This month the Visit Austin team had the honor of representing the capital's tourism and hospitality community at The MICHELIN Guide Texas Ceremony. Austin had a huge night, with 44 restaurants being included in the selections and the city winning 7 out of the 15 of the One Michelin Stars.

These recognitions are a true testament to the exceptional talent, creativity and dedication of our chefs and restaurateurs. Austin has long been known for its vibrant, diverse food culture, and this recognition puts our city on the global map as a top-tier dining destination. This honor is well-deserved and a reflection of the hard work and passion which make Austin's food scene one of the most exciting and collaborative in the world.

“Our anonymous Inspectors were impressed by the culinary community across the state of Texas,” said Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the MICHELIN Guides. “The selection reflects their findings by highlighting uniquely Texas flavors, such as Barbecue and Tex-Mex, as well as several international influences. We are very honored to welcome these restaurants to the MICHELIN Guide family for the first time and we toast to the tremendous spirit of the Texas restaurant community!”     

Here are the Austin wins, with Inspector notes from each (Inspectors' comments in full on the MICHELIN Guide website and mobile app):

One MICHELIN Star awards: Austin

Barley Swine (Contemporary cuisine)

The room is decidedly casual, and diners are welcome to come as they are, but there's no mistaking the passion of this kitchen. Chef/owner Bryce Gilmore makes deft use of local ingredients with a distinctly Southwestern palette of flavors that draws from Mexican and Southern traditions, while maintaining a contemporary, global sophistication. The tasting menu is carefully attuned to the seasons, and refinement is balanced with a sense of whimsy. A tiny everything bagel with a creamy smoked radish spread and cucumber infused with dill hot sauce might come as a first bite, and a flawlessly seared Muscovy duck breast might be matched with a buttery puree of popped corn and an earthy/sweet nixtamalized peach. From dishes bought at Goodwill and growing produce onsite to collecting rainwater for their garden, they're also committed to sustainability.

Craft Omakase (Japanese cuisine)

Discreetly tucked away in Rosedale, Craft Omakase has a lounge up front with a dining room and counter in back. It is here where guests wisely place their faith in the hands of Chefs Charlie Wang and Nguyen Nguyen who dole out an impressive procession of nigiri and other bites. Their creative omakase doesn't shy away from embellishment, yet it's done with restraint and allows the fish to shine. An abundance of product hails from Japan, and the fish is skillfully handled. Preparations like an aguachile of pink shrimp with sweet potato or crudo of hamachi with yuzu-honey sauce are delightful stops in a line-up that may reveal ocean trout sprinkled with a furikake made with its crisped skin; shima aji with shiso and ume; or sea scallop dressed with ponzu and lemon zest. 

Hestia (American cuisine)

Push past the glass door of this restaurant in the heart of downtown and you'll immediately get the drift—quite literally, as wood smoke perfumes the air. This hot spot is all about live fire cooking, as evidenced by the 20-foot hearth in the open kitchen. Contemporary cooking is on display in both the à la carte and chef's tasting menu, and Texas produce and proteins take center stage. From savory to sweet, nearly everything is kissed by the flames or scented with smoke. "Embered" cantaloupe with green tomato and shiso blossoms is an elegant opener; and hearth-dried and blistered tomatoes over fresh grits is a comforting plate, but the seared scallop topped with green tomato kosho steals the scene with a tableside pour of beef tallow sauce atop the mushroom gelée base.

InterStellar BBQ (Barbecue cuisine)

The mark of a good place is when a line starts forming before they've even opened, and at InterStellar BBQ, it's long before they've swung open the door. Everyone is here for a taste of pitmaster John Bates's barbecue, done low and slow over post oak. Brisket with a simple salt, pepper, and garlic rub, is outstanding but it doesn't end there. Peach tea-glazed pork belly is meltingly tender; the beer-brined tipsy turkey is moist and delicious; and there are three sausages on offer, including kielbasa. You can't go wrong with any of the enticing side dishes like the Frito pie, though the smoked scalloped potatoes with a golden-brown crust and the poblano creamed corn are standouts.

la Barbecue (Barbecue cuisine)

Founded by the late LeAnn Mueller and now run by her wife, Ali Clem, la Barbecue's massive, custom-built pit in the backyard is the rarified workshop in which meaty miracles are realized. Inside, it's a simple space enlivened with bright colors and a disarming playlist with Tammy Wynette and Dolly Parton. During peak hours, you can expect a substantial wait, but your patience will be rewarded with a first taste of the brisket as you reach the counter. You will marvel at the sublimely succulent, flavorful beef, but don't overlook the array of equally tempting offerings like house-made sausages, and pork or beef ribs. The team likes to keep things spicy, as in the chipotle coleslaw or fresh kimchi. Don't miss the mac and cheese.

Leroy and Lewis Barbecue (Barbecue cuisine)

What started as a food truck in 2017 can now be enjoyed in a spacious brick and mortar location in Garrison Park. The moniker refers to the duo of married couples who run this enticing operation where the spacious setting gives off midcentury vibes with its glazed brick exterior and peak-roofed dining area. The excellent barbecue menu isn't built around brisket, although that beloved item is available as a daily special at the end of the week. In fact, several specials keep things interesting throughout the week, such as spice-crusted, melt-in-your mouth beef cheeks or the daily sausage which may be studded with Hatch green chiles and mozzarella cheese. The banana pudding tiramisu is a clever hybrid with coffee-soaked 'Nilla wafers.

Olamaie (American cuisine)

With its white clapboard and black shutters, Olamaie, named for the chef's grandmother, mother, and daughter, is a charming spot north of downtown Austin. Consider a cocktail, as their list is interesting and includes a daily punch and fun drinks like the Spaghetti Western martini with Texas olive-oil-washed gin, vodka, cherry tomato-infused dry vermouth, and basil eau de vie. Expect southern cuisine that's been given a contemporary polish, and don't miss out on the buttermilk biscuit, served warm and accompanied by whipped honey butter sprinkled with sea salt. The chicken pressé is a novel take on chicken and dumplings and rounds out a bill of fare that also includes blackened dayboat fish, gumbo, and red rice with Gulf shrimp.

MICHELIN Green Star awards:

Dai Due (Austin; American cuisine)

Initiatives: locally sourced produce; seed oil-free cooking; recycling and composting program; locally sourced wine and beer from Texas; ethical harvesting of meat products; minimize food waste through reuse; fermentation program.

Emmer & Rye (Austin; American cuisine)

Initiatives: sourcing menu ingredients from local Texas farms and the restaurant's partner farm that is no-till and organically fertilized; exclusive use of whole animals and fish; wide use of vegetable scraps and composting food waste for farm soil; bar program features cocktails containing house-made vinegars, preserved local bar cherries and bitters made from local Texas ingredients.

Hotels

The restaurants join the MICHELIN Guide selection of hotels, which features the most unique and exciting places to stay in Texas and throughout the world.   

Each hotel in the selection has been chosen by MICHELIN Guide experts for its extraordinary style, service and personality — with options for all budgets — and each can be booked directly through the MICHELIN Guide website and app. The selection for Texas features the state's most spectacular hotels, including modern boutique luxury like the Commodore Perry (two MICHELIN Keys) in Austin.

The MICHELIN Guide in North America

Michelin announced its first North American Guide in 2005 for New York. Guides have also been added in Chicago (2011); Washington, D.C. (2017); California (San Francisco in 2007, statewide 2019); Miami/Orlando/Tampa, Florida (2022); Toronto (2022); Vancouver (2022); Colorado (2023); Atlanta (2023), Mexico (2024), Texas (2024) and Quebec (2024).

About the MICHELIN Guide
Recognized globally for excellence and quality, the MICHELIN Guide offers a selection of world-class restaurants.

• The famous one, two and three MICHELIN Stars identify establishments serving exceptional cuisine that's rich in flavor, remarkably executed and infused with the personality of a talented chef.
• The Bib Gourmand is a designation given to select restaurants that offer good quality food for a good value – often known as personal favorites among the Inspectors when dining on their own time.
• The MICHELIN Green Star honors restaurants that are pioneers in sustainable gastronomy.
• Recommended restaurants and special professional awards are also highlighted by the MICHELIN Guide Inspectors.

The MICHELIN Guide remains a reliable companion for any traveler seeking an unforgettable meal and hospitality experience. The Guide was first published in France at the turn of the 20th century to encourage the development of car mobility as well as tire sales by giving practical advice to motorists. Progressively, the Guide has specialized in restaurant and hotel recommendations. Michelin's Inspectors still use the same criteria and manner of selection that were used by the Inspectors in the very beginning.

The restaurant selections join the MICHELIN Guide selection of hotels, which features the most unique and exciting places to stay around the world. Visit the MICHELIN Guide website, or download the free app for iOS and Android, to discover every restaurant in the selection and book an amazing hotel.

Thanks to the rigorous MICHELIN Guide selection process that is applied independently and consistently in more than 45 destinations, the MICHELIN Guide has become an international benchmark in fine dining.

All restaurants in the Guide are recommended by Michelin's anonymous Inspectors, who are trained to apply the same time-tested methods used by Michelin Inspectors for many decades throughout the world. This ensures a uniform, international standard of excellence. As a further guarantee of complete objectivity, Michelin Inspectors pay all their bills in full, and only the quality of the cuisine is evaluated.

To fully assess the quality of a restaurant, the Inspectors apply five criteria defined by Michelin: product quality; mastery of cooking techniques; harmony of flavors; the personality of the chef as reflected in the cuisine; and consistency over time and across the entire menu. These criteria guarantee a consistent and fair selection so a Starred restaurant has the same value regardless of whether it is in Paris, New York or anywhere else in the world. 

About Michelin North America, Inc.
Michelin is the leading mobility company and manufacturer of life-changing composites and experiences. For more than 130 years, Michelin has made contributions to human progress and to a more sustainable world. Michelin is constantly innovating to manufacture high-quality tires and components for critical applications for demanding fields, including mobility, construction, aeronautics, low-carbon energies and healthcare and offer the finest experiences, from providing data- and AI-based connected solutions for professional fleets to recommending outstanding restaurants and hotels curated by the MICHELIN Guide. Headquartered in Greenville, S.C., Michelin North America has approximately 23,500 employees and operates 35 production facilities in the United States (michelinman.com) and Canada (michelin.ca).