Michelin Green Star: Here’s what you need to know about the sustainable restaurant award

The Michelin Guide is over a hundred years old with one (or two or three) of its coveted stars considered to be the most prestigious award a restaurant can receive. But even The Michelin Guide, like everything in the world, needs to move with the times to stay relevant.

Behold its newest award on the block: the Michelin Green Star. It's a relatively recent thing with the guide only introducing the accolade in 2020, but we expect it will become more and more of an honour as the guide continues to dish out green stars every year. Plus, with the world in the midst of a climate crisis, it’s never been more of an important time for restaurants to improve the way they operate for the sake of the planet.  

As we lay out in our guide to the best sustainable restaurants in London, diners are increasingly interested in putting their money where their mouth is by supporting restaurants that really, truly look after the world we live in. To that point, Michelin Green Stars aren’t just on-trend, but actually impactful.  

There are currently 32 restaurants in the UK and Ireland that have been awarded the all-important Michelin green clover, including five in London, with that number increasing every year. It’s a fantastic incentive for restaurants to up their game (in a positively competitive way) and ensure they’re giving back to their community via more than just great food.  

It's still early days for the green star, but we’re excited to see how the award will impact the future of sustainable gastronomy. Find out everything you need to know about Michelin Green Stars, including what they are, how to get one and which restaurants in the UK have been awarded the accolade, with our answers to all your frequently asked questions below.  

What is a Michelin Green Star? 

A Michelin Green Star recognises restaurants that are leading in the industry for their commitment to sustainable practices. It goes above and beyond simply saving potato peelings for soup though. Restaurants that are truly sustainable must showcase how they’re implementing ethical practices across every element of the business, from using renewable energy to reducing food waste, sourcing from sustainable suppliers, recycling all materials where possible and implementing low-waste culinary techniques such as preservation or nose-to-tail cooking.  

Restaurants with a Michelin Green Star really are the whole package, delivering outstanding food and excellent service while also leading the charge when it comes to its sustainable practices.  

How do you get a Michelin Green Star? 

The good news is that any restaurant is eligible for a Michelin Green Star. It doesn’t need to have a Michelin star or Bib Gourmand previously to be able to attain one and there isn’t a hard-and-fast rule on how to achieve the award. The restaurant in hand must simply showcase why and how it’s a leading player in sustainable gastronomy, which can vary depending on what it does best and where the restaurant is located.  

Restaurants with a Michelin Green Star in London

With so many incredible restaurants in the capital, you might be surprised to hear there are only four with a Michelin Green Star. That goes to show how sustainable the restaurant needs to be to attain one. Find out what makes these guys special. 

Apricity, Mayfair

What: Spearheaded by cookbook author, sustainability advocate and former Tredwell’s chef Chantelle Nicholson, Apricity is a vegetable focused, socially conscious enterprise in Mayfair. Its aim is to operate in such a way that benefits both the planet and the people that work there, from the way it sources its produce and interiors to how it manages the team. For example, the restaurant is open Tuesday to Saturday to ensure staff are entitled to two days off every week, while an 11pm curfew means the team can finish before midnight and safely take public transport home. On the food front, menus are designed to produce minimal waste, which means incorporating skins, seeds, tops and tails, while produce is sourced from suppliers who are passionate about re-use, soil regeneration and the teams they nurture.
Where: 68 Duke Street, W1K 6JU
Book now: Apricity

Petersham Nurseries Café, Richmond 

Why: We simply don’t have time to recognise every single sustainable practice at Petersham Nurseries flagship café in Richmond, so we’ll list just a few highlights here. It grows its own produce and plants in its organic garden (which only uses peat-free compost), turns food waste into water using an aerobic food digester, sends its coffee waste to Bio-Bean who turn it into biofuels and uses 100% biodegradable packaging for all its takeaway and deli boxes. And that's just for starters! Yep, these guys definitely deserve their star.  
Where: Church Lane, TW10 7AB 
Book now: Petersham Nurseries Café 

Silo, Hackney 

Why: As the world’s first zero-waste restaurant, Silo in Hackney had to get an award. This zero-waste ethos runs through everything it does, from furniture made from recycled materials to a regularly-changing (mainly) plant-focused menu that is developed using low-waste techniques (nose-to-tail butchery and making as much as it can in-house). 
Where: Queens Yard, E9 5EN
Book now: Silo 

St Barts, Barbican

Why: The team behind Nest and Fenn have always had a mind for seasonal, sustainable cooking and St Barts is arguably their crowning achievement. A precise, pitch-perfect tasting menu is just part of the St Barts magic, as the experience moves you through different areas of this gorgeous Barbican restaurant.
Where: 63 Bartholomew Close, EC1A 7BF 
Book now: St Barts 

Restaurants with a Michelin Green Star in England

With over 20 sustainable restaurants spanning the breadth of England, you’ll start to notice a few running themes that link many of them together: regenerative farming, low-waste cooking, on-site orchards, foraged ingredients and more. There’s a reason these guys have all earned a Michelin Green Star.  

Osip, Somerset

What: Osip is a tiny restaurant with a big vision. Located in the picturesque village of Bruton and run by head chef Merlin Labron-Johnson, the restaurant follows a farm-to-table ethos and works closely with local suppliers to source produce for its mostly vegetarian menu. Whatever arrives on its doorstep in the morning is what it will serve that day. Simple. As such, there is no menu, and diners are invited to put their faith in the kitchen team. Expect to start with a selection of snacks, raw or preserved vegetables, freshly-baked bread and broth, followed by a series of larger plates and sweets to finish.
Where: 1 High Street, BA10 0AB
Book now: Osip

Culture, Falmouth

What: Culture is a restaurant in Falmouth from acclaimed chef Hylton Espey and located just moments away from the seafront. Its philosophy revolves around nature and Hylton reverts to the seasons to dictate the menu. For example, the team go out to forage every day to ensure the chefs are given a chance to connect with nature and properly appreciate the produce that will eventually end up on the plate. The menu at Culture tells a story over multiple courses, and each dish is named after the thing that inspired the dish. It’s a unique experience from start to finish and is sure to stay with you long after it’s over.
Where: 38B Arwenack Street, TR11 3JF
Book now: Culture

Crocadon, Cornwall

What: Winning its Michelin Green Star within the first few months of opening, Crocadon in St Mullion, Cornwall, is clearly doing something right. This soil-centric farm and restaurant practices a collaborative approach to food and farming, serving a menu made entirely by produce grown and reared on the land. It's led by chef Dan Cox, who’s spent years working in Michelin-starred kitchens including Simon Rogan’s three-starred L’Enclume where he helped to establish its biodynamic farm. The restaurant at Crocadon is an extension of the main farm, which he opened in order to champion a hyper-seasonal, self-sufficient, entirely organic approach to cooking. He wants the farm to act as a blueprint for others, while at the restaurant, diners can expect a menu dictated by what’s been harvested that week, and featuring plenty of fermentation, smoking, raw ingredients and open-fire cooking.
Where: St Mellion, Saltash, PL12 6RL
Book now: Crocadon

Angela's, Margate 

Why: Angela’s is a small seafood restaurant that puts the people and the planet first. It works directly with its small-scale suppliers and is working hard to remove single-use plastic from its supply chain as much as possible. It’s also partnered with Windmill Community Gardens in Margate to turn its vegetable food waste into compost. Bit by bit, Angela’s significant actions are adding up to make a difference.  
Where: 21 The Parade, CT9 1EX 
Book now: Angela's

Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, Oxfordshire

Why: Raymond Blanc’s iconic country house restaurant offers more than just two-Michelin-starred food (yes, it’s already got stars coming out of its ears). All its produce is either organic, free-range or artisanally produced, a lot of which is due to its own gardens and heritage orchards where it grows its fruit and vegetables. It also recycles 100% of its glass bottles, corks and ground coffee and it doesn’t accept any form of single-use plastic packaging, with all delivery crates returned for re-use. 
Where: Church Road, OX44 7PD 
Book now: Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons 

The Black Swan, North Yorkshire

Why: The Black Swan is chef Tommy Banks’ greatest achievement, although it’s very much a family affair with his brother James running front of house. Along with a Michelin star for its outstanding food, The Black Swan is also recognised for its exceptional sourcing standards, growing its fresh produce on its own farm along with two acres of growing beds and terraces in the restaurant garden.  
Where: Oldstead, YO61 4BL 
Book now: Black Swan

Coombeshead Farm, Cornwall

Why: Coombeshead Farm’s sustainability credentials can be accredited to its location, for it is indeed located on a farm where much of its produce is grown and reared. Head chef Oscar Holgado explains that 'we also have a no-dig vegetable garden, use compost from our food waste, and make guest soap out of lard from our pigs.’ Inventive, eh? 
Where: Lewannick, PL15 7QQ 
Book now: Coombeshead Farm 

Daylesford Organic Farm, Gloucester

Why: It’s already got organic in the title, with responsible sourcing and farming at the core of what Daylesford does best. All its animals are certified organic by the Soil Association and it practices regenerative farming which works to restore soil biodiversity to improve the quality of its produce from the ground up. Aside from that, the farm also boasts over 2,000 solar panels, exporting any surplus power back to the national grid, only uses suppliers that share its own sustainable values, and practices a low-waste approach to cooking. 
Where: Moreton-In-Marsh, GL56 0YG 
Book now: Daylesford Organic Farm 

L'Enclume, Cumbria 

Why: This three-Michelin-starred restaurant by Simon Rogan is one of the best restaurants in the UK and serves an ever-changing tasting menu inspired by the British seasons. It sources its ingredients from its very own farm up the road, Our Farm, so nothing has to travel too far before landing on diners’ plates. It’s also developed preserving methods over the years to ensure its produce lasts for as long as possible, resulting in less waste.  
Where: Cavendish Street, Cartmel, LA11 6PZ 
Book now: L'Enclume 

Restaurant Sat Bains, Nottingham 

Why: With two Michelin stars already to its name, this highly-praised restaurant can also be commended for its sustainable practices. It uses a closed-loop composter to turn food waste into fertiliser for its urban kitchen garden, collects honey from its own beehives and uses solar panels to provide power. Plus, the team only works a four-day week! 
Where: Lenton Lane, NG7 2SA 
Book now: Restaurant Sat Bains 

The Dining Room at Whatley Manor, Wiltshire

Why: The Dining Room at Whatley Manor has pledged to achieve Net Zero emissions for its energy use by 2028 and has come quite a way on its journey already. Offering its own beehives and orchards, sourcing from local and ethical suppliers and reducing its use of packaging significantly, there’s lots of good stuff going on at this 18th century estate.  
Where: Easton Grey, SN16 0RB 
Book now: The Dining Room at Whatley Manor 

The Small Holding, Kent 

Why: The menu at this rustic restaurant changes every day but tends to revolve around a multi-course tasting option and is always a reflection of the food available from the region, whether from its farm or local producers. As a result, the quality of its produce starts from the soil and develops flavour ‘from the ground up’, says head chef Will Devlin.  
Where: Ranters Lane, Kilndown, TN17 2SG 
Book now: The Small Holding 

Where the Light Gets In, Stockport

Why: Where the Light Gets In invites its guests to feast on an ever-changing menu that’s largely dictated by what’s ready-to-eat from its very own farm, as well as the efforts of the farmers and fishermen it works with. Its close connection to the land is showcased through a menu driven largely by vegetables, all of which are grown organically and prepared with a low-waste approach.  
Where: 7 Rostron Brow, SK1 1JY 
Book now: Where the Light Gets In 

Marle, Hampshire 

Why: Marle is designed with nature in mind, from trailing foliage on the walls to slate interiors and views over the woodland of Berkshire. It’s lead by culinary director Skye Gyngell (also Spring) and sources a huge amount of its fruit and veg from nearby 16-acre biodynamic Fern Verrow Farm. Its aim is to one day be fully self-sufficient. 
Where: Heckfield Place, RG27 0LD 
Book now: Marle 

Moor Hall Restaurant with Rooms, Lancashire 

Why: Situated amid five acres of beautiful gardens, Moor Hall is a Grade II-listed property that houses a restaurant and rooms, and has two Michelin stars to its name. Sustainability underpins everything it does, growing as many ingredients as possible within its grounds, composting all food waste and using preserving techniques to extend the life of many of its ingredients.  
Where: Prescot Road, Aughton, L39 6RT 
Book now: Moor Hall 

Oak, Bath 

Why: Once named ‘Acorn’ and now transformed into ‘Oak’, this restaurant in Bath serves impeccable vegetarian food with 40% of its produce sourced from its own allotment. Oak’s ethos is that ‘great food puts the soil first’, and only sources ingredients that have come from land that has been farmed properly, free from chemicals or over cultivation.   
Where: 2 North Parade Passage, BA1 1NX 
Book now: Oak 

Pine, Northumberland 

Why: Pine in Northumberland is a glorious celebration of the surrounding land and its local produce. Vast windows allow diners to look out onto the sloping landscape while they dine, which is great if you like a meal with a view, but is also designed to help customers to connect with the ingredients on their plates. The restaurant has an on-site kitchen garden where it grows most of its own produce, foraging anything it can’t grow itself, with friends and chef-duo Cal Byerley and Ian Waller at the fore of the hyper-seasonal menu.  
Where: Vallum Farm, NE18 0LL 
Book now: Pine 

Tillingham, East Sussex 

Why: Tillingham is many things – a winery, restaurant and rooms for a start – but it’s also home to vineyards, fruit trees, ancient woodland and livestock. Set within 70 acres of stunning countryside, Tillingham adopts a progressive philosophy with a commitment to biodynamic farming in order to look after the soil properly and provide a nutrient-dense bed to grow its produce.   
Where: Dew Lane, TN31 6XD
Book now: Tillingham 

Wilsons, Bristol 

Why: You’ll find this chilled-out restaurant right in the heart of Redland in Bristol, but for such a small and unassuming bistro, it’s got a lot going for it. The duo behind it is chef couple Jan Ostle (head chef) and Mary Wilson, with Jan boasting a wealth of experience in top kitchens across the country and Mary with a background in biodynamic agriculture. The result is a restaurant with sustainability at its core, which only works with producers, growers and traders that use ethical and low impact methods, and boasting its very own market garden so it can be as self-sufficient as possible.  
Where: 22a Chandos Road, BS6 6PF 
Book now: Wilsons

The Forge at Middleton Lodge, Middleton Tyas

Why: Embodying the beauty of North Yorkshire, head chef Jake Jones has put sustainability at the forefront of each dish. Here, menus put the focus on local farming, taking inspiration from the notes of the Old Farmer's Almanac. The chefs aim is to give back more than they take, paying respect to the land and the local community and conserving the landscape. This allows for the seasonal ingredients to extend their normal lifespan and be enjoyed throughout the year. 
Where: Kneeton Lane, DL10 6NJ
Book now: Forge

Exmoor Forest Inn, Somerset

Why: This quaint British pub has joined the challenge to do its bit for sustainability. Here, everyone's favourite pub classics are made even tastier with cattle and sheep bred on its own organic farm in Simonsbath, allowing the animals to live a good and humane life. But it's not just the meat. Fish is caught just days before, coming from small boats off the coast of North Devon and only travelling eight miles to the pub. An on-site kitchen garden is the piece de resistance on this sustainability venture, using its own fruit and vegetables on the menus.
Where: Simonsbath, Minehead, TA24 7SH
Book now: Exmoor Forest Inn

Interlude, East Sussex

Why: Every bite of Interlude’s mammoth 17-course menu is inspired by sustainability - the menu is constantly changing and draws from the restaurant's own vegetable gardens and surrounding land, as well as local farmers and producers. The results are stupendous, with a menu that simultaneously strips food back to basics and shows off produce with smart technique.
Where: Leonardslee Gardens, Horsham, RH13 6PP
Book now: Interlude

Restaurants with a Michelin Green Star in Scotland

With only one Green Star, Scotland might seem like it's lagging behind the rest of the UK a little when it comes to its sustainable offering, but like we said, watch this space for more to come over the next few years because there are certainly more gems to uncover. 

Inver, Argyll and Bute

Why: Inver is one of the most remote restaurants in this guide and the only restaurant in Scotland with a Michelin Green Star. Located on the shore of Loch Fyne, guests can enjoy incredible views across the water while they dine. The modern menu is led by the finest local, wild and foraged ingredients with equal emphasis on vegetable, meat and fish-based dishes. It also sources all its water from the surrounding hills and limits energy use to only use what is necessary.  
Where: Strathlachlan, Argyll & Bute, PA27 8BU 
Book now: Inver 

Restaurants with a Michelin Green Star in Wales

Here to put sustainable gastronomy on the Welsh map are these four game-changing restaurants.  

Henry Robertson at Palé Hall, Gwynedd

Why: This 19th-century Grade II-listed country house hotel offers impact-reducing initiatives across every level of the business. It uses totally reusable energy thanks to its own on-site hydro-electric generating plant, offers free charging points for electric cars and sources its produce from Welsh farmers and businesses as widely as possible to reduce CO2 emissions. 
Where: Llandderfel, North Wales, LL23 7PS 
Book now: Henry Robertson at Palé Hall  

Chapters, Hay-on-Wye 

Why: Chapters’ aim is to be zero-waste and it refuses to let anything slip through the cracks: any food that doesn’t end up on a plate in the restaurant either goes towards staff meals or is composted. While all other waste is recycled (it sends its soft plastics to be turned into roof tiles) or collected and burnt for energy. Chapters only works with suppliers who are local or independent and the interiors have been designed using reclaimed and recycled materials. Plus, you’ll only ever find one set menu on offer here, which allows the restaurant to control what is prepared and reduces its waste output.  
Where: Lion Street, Powys, HR3 5AA 
Book now: Chapters 

Annwn, Pembrokeshire

Why: More than just a restaurant, Annwn is offering a true wild food experience in Wales, inviting guests to join the team on foraging tours. Opened in 2021 by chef patron Matt Powell, the ten-course menu is ever changing to best reflect the seasons and champions local and seasonal produce that can be found right on its doorstep. Menus are packed full of ingredients such as kelp, chanterelles and sea lettuce so you can enjoy the diversity of the local ecosystem.   
Where: 1 Market Square, Narbeth, SA67 7AU 
Book now: Annwn 

The Whitebrook, Monmouthshire

Why: This farm-to-fork restaurant comes from chef patron Chris Harrod and embodies all aspects of sustainability in this ten-course menu. Despite not being able to grow all their own produce on-site, the team does as much as they can in the kitchen garden and works in partnership with local farmers to get the rest of the crops. A number of attempts are made to reduce waste: lesser known plants take spotlight on the menus, with local ingredients picked up each week in reusable waste - meaning food miles are greatly reduced too.
Where: Monmouth, NP25 4TX 
Book now: The Whitebrook 

Restaurants with a Michelin Green Star in Ireland

And finally, the most sustainable restaurant in Ireland. Hailing from Galway, this is the restaurant leading the forefront of Irish sustainability.  

Kai, Galway 

Why: 75% of the waste produced at Kai is recycled, while the remaining 25% is used to produce energy, meaning that all its output ends up with a purpose. The menu is constantly changing and it's totally transparent about all its suppliers, which are of course ethical, local and share Kai’s values.  
Where: 22 Sea Road, Galway, H91 DX47

If you're dying to dine at a Michelin-starred restaurant - be it green or regular - then check out some of our Michelin city guides, including our guides to Michelin-starred restaurants in Glasgow, Michelin-starred restaurants in Cardiff, and Michelin-starred restaurants in Sheffield.