The MICHELIN Guide explained – stars, Bib Gourmands, Green Stars, Keys and the new Grapes

Few symbols carry as much weight in the restaurant world as a Michelin star. The guide began with the tyre company Michelin in 1900, when there were fewer than 3,000 cars on French roads, and became the most influential ranking in gastronomy. Today the MICHELIN Guide covers restaurants, hotels and, since this year, wine estates, and its vocabulary has grown. Here is what each symbol means.

01Stars: one, two or three

Michelin began awarding stars to superior restaurants in 1926, at first just one. In 1931 it introduced a hierarchy of one, two and three stars, and changed the cover from blue to red. Today's definitions are:

Stars are reviewed every year: a restaurant can gain or lose them at the annual ceremony for its region. Establishments without a star can still be listed as recommended.

02How inspectors work

Michelin's inspectors are anonymous, and the company goes to considerable lengths to keep them so: many of its top executives have never met one, and inspectors are advised not to tell even their parents what they do. Their meals and expenses are paid by Michelin, never by the restaurant. Their reports are distilled at annual "stars meetings" in each national office into the final rankings.

03The Bib Gourmand

Since 1997 the guide has highlighted restaurants offering exceptionally good food at moderate prices, a distinction now called the Bib Gourmand. Like stars, it can be gained or lost each year. For travellers it is often the most useful symbol in the guide.

04The Green Star, and what replaces it

In 2020 Michelin launched an emblem for excellence in sustainable gastronomy, the Green Star. It could be held alongside stars or a Bib Gourmand, and holders were given space on the guide's website to describe their vision. In May 2026, Michelin announced that the Green Star would be phased out gradually by the end of 2026 and replaced by an editorial platform called Mindful Voices. A Green Star seen in the coming months is an emblem in its final season.

05Keys: Michelin's hotel rating

Since 2024 Michelin has awarded Keys to hotels. One Key means "a very special stay", two Keys "an exceptional stay" and three Keys "an extraordinary stay". Michelin says Keys are given after anonymous stays by its selection teams, judged on five criteria: excellence in architecture and interior design; quality and consistency of service; personality and character; value for money; and a significant contribution to the neighbourhood or setting. The last criterion is the telling one – a Key hotel should be of its place.

06Grapes: the newest symbol

In July 2026 Michelin began awarding Grapes to wine estates – rating producers rather than individual bottles or vintages. Estates receive one, two or three Grapes, for very good, excellent and exceptional producers. It is early days, but for wine travellers it promises a new way to plan a route.

07Using the guide when you travel

Think of the guide as a map rather than a verdict. Three-star restaurants are destinations in themselves and need booking well ahead; one-star and Bib Gourmand restaurants are where the guide earns its keep on an ordinary trip. Check the date of the listing – stars change every year – and remember that a Key now tells you as much about a hotel as a star does about a kitchen. In Monaco, for example, Le Louis XV at the Hôtel de Paris holds three stars; see vpios.com/monaco. More in our food and drink section, our travel section and on metromode.co.

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