Vietnam’s culinary recognition program crossed a historic threshold on June 4, 2026, when the MICHELIN Guide Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang unveiled its fourth annual selection, awarding stars to 11 restaurants for the first time in the country’s history. The ceremony, held at The Ascott Tay Ho Hanoi, coincided with the global centenary of the MICHELIN Star, first awarded in 1926, and confirmed Vietnam’s continued ascent as a world-class gastronomic destination with strategic implications for culinary tourism investment across the region.
Key Facts At A Glance
- Total establishments recognized: 193 across Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang
- One MICHELIN Star restaurants: 11 (two newly awarded in 2026)
- Bib Gourmand establishments: 72 (11 new additions)
- MICHELIN Selected venues: 110 (nine new additions)
- MICHELIN Green Star restaurants: three (one new: Tales by Chapter, Ho Chi Minh City)
- New One-Star restaurants: ONVIT (Hanoi) and Upstairs (Ho Chi Minh City)
- 2026 Opening of the Year Award: Chef Chris Fong of NOM, Ho Chi Minh City
- Young Chef Award: Tran Phuoc Hau, The Monkey Gallery Dining, Da Nang
- Sommelier Award: Mai Bich Ngoc, ONVIT, Hanoi
- Ceremony venue: The Ascott Tay Ho Hanoi, June 4, 2026
Vietnam’s First Double-Digit Star Count
The 2026 MICHELIN Guide Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang is the fourth edition of the guide in Vietnam and the first to list double-digit starred restaurants. The total of 193 recognized establishments marks an expansion from 181 in the 2025 edition, which featured nine one-star restaurants, and reflects sustained growth across all recognition tiers since the inaugural 2023 edition, which covered only 103 establishments across two cities.
This year’s announcement carries additional weight given its timing: the MICHELIN Guide marked the centenary of the first restaurant star, awarded in 1926, and Vietnam’s ceremony in Hanoi was positioned explicitly as part of that global milestone. The convergence of the guide’s 100th anniversary with Vietnam’s own gastronomic maturation provided a platform that extends beyond domestic recognition, drawing coverage from regional trade and lifestyle media.
The Two New Starred Restaurants
Two restaurants received their first One MICHELIN Star in the 2026 edition.
ONVIT, a contemporary Korean fine-dining restaurant located inside Grand Plaza Hanoi Hotel, becomes the first Korean restaurant in Vietnam to receive the distinction. Its name derives from a Korean word meaning “warm light.” The restaurant’s approach centers on contemporary Korean culinary technique applied to locally sourced Vietnamese ingredients, a model that its representatives describe as a bridge between Korean hospitality standards and Vietnam’s regional produce. The Sommelier Award was also presented to ONVIT’s Mai Bich Ngoc, recognized for her multicultural food and beverage pairings spanning wine and pine mushroom soju.
Upstairs, based in Ho Chi Minh City, offers a modern reinterpretation of Vietnamese cuisine, maintaining the structural essence of traditional dishes while presenting them through a contemporary lens. The restaurant has been in operation for 18 months, making its star recognition a relatively rapid accreditation.
These two join nine previously starred restaurants retaining their distinction: Gia, Hibana by Koki, and Tam Vi in Hanoi; Long Trieu, Anan Saigon, Akuna, CieL, and CoCo Dining in Ho Chi Minh City; and La Maison 1888 in Da Nang.
Special Awards And The Opening Of The Year
The 2026 edition introduced the MICHELIN Guide Opening of the Year Award for the first time in Vietnam. The inaugural recipient is Chef Chris Fong of NOM in Ho Chi Minh City, a restaurant whose name derives from an ancient Vietnamese script system. NOM’s tasting menu is structured as a progression through Vietnam’s culinary geography, moving from northern to central to southern-inspired courses. Its concept incorporates small-format displays of traditional crafts alongside the dining experience. The award recognizes venues that have demonstrated a creative degustation concept with measurable impact on the local culinary scene within the past 12 months.
The Young Chef Award was presented to Tran Phuoc Hau, chef of The Monkey Gallery Dining in Da Nang.
Green Stars And Sustainable Gastronomy
Three restaurants hold the MICHELIN Green Star designation, which recognizes commitment to sustainable gastronomy. The 2026 addition is Tales by Chapter in Ho Chi Minh City, recognized for a zero-waste philosophy anchored in a seasonal plant-based menu. Ingredients are sourced from a partner eco-farm in Da Lat and the restaurant’s own rooftop garden. The kitchen processes food trimmings through fermentation techniques including mushroom garum and corn koji, with organic by-products composted back into the soil. Guests are engaged in the system through interactive installations and participatory programming.
Bib Gourmand And Selected Expansions
The Bib Gourmand category, which recognizes establishments offering quality cooking at moderate prices, expanded to 72 venues with 11 new entries. New Hanoi additions include Banh Cuon Gia Truyen Thanh Van on Hang Ga Street (a family operation open since 1973), Mammom, and Pho Ha Hang Hom. New Ho Chi Minh City additions include Banh Canh Cua Ba Ba, Banh Cuon Tay Ho 127, Bun Rieu Yen, Chi Mo, and La Lola. Da Nang contributed Ba Vui, Banh Beo Banh Dap, and Le Gia Khang.
Nine new MICHELIN Selected addresses were added across the three cities: Mau, Pho Ga Huyen Huong, and ZAO in Hanoi; Apero, Nom, Ngu Binh Restaurant, Sono, and Tales by Chapter in Ho Chi Minh City; and Di Hoa in Da Nang.
Sector Implications
Vietnam reaching 11 starred restaurants positions the country as a credible culinary tourism competitor to more established MICHELIN markets in the region, including Thailand with its two three-star properties and Singapore’s long-standing multi-star landscape. The geographic spread across three cities rather than one capital concentrates inbound dining tourism potential along Vietnam’s key north-south tourism corridor. For hoteliers, tour operators, and airline partners, the expanding MICHELIN footprint strengthens the business case for Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City-Da Nang itinerary products targeting culinary travelers, a segment historically associated with higher per-night spend and longer average stays.