The Michelin Guide unveiled its 2026 Netherlands selection at a ceremony in Maastricht, and two addresses stood out for how fast they got there. Azurite, in Delft, opened a year ago under chef Mario Ridder. Suis, in Schin op Geul in Limburg, has been open for less than six months under chef Ralf Berendsen. Both restaurants skipped straight to two stars without stopping at one.
Seven other restaurants earned their first star this year: Ambrozijn in Valkenburg, Bij Sidney in Loenen aan de Vecht, De Cuijt in Mierlo, Le Epifaan in Veeningen, Nassau in Groningen, Rozewied in Kortgene, and Wild Atelier in Hoog Soeren. Rozewied also picked up the Young Chef Award for its duo, Noëmie Haentjens and Ferdy van Rijswijk. Luwte, in Groningen, was named Opening of the Year.
Amsterdam came away empty-handed this time, the first time in a decade the capital has had no new star. De Librije in Zwolle remains the country’s only three-star restaurant, a title it has held for 23 years. The Netherlands now counts 119 starred restaurants in total: one with three stars, 20 with two, and 98 with one.
Two kitchens under a year old jumping straight to two stars doesn’t happen often. Michelin’s own inspectors made the point themselves: neither Azurite nor Suis needed a one-star stepping stone to make their case.