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Longtime arbiters of taste the Michelin Guide announced Tuesday that it will publish its first Michelin Guide Texas later this year. Inspectors are already in the field, anonymously eating their way through Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio to determine which restaurants will receive the coveted one, two, or three stars.

The guide also designates Bib Gourmand selections, highlighting restaurants that offer great quality food at good prices, and awards the Green Star to restaurants committed to sustainable gastronomy. Recommended restaurants and special professional awards are also highlighted in the guide.

The Michelin Guide was first launched in 1889 by French tire maker brothers Andre and Edouard Michelin to help their motorist customers on the road, including maps, filling stations, and where to find sustenance. In 1926, the little red guide began awarding stars, evolving to a system of zero, one, two, and three stars. (If you’ve seen any movie or TV shows set in restaurants – think The Bear, Ratatouille, Burnt, The Hundred-Foot Journey – chances are, it’s a Michelin star the chef is sweating.)

Eventually, Michelin expanded outside of France and is now a fully international operation, rating more than 40,000 establishments in over 24 territories across three continents. Since debuting in North America in 2005 with its New York guide, Michelin has added Chicago, D.C., San Francisco, Miami/Orlando/Tampa, Toronto, Vancouver, Atlanta, California, and Mexico to its arsenal. Now, 135 years after it first kicked off, the Michelin Guide is catching on to Texas’ charms.

“The Texas culinary scene has proven to be an exhilarating one, with multicultural influences, homegrown ingredients and talent that is rich in ambition,” said International Director of the Michelin Guides Gwendal Poullennec in today’s press release. “Foodies and travel enthusiasts alike will find something to enjoy, with such a broad dining scene spanning farm-to-table dishes, fusion cuisine, upscale dining and the famous Texas-style barbecue.”

This article appears in July 12 • 2024.

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A graduate of the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas, Kimberley has written about film, books, and pop culture for The Austin Chronicle since 2000. She was named Editor of the Chronicle in 2016; she previously served as the paper’s Managing Editor, Screens Editor, Books Editor, and proofreader. Her work has been awarded by the Association of Alternative Newsmedia for excellence in arts criticism, team reporting, and special section (Best of Austin). The Austin Alliance for Women...