Australia receives its first Michelin stars as 11 restaurants make history

Australia has awarded its first Michelin stars, with 11 restaurants in South Australia receiving the coveted distinction.Magill Estate restaurant in Adelaide was the only venue to receive two stars, while 10 others were awarded one each at a ceremony on Wednesday.There is, however, a small catch. For now, the stars are limited to just one state and restaurants in other parts of Australia have not been included because South Australia struck its own deal with the Michelin Guide to bring its inspectors to the region.The two-star Magill Estate restaurant sits among the vineyards of Penfolds winery, in the foothills of Adelaide. Its chef and owner, Scott Huggins, told ABC News that the recognition was a dream come true.“We looked at opening restaurants in France to achieve a Michelin star – that’s how crazy it can be,” he said. “It’s come to South Australia, so extremely lucky and honoured to be the first restaurant in Australia to achieve two stars.”The 10 restaurants to receive one star are Anvers, Maxwell, Botanic, Arkhé, Esmay, Aurora at ILA, Hentley Farm, LVN restaurant at Bird in Hand, Aptos, and Skillogalee Barrel House.Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guide, said at the ceremony: “Tonight marks an historic milestone – the first time the Michelin Guide has recognised restaurants in Australia. They are all putting South Australia on the world culinary map.”“What struck our inspectors was the sheer diversity on display – European, South East Asian and Japanese traditions sitting naturally alongside native ingredients, such as quandong, lemon myrtle and native Australian meats, never as a novelty but as an honest expression of place,” he added.Magill serves a 10-course tasting menu that includes sea urchin with snow peas and tarragon, and spring lamb Wellington with kohlrabi, Anvers’ menu features Paroo kangaroo, Murray cod, and damper bread, while Botanic Botanic draws inspiration from its setting in a former 19th-century teahouse inside Adelaide’s Botanic Garden.Aptos, which serves a tasting menu over more than three hours, occupies a renovated former church, while Arkhé is known for cooking over an open fire, with dishes including Peking duck wontons and Eyrewoolf abalone. At Esmay, chef Alanna Sapwell-Stone serves seasonal dishes in a restaurant built around a central counter, where diners can chat with the chefs. A further 16 establishments won Bib Gourmand awards, which highlight restaurants offering good food at more moderate prices, and 50 others were included in the guide’s recommended selection, bringing the total number of recognised venues to 77.The Michelin Guide had tried to expand into Australia before, but a nationwide deal did not go ahead. Tourism Australia turned down a proposed A$40m (£20.8m) five-year agreement with Michelin in 2025, according to the Australian Financial Review. South Australia eventually negotiated its own deal with Michelin, becoming the first Australian state to feature in the guide.The South Australian government has not disclosed how much it paid, citing commercial confidentiality. Premier Peter Malinauskas told ABC News on Wednesday that the sum was lower than the NZ$6.3m (£2.7m) New Zealand paid for three years in the guide. South Australia’s agreement runs for five years, during which Michelin will continue to review restaurants, with the possibility of new entries and existing winners losing their stars.The Michelin Guide was launched in France in 1900 by tyre company Michelin, initially as a way to encourage motorists to travel and, in turn, increase demand for tyres. It began awarding restaurant stars in 1926, and the distinctions have since become a globally recognised mark of culinary excellence. One star means high-quality cooking worth a stop, two stars signify excellent cooking worth a detour, while three stars are reserved for exceptional cuisine worth a special journey.Michelin’s inspectors visit restaurants anonymously, ordering and paying for meals as ordinary diners would. They judge the food against five criteria: the quality of the ingredients, cooking techniques, harmony of flavours, the chef’s personality expressed through the dishes, and consistency across the menu and over time.