The 2026 MICHELIN Guide California includes 23 Orange County restaurants: one restaurant with a MICHELIN Star, seven Bib Gourmand restaurants and 15 additional MICHELIN-recommended restaurants. Below you’ll find the current Orange County selections, addresses and the complete list of California’s 2026 starred restaurants.
Orange County’s dining scene ranges from destination omakase to acclaimed barbecue and neighborhood favorites. For more local options, see our guides to the best new Orange County restaurants and Orange County restaurants with a view.
2026 Orange County MICHELIN Restaurants
One MICHELIN Star (1)
- R|O–Rebel Omakase — 361 Forest Ave., Suite 103, Laguna Beach, CA 92651
2026 update: R|O–Rebel Omakase is Orange County’s only starred restaurant in the current Guide. Knife Pleat remains MICHELIN-recommended but is no longer listed with a Star. Hana re held one Star from 2019 through 2024 and remains recommended. Taco María, which held one Star before closing in 2023, is no longer included.
Bib Gourmand Restaurants (7)
Bib Gourmand recognizes restaurants that MICHELIN inspectors consider especially good value. Orange County’s 2026 selections are:
- CHAAK Kitchen — 215 El Camino Real, Tustin, CA 92780
- Fable & Spirit — 3441 Via Lido, Suite A, Newport Beach, CA 92663
- Heritage Barbecue — 31721 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
- Khan Saab Desi Craft Kitchen — 229 E. Commonwealth Ave., Suite A, Fullerton, CA 92832
- Lola Gaspar — 211 W. 2nd St., Santa Ana, CA 92701
- Phở 79 — 9941 Hazard Ave., Garden Grove, CA 92844
- Ramen & Tsukemen TAO — 10488 Valley View St., Buena Park, CA 90620
Other MICHELIN-Recommended Restaurants (15)
These restaurants are included in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide without a Star or Bib Gourmand distinction:
- Bello by Sandro Nardone — 1200 Bison Ave., Suite C2, Newport Beach, CA 92660
- Hana re — 2930 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, CA 92626
- Kaori Sushi — 133 W. Chapman Ave., Fullerton, CA 92832
- Knife Pleat — 3333 S. Bristol St., Costa Mesa, CA 92626
- Koi Japanese Cuisine — 600 Pacific Coast Hwy., Suite 100, Seal Beach, CA 90740
- Marché Moderne — 7862 E. Coast Hwy., Newport Beach, CA 92657
- Oliver’s Osteria — 853 Laguna Canyon Rd., Laguna Beach, CA 92651
- Omakase by Gino — 304 N. Main St., Santa Ana, CA 92701
- Phởholic — 14932 Bushard St., Westminster, CA 92683
- Poppy & Seed — 350 S. Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim, CA 92805
- Selanne Steak Tavern — 1464 S. Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach, CA 92651
- Sushi ii — 100 West Coast Hwy., Suite 202, Newport Beach, CA 92663
- Taira Sushi & Sake — 8851 Garden Grove Blvd., Suite 113, Garden Grove, CA 92844
- The Ranch — 1025 E. Ball Rd., Suite 101A, Anaheim, CA 92805
- Vaca — 695 Town Center Dr., Suite 170, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Looking for a different kind of meal? Explore our guides to celebrity chef restaurants in Orange County, Orange County seafood restaurants and the best local steakhouses.
What MICHELIN Stars and Distinctions Mean
MICHELIN inspectors award restaurants zero to three Stars for the food served. The Guide describes one Star as high-quality cooking worth a stop, two Stars as excellent cooking worth a detour and three Stars as exceptional cuisine worth a special journey.
Inspectors evaluate five factors: ingredient quality; harmony of flavors; mastery of cooking techniques; the chef’s personality as expressed through the cuisine; and consistency across the menu and over time. Service, décor and formality do not determine the Star rating.
Bib Gourmand: A distinction for restaurants offering good-quality cooking at a good value. The price threshold varies by destination.
MICHELIN Recommended: Restaurants selected by inspectors for the quality of their cooking but not awarded a Star or Bib Gourmand.
2026 California MICHELIN-Starred Restaurants
The 2026 California selection contains 83 starred restaurants: 10 with three Stars, 13 with two Stars and 60 with one Star. The statewide Guide also includes 18 Green Star restaurants, 117 Bib Gourmands and 323 other recommended restaurants—523 restaurants in total.
Three MICHELIN Stars (10)
- Addison (San Diego)
- Atelier Crenn (San Francisco)
- Benu (San Francisco)
- Californios (San Francisco) — promoted in 2026
- Enclos (Sonoma) — promoted in 2026
- Providence (Hollywood)
- Quince (San Francisco)
- SingleThread (Healdsburg)
- Somni (West Hollywood)
- The French Laundry (Yountville)
Two MICHELIN Stars (13)
- Acquerello (San Francisco)
- Aubergine (Carmel-by-the-Sea)
- Birdsong (San Francisco)
- Commis (Oakland)
- Harbor House Inn (Elk)
- Hayato (Los Angeles)
- Kato (Los Angeles) — promoted in 2026
- Kiln (San Francisco)
- Lazy Bear (San Francisco)
- Mélisse (Los Angeles)
- Saison (San Francisco)
- Sons & Daughters (San Francisco)
- Vespertine (Los Angeles)
One MICHELIN Star (60)
- 7 Adams (San Francisco)
- Angler SF (San Francisco)
- Auberge du Soleil (Rutherford)
- Auro (Calistoga)
- Bell’s (Los Alamos)
- Caruso’s (Montecito)
- Chez Noir (Carmel-by-the-Sea)
- Citrin (Los Angeles)
- Corridor 109 (Los Angeles) — new in 2026
- Cyrus (Geyserville)
- Heritage (Long Beach)
- Hilda & Jesse (San Francisco)
- Holbox (Los Angeles)
- Jeune et Jolie (Carlsbad)
- Kali (Los Angeles)
- Kin Khao (San Francisco)
- KOJIMA (Los Angeles) — new in 2026
- Lielle (Los Angeles) — new in 2026
- Lilo (Carlsbad)
- Localis (Sacramento)
- Lucien (La Jolla) — new in 2026
- Madcap (San Anselmo)
- Meteora (Los Angeles)
- Mister Jiu’s (San Francisco)
- Miura (Beverly Hills) — new in 2026
- Mori Nozomi (Los Angeles)
- n/naka (Los Angeles)
- Naides (San Francisco) — new in 2026
- Nari (San Francisco)
- Niku Steakhouse (San Francisco)
- Nisei (San Francisco)
- Nozawa Bar (Beverly Hills)
- Orsa & Winston (Los Angeles)
- Osteria Mozza (Los Angeles)
- Pasta | Bar (Encino)
- Plumed Horse (Saratoga)
- Press (St. Helena)
- Protégé (Palo Alto)
- R|O–Rebel Omakase (Laguna Beach)
- Restaurant Ki (Los Angeles)
- San Ho Won (San Francisco)
- Selby’s (Atherton)
- Seline (Santa Monica) — new in 2026
- Shin Sushi (Encino)
- Silvers Omakase (Santa Barbara)
- Six Test Kitchen (Paso Robles)
- Soichi (San Diego)
- Sorrel (San Francisco)
- Ssal (San Francisco)
- State Bird Provisions (San Francisco)
- Sun Moon Studio (Oakland)
- Sushi Inaba (Torrance)
- Sushi Kaneyoshi (Los Angeles)
- The Kitchen (Sacramento)
- The Progress (San Francisco)
- The Restaurant at JUSTIN (Paso Robles)
- The Village Pub (Woodside)
- Troubadour (Healdsburg) — new in 2026
- Wakuriya (San Mateo)
- Wolfsbane (San Francisco) — new in 2026
MICHELIN Green Star (18)
The Green Star highlights restaurants that MICHELIN considers leaders in more sustainable gastronomy. It is separate from the one-, two- and three-Star distinctions.
- Atelier Crenn (San Francisco)
- Caruso’s (Montecito)
- Chez Panisse (Berkeley)
- Chi Spacca (Los Angeles)
- Enclos (Sonoma)
- Harbor House Inn (Elk)
- Heritage (Long Beach)
- Monte’s (Santa Barbara) — new in 2026
- Osteria Mozza (Los Angeles)
- Pomet (Oakland)
- Providence (Hollywood)
- Quince (San Francisco)
- Sierra Mar (Big Sur) — new in 2026
- SingleThread (Healdsburg)
- Six Test Kitchen (Paso Robles) — new in 2026
- Sons & Daughters (San Francisco)
- The French Laundry (Yountville)
- Vespertine (Los Angeles)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many MICHELIN-starred restaurants are in Orange County in 2026?
Orange County has one MICHELIN-starred restaurant in the 2026 Guide: R|O–Rebel Omakase in Laguna Beach.
How many Orange County restaurants are in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide?
The Guide includes 23 Orange County restaurants: one starred restaurant, seven Bib Gourmands and 15 other recommended restaurants.
Is Knife Pleat still a MICHELIN-starred restaurant?
No. Knife Pleat is still included as a MICHELIN-recommended restaurant in the 2026 Guide, but it is not currently listed with a Star.
What is a Bib Gourmand?
Bib Gourmand is MICHELIN’s distinction for restaurants that offer good-quality cooking at a good value. It is not a MICHELIN Star, and the applicable price threshold varies by location.
What is the difference between a MICHELIN Star and Bib Gourmand?
A MICHELIN Star recognizes cooking at an exceptional level, while Bib Gourmand emphasizes both quality and value. Both distinctions are based on anonymous inspections.
How many MICHELIN-starred restaurants are in California in 2026?
California has 83 starred restaurants in the 2026 Guide: 60 one-Star, 13 two-Star and 10 three-Star restaurants.
How often does the MICHELIN Guide change?
MICHELIN reassesses its selections regularly. Restaurants can be added, removed, promoted or moved between distinctions when a new Guide is released, so diners should confirm current recognition and hours before visiting.