Michelin Guide Expands Across Greece With Seven New Stars

20 Oct 2026, 16:34 by Stella Mazonakis · Greek City Times

Greece’s culinary scene reaches a new milestone as Thessaloniki and Santorini join the Michelin Guide, while Santorini’s Lycabettus earns two stars in the 2027 selection.

Greek gastronomy has reached a significant milestone, with the Michelin Guide expanding beyond Athens for the first time to include Thessaloniki and Santorini in its 2027 selection.

Announced on October 20, the new edition covers 62 restaurants across the three destinations, nearly doubling the Guide’s coverage in Greece and showcasing the country’s growing culinary diversity.

The 2027 selection awards two Michelin Stars to Lycabettus in Santorini, introduces seven new one-star restaurants, recognises seven establishments with Bib Gourmand distinctions for quality food at reasonable prices, and adds 21 new recommended restaurants.

Now with Two MICHELIN Stars, Lycabettus elevates the dining experience in Santorini and has become one of the leading lights of the new Greek Selection. © Christos Drazos/Lycabettus

The expansion highlights Greece’s evolving food scene, where chefs are reinterpreting traditional recipes and regional ingredients through contemporary techniques while maintaining strong connections to their culinary heritage.

Santorini restaurant earns two Michelin Stars

Lycabettus, located at the Andronis Luxury Suites hotel in Oia, has made an impressive debut in the Michelin Guide by receiving two stars at once.

Perched above Santorini’s famous caldera, the restaurant combines local ingredients with contemporary cooking and French-inspired techniques. Chefs Christos Karagiannis and Petros Brandenburg lead the kitchen, offering tasting menus and à la carte dishes that include squid with red mullet sauce and lobster with carrot purée.

The restaurant’s wine cellar features more than 1,000 labels, adding to an experience shaped by the island’s dramatic scenery and emphasis on high-end dining.

Santorini also accounts for three of the seven new one-star restaurants, further strengthening its reputation as a major Mediterranean food destination.

Seven restaurants receive their first Michelin Star

Four Athens restaurants and three in Santorini have received one Michelin Star in the 2027 edition, bringing Greece’s total to 19 restaurants in the category.

The new recipients are:

Athens

Aleria
see|ds
SENSE
Simul

Santorini

Botrini’s Santorini
Lauda
Selene

Chef Ettore Botrini is among the major figures recognised in this year’s selection, with both Botrini’s Santorini and Selene receiving stars.

At Aleria, chef Gikas Xenakis reimagines Greek and Mediterranean traditions using seasonal produce and local ingredients. Meanwhile, see|ds, led by chef Dimos Samourakis, focuses on contemporary cooking with subtle French influences.

SENSE draws inspiration from Greek culinary heritage and childhood memories, while Simul combines seasonal Greek ingredients with international influences and sophisticated techniques.

In Santorini, Botrini’s Santorini blends local flavours with Italian influences, while Lauda combines Greek ingredients with French culinary precision. Selene, a longstanding name in the island’s fine-dining scene, presents contemporary interpretations of traditional Santorinian recipes.

Thessaloniki gains international culinary recognition

Thessaloniki’s inclusion marks a major development for Greece’s second-largest city, whose cuisine reflects centuries of cultural exchange between Eastern and Western traditions.

The city features prominently among the new Bib Gourmand recipients, a distinction awarded to restaurants offering quality food at reasonable prices.

The seven new Bib Gourmand restaurants across Athens and Thessaloniki are:

Athens

UPON
Zohós

Thessaloniki

Deka Trapezia
Menu me… nou
Sintrofi
Three Little Pigs
To Manitari

The additions bring Greece’s total number of Bib Gourmand restaurants to 10.

Thessaloniki’s selection also features a range of recommended establishments celebrating seafood, regional Greek cooking and Mediterranean influences.

Among them are 7 Thalasses, known for its seafood, Charoupi, which focuses on the culinary traditions of Crete, and L’Albero, which combines Greek and Italian influences.

21 restaurants join the Recommended selection

The 2027 Guide also adds 21 restaurants to its Recommended category, reflecting the breadth of Greece’s dining scene beyond its Michelin-starred establishments.

In Athens, the new additions include Amphibian, led by chef Tasos Mantis, Ateno Greek Cuisine, IODIO and Sole Giaguaro Athens Italian Dining House.

Amphibian stands out for its concept of “transitional gastronomy” and its rooftop location at the Onassis Stegi cultural centre, with views towards the Acropolis.

In Thessaloniki, the recommended restaurants include Akti Ntovil, which pairs its dining experience with views of the Thermaic Gulf, alongside venues celebrating seafood and regional traditions.

The expanded selection offers a broader picture of Greek gastronomy, from innovative tasting menus to restaurants focused on accessible, locally rooted cooking.

Michelin honours Greece’s culinary talent

Four special awards recognise professionals and restaurants making a contribution to the industry.

The Michelin Young Chef Award goes to 29-year-old Theodoros Kaloidis of To Manitari in Thessaloniki, where he works with consulting chef Dimitris Pamporis to reinterpret Greek cuisine.

Christian Potelle of Athens’ one-star Spondi receives the Michelin Service Award for his approach to hospitality and attention to detail.

Despina Tokalakis, sommelier at Aleria, receives the Michelin Sommelier Award for her wine expertise and ability to enrich the dining experience.

The Michelin Opening of the Year Award goes to Amphibian in Athens, recognising its distinctive concept and rooftop setting.

A milestone for Greek gastronomy

The 2027 Michelin Guide represents a significant expansion of international recognition for Greece’s culinary scene.

While Athens remains the country’s leading destination for Michelin-recognised dining, the addition of Thessaloniki and Santorini brings new regional identities into the spotlight.

From Santorini’s island produce and caldera-side restaurants to Thessaloniki’s multicultural food traditions, the new selection showcases a Greek culinary scene that continues to evolve while drawing on its roots.

The result is a broader international platform for Greek chefs, restaurants and regional food traditions, reinforcing Greece’s position among the Mediterranean’s leading gastronomic destinations.

Source: Michelin Guide

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