Michelin-starred restaurants on the go: a culinary guide for business travelers

On some occasions, a good meal is not good enough. But then you can reach for the stars anywhere in Germany and almost anywhere in the world: the shining fixed stars of the culinary world, the Michelin star restaurants.

What defines the fine cuisine of a Michelin-starred restaurant

It was not the first for a long time, but soon became one of the most important hotel and travel guides in the world - the Michelin Guide. Around 100 years ago, its creators awarded the first Michelin star of all time. Soon after, special culinary experiences were also awarded two or three stars.

- One star is awarded to restaurants with fine cuisine full of finesse, which are always worth a stop when traveling or on business trips.
- Two stars stand for top cuisine for which you should even make a detour.
- Three stars symbolize unique cuisine that is even worth a trip of its own.

Exceptional delights on your doorstep: Michelin-starred restaurants in Germany

The Michelin Guide Germany shows you 340 Michelin-starred restaurants in 2024 - from Sylt to Berchtesgaden. Ten of them play in the Champions League of fine dining with three stars. Practical: on business trips to Hamburg, Munich or the capital, you will find The Table by Kevin Fehling, who has been cooking in the top class since 2015, the JAN in Munich or the Rutz in Berlin. Otherwise, the best culinary experiences in Germany always involve a short journey and possibly an overnight stay. Then you can discover the Schwarzwaldstube in Baiersbronn or the schanz.restaurant. in Piesport on the Moselle.

You have even more choice among the German 2-star restaurants. There will be just over 50 of these between the Alps and the North Sea coast in 2024. Here you will also find the first TV chef in the Michelin Guide, Tim Raue and his Berlin restaurant of the same name. When it comes to stars, Raue leads the TV celebrities. Colleagues such as Nelson Müller with his Schote in Essen or Frank Rosin in Dorsten have one star less.

If you prefer fine cuisine in a unique ambience to big names, Germany also has a lot to offer. For example:

- The Ox & Klee (2 Michelin stars) with a view from a crane house over Cologne's Rheinauhafen harbor creates culinary experiences with up to 12 courses from six flavors ranging from bitter to sweet and sour.
- Want even more of a view? Then head to the Restaurant & Lounge on the 53rd floor of Frankfurt's MAIN TOWER (1 Michelin star).
- Instead of skyscrapers and a sea of lights, the Allgäu Alps spread out before you at the PAVO in Pfronten (1 Michelin star), 1250 meters above sea level. Here at the Boutique Hotel Blaue Burg, you will find overnight accommodation befitting the occasion.
- The multi-hour Eatrenalin Experience at the Ruster Eatrenalin offers a special experience with differently designed lounges to match the chosen taste experience.

In the land of the star kings: Gourmet food in France

In 2024, there are just over 140 restaurants worldwide with 3 stars in the Michelin Guide. Most of them - 29 - can be found in neighboring France. In Paris alone, you can enjoy top-class fine dining on ten consecutive evenings at Arpège, Epicure and Plénitude. The Benoit by star chef Alain Ducasse also awaits. He has been awarded a total of 21 Michelin stars for his restaurants around the world. This puts him clearly at the top of the list of the most successful star chefs of recent times. The most awarded chef to date also comes from France: Anne-Sophie Pic. Her 3-star restaurant awaits you on business trips between the Alps and the Mediterranean in Valence in the south of France.

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Recommendations for the most unusual and best Michelin-starred restaurants around the world

#1 Azurmendi - around 15 minutes by car outside Bilbao (3 stars)

In a large, futuristic glass building above the green hills of the Basque Country, you will find the avant-garde of gourmet dining. The path to your table leads through the Azurmendi's large greenhouse, where small, unusual appetizers are hidden among the herb beds for you to try.

#2 Osteria Francescana - Modena (3 stars)

Here you can expect classic Italian cuisine in an ever-changing, modern guise full of creativity and extravagance.

#3 The Fat Duck - Bray, near London (3 stars)

In the rustic ambience of an English country pub, England's youngest star chef, Heston Blumenthal, celebrates culinary experiences that are second to none. His 17-course menu is considered by many to be one of the most sophisticated and exciting gastronomic experiences ever.

#4 Cheval Blanc, Basel (3 stars)

In this Michelin-starred restaurant, French haute cuisine meets Asian and Mediterranean influences. On business trips to Switzerland, you should not miss this timeless gourmet cuisine with clear, classic lines.

#5 De Librije, Zwolle (3 stars)

With the inner courtyard of a former prison, now covered by a glass roof, you will experience one of the most unusual ambiences of any Michelin-starred restaurant in the world. For over 20 years, the cuisine of the best restaurant in the Netherlands has been constantly evolving creatively and innovatively.

#6 Per Se - New York (3 stars)

Per Se in the Time Warner Center has been considered by many to be one of the best restaurants in the USA for years. Every day there are two new menus, one vegetarian, in which none of the main ingredients are repeated.

#7 Le Bernardin - New York (3 stars)

Le Bernardin is another gourmet legend in the Big Apple. By lunchtime, every table is usually occupied by New Yorkers or business travelers for business lunch. Here you can enjoy fine dining with seafood specialties in the most exclusive variations.

#8 Chao Shang Chao - Beijing (3 stars)

This restaurant in Beijing's Chaoyang district has just been promoted to the 3-star league in 2024. You won't find a website or much information online, and the journey through the ultra-modern CITIC Tower to the tables in China's newest gourmet hangout is as much of an adventure as the fine, light and purist cuisine at Chao Shang Chao.

#9 Kanda, Tokyo (3 stars)

You should always make reservations at Michelin-starred restaurants anyway. In this small 3-star restaurant with just ten seats at a counter and a separate room for eight people, it is even advisable to book well in advance. Kanda has been one of the top restaurants in Japan for almost 20 years.

#10 Califa de León - Mexico City (1 star)

A world tour of Michelin-starred restaurants is not complete without a visit to Califa de León - even if it only has 1 Michelin star. Less than ten square meters in size, not a single seat and the direct heat of 360 °C grill temperature: you have definitely never seen a Michelin-starred restaurant like this before. In this country, every snack bar seems more comfortable. But at Califa in Mexico City, you can get the best tacos in the world for the Michelin Guide - and for just around five euros!