The Michelin guide has announced which restaurants in the United States have been honored as part of its 2025 Northeast cities guide.
During Tuesday night’s ceremony in Philadelphia, restaurants were awarded the distinction of being recognized for their culinary excellence, with the highest number of stars a place can receive being three, meaning the restaurant offers exceptional cuisine.
The Michelin guide separates the U.S. into various regions: the Northeast (Boston, Philadelphia, New York City, Chicago and Washington, D.C.), the American South (Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Atlanta), and the individual states of Florida, Colorado, Texas and California.
Restaurants can receive one star, meaning “high-quality cooking, worth a stop,” two stars, meaning “excellent cooking, worth a detour,” or three stars, meaning “exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey.” Other accolades include Bib Gourmand for restaurants that offer high-quality food at a moderate price, or a green star for excellence in sustainable gastronomy.
Prior to the start of the ceremony, Michelin announced the demotion of previous three-star restaurants: Alinea in Chicago, Masa in New York, and the Inn at Little Washington outside of Washington, D.C. to two stars.
Aside from the demotions, the only restaurant to earn three Michelin stars was Sushi Sho in New York.
Restaurants that received two Michelin stars were Kasma in Chicago — as Michelin’s international director, Gwendal Poullennec, spoke during the ceremony about the restaurant’s rise from Bib Gourmand to one Michelin star and now two — and Joo Ok in New York, which was promoted from one star.
The restaurants that received one star included Bridges, Muku, Huso and Yamada in New York, while Feld in Chicago earned one Michelin star and a green star. Three restaurants in Philadelphia earned their first Michelin star, marking the first time the city made the guide: Friday Saturday Sunday, Provenance and Her Supper Club. Boston also made the guide for the first time with its omakase restaurant, Three 1 One.
No new restaurants had been announced in Washington, D.C. at any star level.
Earlier this month, the Michelin guide announced its inaugural selection for the American South with 228 restaurants and 44 cuisine types selected. “The cuisine of the American South is a rich blend of cultural influences, brought to life by skilled chefs who have crafted some of the region’s most iconic dishes,” Poullennec said.
“Our anonymous inspectors were deeply impressed by the region’s culinary prowess, and this inaugural selection reflects their findings – from Southern staples like barbecue, Creole and seafood, to international flavors.”
Ten restaurants earned a Michelin star, while Emeril’s in New Orleans scooped two stars, impressing the anonymous inspectors with its Creole cuisine – described as “cooking that bursts with personality and class and never at the cost of flavor.”
In addition, 50 Bib Gourmands, plus four special awards, were also revealed.
The awards were announced in a ceremony at the Peace Centre in Greenville, South Carolina, where restaurants were honored onstage.
North and South Carolina each secured a single star, respectively. In Charleston, three establishments took home a star, while in Nashville, three restaurants also joined the one-star club.
