A restaurant carved out of two Orient Express carriages and a small plate specialist in Dublin 4 have become the latest Irish restaurants to be awarded Michelin stars at a glitzy ceremony in Dublin’s Convention Centre.
The Pullman at Glenlo Abbey Hotel just outside Galway City only reopened after an extensive renovation just under a year ago and while its chef Greek-born Angelo Vagiotis’s CV includes Noma in Copenhagen and Terre in Castlemartyr, his achievement in winning a star of his own so quickly must surely stand apart.
“It is a testament to the dedication of our team and good Irish produce,” he said.
Forest Avenue in Dublin has had to wait longer for its star, having opened in 2013.
“We have been cooking the best this year, I feel we are ready, and I am not overwhelmed by the thing and it just feels right and natural. I am emotionally and professionally ready for this,” John Wyer said after being handed the chef’s whites embossed with the Michelin logo.
Aside from the elevation of the Pullman and Forest Avenue, it was a case of ‘as you were’ for Irish restaurants – with all the current holders of the highest of culinary accolades retaining their status.
Restaurateur Gordon Ramsay (right) and TV/social media personality Jesse Burgess at the Michelin Guide Ceremony Great Britain & Ireland 2026, at the Convention Centre, Dublin. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill
There are five criteria used by Michelin to determine a restaurant’s worthiness: the quality of ingredients, mastery of technique, harmony of flavours, the personality of the chef in the cuisine, and consistency across multiple visits.
One star, Michelin says, is “a very good restaurant in its category”; two stars are for “excellent cooking, worth a detour”; and three stars, the top accolade, are reserved for “exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey”.
Ireland started the night with five two-star restaurants and despite some anticipation that at least one would make history by being awarded three stars, it wasn’t to be.
The two-star holders continue to be Chapter One, Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, Merrion Hotel and Liath in Dublin, and Terre and Dede in Cork.
The Morrison Room at Carton House, in Kildare, Ballyfin Demesne in Laois and Lignum in Loughrea all retained their single stars after being awarded them for the first time last year.
Angelo Vagiotis (left), head chef at The Pullman, and John Wyer of Forest Avenue both received one star. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill
The other Irish restaurants retaining stars were Glovers Alley, D’Olier Street Bastible and Variety Jones in Dublin, and the Kilkenny restaurants Campagne and Lady Helen on the Mount Juliet Estate.
Bastion in Kinsale and Chestnut in Ballydehob were the starriest restaurants in Cork, while Belfast was represented by The Muddlers Club and Ox.
Aniar and the Pullman in Galway, the Homestead Cottage in Doolin, the Oak Room in Adare Manor, the Bishop’s Buttery in the Cashel Palace Hotel and Housel, in the Cliff House Hotel in Ardmore, Co Waterford, completed the list of culinary excellence.