Michelin ceremony awards are tonight. How will California fare?
The most coveted honors in dining — Michelin Stars — will be awarded Wednesday as the guide unveils its 2026 California ratings.
Each year, the Michelin Guide announces which restaurants have received the high-stakes recognition. Awarded restaurants may receive one to three stars in ratings that indicate levels of excellence. Attendance at the event, this year at the San Diego waterfront venue Eve, is by invitation only.
Last year’s ceremony was held in Sacramento at the SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center.
According to the Michelin Guide website, ratings are based on five criteria: quality of the ingredients used, mastery of flavor and cooking techniques, the personality of the chef in the cuisine, harmony of flavors and consistency between visits.
The guide also offers the Bib Gourmand, a rating that recognizes more casual establishments that serve good food at moderate prices. As a practical measure, the guide also includes additional recommended restaurants deemed worthy without earning any official award.
For the 2025 guide, Michelin announced that two restaurants, Localis and The Kitchen, would retain their one-star status. No new stars were awarded. Chris Barnum-Dann of Localis was also awarded the California 2025 Sommelier Award.
Three restaurants were added to the guide: Thai street food eatery Kin Thai, Vietnamese spot Pho Momma and modern pizzeria Majka. Pho Momma was awarded Bib Gourmand status. Canon and Nixtaco also kept their spots in the Bib Gourmand category. In total, 15 Sacramento area restaurants made the 2025 guide.
However, Localis found itself the center of attention beyond its Michelin rating when Barnum-Dann was named in allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior, belittlement and wage tampering.
