The long awaited Michelin Guide has been revealed for 2021, awarding 10 restaurants with brand new stars. For the 13th edition of the prestigious guide, a new distinction, the Michelin Green Star, highlights establishments that incorporate sustainability into the makeup of their design.

The resilience, courage and talent of the Hong Kong and Macau F&B industry has never been more evident than right now. Even amidst a pandemic and tightened restrictions regarding table size and dining hours, new milestones were made this year, with Chef Vicky Lau from Tate receiving 2 Michelin Stars, becoming the 1st female chef in Asia to do so.

8 restaurants receive their first star

Both Japanese and Cantonese cuisine made their mark in the 2021 guide, with three restaurants from each cuisine earning their first ever star. Both The Araki and Zuicho offer refined Japanese cuisine highlighting singular omakase menus and jet-fresh seafood, the majority of which is shipped directly from Japan. The third Japanese restaurant, Yardbird, needs little introduction – the trendy izakaya known for their yakitori skewers comprising all things chicken with a signature dish of chicken meatball served with tare sauce.

Cantonese cuisine also held its own: The Chairman focusses on local, organic ingredients, that are then made into complex and refined Cantonese dishes. Following a brief refurbishment in 2019, Man Ho has returned stronger than ever, earning their first ever star with their updated twists on dim sum and with Cantonese classics made anew. Macau also saw a new Michelin star, received by Cantonese restaurant Wing Lei Palace.

The freshly opened Andō performed an impressive feat, nabbing their first star after opening in the height of the pandemic last July. The Argentinian-born chef was trained in Japan, tastefully fusing his Argentinian heritage with the culinary techniques and flavours of Japan.

The final restaurant to earn their first star, Yè Shanghai, showcases staple Shanghainese cuisine alongside dishes from Jiangsu and Zhejiang, with specialties including drunken chicken and crab shell stuffed with roe and crabmeat.