Before Monday night, when most Texans heard the word “Michelin,” they likely thought of the Michelin Man, not the Michelin Guide. And who could blame them? Outside the most hardcore foodie or worldwide traveler, the words “Michelin Star” didn’t carry much weight.
But that was Monday.
Tuesday morning, all of Texas was talking about the Michelin Guide, Michelin Star, Bib Gourmands, and where to find all these restaurants in their city or within a reasonable driving distance.
That’s because the globally renowned travel guide revealed its list of chefs, mixologists and restaurants that its inspectors recognized as the best of the Lone Star state.
>> Where to find the 13 San Antonio restaurants recognized in first Michelin Guide Texas
Overall, 117 restaurants in Texas were recognized by Michelin’s anonymous army of inspectors, who came to Texas for the first time in 2024.
But the Michelin Guide and its recognition are not new.
It has been the go-to guide for discerning diners in Europe for more than 100 years.
What is the Michelin Guide?
What do the Michelin awards mean? Believe it or not, let’s go back to Michelin Man — the tire company, not the mascot (though he will become a part of it a little later).
Michelin Tire was founded in France by brothers Andre and Edouard in 1889 when the automobile was still in its infancy. The brothers wanted people to buy tires for their cars. So to create that need, the Michelins wanted people to drive those cars, go on road trips and go out of town for the weekend, etc.
The Michelin Guide was born as a small red book with helpful information like maps, directions on how to change a tire, where to get gas, and this is the really important one, restaurants that people could visit while traveling.
For the next 20 years, the Michelin Guide was used by travelers across Europe. In the 1920s, hotels were added. Shortly after that, the Michelin brothers recruited mystery diners to secretly eat at restaurants that would be featured in the year’s guide. Then came the star system.
By the 1930s, the zero-, one-, two- and three-star system was in place and remains to this day.
What do those Michelin ratings mean?
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A recommendation from the Michelin Guide is not an award, but it’s not nothing. According to the guide’s website, it’s a recognition by the inspectors of quality that hasn’t been awarded — yet.
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A Bib Gourmand is NOT a star. But it is an award named after the Michelin Man (see? He’s back), whose actual name is Bibendum. This award honors great food at a great value.
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One Michelin Star means “High-quality food, worth the stop.”
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Two Michelin Stars means it’s worth going out your way for, or as the inspectors put it, “Excellent food, worth the detour.”
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Three Michelin Stars means the meal is the reason for the trip, or “Exceptional cuisine, worth a special trip.”
As for what the Michelin Guide is and what its ratings mean for the Texas and San Antonio culinary scenes, that will be revealed in the coming months, but it’s starting with a splash.
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