Dubai’s restaurant industry will have another major date on its culinary calendar this autumn, with the fifth MICHELIN Guide Dubai Restaurant Ceremony scheduled for October 6, 2026, at Atlantis The Royal.
The ceremony will bring together chefs, restaurant operators, hospitality figures and members of the media as MICHELIN unveils its latest selection for Dubai. The event is being held in partnership with the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), the guide’s destination partner in the emirate.
The announcement means the spotlight will soon return to the restaurants competing for recognition across Dubai’s increasingly diverse dining scene. The 2026 selection is yet to be revealed, so the restaurants that will gain, retain or lose distinctions remain unconfirmed.
What to expect at the October ceremony
The ceremony will focus on the new MICHELIN Guide Dubai selection, covering the guide’s different forms of recognition rather than Michelin Stars alone.
The MICHELIN system includes One, Two and Three MICHELIN Stars, as well as the Bib Gourmand distinction, which recognises restaurants offering good-quality food at accessible prices. The guide also awards other distinctions, including the MICHELIN Green Star for restaurants demonstrating a strong commitment to sustainability.
According to the information released for the Dubai event, the post-ceremony reception will feature dishes from a number of MICHELIN-recognised restaurants. Participating restaurants listed ahead of the event include Row on 45, avatāra, Glass Hostaria, Hōseki and Berenjak, representing different levels of MICHELIN recognition and culinary styles.
Why the fifth edition matters for Dubai
MICHELIN Guide Dubai was launched in 2022, making the emirate one of the guide’s relatively recent destinations. MICHELIN said at the time that Dubai’s international population and wide range of culinary influences made it a strong addition to its global restaurant programme.
The guide has since become an important marker of Dubai’s fine-dining credentials.
The 2025 edition, the fourth Dubai selection, included 119 establishments across more than 35 cuisine types. Two restaurants — Trèsind Studio and FZN by Björn Frantzén — received Three MICHELIN Stars for the first time in Dubai, while the selection also included new One-Star and Bib Gourmand restaurants.
Trèsind Studio’s three-star recognition was particularly notable: MICHELIN described it as the first Indian restaurant in the world to receive three MICHELIN Stars. FZN by Björn Frantzén entered the Dubai guide directly at the three-star level.
That 2025 result raised the benchmark for the next edition, although it would be premature to predict which restaurants will be recognised in 2026 before MICHELIN officially publishes the new selection.
How MICHELIN restaurants are assessed
The guide uses the same core inspection criteria across its destinations.
Restaurants are assessed on the quality of ingredients, mastery of cooking techniques, harmony of flavours, the personality of the chef expressed through the cuisine, and consistency over time and across the menu.
The system is therefore not simply a popularity ranking. Michelin inspectors independently assess restaurants against the guide’s methodology before distinctions are awarded.
For Dubai diners, that means the October ceremony will offer a fresh benchmark for restaurants ranging from high-end tasting-menu destinations to Bib Gourmand addresses.
Dubai’s wider food reputation
The Michelin ceremony is taking place as Dubai continues to strengthen its position as an international tourism and hospitality hub.
Dubai’s tourism authorities have highlighted the emirate’s expanding food scene as part of its broader visitor offering. In 2025, Trèsind Studio was ranked No. 27 on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list and named the best restaurant in the Middle East, while Orfali Bros returned to the global top 50 at No. 37.
The city’s Michelin ecosystem also extends beyond individual restaurants. Dubai now has a substantial mix of international concepts, home-grown restaurants and regional cuisines represented in the guide, with the official MICHELIN directory continuing to list restaurants across the emirate.
For chefs and restaurant groups, recognition can strengthen international visibility. For diners and visitors, the guide provides another way to navigate Dubai’s crowded and rapidly changing restaurant market.
The next milestone arrives on October 6, when the fifth MICHELIN Guide Dubai selection is officially unveiled at Atlantis The Royal.
Until then, the question is not simply which restaurants will receive new stars, but how Dubai’s culinary landscape will be represented in the next edition.
When is the MICHELIN Guide Dubai 2026 ceremony?
The fifth MICHELIN Guide Dubai Restaurant Ceremony is scheduled for October 6, 2026. It will take place at Atlantis The Royal in Dubai.
Where will the MICHELIN Guide Dubai ceremony be held?
The ceremony will be held at Atlantis The Royal in Dubai.
What will be announced at the ceremony?
MICHELIN will unveil the new Dubai restaurant selection, including its applicable Stars and other distinctions. The full 2026 results have not yet been announced.
How does MICHELIN judge restaurants?
MICHELIN inspectors assess restaurants using five main criteria: ingredient quality, cooking technique, harmony of flavours, the chef’s personality expressed through the cuisine, and consistency.
What is a Bib Gourmand?
Bib Gourmand is a MICHELIN distinction for restaurants offering good-quality food at good value, separate from the Star system.
How many establishments were in the 2025 MICHELIN Guide Dubai?
The 2025 selection included 119 establishments representing more than 35 cuisine types.
Which Dubai restaurants received three MICHELIN Stars in 2025?
Trèsind Studio and FZN by Björn Frantzén were awarded three MICHELIN Stars in the 2025 Dubai selection.
Is the 2026 Michelin selection already known?
No. The October 6 ceremony is when the new selection is scheduled to be unveiled, so the final 2026 awards should not be treated as confirmed before the announcement
