As of the 2026 guide, there are 2 restaurants in Northern Ireland with a Michelin-star rating, a rating system used by the Michelin Guide to grade restaurants based on their quality.
The Michelin Guides have been published by the French tire company Michelin since 1900. They were designed as a guide to tell drivers about eateries they recommended to visit and to subtly sponsor their tires, by encouraging drivers to use their cars more and therefore need to replace the tires as they wore out. Over time, the stars that were given out became more valuable.[1]
Multiple anonymous Michelin inspectors visit the restaurants several times. They rate the restaurants on five criteria: "quality of products", "mastery of flavor and cooking techniques", "the personality of the chef represented in the dining experience", "value for money", and "consistency between inspectors' visits".[2][3] Inspectors have at least ten years of expertise and create a list of popular restaurants supported by media reports, reviews, and diner popularity. If they reach a consensus, Michelin awards restaurants from one to three stars based on its evaluation methodology: one star means "high-quality cooking, worth a stop", two stars signify "excellent cooking, worth a detour", and three stars denote "exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey".[4] The stars are not permanent and restaurants are constantly re-evaluated. If the criteria are not met, the restaurant will lose its stars.[2]
Restaurants in Northern Ireland are reviewed as part of the Michelin Guide Great Britain & Ireland, which updates annually each winter. While Northern Ireland was assessed by the Michelin Guide from 1974, a restaurant in the region did not receive a star until 1991.[5]
Lists
2020–2026
 |
One Michelin star |
|---|---|
 |
Two Michelin stars |
 |
Three Michelin stars |
 |
One Michelin green star |
— |
The restaurant did not receive a star that year |
| Closed | The restaurant is no longer open |
 |
One Michelin key |
| Name | Cuisine | Location | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eipic | Irish | Belfast | |
|
|
|
Closed | ||
| Ox | Irish | Belfast | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| The Muddlers Club | Irish | Belfast | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Reference | [6] | [7] | [8] | [9] | [10] | [11] | [12] | ||
2010–2019
|
One Michelin star |
|---|---|
|
Two Michelin stars |
|
Three Michelin stars |
|
One Michelin green star |
— |
The restaurant did not receive a star that year |
| Closed | The restaurant is no longer open |
|
One Michelin key |
| Name | Cuisine | Location | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deanes | Irish | Belfast | |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Eipic | Irish | Belfast | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
|
|
|
| Ox | Irish | Belfast | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
|
|
|
| Reference | [13] | [14] | [15] | [16] | [17] | [18] | ||||||
2000–2009
|
One Michelin star |
|---|---|
|
Two Michelin stars |
|
Three Michelin stars |
|
One Michelin green star |
— |
The restaurant did not receive a star that year |
| Closed | The restaurant is no longer open |
|
One Michelin key |
| Name | Cuisine | Location | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deanes | Irish | Belfast | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Shanks Restaurant | Modern | Bangor | |
|
|
|
|
|
Closed | |||
| The Oriel | French | Gilford | — | — | — | — | |
|
Closed | |||
| Reference | ||||||||||||
1990–1999
|
One Michelin star |
|---|---|
|
Two Michelin stars |
|
Three Michelin stars |
|
One Michelin green star |
— |
The restaurant did not receive a star that year |
| Closed | The restaurant is no longer open |
|
One Michelin key |
| Name | Cuisine | Location | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deanes | Irish | Belfast | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
|
| Deans on the Square | Irish | Helen's Bay | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
— | — |
| Roscoff | Belfast | — | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
— | |
| Shanks Restaurant | Modern | Bangor | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
|
|
|
| Reference | ||||||||||||
See also
References
- Buchwald, Elisabeth (February 10, 2024). "Michelin Guide history: How did a tire company become an elite restaurant rating guide?". CNN. Archived from the original on February 20, 2024. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
- Buchwald, Elisabeth (February 10, 2024). "Michelin Guide history: How did a tire company become an elite restaurant rating guide?". CNN. Archived from the original on February 20, 2024. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
- "How Restaurants Get Michelin Stars: A Brief History of the Michelin Guide". Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. February 9, 2024. Archived from the original on April 8, 2024. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
- Dixon, Rachel (June 24, 2008). "Q&A: Michelin stars". The Guardian. Archived from the original on May 20, 2024. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
- Coffey, Darina (2 November 2016). "Paul Rankin on TV Chefs, Northern Irish Food and Missing the Kitchen". The Taste. JFG Digital Limited. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
- "The MICHELIN Guide Great Britain and Ireland, 2020". Michelin Guide. Michelin. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
- "The MICHELIN Guide Great Britain and Ireland, 2021: a new year, a new chapter". Michelin Guide. Michelin. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- "The Full List of MICHELIN Star Restaurants in the Great Britain & Ireland Guide 2022". Michelin Guide. Michelin. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- "The Full List of Michelin Stars in the MICHELIN Guide Great Britain & Ireland 2023". Michelin Guide. Michelin. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- "Every Michelin Star Restaurant in Great Britain & Ireland 2024". Michelin Guide. Michelin. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- "The MICHELIN Guide Great Britain & Ireland 2025 Welcomes a New Three-Star Restaurant". MICHELIN Guide.
- "Every MICHELIN-Star Restaurant in Great Britain & Ireland 2026". Michelin Guide. Michelin Europe. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
- "The full list of 2010 Michelin star restaurants in the UK". Luxury Restaurant Guide. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
- "The full list of 2012 Michelin star restaurants in the UK". Luxury Restaurant Guide. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
- "The full list of 2014 Michelin star restaurants in the UK". Luxury Restaurant Guide. 26 September 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
- "The full list of 2015 Michelin star restaurants in the UK". Luxury Restaurant Guide. 25 September 2014. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
- "The Full List of 2016 Michelin Star Restaurants in the UK". Luxury Restaurant Guide. 16 September 2015. Retrieved 24 February 2025.
- "Michelin Guide Results 2017". Great British Chefs. Retrieved 24 February 2025.
External links
- Michelin Red Guide Archived 11 July 2023 at the Wayback Machine