The third annual MICHELIN Guide Vietnam 2025 ceremony just took place at the InterContinental Sun Peninsula in Danang, marking another milestone in the country’s evolving culinary landscape. What began as an ambitious debut in 2023 has blossomed into a defining force that, as we celebrate MICHELIN Guide Vietnam 2025, is reshaping how the world perceives Vietnamese gastronomy — while gently stirring controversy at the same time.
When the MICHELIN Guide first arrived in Vietnam in June 2023, it brought with it both excitement and uncertainty. That inaugural ceremony at Hanoi’s The One Convention Centre introduced 103 venues across Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, with just four restaurants earning the coveted stars — ANAN Saigon in Ho Chi Minh City, and Gia, Hibana by Koki, and the surprising choice of Tầm Vị in Hanoi.
MICHELIN Vietnam 2025: Celebrating Three Years of Remarkable Growth
The 2024 expansion told a story of a guide finding its rhythm. Growing to 164 establishments across three cities, with Da Nang making its debut, the guide demonstrated its commitment to representing Vietnam’s diverse culinary geography. The introduction of Vietnam’s first Green Star, awarded to Nén Da Nang for sustainable gastronomy, signaled MICHELIN’s recognition of the country’s forward-thinking approach to responsible dining.
Perhaps most significantly, 2024 saw the emergence of new starred establishments — in Ho Chi Minh City, with AKUNA and Royal Pavilion (Long Trieu), and Danang with La Maison 1888 — proving that Vietnam’s fine dining scene was not just maintaining standards but actively raising them.
The Danang Effect At MICHELIN Guide Vietnam 2025
The choice of Danang, and InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula, as this year’s host city carries more significance. No longer just a transit point between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Danang is emerging as a culinary destination in its own right. Last year’s inaugural inclusion of 16 Bib Gourmand recipients in the coastal city demonstrated a dining scene with remarkable depth and character.
Danang’s culinary identity reflects Vietnam’s broader gastronomic evolution — rooted in tradition yet unafraid to innovate. The city’s seafood-centric cuisine, influenced by both central Vietnamese traditions and international influences from its resort-heavy coastline, offers a unique perspective on contemporary Vietnamese dining.
MICHELIN Vietnam Is A Maturing Guide To The Best Cuisine In The Country
What’s striking about this year’s anticipation is how the conversation has evolved. In 2023, the focus was largely on validation — would Vietnamese cuisine receive the international recognition it deserved? By 2024, the discussion had shifted to expansion and diversity. Now, entering the third year, the dialogue centers on sustainability, innovation, and the guide’s role in nurturing emerging talent.
The Special Awards have become a fascinating element of the awards. The Young Chef Award’s recognition of talent like Sam Tran in 2023 and Nhat Duy from Little Bear in 2024 demonstrates MICHELIN’s commitment to fostering the next generation of Vietnamese culinary leaders. Similarly, the Service and Sommelier awards have highlighted the professionalization of Vietnam’s hospitality sector.
Beyond the Stars At MICHELIN Guide Vietnam 2025
While MICHELIN Stars inevitably dominate headlines, the guide’s broader impact on Vietnamese dining culture extends far beyond its most prestigious accolades. The 58 Bib Gourmand recipients in 2024 — nearly doubling from the original 29 — represent a democratization of culinary excellence that aligns perfectly with Vietnam’s street food culture.
These affordable dining destinations, from Hanoi’s Luk Lak with its innovative Sapa pork belly to Ho Chi Minh City’s Bánh Xèo 46A and its crispy crepes, prove that exceptional cuisine doesn’t require white tablecloths or premium price points. This philosophy resonates deeply in a country where the most memorable meals happen on plastic stools at busy sidewalks.
MICHELIN Guide Vietnam & The International Spotlight
Vietnam’s MICHELIN journey reflects the country’s broader emergence on the global culinary stage. The guide’s arrival coincided with a period of unprecedented international interest in Vietnamese cuisine, driven by a new generation of chefs who combine traditional techniques with contemporary presentations.
The retention of stars by establishments like ANAN Saigon, Gia, and Hibana by Koki demonstrates consistency — perhaps the most challenging of MICHELIN’s five criteria. In a rapidly changing industry, these restaurants have proven they can maintain excellence while continuing to evolve.
From Novelty To Necessity At MICHELIN Guide Vietnam 2025
Around the MICHELIN Guide Vietnam 2025 event, the questions became more sophisticated. Would we see Vietnam’s first two-star restaurant? How will the guide continue to balance traditional Vietnamese cuisine with contemporary innovations? Can the sustainable practices recognized by last year’s Green Star become more widespread?
The live-stream format, continuing from last year’s successful model, ensures that this celebration of Vietnamese cuisine reaches far beyond the invitation-only ceremony. Food enthusiasts across Vietnam and around the world can share in recognizing the achievements of chefs, restaurateurs, and hospitality professionals who continue to elevate Vietnamese dining.
Three years in, the MICHELIN Guide Vietnam has evolved from an exciting novelty to an integral part of the country’s culinary ecosystem. And the MICHELIN Guide Vietnam 2025 ceremony promised not just to announce this year’s selections, but to celebrate how far Vietnamese cuisine has traveled on its journey to global recognition — and hint at the remarkable destinations still ahead.
The Announcement Of MICHELIN Guide Vietnam 2025
At the ceremony, MICHELIN’s international Director Gwendal Poullennec shared a video message, announcing a rise in the number of MICHELIN-star restaurants.
In a special year for the guide, marking 125 years since it was first published, MICHELIN anointed its Selected restaurants and its Bib Gourmands, before handing out the Special Awards.
The Sommelier Award went to Paul Vo from Nephele — where he joined Chef Francis Thuan at their restaurant in Binh Thanh. The Service Award went to Nha Huynh from Mặn Mòi, in Ho Chi Minh’s City’s District 2. Finally, the Young Chef award went to Viet Hong, from CieL Dining, also in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 2.
This year MICHELIN Vietnam’s Green Star went again to Nén Danang Restaurant who were joined by Hanoi’s Lamai Garden.
Which left the coveted MICHELIN stars, for MICHELIN Vietnam 2025. Joining MICHELIN one-star restaurants: Tầm Vị, Gia and Hibana by Koki, in Hanoi, and Anan Restaurant, Long Trieu and AKUNA, in Ho Chi Minh City, and in Danang MICHELIN Green Star awardee Nén Restaurant were CieL Dining and Coco Dining.
MICHELIN Guide Vietnam 2025: What We Learned
And so, the MICHELIN Guide Vietnam 2025 delivered fewer surprises than anticipated, with no street food establishments earning stars and Danang failing to secure new stellar recognition. Ho Chi Minh City reinforced its culinary dominance as the evening’s standout, Viet Hong from CieL Dining, claimed both Young Chef of the Year and a coveted star for the south.
Saigon’s success continued with Nha Huynh from Mặn Mòi taking the Service Award, while Binh Thanh District’s Nephele celebrated Paul Vo’s MICHELIN Sommelier of the Year recognition. Though only two new stars and one Green Star were awarded this year, these accolades are building crucial career pathways for emerging Vietnamese talent while attracting international chefs — suggesting 2026 could bring more dramatic developments to Vietnam’s evolving culinary landscape.
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