Two new restaurants now join the lineup in the fourth edition of the Michelin Guide Kuala Lumpur and Penang 2026, as Malaysia’s culinary reputation continues to shine even brighter. Hosted at the Four Seasons Kuala Lumpur, the newly minted one Michelin Star recipients were Terra Dining and Akar, who earned their spots in the little red guide alongside seven others who maintained their previous accolades.

Terra Dining is helmed by self-taught chef Chong Yu Cheng, who imbues his French menus with local colour and flavour. True to its name, Terra—which means earth in Latin—reflects its commitment to Malaysian produce and curated tea pairings. “I believe this is a win for Malaysia as a whole, and I hope there’s more to come,” said Chong.

Akâr Dining by chef Aidan Low presents European recipes with Japanese, French, and Malaysian influences. Its menu takes diners on a culinary journey inspired by the chef’s personal history and memories of his time abroad. The chef thanked Michelin and his diners for recognising the team’s efforts. “We have so much more to offer,” Low promised.

A brief recap of last year’s celebrations witnessed the coronation of the one-star Chim by chef Noom (retained) and Molina (retained), while a new Green Star was introduced and awarded to Dewakan in addition to its existing two-star award. This year, Dewakan’s own chef Darren Teoh proved his dedication to native and endemic ingredients once more, retaining its green star and two-star award. “We only got one Earth, so we better take care of it,” Teoh said.

The following restaurants, which retained their Michelin ratings, were also featured on the list, including Penang’s one-starred Au Jardin and Auntie Gaik Lean’s Old School Eatery, together with Kuala Lumpur’s one-starred Beta and DC Restaurant by Darren Chin.

Every establishment honoured by the Michelin Guide is assessed according to these five standards: quality of the ingredients, mastery of flavours and cooking techniques, the personality of the chefs in their cuisine, value for money, and consistency between visits. One star is extended to restaurants worth a stop, two stars indicate restaurants that are worth a detour, and three stars represent Michelin’s highest award, given only to restaurants worth a special journey.

“The culinary diversity in this year’s selection is richer than ever, from Malaysian and Peranakan to French, Japanese, Thai, Australian, and even vegan cuisine. This reflects the multicultural cuisine of Malaysia and its openness to global influences,” noted Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guide.

“We also see a beautiful evolution in Penang, where family-run restaurants have been lovingly passed down to the next generation,” he added. “These young custodians honour traditional recipes while adding modern touches, breathing new life into beloved classics.” 

Besides the star ratings, the ceremony also spotlighted a number of special awards for the Michelin Guide Kuala Lumpur And Penang 2026. The Opening of the Year Award was proudly presented by UOB Malaysia to Darren Teoh and Leng Yik Siang from Bidou, a restaurant that remains faithful to authentic French cuisine. Meanwhile, the Young Chef Award went to chef Wong Chin Hua from Shu KL, and the Michelin Service Award was conferred to Maverick Fung from 圭K. Additionally, several new restaurants made it to the Bib Gourmand 2026 list, increasing the number of entries from 56 to 61.

Here is the list of new Michelin-starred restaurants, Michelin Selected entrants, and Bib Gourmand venues according to the Michelin Guide Kuala Lumpur and Penang 2026.

Two Stars

• Dewakan (retained)

One Star

• Au Jardin (retained)
• Auntie Gaik Lean’s Old School Eatery (retained)
• Beta KL (retained)
• DC by Darren Chin (retained)
• Chim by Chef Noom (retained)
• Molina (retained)
• Terra Dining (new)
• Akâr Dining (new)

Green Star

• Dewakan (retained)

Michelin Selected (New)

• Bidou
• Blacklinen
• Du-An (Lebuh Pantai)
• Jie
• 圭K
• Kazu
• Kuki
• Mémoire
• Peninsula House
• Shu KL
• Sood by Chef Ton

Bib Gourmand (new)

• Awesome Char Kuey Teow
• Bee Hwa Cafe
• Gulainya
• Lama
• Sifu

Michelin Guide Malaysia