Michelin Guide vs Michelin Star — What’s the Difference? (and Who Actually Has a Star Near You)

Every week on our Walking Food Tours we hear the same confident claim from guests:

“Such-and-such place in Liverpool/Chester has a Michelin star.”

It’s said with conviction — and with good reason. The MICHELIN name carries serious weight.

But there’s an important (and surprisingly common) distinction we often have to explain:

Being listed in the MICHELIN Guide is not the same as holding a MICHELIN Star.

Here’s a short, friendly explainer for food lovers — plus an up-to-date list of who actually has a MICHELIN Star in North Wales, Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Shropshire and around Liverpool.

Michelin Guide vs Michelin Star — simply explained

The MICHELIN Guide (selection / recommended list)

The MICHELIN Guide is Michelin’s curated selection of restaurants that inspectors consider noteworthy.

It includes all sorts of places: everything from cosy local gems to destination tasting-menu rooms. Being in the Guide means Michelin’s inspectors recommend the restaurant — but it does not automatically mean a star.

Think of it as: “officially recommended / included”.

A MICHELIN Star (one, two or three)

A MICHELIN Star is a specific award for outstanding cooking. Inspectors assess against five core criteria:

1. Quality of ingredients

2. Harmony of flavours

3. Mastery of technique

4. The chef’s personality in the cuisine

5. Consistency across multiple visits

Stars are rare and highly prized:

• One star – “high quality cooking, worth a stop”

• Two stars – “excellent cooking, worth a detour”

• Three stars – “exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey”

So when you hear “Michelin-starred”, that’s a very specific badge – not just “in the Guide”.

Other MICHELIN distinctions

You’ll also see:

• Bib Gourmand – great food at good value

• Green Star – for restaurants leading the way on sustainability

• Plain Guide listings – recommended places without a star

All of these are compliments! But they are not the same as holding a MICHELIN Star.

That nuance is why we sometimes have to gently correct guests — a restaurant may proudly display its MICHELIN Guide plaque (or Bib/Green Star), but still not have a traditional star.

Who actually has a MICHELIN Star in our tour regions?

Correct at time of writing (checked against the MICHELIN Guide and recent coverage in November 2025). Always check the official MICHELIN Guide for the latest updates.

If you’re joining us on a tour in Chester, Liverpool, Manchester, Shrewsbury or Wrexham here’s the current picture.

North Wales

• Sosban & The Old Butchers – Menai Bridge, Isle of Anglesey – One MICHELIN Star.
  An intimate, tasting-menu restaurant that’s the headline MICHELIN-starred address for the wider North Wales area.

Quick note: Wales has other starred restaurants further afield (for example, Ynyshir in mid-Wales and several in South Wales), but for North Wales, Sosban & The Old Butchers is the key entry.

Cheshire

• No restaurants in Cheshire currently hold a MICHELIN Star.

Cheshire is still very well represented in the MICHELIN Guide, with several excellent restaurants listed as recommended – some with Bibs or strong write-ups – but none carry a traditional star right now.

So when someone says “That place in Chester has a Michelin star”, they usually mean it’s in the MICHELIN Guide, which is still a big achievement – just not the same thing.

Greater Manchester

Greater Manchester currently has two MICHELIN-starred restaurants:

• mana – Ancoats, Manchester – One MICHELIN Star.
  The city’s modern fine-dining pioneer, awarded its star in 2019 and still going strong.

• Skof – Manchester city centre – One MICHELIN Star.
  A newer arrival from chef Tom Barnes, awarded its first star at the 2025 ceremony, giving Manchester a second star.

Manchester’s food scene has changed fast. Mana’s star was a landmark moment; Skof’s star confirms the city as a serious dining destination.

Shropshire

• No MICHELIN Stars in Shropshire at present.

However, Shropshire does have something special:

• Wild Shropshire – Whitchurch – MICHELIN Green Star.
  A terroir-led, micro-seasonal restaurant recognised with a Green Star for its sustainability and farm-to-table ethos, making it a standout name in the county.

So Shropshire has serious culinary credentials, even without a classic star.

Merseyside / Liverpool and nearby

Within Liverpool and Merseyside, the MICHELIN Guide lists a number of recommended restaurants (including well-known names with strong write-ups), but none currently carry a MICHELIN Star.

However, just a short drive away you’ll find a cluster of stars around Aughton in West Lancashire:

• sō–lō – Aughton – One MICHELIN Star.

• Moor Hall – Aughton – Three MICHELIN Stars + a Green Star.

• The Barn at Moor Hall – Aughton – One MICHELIN Star.

For guests staying in Liverpool and wanting a starry meal before or after a tour, Aughton is the obvious day-trip destination.

So… does a place need a star to be special?

Not at all.

On our Walking Food Tours, we mix everything from long-established local heroes to newer independents that might never chase a star – but absolutely deserve a visit.

The MICHELIN Guide and MICHELIN Stars are brilliant tools for discovering outstanding cooking, and they’re fun to talk about on tour. But some of the most memorable dishes our guests try come from tiny kitchens, family-run spots and under-the-radar bakeries that will probably never appear in the Guide.

So next time someone confidently tells you that “X restaurant in Chester has a Michelin star”, you’ll know the right follow-up question:

“Do you mean in the MICHELIN Guide, or actually Michelin-starred?”

Either way, we’re just happy people are this excited about great food.