Ireland's Culinary Moment: Michelin Comes to Dublin as Irish Food Claims the Spotlight
The Michelin Guide held its Great Britain and Ireland ceremony in Dublin for the first time in 2026, awarding new stars to Forest Avenue and Galway's The Pullman. Dublin now boasts seven starred restaurants, plus new Bib Gourmands and Green Stars.
Ireland has long been known for warm pubs and hearty comfort food. In 2026, it is being celebrated for something more refined, as the country's fine dining scene earns a level of international recognition that would have seemed unlikely a generation ago.
Michelin comes to Dublin
The clearest signal of that shift came from the industry's most famous arbiter. For the first time ever, the Michelin Guide held its annual Great Britain and Ireland awards ceremony in Ireland, at the Convention Centre in the heart of Dublin.
The choice of venue was itself a statement. Hosting the ceremony in the Irish capital placed the country at the centre of the culinary conversation, an acknowledgement of a reputation that has been steadily rising for a number of years.
Two new stars in the Republic
The 2026 guide brought fresh honours as well. In the Republic of Ireland, two restaurants were newly awarded a single Michelin star, adding to a small but growing constellation of celebrated Irish kitchens across the country.
In Dublin, Forest Avenue made the leap to star level. The restaurant earned the recognition for the pared-back cooking of chef John Wyer, a style built around letting superb ingredients speak for themselves rather than burying them in complication.
The second newcomer offered a very different setting. In Galway, The Pullman won its star for the cooking of Angelo Vagiotis, served in the striking surroundings of two original Orient Express train carriages restored for the purpose.
Dublin's strongest year yet
For the capital, it was a landmark year for the tasting menu. The 2026 guide confirmed seven Michelin-starred restaurants across Dublin, including two houses that hold two stars each and the freshly awarded newcomer.
The recognition went well beyond the stars themselves. Dublin also gained three new Bib Gourmands, the guide's nod to restaurants offering excellent food at more accessible prices, broadening the city's appeal beyond the very high end.
Built on Irish land and sea
What sets the scene apart is where the food comes from. Dublin's leading kitchens draw on Irish farms, the country's pristine coastline and foraged ingredients gathered directly from the landscape around them.
The talent behind them has travelled the world and come home. Many of the chefs trained in kitchens such as Noma in Copenhagen and the Fat Duck in England before returning to Ireland to build something distinctive of their own.
A greener kind of excellence
The guide also rewarded conscience as well as craft. Seven new Green Stars were handed out in recognition of restaurants showing an outstanding commitment to a more responsible and sustainable approach to gastronomy this year.
From comfort food to fine dining
Taken together, the 2026 guide marks a genuine turning point for how Ireland is seen at the table. A country once defined by its simple, filling classics is now home to a confident, ambitious food scene that the wider world is finally taking seriously.
