In the new edition of the restaurant guide "Guide Michelin 2025," presented on Tuesday in Frankfurt am Main, 341 exceptional kitchens across the country have been honored. Under the motto "The Sky is the limit": Already in 2024, 340 gourmet establishments had been awarded stars, even surpassing the previous year's record of 334. Around 80 of these can be found in Bavaria alone. This marks the highest number of starred restaurants ever in Germany.
For many gourmets, the coveted stars are synonymous with high-quality cuisine. Beyond originality and quality, the kitchen's know-how is also crucial for earning a star. Numerous restaurants in the region demonstrate these qualities, with Nuremberg even being touted as a fine dining stronghold.
A new addition to Bavaria's star-studded culinary scene is „Tohru in der Schreiberei“ in Munich, which has earned a prestigious three-star rating. "With its unique signature and sensitive style, it achieves a highly intriguing fusion of Japanese-inspired and classic French cuisine," the inspectors stated, once again praising Head Chef Tohru Nakamura, who was awarded two stars last year. This brings the number of three-star restaurants in Bavaria to three: In 2024, the Upper Bavarian restaurant „Ess:enz“ by Edip Sigl joined the ranks, having been awarded two stars just three years ago and attaining its third star a year ago. In 2023, the Munich-based „Jan“ restaurant was elevated to the three-star echelon.
Here are the Michelin-starred restaurants in Nuremberg, Middle Franconia, and the Upper Palatinate
There was no major surprise for Nuremberg and northern Bavaria this year. In 2024, the restaurant „wonka“ at „Johannisstraße 38“ in Nuremberg was honored with a star after more than 20 years of operation. The „Villa Mittermeier“ in Rothenburg ob der Tauber has also been a star recipient again since 2024, having previously held this distinction from 2005 to 2007 and in 2009, as well as in 2010. Additionally, „Winzerhof Stahl“ in Simmershofen and „Le Frankenberg“ in Weigenheim in the district of Neustadt/Aisch-Bad Windsheim received a star from the critics of the professional magazine in 2024.
Three Two-Star Restaurants in Nuremberg and Franconia
Three stars, the highest possible rating, have not been awarded in our region. However, Nuremberg is represented by two two-star restaurants: these honors again go to „etz“ under head chef Felix B. Schneider and „Essigbrätlein“ with Andree Köthe and Yves Ollech. Also retaining their two-star status is „Aura by Alexander Herrmann & Tobias Bätz“ in Wirsberg, the birthplace of the TV and Michelin-starred chef, who, once a year, co-initiates „freakstotable“, a no-entry-fee culinary festival in this Upper Franconian town.
Nuremberg and the region boast a wealth of high-class cuisine, with 12 businesses from Middle Franconia receiving the accolade again this year. Among the newer entries in the ranks since 2024 are „Wonka“, „Winzerhof Stahl“, and „Villa Mittermeier“, with no further changes noted. The establishments awarded one star once more include „Soulfood“ in Auerbach, „Keidenzeller Hof“ in Langenzenn, and in Nuremberg, „Tisane“, „Veles“, „Entenstuben“, „ZweiSinn Meiers Fine Dining“, and „Waidwerk“. Meanwhile, „Koch & Kellner“ loses its one-star status in 2025.
Two stars will now (continue to) shine over:
„Aura by Alexander Herrmann & Tobias Bätz“, Wirsberg (Kulmbach district, Upper Franconia)
„Essigbrätlein“, Nuremberg
„etz“, Nuremberg
NEW: „Oswalds Gourmetstube“, Teisnach (Regen district)
One star shines in Middle Franconia over the herds and pots of:
„Keidenzeller Hof“, Langenzenn (Fürth district)
„Mittermeier“, Rothenburg/Tauber (Ansbach district)
„Winzerhof Stahl“, Simmershofen (Neustadt an der Aisch-Bad Windsheim district)
„Le Frankenberg“, Weigenheim (Neustadt an der Aisch-Bad Windsheim district)
„wonka“, Nuremberg
„Entenstuben“, Nuremberg
„Tisane“, Nuremberg
„Veles“, Nuremberg
„Waidwerk“, Nuremberg
„ZweiSinnMeiers“, Nuremberg
In Lower Franconia, the following restaurants have (re)received one star:
„Laudensacks Gourmet Restaurant“, Bad Kissingen
„Philipp“, Sommerhausen
„Weinstock“, Volkach
„Kuno 1408“, Würzburg
New: „MiZAR“, Würzburg
No longer included:
In Upper Franconia, a star is once again awarded to „Gasthof Alex“ in Weißenbrunn (Kronach district).
In Upper Palatinate, the concentration is higher, and once more one star goes to:
„Soulfood“, Auerbach (County Amberg-Sulzbach)
„Gourmetstube“ at Gasthaus Hummel, Duggendorf (County Regensburg)
„Cheval Blanc“, Illschwang (County Amberg-Sulzbach)
„Aska“, Regensburg
„Roter Hahn by Maximilian Schmidt“, Regensburg
„Storstad“, Regensburg
New: „Ontra's Gourmetstube“, Regensburg
Green stars praise and honor sustainable work and business practices
The Michelin Guide honors culinary wizards not just for outstanding cuisine. The Green Star, somewhat controversial among gastronomes due to its undefined criteria, recognizes chefs and their kitchens that operate with a focus on sustainability and value creation. In 2025, 80 restaurants across Germany (including 14 new additions) will be celebrated with this accolade - three more than the previous year. The trend towards plant-based cuisine continues this year, with regionality and seasonality maintaining significant importance in product selection, said Gwendal Poullennec, the international director of the Michelin Guide. "Eighty Green Stars are a remarkable testament to this."
Award for Alexander Herrmann
New from Franconia is the two-star restaurant „Aura by Alexander Herrmann and Tobias Bätz“, which has switched its offerings from conventional products to "100 percent Franconian". At the award ceremony, Herrmann commented, "Regionality and seasonality are opportunities for us to showcase high creativity." He added, "Guests have high expectations for restaurants that might not even be realized at home." "The Green Star is part of the solution and a wonderful outward sign," the host concurred.
On the list of Green Stars in our region since 2024 are „Hio bei Meier“ in Hilzhofen (Upper Palatinate) and „Gasthof Blumenthal“ in Spalt (Roth district). The latter is also featured in the Bib Gourmand. Green Stars in 2024 were again awarded to „Veles“ in Nuremberg-Gostenhof, „etz“ in Nuremberg-Johannis, and „Essigbrätlein“ in Nuremberg-St. Sebald. They retain the award for resource conservation.
The "Guide Michelin" travel guide annually recommends various restaurants with one, two, or three stars. To evaluate the kitchens, the Michelin team inspects the restaurants based on their product quality, the expertise of the chefs, the originality of the dishes, and the consistency "both over time and across the entire menu," the guide states. The Michelin inspectors seek out new restaurants and annually review whether existing starred establishments can maintain their level. As a result, restaurants can also lose their accolade.