Michelin Taiwan 2026: Tainan and Hsinchu County Get Their First Stars

Michelin announced its full 2026 Taiwan selection on July 21 at the Grand Hi-Lai in Taipei. Notably, the headline achievement is outside Taipei: for the first time, both Tainan and Hsinchu County have Michelin-starred restaurants. Tainan receives its first star four years after the guide's introduction there, while Hsinchu County achieves this milestone after just one year.

The ninth edition covers 434 establishments, up from 419 last year, spread across Taipei (156), Taichung (63), Tainan (61), Kaohsiung (56), New Taipei (44), Hsinchu County (27), and Hsinchu City (27). Sixty-one of those hold stars: three three-star, nine two-star, and 49 one-star.

Tainan achieves its first Michelin star

Tainan has appeared in the guide since 2022 with a strong Bib Gourmand roster but, until this month, had not received a Michelin star. This was a notable gap for a city that promotes itself as Taiwan's food capital.

Yu Dao (予島Yǔ dǎo), located on Yuguang Island in Anping, achieved this milestone. Open for less than a year, the restaurant earned a Michelin star, a Green Star, and the Opening of the Year award on its first appearance in the guide, marking the most significant recognition of the evening. Chef Nick Yang (楊柏偉Yáng bǎi wěi), a Tainan native trained in France and former head of Sinasera 24 in Taitung, leads the kitchen. The restaurant sources approximately 70% of its ingredients from Tainan, maintains its own farm for herbs and chickens, and incorporates Tainan's 飯桌仔Fàn zhuō zǐ rice-table tradition into its tasting menu.

After the ceremony, Yang expressed hope that visitors to Tainan will now explore more than just the city's well-known snacks.

Hsinchu County recognized for culinary excellence

Sushi An (鮨安Yì ān), an Edomae omakase counter in the Zhubei high-speed rail district, received Hsinchu County's first Michelin star. Chef Hsu Liu-an (許劉安Xǔ liú ān), 29, grew up in Hsinchu and trained in Tokyo under Ono Takashi, the second son of Jiro Ono, before opening his own restaurant in 2021. He also received this year's Young Chef Award and emphasized that Hsinchu should not be overlooked for its culinary offerings, despite its reputation as a center for technology and commuter communities.

Three-star restaurants retain their status

All three three-star restaurants held their ratings: JL Studio in Taichung, and Le Palais (頤宮Yí gōng) and Taïrroir (態芮Tài ruì) in Taipei. Le Palais has now held three stars every year since 2018.

The two-star category added two restaurants: NOBUO in Taipei's Dongmen, promoted from one star, and Mizue, a Japanese counter that entered the guide directly at two stars in its first year, which is uncommon. They join A, Eika, L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon, logy, Molino de Urdániz, Mudan, and Yu Kapo.

Nine restaurants received their first Michelin star: Yu Dao (Tainan), Sushi An (Hsinchu County), Habu and NIBBON (Kaohsiung), Shineyu (山与Shān yǔ, Taichung), and Silks House (晶華軒Jīng huá xuān), MUME, Kiku (掬Jū), and Restaurant 12 in Taipei. Of these, Habu, Restaurant 12, and Yu Dao entered the guide directly at one star, while the remaining six were promoted from the Selected list.

Two restaurants lost their stars: Le Fleur de Sel (鹽之華Yán zhī huá) in Taichung and Paris 1930 x Hideki Takayama in Taipei.

Nine restaurants now hold Green Stars for sustainability, with Sur (澀Sè) and Yu Dao newly recognized. Additional special awards were presented to Chiu Wen-chi of Li.nu (Sommelier) and Tsai Hsin-yi of Circum- (Service).

Planning your visit

Newly starred restaurants become difficult to book quickly, especially Yu Dao, which is a small venue on Yuguang Island in Anping and now holds three awards. If you wish to dine at any of the nine newly starred establishments, it is advisable to make reservations for autumn rather than the coming month.

For most visitors, the Bib Gourmand list released a week earlier remains the more practical resource, as it highlights more affordable dining options.

Sources: MICHELIN Guide Taiwan (English), Focus Taiwan, Taipei Times — English; Liberty Times full list, UDN, Hakka News — Chinese. Reported from published sources.