What This Story Is About
The 2026 Michelin Guide American South, revealed Wednesday in Nashville, added East Tennessee spots Au Bon Coin, Raven Steakhouse and Wilder, plus a Bib Gourmand for A Dopo.
Why It Matters
The recognition puts Knoxville, Maryville and Loudon restaurants on a national culinary map that can drive diners and tourism.
For Context
The full 2026 American South selection includes 265 restaurants across 44 cuisine types with three new stars, 14 new Bib Gourmands and 31 new Recommended spots.
Catch Up
This is the guide’s second annual American South edition, with three Nashville restaurants maintaining their One Michelin Star status.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) – The Michelin Guide revealed its second annual restaurant selection for the 2026 MICHELIN Guide American South Wednesday evening at The Pinnacle in downtown Nashville.
The full 2026 selection includes 265 restaurants spanning 44 cuisine types, with three new One Michelin Stars, 14 new Bib Gourmands and 31 new Recommended restaurants added this year.
While no new Stars were awarded in Tennessee and three Nashville restaurants maintained their One Michelin Star, several East Tennessee restaurants received honors.
East Tennessee newcomers
Here in East Tennessee, Au Bon Coin on Broadway in Knoxville was added as Michelin-Recommended. The new French restaurant is owned by the couple behind A Dopo and Potchke Deli.
Raven Steakhouse in Maryville and Wilder at Windy Hill Farm & Preserve in Loudon are also new as Michelin-Recommended.
On the list again are Potchke Deli in Knoxville, The Restaurant at RT Lodge in Maryville and J.C. Holdway in Knoxville, all maintaining Michelin-Recommended recognition.
A Dopo earns Bib Gourmand
A Dopo in Knoxville earned a new Bib Gourmand distinction, which recognizes great food at a great value. It joins Bao Toan Kitchen & Bar in Memphis and Maiz de la Vida in Nashville as Tennessee’s three new Bibs.
Nine Tennessee restaurants maintained Bib Gourmand recognition, including Little Coyote in Chattanooga.
In total, the following restaurants in Tennessee were celebrated and spotlighted:
Three maintained one Michelin star: Bastion, The Catbird Seat, Locust — all Nashville.Three new Bib Gourmand: A Dopo in Knoxville, Bao Toan Kitchen & Bar in Memphis, Maiz de la Vida in Nashville.Nine maintained Bib Gourmand: Hog & Hominy in Memphis, Little Coyote in Chattanooga, plus seven Nashville spots.Eight new recommended: Au Bon Coin in Knoxville, Raven Steakhouse in Maryville, Wilder at Windy Hill Farm & Preserve in Loudon, plus five others statewide.22 maintained recommended: J.C. Holdway in Knoxville, Potchke in Knoxville, The Restaurant at RT Lodge in Maryville, plus others in Chattanooga, Memphis, Nashville, Franklin and Sewanee.
The three new one Michelin stars region-wide are Dakar NOLA in New Orleans, So. Fox in Atlanta and Uberto Restaurant in Gay, Georgia.
The Michelin Guide was first published in France at the turn of the 20th century and is a respected restaurant rating system with all of its restaurants recommended by anonymous inspectors trained to apply “time-tested methods.”
The publishing of an American South edition of Michelin Guide marks the second consecutive year it has published a regional edition in the United States. It first released a North American Guide in 2005 for New York.
Click here for a full list of restaurants that were recognized during Wednesday’s ceremony.
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