Phu Quoc, Vietnam's island in the Gulf of Thailand, is about to get a lot more interesting for food travellers. The Michelin Guide has confirmed it will expand to the island for its 2027 Vietnam selection, with the starred results due mid-2027. That makes Phu Quoc the fourth Vietnamese destination covered by the guide, after Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang.
So why there? Michelin's international director Gwendal Poullennec pointed to the island's distinctive food culture: a casual, fishing-village tradition built on what comes out of the surrounding sea, sitting alongside a newer wave of dining driven by international chefs. The inspectors were reportedly drawn to that mix of humble and ambitious.
The local ingredients are the real story. Phu Quoc's fish sauce is famous across Vietnam and widely considered the country's best, made from anchovies fermented in wooden barrels — a craft passed down through generations on the island. Its pepper, grown on inland farms, is similarly prized for its strong aroma. Add fresh seafood at markets and beachside grills, and you have a food scene worth planning a trip around, no stars required (though they'll presumably come).
The expansion is bankrolled by Sun Group, the resort developer behind much of the island's hotel scene, as Michelin's destination partner in Vietnam. Sun Group's chairman Dang Minh Truong made the pitch plainly: Phu Quoc is Vietnam's only destination offering visa-free entry of up to 30 days to travellers from every country, and the guide's arrival is meant to give visitors a reason to stay longer and dig deeper than the beach.
For travellers, the timing works. The island already has direct international flights, big-name resorts, and a growing reputation — and Michelin coverage tends to bring both attention and a restaurant boom ahead of the announcement. Go before mid-2027 and you'll eat the same fish sauce-spiked squid and pepper-braised dishes at a fraction of the buzz; go after and you'll have a Michelin list to work through. Either way, the island's identity is on the plate.
