Your Guide to the World’s Best Green Michelin Star Restaurants

In 2020, Michelin introduced the Michelin Green Star, an award that praises restaurants not for the quality or speciality of their food but for their contributions or endeavours towards sustainable and environmentally-friendly gastronomy. Currently, there are 458 Green Michelin Star restaurants in the world. Whilst each of these restaurants has something unique and palatable to offer its guests, it’s worth breaking down some of the most inspiring and delicious on Michelin’s list. Here’s a spotlight on some of the best and most impressive restaurants around the world when it comes to sustainable gastronomy, as decided by the Michelin Guide.

Restaurant Marcon, France: Three Michelin Stars and a Michelin Green Star

Cuisine is an important part of the French lifestyle. In Michelin’s perspective, Restaurant Marcon in France is built on family values, sustainable sourcing, and exceptional gastronomy. Some of the sustainable practices put into place by Restaurant Marcon are rewriting the menu based on what is seasonally available, using the best of local produce in their dishes, and focussing on minimising food, water, and electricity wastage. Their cuisine is all about showcasing their connections to their land and culture and as a result using sustainable practices to manifest these connections. Their food emphasises the value of harvest and the local market, and the Michelin guide puts a highlight on their magnificent cheeseboard as well as their specialisation with mushrooms, which they pick in Autumn each year. 

SingleThread, USA: Three Michelin Stars and a Michelin Green Star

Located in California wine country, SingleThread boasts connections with a nearby 24-acre farmland which provides much of the produce used by the restaurant. Their menu is innovatively focussed on seasonal produce, as it shifts not just weekly or monthly, but can be altered subtly day-to-day. Their connections to farmland are not only representative of sustainable practices in themselves but are also used as a model for their chefs to learn more about food sourcing and sustainability, encouraging them to be thoughtful with food usage and wastage. 

Ma Cuisine, Japan: Michelin Green Star and Bib Gourmand

The Bib Gourmand award from Michelin is representative of value for money in terms of the restaurant’s quality compared to its price. Ma Cuisine, a French restaurant located in Tokyo, Japan, boasts both a Michelin Green Star and the Bib Gourmand award. Ma Cuisine earnt its Michelin Green Star by building strong relationships with local farmers and producers, using irregular crops, organic vegetables and many kinds of unutilised and underused fish, and at times, imported meats. Most notably and wonderfully, Ma Cuisine specialises in taking cooking lessons to local schools to teach students the importance of sustainable and ethical practices in the kitchen.

A Flower Blossom on the Rice, South Korea: Michelin Green Star and Bib Gourmand

Serving health-conscious Korean dishes reminiscent of home-cooked meals, A Flower Blossom on the Rice is a cosy spot that’s earnt both a Michelin Green Star and the Bib Gourmand award. With great value for money, this restaurant uses ingredients and produce from farms that promote sustainable farming practices. It works directly with these farms that are committed to sustainable and ethical practices such as animal welfare, farming without pesticides and pursuing organic processing. Its aim is to promote the eco-friendly foods of its surroundings, so it’s safe to say their menu showcases the tastes, flavours and practices of the local area. 

Delta, Greece: Two Michelin Stars and a Michelin Green Star

Surrounded by places for the arts such as the National Library of Greece and the Greek National Opera, Delta brings together creativity, luxury, and sustainable practices in its cuisine and dining experience. Chefs George Papazacharias and Thanos Feskos focus on sustainable ingredients using various methods to achieve this, such as local sourcing and responsible fishing practices. They minimise waste by creating stocks and side dishes out of their extra ingredients and also source from small, local producers and farms. 

These are just a few examples of fantastic restaurants around the world that focus on sustainable gastronomy. From those awarded three Michelin stars to those with good value for money that were awarded a Bib Gourmand award, there are impressively sustainable and eco-friendly restaurants to be found all around the world with their own flavours, practices and price-points.