As of the 2026 Michelin Guide, there are 83 restaurants in California that hold a Michelin star.

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.

California has a long history of renowned chefs along with having its own style of cuisine. Early California chefs such as Julia Child, Alice Waters,Food Fight, Revolution Never Tasted So Good! A Documentary by Chris Taylor, 2008. and Sally Schmitt helped shape the food and dining scene in California. By the 1980s, chefs like Wolfgang Puck further shaped California cuisine. In the 2000s chefs such as Thomas Keller and Nancy Silverton continued to shape Northern and Southern California.

The dining scene in California continues to have a strong influence on food and dining. Long-standing 3-star restaurants such as The French Laundry and Benu offer some of the top rated restaurants in the world. As of 2026, more 3-star restaurants are in California than any other region in North America.https://guide.michelin.com/us/en/restaurants/3-stars-michelin

The California Guide came about in 2019 as the result of the merger of two other ones; San Francisco and Los Angeles. The San Francisco Michelin Guide was the second North American city chosen to have its own Michelin Guide beginning in 2007. Unlike the other U.S. guides which focus mainly in the city proper, the San Francisco guide included all the major cities in the Bay Area: San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose and Berkeley, as well as Wine Country, which includes Napa and Sonoma. Michelin published restaurant guides for Los Angeles in 2008 and 2009 but suspended the publication in 2010. In 2019 Michelin replaced the San Francisco guide with a statewide guide which would bring back the Los Angeles market along with the rest of Southern California and included Northern California as well. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and wildfires in California, the French tire company's restaurant guide for California took a hiatus in 2020.

2019–2026 statewide lists Beginning in 2019, the Michelin Guide covers the entire state of California. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and wildfires in California, the French tire company's restaurant guide took a hiatus in California in 2020.

Northern California

+ Michelin-starred restaurants Name Cuisine Location 2019 2020No Guide 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 7 AdamsCalifornianSan Francisco – Japantown AcquerelloItalian San Francisco – Polk Gulch AdegaPortuguese, Californian San Jose colspan="4" AL's PlaceCalifornian San Francisco – Mission District colspan="5" Angler Contemporary, Seafood San Francisco – Financial District Aphotic Seafood San Francisco – SoMa colspan="2" Atelier Crenn Contemporary San Francisco – Cow Hollow Auberge du SoleilCalifornian Rutherford AubergineContemporary, Californian Monterey Auro Contemporary, FrenchCalistoga AveryNew American San Francisco – Fillmore colspan="4" Bar CrennContemporary San Francisco – Cow Hollow Barndiva CalifornianHealdsburg Baumé FrenchPalo Alto colspan="4" BenuAsianSan Francisco – SoMa BirdsongContemporary San Francisco – SoMa BouchonFrench Yountville CaliforniosMexican, Contemporary San Francisco – Mission District Campton PlaceCalifornian San Francisco – Union Square Temporarily closed Chez NoirContemporary Carmel-by-the-Sea Chez TJContemporary Mountain View CoiCalifornian-French San Francisco – North Beach colspan="5" CommisContemporary Oakland CommonwealthAmerican San Francisco – Mission District colspan="7" CyrusCalifornian Geyserville Enclos CalifornianSonoma Farmhouse Inn & Restaurant CalifornianForestville Temporarily closed Gary DankoContemporary San Francisco – North Beach Harbor House CalifornianElk HashiriJapanese San Francisco – SoMa Temporarily closed Temporarily closed Hilda and JesseAmerican San Francisco – North Beach In SituHaute San Francisco – SoMa colspan="6" Jū-NiJapanese San Francisco – North Panhandle Keiko à Nob HillJapanese-influenced French San Francisco – Nob Hill colspan="6" KenzoJapaneseNapa KilnContemporary San Francisco – Hayes Valley Kin KhaoThai San Francisco – Union Square KinjoJapaneseSan Francisco – Russian Hill colspan="6" https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/article/Bay-Area-restaurants-latest-updates-Food-15130419.php La ToqueContemporary Napa Lazy BearContemporary San Francisco – Mission District LocalisCalifornian Sacramento Lord StanleyCalifornian-European San Francisco – Russian Hill colspan="2" colspan="2" LuceMediterraneanSan Francisco – SoMa colspan="2"Madcap Contemporary San Anselmo MaderaContemporary Menlo Park Madrona ManorCalifornian Healdsburg Manresa New AmericanLos Gatos colspan="5" Marlena American San Francisco – Bernal Heights colspan="4" MaumKorean Palo Alto colspan="6" Michael Mina New AmericanSan Francisco – Financial District colspan="6" Mister Jiu'sChinese San Francisco – Chinatown Mourad Moroccan San Francisco – SoMa colspan="2"https://sf.eater.com/2024/10/26/24279584/mourad-closing-san-francisco-lahlou NaidesFilipino San Francisco – Nob Hill Nari Thai San Francisco – Japantown NicoCalifornian San Francisco – Financial District colspan="6" Niku SteakhouseSteakhouse San Francisco – SoMa NiseiJapanese San Francisco – Russian Hill O’ by Claude Le Tohic French San Francisco – Financial District Octavia CalifornianSan Francisco – Lower Pacific Heights OmakaseJapanese San Francisco – SoMa Osito Contemporary San Francisco – Mission District colspan="2" Plumed HorseContemporary Saratoga Press Modern St. Helena Protegé Contemporary Palo Alto QuinceContemporary San Francisco – Jackson Square RasaIndianBurlingame colspan="2" Rich TableCalifornian San Francisco – Hayes Valley SaisonCalifornianSan Francisco – SoMa San Ho WonKorean San Francisco – Mission District SingleThread Contemporary Healdsburg Selby's RestaurantAmerican Atherton The ShotaJapanese San Francisco – Financial District Six Test KitchenContemporary Paso Robles Sons & DaughtersContemporary San Francisco – Nob Hill SorrelContemporary San Francisco – Lower Pacific Heights SPQR ItalianSan Francisco – Fillmore SpruceCalifornian San Francisco – Presidio Heights SsalKorean San Francisco - Russian Hill State Bird ProvisionsCalifornian San Francisco – Fillmore Sun Moon StudioCalifornian Oakland Sushi Shin JapaneseRedwood City Sushi Yoshizumi JapaneseSan Mateo The French LaundryContemporary Yountville The KitchenCalifornian Sacramento The ProgressCalifornian San Francisco – Fillmore The Restaurant at Justin Californian Paso Robles The Restaurant at MeadowoodCalifornian St. Helena colspan="6" The Village PubContemporary Woodside TroubadorFrench Californian Healdsburg WakoJapanese San Francisco – Richmond District WakuriyaJapanese San Mateo WolfsbaneContemporary San Francisco – Dogpatch Reference

Southern California

+ Michelin-starred restaurants Name Cuisine Location 2019 2020No Guide 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 715 Japanese Los Angeles – Arts District Addison Contemporary San Diego Bell's French Los Alamos Bistro Na'sChinese Temple City CamphorFrench Los Angeles – Arts District Caruso's Californian Montecito CitrinCalifornian Santa Monica . Corridor 109Asian Los Angeles – Hollywood CUT by Wolfgang PuckAmerican, SteakhouseBeverly Hills DialogueAmericanSanta Monica colspan="7" Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura Italian Beverly Hills colspan="2"Gwen American Los Angeles – Hollywood Hana reJapaneseCosta Mesa Hatchet Hall New AmericanCulver City Hayato JapaneseLos Angeles – Arts District Heritage Californian Long Beach – Rose Park Holbox Mexican Los Angeles – South Los Angeles Jeune et JolieFrench Carlsbad Kali SteakhouseLos Angeles – Hollywood Kato Asian Los Angeles – Arts District KojimaJapanese Los Angeles – Sawtelle Knife Pleat French Costa Mesa – South Coast Metro Le ComptoirVegetarianLos Angeles – Koreatown LielleCalifornian Los Angeles – Beverlywood LiloCalifornianCarlsbad LucienCalifornian La Jolla ManzkeContemporary Los Angeles – Westside colspan="3" Maude Californian Beverly Hills colspan="3" Mélisse Seafood Santa MonicaTemporarily Closed Meteora Creative Los Angeles – Hollywood MiuraSushi Beverly Hills Mori NozomiJapaneseLos Angeles – South Robertson Mori SushiJapaneseLos Angeles – South Robertson colspan="2" Morihiro JapaneseLos Angeles – Echo Park n/naka JapaneseLos Angeles – Palms Nozawa Bar JapaneseBeverly Hills Orsa & Winston AsianLos Angeles – Downtown Osteria Mozza ItalianLos Angeles – Hollywood PasjoliFrenchSanta Monica Pasta Bar New American Los Angeles – Encino PhenakiteAsianLos Angeles – Hollywood colspan="4" Providence Seafood Los Angeles – Hollywood Q Sushi JapaneseLos Angeles – Downtown Restaurant KiKoreanLos Angeles – Little Tokyo Rebel OmakaseJapaneseLaguna Beach Rustic CanyonAmerican, CalifornianSanta Monica SelineCalifornian Santa Monica Shibumi JapaneseLos Angeles – Downtown colspan="2" Shin SushiJapaneseLos Angeles – Encino ShunjiJapaneseSanta Monica Silvers OmakaseJapaneseSanta Barbara SoichiJapaneseSan Diego SomniMolecular GastronomyWest Hollywood colspan="5" Sushi Ginza Onodera JapaneseWest Hollywood colspan="2" Sushi InabaJapaneseTorrance Sushi KaneyoshiJapanese Los Angeles – Little Tokyo Sushi TadokoroJapaneseSan Diego Taco MaríaMexican Costa Mesa colspan="4" Trois MecFrenchLos Angeles – Hollywood colspan="7" UkaJapaneseLos Angeles – Hollywood UrasawaJapaneseBeverly Hills colspan="7" ValleMexicanOceanside Vespertine ContemporaryCulver City Reference

2008–2009 Los Angeles lists

The Michelin Guide suspended guides for the Los Angeles area in 2010 "due to the economic environment".

+ Michelin-starred restaurants Name Cuisine Location 2008 2009 2010–2018No Guide AsaneboJapanese Los Angeles – Studio City BastideFrenchWest Hollywood colspan="1" CUT by Wolfgang PuckAmerican, SteakhouseBeverly Hills Hatfield'sAmericanLos Angeles – Hollywood colspan="1" Joe's RestaurantNew AmericanLos Angeles – Venice colspan="1" La BotteItalianSanta Monica colspan="1" The Dining Room at the Langham HuntingtonContemporary Pasadena Matsuhisa Japanese Beverly Hills MélisseSeafoodSanta Monica Mori SushiJapaneseLos Angeles – Sawtelle OrtolanFrenchLos Angeles colspan="1" Osteria MozzaItalianLos Angeles – Hollywood PatinaFrench, AmericanLos Angeles – Downtown ProvidenceSeafoodLos Angeles – Hollywood Saddle Peak LodgeAmerican, CalifornianCalabasas SonaFrenchWest Hollywood colspan="1" SpagoCalifornianBeverly Hills Sushi ZoJapaneseLos Angeles – Downtown Trattoria Tre VenezieItalianPasadena colspan="1" UrasawaJapaneseBeverly Hills ValentinoItalianSanta Monica colspan="1" Water GrillAmerican, Seafood Los Angeles – Downtown Reference

2007–2018 San Francisco Bay Area and Wine Country lists