Michelin stars are widely recognized as the highest accolade a restaurant can receive. The Michelin Guide has been awarding them to restaurants for over a century, and today, they are associated with the world’s finest cuisine. But does the Philippines have any Michelin-starred restaurants?
The short answer is no. Despite having an incredibly vibrant culinary scene, there are no restaurants in the Philippines that have received a Michelin star. But there is still hope for Filipino cuisine to gain some international recognition from Michelin.
In 2018, the first-ever edition of the MICHELIN Guide Singapore included several Filipino restaurants among its starred selections. The seven eateries were located in Singapore’s Little India district and featured traditional Filipino dishes such as lechon (roast pork), adobo (vinegar-marinated meat) and kare-kare (oxtail stew). Although they did not receive stars, they were recognized by the guide as “Bib Gourmands”, a designation given to establishments offering excellent value for money.
The recognition of these restaurants marked an important milestone in Filipino cuisine’s global reach and its potential to receive Michelin stars in the future. Since then, several other Filipino restaurants have opened up around Southeast Asia, including one in Bangkok which was awarded a Bib Gourmand. This shows that Filipino food is gaining traction internationally and could soon earn itself some coveted Michelin stars.
Conclusion:
The Philippines currently does not have any restaurants with Michelin stars, but this could soon change if Filipino food continues to gain traction internationally. With several successful eateries already operating across Southeast Asia, it may only be a matter of time before Filipino cuisine earns itself some much deserved recognition from the prestigious Michelin Guide.