received the accolade.
We already know that Abu Dhabi is a city packed with world-class restaurants, but it has once again been given the MICHELIN seal of approval. The MICHELIN Guide Abu Dhabi 2026 has revealed its winners, with three restaurants receiving a MICHELIN Star. There were no two or three-star restaurants in the capital.
The MICHELIN Star Revelation Ceremony took place on 23 October at Emirares Palace Mandarin Oriental, Abu Dhabi. Chefs and restaurateurs gathered as the Abu Dhabi list was unveiled, and here are the restaurants that were awarded MICHELIN Stars.
A constellation of culinary stars
The restaurants awarded one MICHELIN Star were Erth, Hakkasan Abu Dhabi, and Talea by Antonio Guida, all of which retained their 2025 rankings. However, 99 Sushi Bar & Restaurant, which received one star last year, was downgraded to a MICHELIN guide selection restaurant.
The Bib Gourmand category is a distinction awarded to establishments that provide an excellent value-for-money three-course meal. The MICHELIN Guide Abu Dhabi Bib Gourmand selection featured 3Fils Abu Dhabi, Almayass, Bua Thai Cafe, Al Mrzab, Beirut Sur Mer, Goldfish Abu Dhabi, Mika, Otoro, Ryba and Tazal.
The MICHELIN guide selection includes 99 Sushi Bar & Restaurant, Al Farah, Antonia, Bord Eau by Nicolas Isnard, Broadway, Butcher & Still, Byblos Sur Mer, Café Milano, Catch at St. Regis, Cipriani Dolci, COYA Abu Dhabi, Dai Pai Dong, Em Sherif Sea Café, Finz, Fouquet’s Abu Dhabi, Grand Beirut, José by Pizarro, Kopitiam by Chandy’s, La Petite Maison Abu Dhabi, Li Beirut, Li Jiang, Martabaan by Hemant Oberoi, Maté, Meylas, Mijana, Moksh, Namak, NIRI Restaurant & Bar, Novikov Abu Dhabi, Oak Room, Oii, Paradiso, Pincode by Kunal Kapur, Punjab Grill, Ray’s Grill, Sand & Koal, Strawfire by Ross Shonhan, Taparelle, Tean, Terra, Villa Mamas, Villa Toscana and Zuma
A series of special awards rounded out the night. Villa Toscana’s Chef Vittorio Nania was named Young Chef of the Year. The Service Award went to Ricardo Bout, food and beverage manager at Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers. The Exceptional Cocktails award, recognising creativity in mixology, was awarded to Maria Luz Garcia and Mahesh Dhami of Strawfire by Ross Shonhan.
What the MICHELIN Guide means for Abu Dhabi
The MICHELIN Guide has been published since 1933 and is seen as the Oscars of the food industry. The guide already covers 36 destinations across North America, South America, Asia Pacific, and Europe, and the Middle East can now be added to that list. The countries with the most MICHELIN-starred restaurants are France and Japan.
Currently, only 138 restaurants worldwide hold three Michelin Stars, and France and Japan are the countries with the most Michelin-starred restaurants.
How restaurants receive a MICHELIN Star
MICHELIN inspectors have been eating their way through Abu Dhabi’s restaurants – albeit anonymously. For restaurants to be awarded a star, they must meet specific criteria: the quality of the ingredients, mastery of cooking, harmony of flavours, personality of the chef through the cuisine, and consistency over time as well as across the entire menu.
If the process is perplexing, we’re here to break it down: one MICHELIN star is awarded to restaurants for high-quality cooking that is worth a stop; two MICHELIN Stars for excellent cooking that is worth a detour; and three MICHELIN Stars for exceptional cuisine that is worth a special journey
Stars aren’t for life – gaining or losing one can affect a restaurant’s reputation, make the foodie news, and bruise a chef’s ego. So, we look forward to seeing how the MICHELIN Guide affects Abu Dhabi’s dining scene and who else will be added to the illustrious list in the future.
GO: Visit www.michelin.com for more information.