Among Mexico’s Michelin-starred restaurants for 2026, two names stand out once again. Cocina de Autor Riviera Maya and Cocina de Autor Los Cabos, both part of Velas Resorts, retained their Michelin Stars for a third consecutive year at the guide’s annual ceremony in Guadalajara. More notably, they remain the only two restaurants in Mexico located within luxury all-inclusive resorts to earn the distinction—and the only two to achieve the guide’s highest rating of two Michelin Stars in the 2026 edition.
Beyond the accolade itself, the story behind both restaurants reflects a deliberate ambition: bringing chef-driven fine dining into a hospitality model traditionally associated with buffets and large-scale dining concepts. Velas Resorts has demonstrated that the luxury all-inclusive experience and world-class gastronomy are not mutually exclusive.
Michelin Guide Mexico 2026
The third edition of the Michelin Guide Mexico was unveiled on May 20, 2026, in Guadalajara, Jalisco—the first time the ceremony was held outside Mexico City. This year’s guide recognized 225 establishments across the country. Of those, only 27 received a Michelin Star, and just two were awarded the coveted two-star distinction: Cocina de Autor Riviera Maya and Cocina de Autor Los Cabos.
According to Michelin, two stars signify “excellent cooking worth a detour.” In a country with 225 restaurants included in the guide, only these two reached that level. The 2026 edition also expanded its geographic scope by adding Jalisco, Puebla, and Yucatán, further solidifying Mexico’s position as one of the most exciting culinary destinations in the Americas.
Cocina de Autor Riviera Maya: Nine Courses Between the Caribbean and Basque Innovation
Opened in 2008 within Grand Velas Riviera Maya, along the Cancún–Tulum corridor, Cocina de Autor was conceived from the beginning as a fine dining destination that challenged expectations of resort cuisine. The intellectual architects behind the concept are Basque chefs Mikel Alonso and Bruno Oteiza. Alonso trained under Juan Mari Arzak, the legendary three-Michelin-star chef widely credited with shaping modern Spanish cuisine, while Oteiza co-founded Biko in Mexico City, a restaurant that spent years among the world’s most celebrated dining destinations.
Together, they established the philosophical foundation of a restaurant that today holds both the AAA Five Diamond Award and Michelin’s prestigious two-star distinction.
Leading the kitchen is Executive Chef Nahúm Velasco, whose career includes a formative period at Geranium in Copenhagen, the acclaimed restaurant led by Rasmus Kofoed and frequently ranked among the best in the world. Returning to Mexico with a broadened perspective on technique, product, and presentation, Velasco now translates that experience into Cocina de Autor’s nine-course tasting menu. Dishes such as heritage pork loin, bone marrow with caviar, and the catch of the day showcase a cuisine rooted in local ingredients while maintaining ambitious technical execution.
The experience is complemented by pairings featuring Mexican wines and ancestral spirits, reinforcing the restaurant’s commitment to celebrating contemporary Mexican gastronomy through a distinctly local lens.
Cocina de Autor Los Cabos: Baja California’s Ingredients as the Starting Point
The Los Cabos outpost opened in November 2016 within Grand Velas Los Cabos, along the region’s scenic tourist corridor. While sharing the same standards of excellence, its culinary identity is distinct.
The concept was created by Dutch chef Sidney Schutte, who earned two Michelin Stars at Librije’s Zusje inside Amsterdam’s Waldorf Astoria and received the prestigious SVH Meesterkok title, the highest culinary distinction in the Netherlands. His résumé includes experience in Michelin-starred kitchens across Belgium, Hong Kong, and the Netherlands, as well as years immersed in Asian gastronomy.
Schutte describes his approach as an “explosion of flavors,” where ingredients provide inspiration, technique serves as the tool, and emotion remains the ultimate destination.
At Cocina de Autor Los Cabos, that philosophy is brought to life by Executive Chef Francisco Sixtos, a native of Jalisco whose background includes Michelin-starred European kitchens and New York’s legendary Carlyle Hotel. His culinary approach embraces simplicity as the highest form of sophistication: sourcing exceptional ingredients and treating them with honesty and restraint.
The result is an eight- or ten-course tasting menu that begins at Bar Autor with signature cocktails before unfolding through a series of dishes inspired by the fresh ingredients of Baja California’s Pacific coastline. Reservations are often secured months in advance, and the experience is exclusively available to guests 18 and older.
Hospitality as Part of the Plate
A Michelin Star recognizes more than what happens in the kitchen. Michelin inspectors also evaluate service, consistency, and a restaurant’s ability to deliver on its promise every day.
In this regard, Velas Resorts has built a reputation that extends beyond cuisine. In the 2025 Michelin Guide Mexico, Cocina de Autor Riviera Maya was also honored with the Michelin Service Award, recognizing teams that elevate the dining experience beyond the food itself.
At the heart of the group’s hospitality philosophy is the Mexican concept of apapacho—a form of care and hospitality that goes beyond formal service. It is about anticipating needs, understanding guests, and creating an atmosphere where visitors feel genuinely looked after. At both restaurants, this translates into highly trained service teams with deep knowledge of the menu, wine pairings, and the flexibility to personalize the experience whenever possible.
Velas Resorts also offers exclusive culinary experiences, including private cooking sessions with Chef Velasco or consulting chefs Alonso and Oteiza, allowing guests to gain a deeper understanding of the craftsmanship behind the restaurant’s signature dishes.
Why It Matters That These Restaurants Are Located in All-Inclusive Resorts
The hospitality industry has long drawn an implicit line between luxury all-inclusive resorts and serious fine dining. Michelin-starred restaurants are typically associated with boutique hotels, urban luxury properties, or independent establishments.
By achieving—and maintaining—this level of recognition within two large-scale beachfront resorts, Velas Resorts challenges that assumption and expands the conversation around what luxury all-inclusive hospitality can be.
The company’s vice president, Juan Vela Ruiz, has publicly stated that the goal from the outset was to create a Michelin-caliber dining experience within an all-inclusive framework without compromise. Three consecutive years of Michelin recognition suggest that vision has succeeded.
For Mexico as a culinary destination, the achievement is equally significant. With 29 Michelin-starred restaurants in 2026, the country continues to strengthen its position among the world’s leading gastronomic destinations. Within that landscape, Cocina de Autor Riviera Maya and Cocina de Autor Los Cabos sit at the very top as the only restaurants awarded two Michelin Stars.
Where to Reserve
Cocina de Autor Riviera Maya is located within Grand Velas Riviera Maya on the Cancún–Tulum highway in Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo. The restaurant welcomes guests aged 12 and older and recommends smart-casual attire. Reservations are available through OpenTable and directly through the resort.
Cocina de Autor Los Cabos is located within Grand Velas Los Cabos on the Transpeninsular Highway in Baja California Sur. The experience is reserved for guests 18 and older. A collared shirt is required for gentlemen, while elegant attire is recommended for women.
Both restaurants are included within the culinary offering of their respective luxury all-inclusive resorts, although reservations are required and each operates under the standards and protocols of world-class fine dining.
