The guide reviews over 2,000 properties

STUHR (27 March) – The Great Restaurant & Hotel Guide 2026 has named Martin Stopp, head chef at ATMA by Martin Stopp, as Chef of the Year. In Austria, the honour goes to Andreas Krainer of Restaurant Krainer in Langenwang, and in South Tyrol to Marc Oberhofer of Lampl Stube in Castelrotto. These are three of a total of 18 awards announced by the guide in its edition published this week. With the publication of the Great Restaurant & Hotel Guide 2026, HDT Medien presents the 29th edition of one of the most established reference works for fine dining and the hospitality industry in German-speaking Europe. Spanning 736 pages, the guide offers guidance, inspiration and a well-founded assessment of more than 2,000 restaurants and hotels in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and South Tyrol. Restaurants are rated on a scale of one to five ‘plus’ toques, whilst hotels are rated from three to five ‘superior’ stars.

In addition to top chefs, the guide honours personalities and establishments in numerous other categories – from ‘Rising Stars’ and ‘Newcomers’ to ‘Service’ and ‘Sommelier’, right through to ‘Restaurant’, ‘Hotel’ and ‘Hotelier of the Year’. The guide thus provides a representative cross-section of current developments and trends in the upmarket gastronomy and hospitality sector.

The Große Restaurant & Hotel Guide has been published annually since 1997 and is regarded as a staple among German-language restaurant guides. In addition to detailed reviews, it offers guests and industry insiders alike reliable guidance and inspiration for culinary and tourist discoveries.

Chef of the Year 2026: Martin Stopp – ATAMA by Martin Stopp – St. Ingbert
Rising Star 2026
Christoph Kunz – Restaurant KOMU – Munich
Peter Grasmeier – Restaurant ONTRA – Regensburg
Eric Jadischke – Restaurant Silberstreif – Stolberg (Harz)
Kevin Gideon – Restaurant Kevin Gideon – Oldenburg
Newcomer 2026
Jens Madsen – The Cloud by Käfer – Munich
Fabian Obergfell – Mühle Schluchsee – Schluchsee
Fritz Benson – THEODOR’S Restaurant – Bonn
Daniel Wallenstein – Restaurant MOYA – by Daniel Wallenstein – Gengenbach
Kitchen Team 2026: Head chefs of the restaurants at Deidesheimer Hof – Deidesheim
Host 2026: Jürgen Kettner – Kettner’s Kamota – Essen
Service 2026: Sonja Ruggaber – Lamm Rosswag – Vaihingen/Enz
Sommelier 2026: Moritz Christian Brand – Restaurant Fachwerk – Rinteln
Restaurant 2026: Sigi Schelling Werneckhof – Munich
Restaurant Opening 2026: klein&fein – Wismar
Restaurant Discovery 2026:Tante Anna Restaurant – Sprockhövel
Training Establishment 2026: Restaurant Bavarie at BMW Welt – Munich
Culinary Hotspot 2026: Chiemgauhof Lakeside Retreat – Übersee am Chiemsee
Country Inn 2026: Gasthof Hainzinger – Sulzemoos-Einsbach
Social Media Award 2026: Meinrad Schmiederer – Dollenberg Black Forest Resort – Bad Peterstal-Griesbach
Hotelier 2026: Jürgen Lehn – Lehn Hotels – Herrsching am Ammersee
New Hotel Opening 2026: Hotel Auerhahn – Schluchsee-Aha
Traditional Hotel 2026: Naturhotel Rebling – Bernried (Lower Bavaria)
Editor’s Pick: Landgasthaus zur Krone – Bundenthal