The Michelin Guides have been published by the French tire company Michelin since 1900. They were designed as a guide to tell drivers about eateries they recommended to visit and to subtly sponsor their tires, by encouraging drivers to use their cars more and therefore need to replace the tires as they wore out. Over time, the stars that were given out started to become more valuable.
Multiple anonymous Michelin inspectors visit the restaurants several times. They rate the restaurants on five criteria: "quality of products", "mastery of flavor and cooking techniques", "the personality of the chef represented in the dining experience", "value for money", and "consistency between inspectors' visits". Inspectors have at least ten years of expertise and create a list of popular restaurants supported by media reports, reviews, and diner popularity. If they reach a consensus, Michelin awards restaurants from one to three stars based on its evaluation methodology: One star means "high-quality cooking, worth a stop", two stars signify "excellent cooking, worth a detour", and three stars denote "exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey". The stars are not permanent and restaurants are constantly being re-evaluated. If the criteria are not met, the restaurant will lose its stars.
The 1987 edition was the first edition of the Michelin Guide to be published for Athens, Greece and the first Michelin star was awarded to Spondi in 2002. In 2026, the Michelin Guide was to expand its coverage in Greece to include the island of Santorini and the city of Thessaloniki. As a result, there were no Athens selections published in 2025. All three Greece destinations will be unveiled in the second half of 2026.
Lists 2020–2025
+Michelin-starred restaurants Name Cuisine Location 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025No guideBotrini'sMediterranean Athens – Chalandri CTC Urban Gastronomy Modern Athens – Kerameikos Delta Creative Athens – Kallithea HervéModern Athens – Petralona Hytra Modern Athens – Psirri Makris Athens Creative Athens – Acropolis of Athens Patio Modern Athens – Vouliagmeni Pelagos Contemporary Athens – Vouliagmeni Soil Contemporary Athens – Pangrati Spondi French Athens – Pangrati Tudor Hall Contemporary Athens – Syntagma Square Varoulko Seaside Seafood Athens – Piraeus The ZillersContemporary Athens – Plaka Reference
2011–2019
+Michelin-starred restaurants Name Cuisine Location 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019Botrini'sMediterranean Athens – Chalandri Galazia HytraMediterraneanAthens – Vouliagmeni Funky GourmetCreative Athens – Kerameikos colspan="1" Hytra Modern Athens – Psirri Spondi French Athens – Pangrati Vardis Traditional Athens – Kifissia Varoulko Seaside Seafood Athens – Piraeus Reference
2002–2010
+Michelin-starred restaurants Name Cuisine Location 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010Hytra Modern Athens – Psirri Pil Poul et Jerome Serres French Athens – Kerameikos Spondi French Athens – Pangrati Vardis Traditional Athens – Kifissia Varoulko Seaside Seafood Athens – Piraeus Reference
References
Bibliography
External links Greece at Michelin Guide