Denmark has emerged as the undisputed leader of the 2025 Michelin Guide for the Nordic countries, collecting the highest number of new stars during the award ceremony held Monday evening in Odsherred, Denmark. The event confirmed Denmark’s culinary supremacy, as six out of ten newly awarded one-star restaurants are located in the country.
Copenhagen’s new stars and rising chefs
Copenhagen consolidated its position as the gastronomic heart of the region, with four new restaurants earning one Michelin star: Sushi Anaba (chef Mads Battefeld), Udtryk (Edward Lee and Regitze Maria Jensen), Parsley Salon (Allan Schultz), and Texture (Karim Khouani). The most remarkable debut came from Udtryk, which received its first star just 41 days after opening. Chef Edward Lee, originally from Hong Kong, moved to Denmark over a decade ago to pursue his culinary dreams.
“I’m just a mad man with a dream,” he said emotionally during the ceremony.
No Copenhagen restaurant received a new second star this year, but existing two-star establishments — including Down to Earth, Re Hans’ Wine Cellar, Alchemist AOC, Gave, and Koan — retained their status. The iconic trio Noma, Jordnær, and Geranium also maintained their prestigious three-star ratings.
Nordic Michelin landscape: 96 starred restaurants
Across the Nordic region, 96 restaurants now hold at least one Michelin star. Among them, 75 have one star, including ten new entries — six in Denmark, two in Norway, and two in Sweden. Norway’s new stars went to Omakase by Sergey Pak and Gaptrast in Bergen, while Sweden added two new one-star restaurants.
In the two-star category, 15 Nordic restaurants now hold the distinction. Two new entrants joined this elite group: Paz in the Faroe Islands, which made a dramatic leap from zero to two stars, and Signum in Sweden, which moved up from one to two stars.
The six three-star restaurants in the Nordics remain unchanged. Denmark holds half of them — Noma, Jordnær, and Geranium — while Maaemo and Re-Naa in Norway and Frantzén in Sweden complete the list.
Service recognition and broader impact
Beyond the stars, the Michelin Guide also awarded its annual prize for service excellence to Lykke Metzger, director at Copenhagen’s Alchemist. Metzger was also named Waiter of the Year at the national Gastro Awards.
The record number of stars awarded to Denmark highlights its sustained investment in high-end gastronomy and the strength of its hospitality sector. The presence of new talent alongside established names signals a healthy and evolving fine dining ecosystem across the Nordics.
While the Michelin Guide does not reveal all evaluation criteria in detail, the latest awards reflect a strong balance of culinary innovation, regional identity, and technical excellence.
