The MICHELIN Guide in Busan

Busan joined with the 2024 edition. Plans for a Busan selection were announced in June 2023, and the first Busan list was revealed together with Seoul in February 2024 at SIGNIEL Busan. Since then the Korean edition has been called The MICHELIN Guide Seoul & Busan.

The first Busan selection in the 2024 edition listed 43 restaurants, all new to the guide: 3 One-Star restaurants, 15 Bib Gourmand and 25 MICHELIN Selected. One of the Starred restaurants also received a Green Star. The three One-Star places were described as Japanese kaiseki, an Italian pasta bistro and French cuisine.

The 2026 Busan selection lists 55 restaurants: 4 One-Star, 20 Bib Gourmand and 31 MICHELIN Selected. That is up from 43 in the first Busan edition in 2024, and the number of Bib Gourmand places grew from 15 to 20.

As of the 2026 edition, Busan has no Two- or Three-Star restaurants. All four of its Starred restaurants hold One Star, up from three in the first edition in 2024. Ratings are reviewed every year, so check the latest selection for changes.

The 2026 edition marked the guide's 10th anniversary in Korea and was revealed on March 5, 2026, at SIGNIEL Busan, overlooking Haeundae Beach. The first Busan selection was also unveiled at the same venue in 2024. The venue changes from year to year; the 2025 edition was announced in Seoul.

They are quite varied. The guide has described a Japanese kaiseki restaurant using Busan seafood and seasonal produce, an Italian bistro sourcing from a family farm, a French restaurant with harbor views and a contemporary Korean restaurant using French and Japanese techniques. As befits a port city, seafood often stands out.

Yes. Fiotto, an Italian restaurant on Dalmaji Hill that uses a lot of produce from a family farm, received both One Star and a Green Star in the first Busan edition and is still listed with a Green Star in 2026. The Green Star highlights restaurants practicing sustainable gastronomy.

Busan has 20 Bib Gourmand restaurants in the 2026 edition, many serving everyday Korean dishes and noodles. The three newcomers in 2026 specialize in buckwheat noodles, Korean food and dumplings. If you want an easygoing taste of Busan, the Bib Gourmand list is a good place to start.

Busan is often associated with dwaeji gukbap, a pork-bone soup with rice, milmyeon, a cold noodle dish made with wheat flour, fish cakes, and plenty of raw fish and seafood thanks to the sea. You can try these at neighborhood restaurants and markets regardless of any MICHELIN distinction.

Busan has large fish markets where a common approach is to choose seafood and have it prepared at a restaurant upstairs or nearby. Prices depend on weight and market rates, so confirm before ordering. If raw fish worries you, choose cooked dishes, and seek medical care if you have an allergy or symptoms.

You can travel between Seoul and Busan by high-speed train (KTX or SRT), domestic flight or express bus. The high-speed train is popular because it links central Seoul directly to Busan Station. Schedules and fares change, so check the operators' official information and book ahead.

Busan is a city of coastline and hills, so some restaurants sit by the beach, up on a hillside or down a narrow alley. A common approach is to take the subway to the nearest station and then walk or take a taxi. Check the entrance location on a map app beforehand so you are not late.

Yes. In the 2026 edition, two special awards went to Busan. The chef of a contemporary Korean restaurant newly promoted to One Star received the Young Chef Award, and a newly Selected restaurant won the Opening of the Year Award, which was introduced that year. The guide presented this as a sign of Busan's growing dining scene.

In announcing the 2026 edition, the guide's international director said Busan had quickly grown into a dynamic culinary hub with its own local character. At the first Busan launch, the guide spoke of highlighting the diversity of dining in Korea's largest port city. Future ratings, of course, cannot be predicted.

Many of Busan's Starred restaurants have limited seating, so booking ahead is wise. During the summer holiday season or major events, both hotels and restaurants can get busy. Check booking methods and cancellation rules on each restaurant's official channel, and expect queues at some Bib Gourmand spots.

Busan's listed restaurants are scattered across the city, from sea-view spots and Dalmaji Hill near Haeundae to a wharf area facing Gwangan Bridge, so it is easy to pair meals with sightseeing. A beach walk or a market visit before or after dinner makes a natural route. Use the map in the official app to see locations.

The 2025 Busan selection listed 48 restaurants, and all three One-Star restaurants kept their Stars from the previous year, along with the Green Star. In the 2026 edition, Busan grew to four One-Star restaurants and 55 listings in total, showing the selection expanding year by year.

As of the 2026 edition, Korea's restaurant selection covers only Seoul and Busan, so restaurants in cities such as Daegu, Gwangju or Jeonju are not included. For those areas, use local tourism information or recommendations from locals. Whether more regions will be added is something to confirm through official MICHELIN Guide announcements.

As of the 2026 edition, restaurants in Jeju are not part of the MICHELIN Guide restaurant selection. However, the MICHELIN Key selection for hotels does include a hotel in Jeju, which can be confusing. For Jeju dining, use other sources such as local tourism information.

On the official MICHELIN Guide website or app, choose Busan as the city to see all its Starred, Bib Gourmand and Selected restaurants. You can filter by cuisine and distinction and view locations on a map. Double-check opening hours and booking methods on each restaurant's official channel.