New MICHELIN Starred Restaurants Shine Across the American South

The MICHELIN Guide revealed the second annual restaurant selection for the 2026 MICHELIN Guide American South at a ceremony that took place at The Pinnacle in downtown Nashville, Tennessee. The ceremony was full of celebration as three new restaurants were awarded One MICHELIN Star: Dakar NOLA in New Orleans, So. Fox in Atlanta and Uberto Restaurant in Gay, Georgia.

In addition to the new Starred restaurants, the anonymous Inspectors identified 14 new Bib Gourmands across the region, bringing the selection total to 59. As they canvassed the region, the Inspectors also identified 32 new Recommended eateries ranging from hidden coastal gems to big city standouts. The full selection for 2026 now includes 266 restaurants, spanning 44 cuisine types. Chefs and restaurant teams were honored onstage during the ceremony.

The MICHELIN Guide revealed the second annual restaurant selection for the 2026 MICHELIN Guide American South at a ceremony that took place at The Pinnacle in downtown Nashville, Tennessee. The ceremony was full of celebration as three new restaurants were awarded One MICHELIN Star: Dakar NOLA in New Orleans, So. Fox in Atlanta and Uberto Restaurant in Gay, Georgia.

In addition to the new Starred restaurants, the anonymous Inspectors identified 14 new Bib Gourmands across the region, bringing the selection total to 59. As they canvassed the region, the Inspectors also identified 32 new Recommended eateries ranging from hidden coastal gems to big city standouts. The full selection for 2026 now includes 266 restaurants, spanning 44 cuisine types. Chefs and restaurant teams were honored onstage during the ceremony.

“In its second year, the MICHELIN Guide American South continues to reveal the remarkable talent and diversity of the region’s culinary landscape,” said Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the MICHELIN Guide. “As our anonymous Inspectors continued to explore the South, they found not only exciting momentum in established dining destinations, but also exceptional restaurants in smaller communities and unexpected corners of the region. We are delighted to celebrate the talented restaurant teams recognized in this year’s selection.”

One MICHELIN Star

Dakar NOLA (New Orleans; Senegalese cuisine)

Blending the flavors and traditions of Senegal and New Orleans, Chef Serigne Mbaye tells a story that only he can tell. Located in a cottage, the intimate restaurant comprises of just a few tables overlooked by a wall of African tribal masks. Making the most local produce and seafood, the kitchen prepares a confident tasting menu where dishes are boldly flavored, keenly balanced and carefully composed. Think shrimp skewers with mustard sauce, Gulf crab with black eyed peas and cassava, and a brilliant soup of shrimp and okra. Jollof rice zapped with fiery habanero chilis and served alongside grilled fish with tamarind broth is as generous as it is thrilling. Original and exceptional, the restaurant offers a transportive experience.

So. Fox (Atlanta; American cuisine)

So. Fox is a delightful surprise tucked inside a small, contemporary building in Atlanta's Virginia-Highland neighborhood. Flooded with natural light, it's the very definition of chic, contemporary design. The name is a nod to the Southern Fox, another name for the American indigenous muscadine grape, and wine is indeed as important as the Southern-leaning cuisine here. Chef Myles Moody and Sommelier Rachael Pack collaborate on an impressive meal that eschews pretense, with a seasonally shifting menu. Corn dumplings in a sweet corn sauce with lump crab meat is beautifully fragrant, original and flawlessly executed. Then, a bowl of piped marshmallow is set with roasted apple granita and purple shiso for an expertly balanced finish.

Uberto Restaurant (Gay, Georgia; Contemporary cuisine)

This distinctive spot about an hour from Atlanta rests amid rolling green hills as part of the World of Quercus resort. Chef Ryan Smith oversees this ambitious dining room that is open on Friday and Saturday evenings only (though hotel guests are invited to additional meals outside of these constraints). The tasting menu celebrates farm-grown ingredients, harnessing fermentation and preservation techniques to make the best of their products. Creative cooking with plenty of on-trend inflections take center stage with plates like miso and Alabama blue crab chawanmushi. Cold-smoked, dry-aged Rohan duck is grilled over binchotan coals and paired with a vibrant carrot puree.  To finish, expect the likes of fig ice cream with buckwheat sponge and crumble. 

Bib Gourmand

The MICHELIN Guide Inspectors gave 14 new restaurants the Bib Gourmand distinction, which recognizes eateries for great food at a great value. The full list can be found below.

MICHELIN Special Awards

In addition to the Bib Gourmands and Stars, the Guide announced four Special Awards:

The MICHELIN Guide Ceremony is presented with the support of Capital One.

Hotels

The restaurants join the MICHELIN Guide selection of hotels, which features the most unique and exciting places to stay in the American South and throughout the world.   

Each hotel in the selection has been chosen by MICHELIN Guide experts for its extraordinary style, service and personality — with options for all budgets — and each can be booked directly through the MICHELIN Guide website and app. The selection features the region’s most spectacular hotels, including one of the region's best-kept secrets, The Swag (Two MICHELIN Keys) nestled in the Great Smoky Mountains; the unapologetically luxe Maison Metier (One MICHELIN Key) in New Orlean's Warehouse District; and Nashville's The Dive Motel & Swim Club with a retro design that pays tribute to its locale.

The MICHELIN Guide is a benchmark in gastronomy. Now it’s setting a new standard for hotels. Visit the MICHELIN Guide website, or download the free app for iOS and Android, to discover every restaurant in the selection and book an unforgettable hotel.

The 2026 MICHELIN Guide American South selection:

New for 2026, the Mindful Voices platform brings together inspirational voices from across the hospitality industry – an editorial space where chefs, hoteliers, and winemakers can share their stories and pioneering practices, both with one another and the rest of the world.

“Mindful Voices will give a platform to all those who are rewriting the rules in their respective fields,” said Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the MICHELIN Guide. “This new framework draws directly from what our Inspection teams witness firsthand: encounters and experiences that are transforming how things are done and that deserve to be shared. Staying true to its identity and values, the MICHELIN Guide will amplify and give full resonance to these voices from the worlds of gastronomy, hospitality and wine so that they can be heard, wherever they may be.”

During this year's ceremony, the MICHELIN Guide highlighted the initiatives of two chefs featured in its Mindful Voices editorial series.

Chef Sam Diminich from Restaurant Constance in Charlotte, North Carolina, works with a team committed to sourcing ingredients from over 30 local farms within a 50-mile radius of the restaurant. This approach supports the local farming community while allowing the team to create a menu that reflects the seasons.

Chef Ryan Smith from Uberto Restaurant in Gay, Georgia, sources over 90% of the restaurant's produce from its on-site regenerative farm, which operates entirely on solar energy and uses no chemical pesticides or herbicides.

Learn more about the new Mindful Voices for the American South here.

About Michelin:

Michelin is building a world-leading manufacturer of life-changing composites and experiences. Pioneering engineered materials for more than 130 years, Michelin is uniquely positioned to make decisive contributions to human progress and to a more sustainable world. Drawing on its deep know-how in polymer composites, Michelin is constantly innovating to manufacture high-quality tires and components for critical applications in demanding fields as varied as mobility, construction, aeronautics, low-carbon energies, and healthcare. The care placed in its products and deep customer knowledge inspire Michelin to offer the finest experiences. This spans from providing data- and AI-based connected solutions for professional fleets to recommending outstanding restaurants and hotels curated by the MICHELIN Guide. Headquartered in Clermont-Ferrand, France, Michelin is present in 175 countries and employs 122,600 people.