Held at the stunning waterfront venue EVE, overlooking San Diego Bay with sweeping views of the USS Midway Museum, the invitation-only celebration brought together many of the state's most acclaimed chefs, restaurateurs, hospitality leaders, tourism officials and media for California's biggest night in fine dining.
Guests arrived for a welcome cocktail reception before the ceremony began, mingling over craft cocktails and elegant hors d'oeuvres while watching the sun set over the bay. Throughout the evening, chefs from across California showcased beautifully executed bites, but perhaps no dish generated more excitement than the offering from chef Eric Bost and the team at Carlsbad's Michelin-starred Lilo, whose exquisitely prepared bite quickly became one of the most talked-about tastes of the night.
As the Michelin Man made appearances throughout the venue and California's culinary stars filled the room, anticipation built for the announcement of new Michelin stars, Bib Gourmands, and special awards.
For San Diego, the evening represented far more than an awards ceremony.
After years of fighting outdated perceptions that reduced the region's culinary identity to little more than fish tacos and beach bars, San Diego found itself hosting the state's most prestigious restaurant event against one of the city's most iconic backdrops.
The Michelin Guide, originally created by the French tire company in 1900 to encourage motorists to travel more—and wear out more tires—has evolved into the most influential restaurant rating system in the world. Today, Michelin stars are among the highest honors a restaurant can receive, awarded anonymously based on ingredient quality, mastery of technique, harmony of flavors, consistency, and the personality of the chef reflected in the cuisine.
The night's biggest local headline came when Lucien in La Jolla earned its first Michelin star, making chef Elijah Arizmendi's intimate tasting-menu restaurant San Diego County's newest Michelin-starred destination.
Another major moment belonged to Carlsbad's Lilo, where wine director and sommelier Savannah Riedler received Michelin's prestigious Sommelier Award. During an emotional acceptance speech, Riedler said she hopes guests leave Lilo with "confidence and comfortability" before giving a heartfelt shoutout to San Diego wine shop Vino Carta, calling the recognition a full-circle moment in her career.
San Diego's culinary standard-bearer, Addison by William Bradley, successfully retained its coveted three Michelin stars, remaining among the most elite restaurants in the United States. Jeune et Jolie, Lilo, Soichi, and Valle also retained their one-star status, giving San Diego County six Michelin-starred restaurants following Lucien's addition.
Elsewhere during the ceremony, Michelin's Exceptional Cocktails Award went to Maria Isabel in San Francisco. The Service Award was presented to Frida Blokdahl Hall of Sons & Daughters in San Francisco, while the Young Chef Award, presented by OpenTable, honored Anna Sonenshein and Niki Cable of Little Fish in Los Angeles. Michelin also recognized restaurants committed to environmentally responsible dining with its annual Green Star awards.
California welcomed several new one-star restaurants this year, including Lucien in La Jolla, Seline in Santa Monica, Kojima in Los Angeles, Corridor 109 in Los Angeles, Troubadour in Healdsburg, Wolfsbane in San Francisco, and Naides in San Francisco. Los Angeles restaurant Kato, led by chef Jonathan Yao, earned promotion to two Michelin stars.
The evening brought one significant setback for San Diego County as Valle, chef Roberto Alcocer's contemporary Mexican restaurant in Oceanside, lost the Michelin star it earned in 2023. While Michelin does not publicly explain why restaurants lose stars, the annual guide reassesses every starred restaurant each year, with inspectors evaluating quality of ingredients, harmony of flavors, mastery of technique, the chef's personality expressed through the cuisine, and consistency across multiple anonymous visits.
Hosting the ceremony on San Diego's waterfront served as a symbolic milestone for the region's dining scene. What was once considered an underdog in California's culinary landscape has become an increasingly influential destination attracting world-class chefs, ambitious restaurateurs, and international attention.
For one night at least, overlooking the bay as cocktails flowed, chefs embraced, cameras flashed, and Michelin stars were revealed, San Diego wasn't simply participating in California's restaurant conversation, it was hosting it.
2026 San Diego Michelin Stars
Three Stars
Addison by William Bradley (retained)
One Star
Jeune et Jolie (retained)
Lilo (retained)
Lucien (new)
Soichi (retained)
For the full list of Michelin recipients, visit guide.michelin.com/us/en/california/restaurants.