Since its launch in the early 20th century, the guide has taken its share of criticism, from both those in the club and those outside. Some chefs infamously 'returned' their awarded stars and others lamented being downgraded. Commentators called out the body for its apparent bias toward Western cuisine, and some queried the morality of locations receiving a guide based on sponsorship. But despite its flaws, the guide remains a benchmark of quality and a coveted accolade within the restaurant industry.
Grant Achatz delivered one of the year's biggest shocks by announcing Alinea had lost a Michelin star before the official Michelin Guide 2025 reveal. The fine dining institution dedicated to molecular gastronomy had held its three-star status every year since the guide first arrived in Chicago in 2011, making the news a major talking point both locally and nationally. 2025 also marked Alinea's 20th anniversary, a milestone celebrated with a series of international pop-up residencies.
The wallflower of the UK's big cities, Sheffield doesn't mind the chain restaurants passing it by; that just leaves more room for its creative, multicultural population to fill the gaps. Even in the city centre, independent businesses are the mainstay - do not leave town without trying a roast pork bap from the iconic Sheffield sandwich shop Bères - and neighbourhood favourites easily establish loyal followings.
The biggest New York news for the Northeast Michelin awards was that two-Michelin-starred Sushi Sho landed three Michelin stars. The omakase restaurant from Keiji Nakazawa comes from "one of the most influential sushi masters in the world," former New York Times critic Pete Wells noted in his profile last year. Following that big-deal accolade, the Korean 16th-floor restaurant, Joo Oak, from Hand Hospitality, moved up from one to two stars.
BIG SUR - Post Ranch Inn, the Big Sur resort situated high atop the cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean, has been nominated for Michelin Guide's inaugural Inspectors' Local Gateway Award - one of only five properties in the world to be put forward for the recognition and the only nominee in the United States. The Local Gateway Award is part of a new series of Michelin hotel honors launched in 2025, following the Architecture and Design, and Wellness awards earlier this year.
Michelin Tyres was founded in 1889 in Clermont-Ferrand, Auvergne by the Michelin brothers. In 1900, looking for a way to boost their sales, they came up with an ingenious plan. Deducing that inspiring motorists to travel domestically equalled more customers in need of tyres, they brought out a motorist's guide to France, recommending hotels, sights and, most importantly, restaurants. The Michelin Guide was born. The first Michelin star was awarded in 1926.
