Travel 5 minutes 17 March 2026

The 10 Best Dishes Our MICHELIN Guide Inspectors Ate in France Last Year

The eagerly anticipated list of our Inspectors’ favorite dishes is here. From standout plates in One-, Two- and Three-Star restaurants in Paris to unforgettable creations served in some of the best MICHELIN-Starred restaurants across France, these are 10 of the most memorable dishes our team tasted over the past year.

Over the past year, our MICHELIN Guide Inspectors shared the dishes that impressed them most while dining across France’s MICHELIN-Starred restaurants — whether for their precise execution, exceptional ingredients, emotional resonance or inspired combinations of flavor.

This selection brings together standout plates served in One-, Two- and Three-Star restaurants across France, each united by the same thread: the memory of an extraordinary culinary moment.

Click on the dishes below to find out more:

  1. Canard Burgaud sur grill (grilled Burgaud duck) at Le 1947 à Cheval Blanc in Courchevel — Three Stars
  2. Gratinée d’oignons contemporaine (contemporary onion soup) at Le Cinq in Paris — Three Stars
  3. Écrevisse du Rhône en tartare, beurre mousseux mandarine et tagète, jus de carcasse (Rhône crayfish tartare, mandarin and marigold butter froth, shellfish jus) at Les Morainières in Jongieux — Three Stars
  4. La Rose, hommage à Notre-Dame de Reims (the Rose Window, a tribute to Notre-Dame Cathedral in Reims) at Arbane in Reims — Two Stars
  5. Le thon rouge, shiso, kiwi et concombre (bluefin tuna, shiso, kiwi and cucumber) at La Chèvre d’Or in Èze — Two Stars
  6. Balade Dans les Alpages (A Stroll Through Alpine Pastures) at L’Auberge de Montmin in Talloires-Montmin — Two Stars
  7. Coquilles Saint-Jacques à cru, oursin, livèche (raw scallops, sea urchin, lovage) at La Scène in Paris — Two Stars
  8. Calamar du Golfe du Lion et extraction de carottes fermentées (Gulf of Lion squid and fermented carrot extraction) at La Table de Lionel Giraud in Narbonne — Two Stars
  9. Carotte et truffe (carrot and truffle) at Maison Aribert in Uriage-les-Bains — Two Stars
  10. Les asperges d’Herblay: les Abeilles Commencent à Butiner (Herblay asparagus: The Bees Are Starting to Forage) at Zostera in Paris — One Star

1. Canard Burgaud sur Grill — Le 1947 à Cheval Blanc (Courchevel) — Three Stars

Grilled Burgaud duck

Chef: Yannick Alléno

Aged duck from Maison Burgaud is deboned and macerated in leaves and peppercorns, then grilled over live embers. Two juicy aiguillettes of duck arrive with a juniper gel condiment, while withered escarole, slow cooked in butter and olive juice, acts as a bitter counterpoint. A remarkably full-bodied and peppery jus completes the dish.

This highly rigorous preparation, in which maceration, open-fire cooking and the peppercorn jus build a gradual intensity, is underpinned by the bitterness of the juniper and the earthiness of the escarole.

Grilled Burgaud duck at 1947 in Courchevel, French Alps. © Simon Detraz/Le 1947 à Cheval Blanc
Grilled Burgaud duck at 1947 in Courchevel, French Alps. © Simon Detraz/Le 1947 à Cheval Blanc

2. Gratinée d’Oignons Contemporaine — Le Cinq (Paris) — Three Stars

Contemporary onion soup

Chef: Christian Le Squer

From the get-go, it is clear this creation is a world away from the traditional French onion soup. A sculptural presentation of loose spheres of onion purée alternating with candied petals and pieces of bread hides a compote of sweet Cévennes onions with black truffle and a Parmesan crust.

A caramelized onion jus, poured at the table, replaces the traditional consommé. A powerful and brilliant take on the Parisian classic, this structured interpretation works thanks to extremely precise textures and a measured depth, from the caramelized onion jus to the truffle notes.

Contemporary onion soup, à la parisienne at Le Cinq in Paris. © Alix Marnat/Le Cinq
Contemporary onion soup, à la parisienne at Le Cinq in Paris. © Alix Marnat/Le Cinq

3. Écrevisse du Rhône en Tartare, Beurre Mousseux Mandarine et Tagète, Jus de Carcasse — Les Morainières (Jongieux) — Three Stars

Rhône crayfish tartare, mandarin and marigold butter froth, shellfish jus

Chef: Michaël Arnoult

Nestled in a wooden dish, the crayfish tail tartare is surrounded by a frothy butter flavored with mikan (Japanese mandarin) zest and marigold leaves. Tart nasturtium leaves, a few flowers and crunchy croutons are the finishing touch.

In a separate bowl, a fennel purée — think light aniseed notes — meets crayfish tails cooked in a remarkably elegant and deep Nantua-style reduction. A toasted square of laminated brioche and crayfish butter round off this masterful dish.

Rhône crayfish tartare, frothy mandarin and marigold butter with shellfish jus at Les Morainières. © Pascal Etienne Lattes/Thuries Magazine/Les Morainières
Rhône crayfish tartare, frothy mandarin and marigold butter with shellfish jus at Les Morainières. © Pascal Etienne Lattes/Thuries Magazine/Les Morainières

4. La Rose, Hommage à Notre-Dame de Reims — Arbane (Reims) — Two Stars

The Rose Window, a tribute to Notre-Dame Cathedral in Reims

Chef: Philippe Mille

A “rose window” crafted out of crispy pastry is laid over a perfect round of Oscietra caviar from Aquitaine, which covers a neat bed of exceedingly fresh langoustines. Around it, a verjus jelly and a celeriac cream mingle with herb oil and a reduced jus from the langoustine heads to compose a tableau reminiscent of a stained-glass window. A work of art, as striking as it is delicious.

The Rose Window, a tribute to Notre-Dame Cathedral in Reims at Arbane. © Nicolas Quiniou Voyage Voyage Magazine/Arbane
The Rose Window, a tribute to Notre-Dame Cathedral in Reims at Arbane. © Nicolas Quiniou Voyage Voyage Magazine/Arbane

5. Le Thon Rouge, Shiso, Kiwi et Concombre — La Chèvre d’Or (Èze) — Two Stars

Bluefin tuna, shiso, kiwi and cucumber

Chef: Tom Meyer

A striking composition, the dish consists of cucumber matchsticks, shiso ice cream, tart kiwi and marinated tuna loin, covered with a shiso leaf. At the table, a piece of tuna belly is seared on one side and then placed on top of the other ingredients. A dense fish jus with a subtle umami flavor completes this precise, refined and impeccably balanced dish.

Bluefin tuna, shiso, kiwi and cucumber at La Chèvre d'Or in the South of France. © Paul Stefanaggi/La Chèvre d'Or
Bluefin tuna, shiso, kiwi and cucumber at La Chèvre d'Or in the South of France. © Paul Stefanaggi/La Chèvre d'Or

6. Balade Dans les Alpages — L’Auberge de Montmin (Talloires-Montmin) — Two Stars

A Stroll Through Alpine Pastures

Chef: Florian Favario

Lamb chops from Bergerie Éolienne are grilled and served with a pepper and harissa condiment, a spicy sausage and stuffed zucchini flower. A lamb jus with tomatoes and Taggiasca olives, served again while you eat, prolongs the moment of indulgence.

A kebab of confit leg of lamb, Savoie chickpea hummus with caraway, a tatin of confit onions and half a roasted garlic bulb come together to complete the Mediterranean landscape interpreted with utmost finesse. A dish designed as a sequence, in which each element plays a key role.

Milk-fed lamb and onion tatin at restaurant L’Auberge de Montmin. © L’Auberge de Montmin
Milk-fed lamb and onion tatin at restaurant L’Auberge de Montmin. © L’Auberge de Montmin

7. Coquilles Saint-Jacques à Cru, Oursin, Livèche — La Scène (Paris) — Two Stars

Raw scallops, sea urchin, lovage

Chef: Stéphanie Le Quellec

Two immaculately white and exceptionally fresh scallops are shucked to order by the kitchen. Served raw, they have a firm, supple texture and a delicate, slightly sweet flavor. An emulsion of the corals and dots of lovage gel elevate the scallops perfectly. A Galician sea urchin “tongue” adds a briny punch, a shoot of dulse seaweed brings a salty, peppery snap, while a scallop crisp provides contrast. A dish whose purity of form fully honors the intent and the ingredients.

Raw scallops, sea urchin and lovage at La Scène in Paris. © Stéphane RISS/La Scène
Raw scallops, sea urchin and lovage at La Scène in Paris. © Stéphane RISS/La Scène

8. Calamar du Golfe du Lion et Extraction de Carottes Fermentées — La Table de Lionel Giraud (Narbonne) — Two Stars

Gulf of Lion squid and fermented carrot extraction

Chef: Lionel Giraud

The squid “spaghetti,” briefly seared over embers, has a remarkably supple texture. The ribbons nestle in a deep, concentrated Catalan sofregit-type sauce enriched with squid heads reduced in Maury wine. A fermented carrot extraction, poured tableside, introduces a precise sweet-and-sour edge. This vibrant vegetable foam lifts the dish, while a quenelle of caviar provides seasoning and salinity. It is a beautiful creation — precise and balanced — in which the smoke from the embers, the sauce and the carrot extraction marry together seamlessly.

Gulf of Lion squid and fermented carrot extraction at La Table Lionel Giraud. © Agence Le Petit Gastronome/La Table Lionel Giraud
Gulf of Lion squid and fermented carrot extraction at La Table Lionel Giraud. © Agence Le Petit Gastronome/La Table Lionel Giraud

9. Carotte et Truffe — Maison Aribert (Uriage-les-Bains) — Two Stars

Carrot and truffle

Chef: Christophe Aribert

This dish celebrates the carrot in a trinity of forms: a silky purée, thick ribbons flavored with horseradish and crunchy chips. Tucked beneath the chips, a black truffle ice cream unfurls its intense aroma. A carrot jus, brightened by ginger and turmeric, lends vibrancy and balance. The juxtaposition of earthy ingredients and pungent spices is seamless — a clear dialogue between vegetal, spicy and earthy elements, navigated with a light touch.

Carrot and truffle at Maison Aribert. © PAM STUDIO/Maison Aribert
Carrot and truffle at Maison Aribert. © PAM STUDIO/Maison Aribert


10. Les Asperges d’Herblay: les Abeilles Commencent à Butiner — Zostera (Paris) — One Star

Herblay asparagus: The Bees Are Starting to Forage

Chef: Julien Dumas

A beautiful green asparagus spear prepared three ways — the tip raw, the stalk confit in wax, the stalk cooked — offers a precise interplay of textures. The slightly tart pollen sabayon yields an indulgent, waxy character. A cohesive idea, driven by cleanly contrasting textures and an exacting sense of balance.

The Bees Are Starting to Forage: Aspargus and pollen at Zostera in Paris. © Zostera; © Emmanuelle Levesque/Zostera
The Bees Are Starting to Forage: Aspargus and pollen at Zostera in Paris. © Zostera; © Emmanuelle Levesque/Zostera

Hero Image: One of our MICHELIN Guide Inspectors’ favorite dishes is a contemporary twist on the traditional French dish of onion soup à la Parisienne. © Alix Marnat/Le Cinq

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