San Francisco area remains epicenter of star gatherers, but LA makes showing
Ninety California restaurants earned at least one coveted Michelin star in the first-ever statewide guide released Monday night.
Seven restaurants received the top rating of three stars, all of which were in the Bay Area and had been awarded three stars in the San Francisco guide published late last year.
Another 14 restaurants were given two stars, and 69 earned one Michelin star — including 27 that received a star for the first time.
Los Angeles brought a number of double stars into the guide, including Michael Cimarusti’s seafood concept, Providence, and José Andrés’ recently rebranded Somni.
The San Francisco restaurant Campton Place said it is the first Indian-influenced restaurant in the Western Hemisphere and Europe to obtain two stars.
And among the first-time one-star winners was Taco Maria in Costa Mesa, which was a favorite of late Los Angeles Times critic Jonathan Gold.
Michelin has published restaurant guides for San Francisco and (briefly) Los Angeles in the past. But this year the reviewers took on dining establishments across the state, which is home to 657 restaurants distinguished in the guide.
The new guide includes restaurants in the sprawling greater Los Angeles area: Monterey, Orange County, Sacramento, Santa Barbara and San Diego. The statewide expansion was underwritten in part by the Visit California tourism board, which invested $600,000 to cover the hard costs of bringing Michelin inspectors to more regions, according to Caroline Beteta, president and CEO of Visit California, in an interview with the newsletter Family Meal.
Photo: Campton Place
Though restaurants today have seemingly countless opportunities to compete for various awards and distinctions, Michelin stars have long been seen as a high achievement. The guide is tailored to international travelers and is available in English, Spanish and Chinese — though apparently not in French or Japanese. France and Japan reportedly have the most three-star restaurants, though Tokyo has the most stars of any city worldwide, with a whopping 304 stars collectively (beating Paris with 134).
Here’s a look at Michelin star-makers across California:
Three stars, designating “exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey”:
Atelier Crenn, San Francisco
Benu, San Francisco
The French Laundry, Yountville, Calif.
Manresa, Los Gatos, Calif.
Quince, San Francisco
Restaurant at Meadowood, St. Helena, Calif.
Single Thread, Healdsburg, Calif.
Two stars, designating “excellent cuisine, worth a detour” (those in bold are new):
Acquerello, San Francisco
Baumé, Palo Alto, Calif.
Californios, San Francisco
Campton Place, San Francisco
Coi, San Francisco
Commis, Oakland, Calif.
Lazy Bear, San Francisco
N/Naka, Los Angeles
Providence, Los Angeles
Saison, San Francisco
Somni, Los Angeles
Sushi Ginza Onodera, Los Angeles
Urasawa, Los Angeles
Vespertine, Los Angeles
69 California restaurants earned one star, designating “a very good restaurant in its category.” Here are the 27 restaurants that earned one star for the first time:
Addison, San Diego
Angler, San Francisco
Aubergine, Monterey, Calif.
Bistro Na’s, Los Angeles
Cut, Los Angeles
Dialogue, Los Angeles
Hana Re, Orange County
Harbor House, Mendocino, Calif.
Hayato, Los Angeles
Kali, Los Angeles
Kato, Los Angeles
The Kitchen, Sacramento
Le Comptoir, Los Angeles
Maude, Los Angeles
Maum, Palo Alto, Calif.
Mori Sushi, Los Angeles
Nozawa Bar, Los Angeles
Orsa & Winston, Los Angeles
Osteria Mozza, Los Angeles
Q Sushi, Los Angeles
Rustic Canyon, Los Angeles
Shibumi, Los Angeles
Shin Sushi, Los Angeles
Shunji, Los Angeles
Sorrel, San Francisco
Taco Maria, Orange County
Trois Mec, Los Angeles
Contact Lisa Jennings at [email protected]
Follow her on Twitter: @livetodineout
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