Michelin Returns to Vegas After 17 Years, Ready to Star-Stamp Strip Showdowns
KEY POINTS
- •Michelin awarded stars in Las Vegas in 2009 but left following the 2008 global economic crisis.
- •Seventeen years later, the 2026 Southwest guide will return, covering Vegas along with Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah.
- •Local Destination Marketing Organizations invested millions to bring Michelin back, hoping stars boost culinary tourism and rival resorts.
After ghosting Vegas since 2009 (when Bobby Flay and Nobu flexed their stars inside a now-defunct Hard Rock Casino), Michelin’s finally back with its 2026 Southwest guide. This reunion, sparked by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority shelling out serious cash (read: millions), crowns Strip powerhouses like José Andrés and honors off-Strip underdogs like Sparrow + Wolf in Chinatown. Michelin admits it dipped out post-2008 crash but now boasts an empire spreading from New York to Canada, funded by welcome tourist boards throwing money like a high roller. As Michelin vows editorial independence from its sugar-daddy DMOs, expect Strip resorts to wage titty bar-esque battles over star counts—because nothing says "look at me" like bragging about red placards instead of jackpots.
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Michelin left Vegas louder than your ex, but now they're back to slap stars on steak and sushi priced like small homes. Because glitter isn’t enough, let’s add red placards to the Strip’s neon chaos.
The only thing longer than Vegas' hotel lines was Michelin's 17-year star power timeout. Now everyone’s betting on who’ll have the shiniest badge on the Strip.
Vegas’ newest gamble? Out-shining rivals with Michelin stars instead of casinos losing your paycheck. Spoiler: red placards beat blackjack every time.
Source: Eater | Published: 2/19/2026 | Author: Matthew Kang
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