In the 2025 Michelin Guide , there are 53 restaurants in Taiwan with a Michelin-star rating. [1] The Michelin Guides have been published by the French tire company Michelin since 1900. They were designed as a guide to tell drivers about which eateries they should to visit and to subtly sponsor their tires. This was done by encouraging drivers to use their cars more and therefore need to replace the tires as they wore out. Over time Michelin stars became more valuable. [2]
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Before a star is given, multiple anonymous Michelin inspectors visit the restaurants several times. They rate the restaurants on five criteria: "quality of products", "mastery of flavor and cooking techniques", "the personality of the chef represented in the dining experience", "harmony of flavor", and "consistency between inspectors' visits". [2] [3] Inspectors have at least ten years of expertise and create a list of popular restaurants supported by media reports, reviews, and diner popularity, for them to inspect. If the Michelin inspectors who have eaten at the restaurant reach a consensus, Michelin awards the restaurant from one to three stars. One star means "high-quality cooking, worth a stop", two stars signify "excellent cooking, worth a detour", and three stars denote "exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey". [4] The stars are not permanent and restaurants are re-evaluated every year. If the criteria are not met, the restaurant will lose its stars. [2]
The 2018 edition was the inaugural edition of the Michelin Guide for Taipei, Taiwan. [5] Taipei was the eighth Asian city or region to have a dedicated Michelin Guide, after Tokyo, Hong Kong and Macau, Osaka and Kyoto, Singapore, Shanghai, Seoul, and Bangkok. [6] [7] Michelin began reviewing restaurants in Taichung in 2020, [8] with Tainan and Kaohsiung being added in 2022. [9] Michelin announced it would further expand its coverage area in Taiwan for the 2025 guide, to also rate restaurants in New Taipei City, Hsinchu County, and Hsinchu City. [10]
