New Orleans Restaurants Shine in the 2026 Michelin Guide American South

The Michelin Guide released its second annual regional American South guide on Wednesday night during a ceremony in Nashville, Tennessee, honoring 40 Louisiana restaurants for their culinary excellence. The regional guide now spans a six-state area and includes 265 establishments, highlighting the diverse flavors of the American culinary landscape.

Among the biggest local highlights is Dakar NOLA, a tasting-menu restaurant in New Orleans that blends West African and local coastal cuisines. Chef and co-owner Serigne Mbaye accepted the restaurant's first Michelin star on stage at Nashville's Pinnacle music hall. "Food is a language for me, that’s how I communicate with the world," Mbaye said during the event, adding that the team cooks to nurture people.

Dakar NOLA joins a select group of Louisiana establishments holding stars in the guide. Emeril’s in New Orleans maintained its two-star ranking, making it the only two-star restaurant in the entire American South guide. Meanwhile, New Orleans restaurants Saint-Germain and Zasu retained their individual one-star ratings. The Michelin system defines one star as high-quality cooking worth a stop and two stars as excellent cuisine worth a detour.

In addition to the star-rated establishments, the guide updated its Bib Gourmand list, which highlights restaurants offering great food at good value. Safta’s Table, a neighborhood Mediterranean restaurant in New Orleans led by chef Alon Shaya and his Pomegranate Hospitality company, joined the list as a new addition for 2026. It joins other local favorites such as Cochon, Dooky Chase’s Restaurant, and Turkey and the Wolf.

The Michelin-Recommended list, which acknowledges outstanding quality and consistency, expanded to include several new additions across the state. New Orleans newcomers on the recommended list include Casimiro, Evviva, Saint Claire, and The Crustacean Club. Outside of New Orleans, establishments such as Elsie’s Plate & Pie in Baton Rouge, the St. Francisville Inn & Restaurant in St. Francisville, and Feliciana Bistrôt and Bar in Covington also secured spots on the recommended list.

Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser praised the international recognition, noting the importance of the culinary scene to the state's tourism sector. "When people visit Louisiana, they come for the food, but they stay because of how our people make them feel," Nungesser said. State tourism officials emphasized that the guide heavily influences international travelers, particularly from Europe, who rely on the ratings when planning trips.

The expansion of the Michelin Guide into the American South is supported by partnerships with regional tourism agencies, including New Orleans & Co. and the Louisiana Office of Tourism, as part of an initiative to elevate the region's culinary reputation on a global scale. While partnerships help finance the guide's coverage expansion, Michelin maintains that its culinary assessments and editorial decisions remain independent once entering a market.