The 2026 version of the Michelin Mexico Guide, set to be unveiled in May, will feature three new states — Jalisco, Puebla and Yucatán — all three of which have strong culinary identities that set them apart from the rest of the nation.
Jalisco in particular is drawing special attention as its capital Guadalajara has been selected as the host for the guide’s opening ceremony on May 20 at the renowned event venue Edén Benavento a mere month before the city hosts World Cup games. It will reveal new Michelin Star recipients and other honorees in the food world.
“Jalisco’s exceptional gastronomic heritage and vibrant food culture make it the perfect setting for this year’s ceremony,” Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the Michelin Guide, said in a statement. “We’re excited to meet there with chefs, restaurateurs, and industry leaders to celebrate Mexico’s remarkable contributions to the global culinary scene.”
The announcement follows Michelin’s recent expansion in Mexico, with the inclusion of the three new states. When it arrived in Mexico in 2024, the guide covered the restaurant scene in five states — Oaxaca, Baja California, Baja California Sur, Quintana Roo and Nuevo León — plus Mexico City.
The advent of the Mexico Guide that year confirmed Mexico’s solidifyng reputation as a global culinary player.
“The 2026 ceremony in Jalisco will not only be a celebration of excellence but a recognition of Mexico’s growing influence in international gastronomy, uniting heritage, innovation, and community on one of the industry’s brightest stages,” Poullenec said.
The state’s tourism establishment has not been shy about capitalizing on the prestige that Michelin is affording to Jalisco, going so far as to say that “Jalisco is Mexico.”
“When we say that Jalisco is Mexico, we say it with great responsibility, humility, and pride,” state Tourism Minister Michelle Fridman Hirsch said. “Every time we travel, the first things people ask us about are tequila, mariachi, and charrería (Mexican rodeo). But we also have many well-known figures from Jalisco. Think of Gael García Bernal and Guillermo del Toro in the film industry; Checo Pérez, Canelo Álvarez, and Lorena Ochoa sports. Or when it comes to music, Carlos Santana, Alejandro Fernández, Maná, and Ximena Sariñana. We have some truly outstanding figures.”
Meanwhile, Ignacio Alarcón Rodríguez Pacheco, president of the National Chamber of the Restaurant and Seasoned Food Industry (Canirac) said that seeing Guadalajara as a host city for the Michelin Guide Mexico ceremony places Mexico “at the epicenter of the international conversation,” in addition to serving as a “global tourism promotion platform.”
With reports from Chilango
