Boston Magazine: A Wish List for the 2026 Michelin Boston Guide
There’s lots to celebrate in the wake of Boston’s entry into the Michelin Guide, and we’re looking forward to even more recognition for the region’s culinary scene next year.
The man himself at the 2025 MICHELIN Guide Northeast cities ceremony, held in Philadelphia on Tuesday, November 17. / Photo by John Ryan
In a whirlwind of stars, Bib Gourmands, and one anthropomorphic stack of tires, the Michelin Guide announced the contents of its 2025 Northeast Cities edition on November 18. Boston was included in the international set of where-to-eat guides for the first time, along with another newbie, Philadelphia, and returning cities New York, Chicago, and D.C. Our region emerged with a single star (congrats to 311 Omakase!), a special cocktail award for Mahaniyom co-owner Chompon “Boong” Boonnak, six Bib Gourmands, and 19 recommended restaurants.
In the wake, Greater Boston’s food lovers and restaurant industry workers are feeling a mix of emotions: There’s lots to be excited about, but many hoped the region would earn more stars and more restaurants recognized overall, with several seemingly obvious omissions coming up again and again (Sarma, for example). It’s only the first year in what will be at least a three-year partnership between local tourism bureaus and Michelin, so there’s room to grow.
“Gauntlet thrown,” as Globe food critic Devra First writes. “It gives ambitious chefs something to aim for, and a reason to stick around town.” But in addition to restaurants upping their game in the coming year, we hope the Michelin inspectors dig deeper, too, particularly when it comes to scouting potential Bib Gourmand and recommended restaurants. While Michelin stars typically go to fine-dining, tasting-menu-type destinations, the other two categories spotlight a broader swath of restaurants. Bib Gourmands are awarded to restaurants with “good quality” and “good value cooking”—sometimes affordable hole-in-the-wall types of spots, and sometimes moderate-to-kinda-upscale neighborhood staples that exemplify value. Recommended restaurants include moderate/upscale-ish spots, too, and some finer-dining restaurants that show potential for a future star. Or simply “good cooking,” as the Michelin Guide itself reads, without an emphasis on price.
So with an eye toward 2026, here are 20 Greater Boston restaurants that we hope the Michelin inspectors visit in the coming year. (This is by no means an exhaustive list, just a sampling of some obvious Michelin fodder and some under-the-radar picks that were top of mind as the 2025 announcement rolled out this week.)
Bar Vlaha and Kaia
At Xenia Greek Hospitality’s Bar Vlaha, rustic Greek cuisine serves as an ode to the mountainous lands of the nomadic Vlach people. It makes for lively group dining, especially at the communal table looking into the open kitchen. We can’t get enough of the fried mushrooms and the sourdough bread (bring a loaf home!), both nice accompaniments to big, beautiful roasts. And the group’s newest endeavor, Kaia—maybe too new to have been on Michelin’s 2025 radar?—is a swanky coastal Greek dream inspired by the Aegean, with adventurous, attention-grabbing dishes, including impressive whole-fish preparations.
Bar Vlaha, 1653 Beacon St., Washington Square, Brookline, 617-906-8556, barvlaha.com; Kaia, 370 Harrison Ave., Boston, 617-514-0700, kaiasouthend.com.
