Michelin Green Star Key Takeaways:
- The Michelin Green Star honors sustainability, not just cuisine. Launched in 2020, it recognizes restaurants that excel in eco-friendly practices like local sourcing, waste reduction, and community engagement, making it distinct from Michelin Stars and Bib Gourmands.
- Over 640 restaurants worldwide now hold a Green Star. As of 2025, Michelin counts 642 global Green Star restaurants, including 36 in the U.S., with California leading the way and cities like San Francisco, New York, and Miami emerging as hubs.
- Earning a Green Star requires genuine commitment. Michelin inspectors evaluate ingredient provenance, waste management, energy efficiency, and social responsibility. Chefs who champion sustainability – from Atelier Crenn in San Francisco to Blue Hill at Stone Barns in New York – exemplify the award’s ethos.
The Michelin Green Star is a relatively new distinction recognizing restaurants at the forefront of eco‐friendly and ethical practices.
This annual award highlights dining establishments that combine culinary excellence with outstanding commitments to the environment and social responsibility.
Any restaurant listed in the Michelin Guide – whether it has stars, a Bib Gourmand, or neither – can earn a Green Star if its sustainable practices impress Michelin’s inspectors.
How Do You Get a Michelin Green Star?
Chefs at Michelin Green Star restaurants often spotlight local, seasonal ingredients. These Chefs hold themselves to high environmental and ethical standards.
To judge Green Star candidates, Michelin inspectors look beyond taste and technique to sustainability.
There is no fixed formula for earning a Green Star – every restaurant and region is different – but inspectors consider things such as the provenance of ingredients (favoring local, regenerative farms and seasonal produce) and the restaurant’s overall environmental footprint, including waste disposal, recycling and resource management.
For example, many Green Star Chefs forage locally, grow produce on-site, avoid single-use plastics, or donate food scrap for composting.
Inspectors may also reward social and educational efforts, such as paying fair wages, training staff on sustainability, or explaining green initiatives to diners.
Key sustainability practices at a potential Green Star restaurant include locally sourced ingredients and waste minimization. Ingredients like the fresh broccoli, herbs and spices above exemplify the kind of seasonal, ethically grown produce these restaurants favor.
In practice, Michelin looks for a combination of measures, for example:
- Local, seasonal sourcing: Using produce from nearby farms or one’s own garden (ingredient provenance and seasonality).
- Waste reduction: Implementing composting, recycling, no-plastic policies, and creative reuse of surplus food.
- Resource efficiency: Conserving water and energy (e.g. LED lighting, efficient appliances) and minimizing the dining room’s carbon footprint.
- Community and staff support: Engaging suppliers and employees fairly (e.g. fair labor, farm co-ops) and involving the local community.
Above all, Michelin inspectors look for a strong, genuine commitment to sustainable gastronomy.
Many Green Star restaurants openly explain their eco-practices on menus or tours, educating guests about sourcing and zero-waste cooking.
If a restaurant demonstrates excellence in these areas, it may be awarded the Green Star alongside any stars or other distinctions it already holds.
History and Growth of the Michelin Green Star
Michelin introduced the Green Star globally in 2020.
In the first year (2021 Guide editions) only 23 restaurants received it (18 in England, 1 in Scotland, 1 in Wales, 3 in Ireland).
At that time, Michelin reported around 291 Green Star restaurants worldwide.
Since then the program has expanded rapidly. According to Michelin’s website, 642 restaurants now hold a Green Star globally. (For context, in mid-2021 Michelin noted 291 worldwide, so the list has more than doubled.)
Explore Michelin Star Restaurants by State!
In the United States, Michelin currently lists 36 Green Star restaurants. These are spread across multiple regions, with California dominating the list.
For example, San Francisco alone has at least four Green Star restaurants (Le Comptoir at Bar Crenn, Quince, Sons & Daughters, Atelier Crenn).
Los Angeles, CA has two (Chi Spacca and Osteria Mozza). In Florida, Miami-area restaurants like Stubborn Seed (Miami Beach), Krüs Kitchen (Miami), and Los Félix (Miami) have Green Stars, as well as Kaya in Orlando.
New York is represented by several – Dirt Candy and Family Meal at Blue Hill (NYC) and Blue Hill at Stone Barns (Tarrytown) – totaling four in that state.
Other U.S. Green Star cities include Washington, D.C. (Oyster Oyster and The Inn at Little Washington), Austin, TX (Emmer & Rye, Dai Due), Atlanta, GA (The Chastain, Bacchanalia), Chicago, IL (Daisies), and a few others.
In summary, California leads with the most Green Star venues (about 17 in total), followed by Florida and New York (each with 4) and then smaller numbers in other states.
Find more interesting Michelin Star Restaurant Data and Trends here!
Impact and Importance of the Michelin Green Star
The Michelin Green Star shines a light on sustainability in fine dining, inspiring Chefs and diners alike.
Michelin stresses that Green Star restaurants “offer experiences that combine culinary excellence with remarkable eco-friendly commitments” and serve as industry role models.
By setting this standard, Michelin aims to encourage the hospitality world to prioritize the planet.
In short, earning a Michelin Green Star means excelling not just in taste, but in sustainability.
Restaurants aiming for this honor should invest deeply in local sourcing, waste reduction, energy efficiency and community engagement – practices that benefit the environment and, Michelin argues, enrich the dining experience.
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