Trending Now - Michelin Guide Expands to Feature Restaurants in Minneapolis and Milwaukee

WHO:

MPR News - Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guide

urbanmilwaukee.com - Peggy Williams-Smith, president and CEO of Visit Milwaukee

urbanmilwaukee.com - Representatives from Visit Detroit, Visit Minneapolis, Destination Cleveland, Visit Indy, and VisitPITTSBURGH

WHAT:

MPR News - The Michelin Guide announced a new “American Great Lakes” edition that will include restaurants from Minneapolis and Milwaukee.

urbanmilwaukee.com - The Michelin Guide will consider restaurants in Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, and Pittsburgh for potential inclusion.

urbanmilwaukee.com - Inspectors are currently tasting food at various restaurants in Milwaukee County.

urbanmilwaukee.com - A complete list of 2026 restaurant selections is expected to be revealed at a formal awards ceremony in 2027.

WHERE:

MPR News - The announcement was made during a news conference in Milwaukee.

urbanmilwaukee.com - The Michelin Guide will feature restaurants in Minneapolis and Milwaukee, as well as in Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, and Pittsburgh.

WHEN:

MPR News - The news conference took place on Wednesday, April 6th, 2026.

urbanmilwaukee.com - The first North American Michelin Guide was published in 2005.

WHY:

urbanmilwaukee.com - The inclusion of Milwaukee in the Michelin Guide is part of a strategy to drive tourism to the area.

urbanmilwaukee.com - Visit Milwaukee is sponsoring the inclusion, which is described as a “significant investment” expected to “pay dividends” for the tourism industry.

HOW:

urbanmilwaukee.com - The Michelin Guide uses professional, anonymous inspectors who rate restaurants based on five criteria: ingredient quality, mastery of technique, harmony of flavors, the chef’s personality in the cuisine, and consistency across the menu and over time.

urbanmilwaukee.com - The partnership between Michelin and local tourism agencies follows a model used in other U.S. cities, such as Boston and Philadelphia, which involved significant financial commitments from local tourism boards.

(UPDATED April 9, 2026 05:37 UTC)

The Michelin Guide has announced a new “American Great Lakes” edition that will include restaurants from Minneapolis and Milwaukee, with the news revealed during a press conference in Milwaukee on Monday. Inspectors are currently tasting food at various restaurants in these cities, as well as in Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, and Pittsburgh, with a complete list of selections expected to be unveiled at a formal awards ceremony in 2027. This initiative, sponsored by Visit Milwaukee, aims to drive tourism to the area and follows a successful model used in other U.S. cities, involving significant financial commitments from local tourism boards.