(23 August 2026) – The Michelin Guide has unveiled its first joint selection of restaurants for the Chinese cities of Guangzhou and Shenzhen. At the same time, restaurants in Shenzhen have been rated for the first time. In total, the Guide features 176 restaurants: 5 with two stars, 22 with one star, 73 with the ‘Bib Gourmand’ distinction, and 76 with a recommendation.

“Since 2018, we have been celebrating the mastery of Cantonese cuisine. Today, we are opening a new chapter: for the first time, the Michelin Guide is making its debut in Shenzhen. Two cities, one shared moment. Guangzhou gives us roots – deep, warm and enduring. Shenzhen gives us wings – open, dynamic and boundlessly creative. From Guangzhou’s millennia-old Cantonese soul to Shenzhen’s burgeoning vitality, these two cities together form a fascinating force in the culinary landscape of southern China. “We look forward to the Guide gradually making its way deeper into the Greater Bay Area, exploring more diverse gastronomic scenes and discovering further hidden culinary treasures in the province,” explains Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the Michelin Guide

Guangzhou retains its stars, Shenzhen impresses on its debut

Guangzhou has retained its 20 starred restaurants, including three with two stars: the upmarket Cantonese restaurants “Imperial Treasure Fine Chinese” and “Jiang by Chef Fei”, as well as the innovative “Taian Table”. The 17 one-star restaurants include Cantonese classics and dim sum establishments such as “BingSheng Mansion” (Xiancun Road), “BingSheng Private Kitchen” (Tianhe East Road), “Hongtu Hall”, ‘Jade River’, ‘Lai Heen’, ‘Lei Garden’ (Yuexiu), ‘Lingnan House’, ‘Wisca’ (Haizhu), ‘Xin Ji’ and ‘Yu Yue Heen’; representatives of Chaozhou cuisine such as “Imperial Treasure Fine Teochew Cuisine” and “Suyab Courtyard・Pickmoon Gourmet”; as well as – to give further examples – upmarket Sichuan cuisine (‘Song’and‘Yong’), modern European cuisine (‘Stiller’), the innovative‘Chōwa’ and ‘Yu Garden’, which specialises in Fujian cuisine.

Shenzhen made its debut in the first edition of the guide with two two-star restaurants and five one-star restaurants. This unprecedented first recognition underlines the tremendous strength of Shenzhen’s dining scene, which is built on years of steady development.

• The Bay by Chef Fei – Cantonese cuisine – Two stars: The main dining room, designed in a modern Chinese style, is complemented by nine private dining rooms named after mythical landscapes from the ancient work ‘Shan Hai Jing’ (Classic of Mountains and Seas). The menu features both Cantonese and Chaoshan dishes, offering a balanced mix of classics and innovative creations. The roast goose roll stuffed with Yunnan mushrooms impresses with its crispy skin and tender meat. The sautéed fish maw with matured, pickled radish captivates with its wonderful texture and pronounced umami flavour.
• Yun Jing – Cantonese cuisine – Two stars: This restaurant, situated in a skyscraper – the name translates as ‘shimmering clouds’ – serves innovative Cantonese cuisine against the backdrop of a breathtaking 270-degree view of the city and the sea. Head chef Guo Yuanfeng combines tradition and innovation to create a menu offering everything from double-boiled soups and barbecue specialities to poultry and seafood. Try the poached chicken (fed on sunflower seeds) or the spicy stir-fried mantis shrimp with basil and golden-brown deep-fried garlic.
• Chao Shang Chao – Chaozhou cuisine – One Star: This upmarket restaurant chain from Beijing opened its first branch in Shenzhen in 2024. The elegant interior has a modern feel; a display of high-quality dried seafood reinforces the brand image. The restaurant serves refined Chaozhou cuisine; guests also have the option of having a menu tailored to their budget and personal preferences. The braised fish bladder in chicken stock with matured, pickled radish is characterised by a gel-like consistency and a unique aroma. Do also try the sea snail, grilled over charcoal in its own shell.
• Ensue – Innovative Cuisine – One Star: Ensue is situated on the upper floors of a skyscraper hotel and offers spectacular views of the city. The dining room exudes understated elegance with its natural materials and soft lighting. The young head chef reinterprets Cantonese classics and presents a tasting menu inspired by history and personal stories – underpinned by culinary craftsmanship and perfectly balanced flavours. The exact dishes vary depending on the season; the wine list features both French vintage wines and wines from the Napa Valley – the best of the New and Old Worlds.
• Fumée – Innovative Cuisine – One Star: In a nature-inspired setting, lavishly adorned with lush plants, the Zhennan wood bar, overlooking the open kitchen, seats 12 guests. The multi-course, pan-Chinese tasting menu captivates with daring combinations of regional influences and first-class imported ingredients. For example, glutinous rice cooked in Serrano ham stock is paired with chanterelles and termite mushrooms. Occasionally, an additional menu is offered, available by advance booking only. Be sure to try the original cocktails too!
• Opus 388 – Contemporary French cuisine – One star: At a dizzying height of 388 metres, this elegant restaurant offers far more than just a spectacular view. The ‘Chef’s Table’ offers fascinating insights into the culinary process, whilst the main dining room exudes an airy, tranquil atmosphere. Italian head chef Alessio Durante skilfully and creatively reinterprets French classics using the finest seasonal ingredients. The tasting menu is the ideal way to experience his culinary vision, though a varied à la carte selection is also available.
• Xin Rong Ji – Cuisine from Taizhou – One star: The first branch of this upmarket restaurant chain in Guangdong Province opened in 2019. With just nine tables and a few private rooms, the restaurant is smaller than other branches, but the warm, wood-dominated décor with subtle Chinese motifs creates a cosy atmosphere. The menu focuses on specialities from Taizhou, particularly seafood from the East China Sea. A particular highlight is the ‘Lion’s Head’ meatballs made from brown croaker (a type of croaker fish) with hairy crab roe and tofu in a clay pot – a dish that impresses with its complex textures and flavours.

Bib Gourmand

Since its official launch in the 1990s, the ‘Bib Gourmand’ in the Michelin Guide has enjoyed widespread recognition amongst chefs, food lovers and travellers worldwide. It recognises affordable restaurants offering outstanding quality – particularly establishments serving regional snacks, dim sum restaurants, noodle houses and venues specialising in home-style stir-fries. These options are not only budget-friendly but also provide a wonderful introduction to a region’s authentic flavours. With the publication of the new selection for Guangzhou, eight affordable and delicious eateries have made it onto the ‘Bib Gourmand’ list. These include: Baode ( Dunhe Road), known for its braised pork belly with Longjiang-style rice; E Qian Ya Hou, famous for its white-boiled goose and duck; Tai Shan Lao Biao Xian Tang Yuan (Xihua Road), specialising in dishes from Taishan; Si Mao Cai Guan, which serves Pu’er-style (Yunnan) cuisine; Ru Yi Chuan Tong Zhu Sheng Mian, with its homemade noodles; as well as Mei Lu Xiao Chu, Wuchuan Hao Wei Lai and Yu Yuen, all of which serve traditional Cantonese dim sum and small dishes.

The first selection for Shenzhen comprises 21 ‘Bib Gourmand’-awarded restaurants covering a wide range of culinary styles – including Cantonese, Chaozhou, Sichuan, Hakka, Hunan, Shunde and Indonesian cuisine. Highlights include popular local eateries such as Jie Yang Lao Er Guo Tiao Tang; which has been serving traditional kway teow rice noodles for almost 30 years; these are steamed fresh daily and cut into strips, giving them a soft yet firm texture and an intense rice aroma – whether stir-fried or in soup. Also worth mentioning is Gao San Jie Dou Hua Dian, where fresh soya milk is ground every morning to make douhua (soya pudding); the Sichuan-style tofu is served with a spicy chilli dip, delivering a numbing heat that instantly invigorates the palate. For noodle lovers, there are numerous satisfying options, including Jiu Jiu Noodle (Jiangsu-Zhejiang-style noodles), Xiao Long Niu Rou Mian (Futian) for Chongqing-style noodles, Xin Hu Cun Cu Rou (Longhua Jianshe Road) with Chaozhou-style noodles and toppings, and Xin Ji Ke Jia Wei Dao for Hakka-style marinated noodles and noodle soups.

Alongside the Michelin stars and the ‘Bib Gourmand’ award, the ‘Recommended Restaurants’ list also holds some pleasant surprises. Guangzhou boasts seven new additions: Chaleur ( innovative cuisine), De Dian (Chinese dim sum), Feng Yue Xuan and Yue Yan (Cantonese cuisine), Hitom Xiao Wei and Xian Chu Ling (Haizhu) (noodle dishes), and Rose Garden (contemporary European cuisine). For the first edition featuring restaurants in Shenzhen, 31 restaurants are also recommended there, including the innovative eateries Avant, La Lune, La Tablée and Pairedd, as well as the modern Chinese restaurant Shan Hai Zuo and the modern Thai restaurant Blackitch. Also featured are regional specialities such as cuisine from Jiangsu and Zhejiang (Greenside in Nanshan), Sichuan cuisine (Ma’s Kitchen and Rong Chuan Cai on Shennan Boulevard), Ningbo cuisine (Ning Bo Jiu Jia) and Huaiyang cuisine (Shang Garden), as well as the two vegetarian restaurants Tian Yu Shui and VAWU. With more than ten culinary styles represented, the diversity and vibrancy of Shenzhen’s gastronomic scene are impressively reflected.

Special mentions

Last year, the Michelin Guide inspectors scoured the streets and alleyways not only to identify outstanding restaurants but also to discover talented individuals who have quietly made their mark on the gastronomic scene through their excellent work. This year, several individual awards have been introduced to recognise excellence in various fields: The ‘Young Chef Award’ recognises up-and-coming culinary talent, the ‘Service Award’ honours attentive hospitality, and the ‘Sommelier Award’ celebrates the art and expertise of wine pairing. Of particular note is the ‘Mentor Chef Award’, which is being presented for the first time in Guangdong and honours industry veterans who have generously passed on their knowledge to the next generation. These individual awards are not only a recognition of personal achievement, but also a living testament to tradition and innovation within the culinary ecosystem.

Jinghui Huang, head chef at the two-Michelin-starred restaurant‘Jiang by Chef Fei’in Guangzhou, received the MICHELIN Mentor Chef Award. Chef Fei is a master of Cantonese and Chaozhou cuisine; he combines traditional techniques with modern concepts, thereby creating his very own style. Beyond his own culinary excellence, he has long been dedicated to nurturing young chefs and has established a systematic training programme that opens up clear career paths for up-and-coming talent. He consistently sets the highest standards in kitchen management and talent development: he leads by example, imparts his skills through hands-on guidance and thus exemplifies the spirit of mentoring in the industry in an exemplary manner.

Chunghan Hou, head chef at‘La Lune’– a restaurant in Shenzhen recommended by the Michelin Guide – received this year’s MICHELIN Young Chef Award. Born in Taipei, the chef trained in France under Alexandre Couillon and honed her skills at his three-star restaurant ‘La Marine’. She then worked for several years at ‘Ensue’ in Shenzhen, where she further perfected her craft. Today, she heads up ‘La Lune’, an all-female-run restaurant, and manages the open kitchen with composure, precision, clear communication and efficient coordination. She personally inspects every dish before it leaves the kitchen and often approaches guests to explain her creative vision to them. With an inner strength that commands the respect of her team, she unites her all-female staff and serves as a role model for women in the modern world of gastronomy. Ms Lianxiang Qin of ‘Yue Yan’ – a restaurant in Guangzhou featured in the MICHELIN Guide – received this year’s MICHELIN Service Award. Ms Qin has been part of the service team at ‘Yue Yan’ since it opened and has many years of experience. Her approach is characterised by efficiency and precision, as well as a keen sense of discretion and the right balance – essential qualities in fine dining. When presenting the dishes, she conveys information clearly and elegantly, enabling guests to fully appreciate the kitchen’s creative vision. Her style is unobtrusive and understated, characterised by warm, attentive care that makes guests feel at ease immediately.

Mr Herry He from‘Chaleur’– another Guangzhou restaurant featured in the MICHELIN Guide – was presented with the MICHELIN Sommelier Award by MANSONG. Mr He has been working in the wine industry since 2016. His experience as a wine merchant and his collaboration with chefs at local restaurants sparked his passion and expertise in all things wine. He enjoys engaging with guests and sharing his knowledge of flavour profiles and the right wine choices to complement the dishes. In his dual role as sommelier and restaurant manager, he takes a holistic approach to hospitality. Rather than simply listing wines by the glass, he presents the bottles directly at the table and also serves individual glasses from the whole bottle. This encourages interaction and allows for a flexible, spontaneous pairing of wines with each course, further enriching the culinary experience.