All The Restaurants Awarded Stars In Atlanta's First Michelin Guide

The Michelin Guide is basically the Holy Grail of information for dining in major cities around the world like New York and London. Now, Atlanta, Georgia, is finally being recognized by the association in the city's first-ever Michelin Guide. Forty-five restaurants got varying levels of recognition, including five eateries that scored a coveted Michelin Star. It all went down at a ceremony in downtown Atlanta on October 24, 2023, and the official guide can now be found online.

For reference, one star symbolizes a restaurant that serves "high-quality cooking" and is "worth a stop," according to Michelin's website. Here's a breakdown of those five spots: Atlas, an American restaurant located in the St. Regis Atlanta serving dishes like deviled eggs with black truffle and lobster gratin; Bacchanalia, another American restaurant that also got a Green Star for its sustainability; Hayakawa, an upscale sushi restaurant offering a unique omakase experience; Lazy Betty on Dekalb Avenue where you can enjoy four-course and seven-course tasting menus; and Mujō, a Japanese eatery that serves an omakase-only tasting menu featuring seasonal ingredients.

Ten Atlanta eateries also won Michelin's Bib Gourmand award, which recognizes delicious food at moderate prices. These are all good options in the Atlanta area if you want to enjoy a tasty meal without breaking the bank. 

Kicking off the list is Antico Pizza Napoletana, a pizzeria selling charred pizzas and calzones that has locations around the city. A gluten-free Venezuelan restaurant called Arepa Mia and Banshee, where you can enjoy pepperoni butter (yum!), also earned the award. Other restaurants that received the Bib Gourmand include Estrellita, a Filipino restaurant located near Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthplace, Fishmonger, Fred's Meat and Bread, Heirloom Market (a BBQ restaurant with items like spicy Korean pork), and Little Bear.

Those aren't the only Atlanta-based restaurants that were recognized. The Chastain, a New American bistro with dishes like beef tallow tater tots and smoked tomahawk pork chops, also got a Green Star, and its sommelier, Juan Fernando Cortes, was recognized with a special award. Other restaurants and staff got special recognition like Little Bear's Jarrett Steiber, who earned a Young Chef Award. Michelin also recommends 30 eateries in its guide that you should try in Atlanta, although they haven't gotten an official award. Some of these spots include The Deer and the Dove, led by a 2023 James Beard award-winning chef, and Twisted Soul, where you can dine on fried green tomatoes and hoisin-glazed oxtails.