Two Georgia restaurants earn new Michelin stars in 2026 guide

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So. Fox, located in Atlanta’s Virginia-Highland neighborhood, was awarded One MICHELIN Star in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide American South selection. (Credit: Dave Crawford / So. Fox)

ATLANTA - Two Georgia dining destinations have earned prestigious One MICHELIN Stars as part of the 2026 MICHELIN Guide American South selection revealed Wednesday night in Nashville.

What we know:

Inspectors awarded One MICHELIN Star to So. Fox in Atlanta's Virginia-Highland neighborhood and Uberto Restaurant in Gay, Georgia. Along with Dakar NOLA in New Orleans, they were the only three restaurants across the entire Southern region to receive a first-time star this year.

So. Fox, in the Virginia-Highland neighborhood and helmed by Chef Myles Moody and Sommelier Rachael Pack, earned praise from inspectors for its contemporary, sunlit dining room and seasonal menu highlighting dishes such as corn dumplings in sweet corn sauce with lump crab and roasted apple granita. The restaurant's name pays homage to the Southern Fox, another term for the indigenous muscadine grape, inspectors said. 

Located roughly an hour south of Atlanta in Meriwether County, Uberto Restaurant operates inside the World of Quercus resort. Led by Chef Ryan Smith, the intimate dining room serves a tasting menu on Friday and Saturday evenings centered around preservation, fermentation, and farm-grown produce. Inspectors highlighted standout dishes including miso and Alabama blue crab chawanmushi and cold-smoked, dry-aged Rohan duck grilled over binchotan coals.

Georgia also picked up honors in the Bib Gourmand category, which recognizes high-quality food at moderate prices. Summerland on Collier Road in Atlanta and Tipsy Thaiger in Roswell were among 14 regional newcomers to secure the distinction. Several established Atlanta favorites retained their Bib Gourmand status, including Antico Pizza Napoletana, Bomb Biscuit Co., The Busy Bee, Estrellita, Fishmonger, Fred's Meat & Bread, Heirloom Market BBQ, Little Bear, and Whoopsie's.

Across the wider region, Emeril's in New Orleans remains the only restaurant with Two MICHELIN Stars. The overall 2026 selection now features 265 establishments spanning 44 distinct cuisine styles.

What they're saying:

MICHELIN Guide International Director Gwendal Poullennec said the second annual edition highlights both established culinary hubs and smaller Southern towns.

"As our anonymous Inspectors continued to explore the South, they found not only exciting momentum in established dining destinations, but also exceptional restaurants in smaller communities and unexpected corners of the region," Poullennec said in a statement. "We are delighted to celebrate the talented restaurant teams recognized in this year’s selection."

Michelin also highlighted Chef Ryan Smith of Uberto in its newly established "Mindful Voices" initiative, recognizing his commitment to sustainability by sourcing more than 90% of the restaurant's produce from an on-site, solar-powered regenerative farm.

What we don't know:

The MICHELIN Guide has not announced whether it plans to formally expand its inspection footprint beyond metro Atlanta and select destinations into other Georgia dining markets, such as Savannah or Athens. 

Michelin inspectors keep their identities and evaluation schedules strictly confidential.