The Michelin Guides have been published by the French tire company Michelin since 1900. They were designed as a guide to tell drivers about eateries they recommended to visit and to subtly sponsor their tires, by encouraging drivers to use their cars more and therefore need to replace the tires as they wore out. Over time, the stars that were given out started to become more valuable.[1]
The Michelin Guide debuted in Mexico in 2024. Inspectors visited five states – Baja California, Baja California Sur, Nuevo León, Oaxaca and Quintana Roo – and the capital city, Mexico City. Sixteen restaurants earned one star, and two, Pujol and Quintonil, received two.[2] No restaurant earned three stars. Among the awarded restaurants, Michelin included a taco stand, Taquería El Califa de León.[3] Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guides, said it took them time to choose which restaurants to visit. He added that eleven Mexican food restaurants in other countries had one Michelin star, and two had two as of 2023.[4]
Multiple anonymous Michelin inspectors visit the restaurants several times. They rate the restaurants on five criteria: "quality of products", "mastery of flavor and cooking techniques", "the personality of the chef represented in the dining experience", "value for money", and "consistency between inspectors' visits".[1] [5] Inspectors have at least ten years of expertise and create a list of popular restaurants supported by media reports, reviews, and diner popularity. If they reach a consensus, Michelin awards restaurants from one to three stars based on its evaluation methodology: One star means "high-quality cooking, worth a stop", two stars signify "excellent cooking, worth a detour", and three stars denote "exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey".[6] The stars are not permanent and restaurants are constantly being re-evaluated. If the criteria are not met, the restaurant will lose its stars.[1]
| Indicates a restaurant with one Michelin star | ||
| Indicates a restaurant with two Michelin stars | ||
| Indicates a restaurant with three Michelin stars--> | ||
| Indicates a taco stand or other Mexican street food stand |
| State or city | 2024 rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Animalón | Baja California | [7] [8] | |
| Mexico City | |||
| Quintana Roo | |||
| Cocina de Autor Los Cabos | Baja California Sur | ||
| Cocina de Autor Riviera Maya | Quintana Roo | ||
| Conchas de Piedra | Baja California | ||
| Damiana | Baja California | ||
| Oaxaca | |||
| Em | Mexico City | ||
| Esquina Común | Mexico City | ||
| Ha' | Quintana Roo | ||
| Koli Cocina de Origen | Nuevo León | ||
| Levadura de Olla Restaurante | Oaxaca | ||
| Pangea | Nuevo León | ||
| Pujol | Mexico City | ||
| Quintonil | Mexico City | ||
| Rosetta | Mexico City | ||
| Sud 777 | Mexico City |