Minneapolis (April 8, 2026) — Today, Meet Minneapolis and the Minneapolis Tourism Improvement District are proud to share that the new, multi-city MICHELIN Guide for the “American Great Lakes” will include Minneapolis. Six cities make up the American Great Lakes edition with Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, and Pittsburgh joining the City of Lakes. The MICHELIN Guide’s anonymous Inspectors are already making dining reservations and scouting for culinary gems throughout Minneapolis and the other cities. The inaugural restaurant selection will be revealed in 2027.

“This is a defining moment for Minneapolis. We have the talent, cultural diversity and quality to stand with any culinary destination in the world,” said Melvin Tennant, President and CEO of Meet Minneapolis. “With the incredible and enduring reputation of the MICHELIN Guide, this is a moment that moves us from being a ‘best-kept secret’ to being part of the global culinary conversation. And through a collaborative approach made possible through our new Minneapolis Tourism Improvement District, it will inspire more of the world’s food lovers to visit our city.”

“The MICHELIN Guide is committed to fostering a culture of travel and dining by helping people discover unforgettable culinary experiences in new destinations,” said Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the MICHELIN Guide. “We are excited to finally be putting a stake in the ground in the Great Lakes region, spotlighting the talent and food cultures across these six great cities. Our anonymous Inspectors have begun canvassing these cities for impressive culinary talent and are eager to share their experiences with you in the inaugural selection next year.”

Recognized globally for excellence and quality, the MICHELIN Guide offers a selection of world-class restaurants.

• The famous one, two and three MICHELIN Stars identify establishments serving exceptional cuisine that’s rich in flavor, remarkably executed and infused with the personality of a talented chef.
• The Bib Gourmand is a designation given to select restaurants that offer good quality food for a good value – often known as personal favorites among the inspectors when dining on their own time.
• The Green Star honors restaurants that are pioneers in mindful gastronomy.
• Recommended restaurants and special professional awards are also highlighted by the MICHELIN Guide inspectors.

The Guide works with various destination marketing organizations on marketing and promotional activities only. Specifically for Minneapolis, Inspectors will be assessing restaurants only within the Minneapolis city limits.

To fully assess the quality of a restaurant, the inspectors apply five criteria defined by Michelin. These criteria guarantee a consistent and fair selection, so a Starred restaurant has the same value regardless of whether it is in Paris, New York or anywhere else in the world. The criteria include:

• Product quality
• Mastery of cooking techniques
• Harmony of flavors
• The personality of the chef as reflected in the cuisine
• Consistency over time and across the entire menu

The MICHELIN Guide remains a reliable companion for any traveler seeking an unforgettable meal and hospitality experience. The Guide was first published in France at the turn of the 20th century to encourage the development of car mobility as well as tire sales by giving practical advice to motorists. Progressively, the Guide has specialized in restaurant and hotel recommendations. Michelin’s inspectors still use the same criteria and manner of selection that were used by the inspectors in the very beginning.

To learn more about the MICHELIN Guide for the “American Great Lakes” and to explore all the culinary experiences Minneapolis has to offer, go here. To keep up with all the happenings, events and culinary trip planning ideas in Minneapolis, go here.

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About Meet Minneapolis
Meet Minneapolis is a private, not-for-profit, member-based association. It actively promotes and sells the Minneapolis area as a destination for conventions and meetings, works to maximize the visitor experience and markets the city as a desirable tourist destination to positively impact the economic and social prosperity of the Minneapolis community. Meet Minneapolis is accredited by the Destination Marketing Accreditation Program (DMAP) of Destinations International.

About Minneapolis Tourism Improvement District
The Minneapolis Tourism Improvement District (MTID) is a hotel-led initiative to attract more overnight visitors and drive visitor spending in the city. MTID funds are supplemental funding for tourism promotion and invested marketing and strategic sales efforts for the recruitment of meetings, conventions, and events to help strengthen Minneapolis’ competitiveness and long-term growth as a premier destination.

About Michelin North America, Inc.
Michelin is the leading mobility company and manufacturer of life-changing composites and experiences. For more than 130 years, Michelin has made contributions to human progress and to a more sustainable world. Michelin is constantly innovating to manufacture high-quality tires and components for critical applications for demanding fields, including mobility, construction, aeronautics, low-carbon energies and healthcare and offer the finest experiences, from providing data- and AI-based connected solutions for professional fleets to recommending outstanding restaurants and hotels curated by the MICHELIN Guide. Headquartered in Greenville, S.C., Michelin North America has approximately 23,500 employees and operates 35 production facilities in the United States (michelinman.com) and Canada (michelin.ca).

Meet Minneapolis Media Contacts:
Kathy McCarthy, Senior PR Director, (o) 612-767-8048, (c) 612-508-9720, kathym@minneapolis.org
Kristen Montag, Senior PR Manager, (o) 612-767-8038, (c) 651-335-5754, kristenm@minneapolis.org
Kevin Kurtt, PR Manager, (o) 612-767-8118, (c) 952-288-9319, kevink@minneapolis.org

MICHELIN Media Contact:
Carly Grieff, PR Manager, the MICHELIN Guide North America, carly.grieff@michelin.com