The famous Michelin restaurant guide made its Texas debut last November in a three-year, $900,000 deal, reviewing restaurants in Dallas, Austin, Houston, Fort Worth and San Antonio. Staged at Houston’s 713 Music Hall, the inaugural ceremony recognized 117 restaurants representing 26 cuisines.
Texas Monthly once heralded Franklin Barbecue (900 E 11th St. Tel. 512-653- 1187. franklinbbq.com) as “the best barbecue in the known universe.” In 2015, chef/owner Aaron Franklin became the first pitmaster to win a James Beard award, for Best Chef: Southwest. His peppery post oak-smoked Texas brisket and other fare are daily sellouts. Surprisingly, he was not one of the three Austin barbecue joints claiming Michelin stars, but he was one of four Bib Gourmand barbecue honorees.
The star trio of barbecue restaurants receiving Michelin stars included Leroy and Lewis Barbecue, InterStellar BBQ, and trailblazing la Barbecue (2401 E. Cesar Chavez. Tel. 512-605-9696. labarbecue.com), the first-ever woman- and lesbian-owned BBQ restaurant in Texas. Raised in a BBQ family, founder LeAnn Mueller passed away in 2023, but her wife Ali Clem perpetuates the restaurant’s acclaim for succulent, spicy classics and house-made items like jalapeno sausage.
Live fire from a 20-foot hearth touches every dish at one-star winner Hestia (607 W. 3rd St. Tel. 512-333-0737. hestiaaustin.com), the handsome sibling of Emmer & Rye (51 Rainey Street, Suite 110. Tel. 512- 366-5530. emmerandrye.com), which along with sustainability-driven Dai Due (2406 Manor Road. Tel. 512-524-0688. daidue.com) took home a Bib Gourmand and Green Star award.
Nixta Taqueria (2512 E. 12th St. nixtataqueria.com) earned a Bib Gourmand and the Young Chef/Culinary Professional Award for chef-owner Edgar Rico. Raised in California’s Central Valley and schooled at the Culinary Institute of America in New York, Rico journeyed from Los Angeles to Mexico before landing in Austin and opening his taco and tostada joint in 2019. Heirloom maíz (corn) from Oaxaca, duck confit tacos, omakase-style service, and other draws define what Michelin called Rico’s “scrappy” style.
Earning 25 awards, culinary Houston (visithoustontexas.com/restaurants-and-bars), encompasses a galactic 13,000 restaurants representing cuisine from 70-plus countries and American regions. Newly minted Michelin stars include Musaafer (5115 Westheimer Rd., Ste. C-3500. Tel. 713-242-8087. musaaferhouston.com) a lavish Indian dining palace with exquisite dishes to match. Executive Chef Mayank Istwal’s innovative interpretations of culinary traditions from across India. From seafood standouts like tandoori octopus to the succulent Butter Chicken Experience, the ride tantalizes from start to finish
Other honorable mentions include Tatsu Dallas the only Michelin star recipient in Dallas, helmed by Tatsuya Sekiguchi, a fourth-generation sushi chef from Hasuda, Japan, who expertly delivers delicious 15- to 18-course Edomae-style sushi at his ten seat counter in historic Deep Ellum. San Antonio’s sole star recipient Mixtli, the dream concept of Chefs Diego Galicia and Rico Torres. Their mission then as now is to reverently present the vast diversity of Mexican cuisine, across regions and time, with ever-changing themed tasting menus.
Read more about Texas’ Michelin-quality cuisine at PassportMagazine.com
