The Michelin Guide awards stars in Texas for the first time

The Michelin Guide has been expanding rapidly in recent years, covering new ground in Florida, Atlanta, Canada, and Mexico. Its newest market is Texas, and award recipients were announced at a ceremony in Houston on Nov. 11.

All in, 15 stars and two green stars (given for sustainable gastronomy) were awarded to Texas restaurants. Forty-five restaurants received Bib Gourmand designations (great value with high-quality cooking) and 57 more received recommendations and will be listed in the state’s Michelin Guide.

No Texas restaurant received more than one star.

According to the guide, one star signifies “high quality cooking, worth a stop.” Two stars is given to a restaurant for “excellent cooking, worth a detour.” And the coveted three-star award — the highest possible designation — is reserved for “exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey.”

A barbecue platter at award-winning LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue in Austin. Photo credit: Jessica Attie/Le Roy

Those designations and references to stopping and journeying are reminders that Michelin is a tire company and the guide was first developed in France to encourage motorists to drive more.

Guides are updated annually, so Texas restaurants who missed out on stars this year will have a chance to earn them next year. Restaurants are evaluated annually and can keep them, get a star added, or lose a star.

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Michelin has roots in France and was originally a European-centric enterprise, but the company expanded to the United States with a New York guide in 2005 and has since entered parts of Asia, Canada, Mexico, and South America, as well as other select markets across the U.S., including Washington, D.C., Chicago, California, Miami/Orlando/Tampa, Colorado, and Atlanta.

It has become customary for Michelin to work with local tourism boards to bring its guides into new markets and to support promotional and marketing efforts, but inspectors are still anonymous and Michelin says that stars are awarded without local influence.

Ribs at InterStellar BBQ in Austin, which now has a Michelin star. Photo credit: Taylor Gorman @TakeGreatPhotos

Since announcing its expansion into Texas, critics and diners have enthusiastically debated which restaurants deserve stars and have lobbied for their favorites. The debate might rage on, but now the wait is over.

Below are the Texas recipients that received a Michelin star or other special recognition. Check out the new Texas Guide to see all the star-winning restaurants, plus Bib Gourmands and Michelin-listed restaurants.

Michelin One Star Restaurants

Barley Swine (Austin)

BCN Taste & Tradition (Houston)

CorkScrew BBQ (Spring)

Craft Omakase (Austin)

Hestia (Austin)

InterStellar BBQ (Austin)

La Barbecue (Austin)

Le Jardinier (Houston)

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LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue (Austin)

March (Houston)

Mixtli (San Antonio)

Musaafer (Houston)

Olamaie (Austin)

Tatemó (Houston)

Tatsu (Dallas)

Michelin Green Star Restaurants

Dai Due (Austin)

Emmer & Rye (Austin)

Exceptional Cocktails Award

Julian Shaffer, Rye (Dallas)

Sommelier Award

Steven McDonald, Pappas Bros. Steakhouse (Dallas and Houston)

Service Award

Hailey Pruitt and Lauren Beckman, Mixtli (San Antonio)

Young Chef Award

Edgar Rico, Nixta Taqueria (Austin)