The Michelin Guide (the world’s most prestigious culinary ranking system) will officially unveil its highly anticipated, expanded culinary selection for Greece on October 20, 2026. This landmark release will introduce dedicated restaurant recommendations for Thessaloniki and Santorini alongside the historic capital of Athens.
The major expansion introduces two globally renowned culinary destinations into Michelin’s prestigious European coverage.
A triumphant return and new horizons
Michelin first confirmed this historic geographic expansion in December 2025 through a strategic partnership with the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO).
While Athens has proudly featured in the guide since 1987, inspectors famously paused the capital’s standalone 2025 selection. This deliberate pause allowed the culinary team to prepare this broader, unified national edition.
Each newly added destination contributes a vastly different gastronomic identity to the guide. Centuries of diverse cultural exchange heavily shape Thessaloniki’s rich, vibrant port-city food traditions. Santorini’s dramatic volcanic landscape and unique agricultural heritage deeply inform its world-class local produce. Athens seamlessly anchors the edition by combining ancient traditions with cutting-edge contemporary creativity.
Michelin’s international director, Gwendal Poullennec, praised these sharp regional differences during the initial expansion announcement. He specifically highlighted local ingredients, deep culinary heritage, and immense chef creativity as the defining characteristics of all three Greek destinations.
Decoding Michelin’s iconic distinctions
While the legendary Michelin stars dominate global headlines, the guide actually utilizes several distinct tiers of culinary recognition.
One star identifies cooking worth a stop. Two stars recognize restaurants worth a detour, while three stars mark cuisine worth a special journey. These distinctions assess the food rather than simply rewarding a restaurant’s reputation.
Anonymous inspectors award one star for high-quality cooking worth a stop. They grant two stars for excellent cuisine worth a detour. Finally, they reserve three stars for exceptional cooking worth a special journey. Crucially, these awards evaluate the plate itself rather than a venue’s interior decor or service reputation.
Beyond the stars, the guide offers alternative accolades for diverse dining experiences. The popular Bib Gourmand recognizes exceptionally good cooking at highly reasonable prices. The Selected category highlights quality restaurants that merit a strong recommendation but currently lack stars.
Finally, the Michelin Green Star honors outstanding restaurants that demonstrate a powerful, ongoing commitment to sustainable gastronomy.
Boosting Year-Round Tourism
For the GNTO, this prestigious partnership anchors a multi-year effort to promote Greece through its rich food culture. The tourism body expects stronger culinary recognition to drive profitable city breaks and extend the traditional holiday season.
GNTO Secretary General Andreas Fiorentinos described gastronomy as an indispensable element of the modern visitor experience. He emphasized its power to distinguish Greek destinations and introduce international travelers to unique regional identities.
The upcoming October 20 release will finally shift global attention from broad destinations to specific, hard-working individual restaurants.
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