Restaurant Guides & Michelin Stars

A structured guide to Michelin stars and the world’s most important restaurant rating systems, from Gault Millau and Repsol to OAD, Tabelog, and national guides across Europe, Asia, and Australia.

An overview of the world’s most influential systems for evaluating exceptional cuisine.

Introduction

Michelin remains the global reference for high-level dining, yet the world of gastronomy is shaped by a variety of national and international guides. Stars, points, forks, suns, hats, and rankings each reflect distinct culinary cultures and priorities.

This page provides a clear and structured overview of the major restaurant guides around the world, their methodologies, and their relevance in specific countries. The perspective is grounded in extensive personal experience, including more than one hundred three-Michelin-star meals and several hundred starred visits worldwide.

Major International Guides

Michelin Guide

The most influential and widely recognised restaurant guide.

1 Star – very good cooking
2 Stars – excellent cooking, worth a detour
3 Stars – exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey

Michelin evaluates only the food: product quality, technique, flavour harmony, the personality of the chef, and consistency.

Gault Millau

A 20-point system, with 20 almost never awarded.
Often more detailed and sometimes bolder in awarding high scores than Michelin.

Strong in: Austria, Switzerland, France, Benelux, UAE.

Repsol Guía

Spain’s leading guide, awarding Soles (suns).
Often identifies Spanish excellence earlier and more broadly than Michelin.

Strong in: Spain and Portugal.

Falstaff

Originating in Austria, now international.

Weighting:

50% food
20% wine
20% service
10% ambience

This can produce high overall scores even when the kitchen is not at Michelin level.

Gambero Rosso

Italy’s central restaurant guide, awarding Forchette (forks).
Highly respected for its understanding of regional Italian cuisine.

OAD – Opinionated About Dining

A ranking derived from thousands of reviews by experienced diners.
Often recognises innovative and modern kitchens earlier than Michelin.

Strong in: Europe and the United States.

The World’s 50 Best Restaurants

A global ranking shaped by trends, visibility, and an international voting panel.
Not directly comparable to Michelin in technical depth, but highly influential in global perception.

Tabelog (Japan)

Japan’s dominant restaurant rating platform, based on millions of user reviews.
Extremely detailed and often more reflective of local opinion than Michelin.

Relevant Guides by Country

Austria

Michelin
Gault Millau
Falstaff

Germany

Michelin
Gault Millau
Feinschmecker

Switzerland

Michelin
Gault Millau

France

Michelin
Gault Millau
Le Fooding

Italy

Michelin
Gambero Rosso

Spain & Portugal

Michelin
Repsol Guía

Japan

Michelin
Tabelog

United Kingdom

Michelin Guide Great Britain & Ireland
The Good Food Guide
Harden’s

United States

Michelin Guide USA
James Beard Awards
OAD

Dubai (United Arab Emirates)

Michelin Guide Dubai
Gault Millau UAE
What’s On Awards

Sweden

Michelin
White Guide

Australia

Good Food Guide (awarding Hats)
Australian Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Awards
OAD

Conclusion

Every guide measures excellence through its own cultural lens. Michelin remains the most important global benchmark, while systems such as Repsol, Gault Millau, Gambero Rosso, White Guide, and the Australian Hat system add crucial local context. Understanding how these guides operate provides a clearer view of the international fine dining landscape.

This page serves as the central reference point for navigating restaurant guides worldwide and for exploring deeper analyses across The Fine Dining Journal.