Michelin Awards Its First Stars in Colorado

Since the June announcement that the Michelin Guide would be expanding to Colorado, buzz had been building as industry insiders and diners speculated about which restaurants would be awarded stars. Now we know.

On Tuesday, September 12, chefs and restaurateurs attended an invite-only ceremony at Mission Ballroom, where Michelin announced the places that have been included in its first-ever Colorado guide. The state is the eighth region in North America to have a guide, joining New York, Chicago, California, Miami/Orlando/Tampa, Toronto, Vancouver and Washington, D.C. A ninth region, Atlanta, was also recently added.

The night was a particularly big one for the Id Est Hospitality Group. All of its restaurants, which include Basta, Brutø, the Wolf's Tailor and Hey Kiddo, received recognition.

Stars aren't the only honor that Michelin doles out. Here's a breakdown of what we know:

Bobby Stuckey, partner and master sommelier of Frasca, which also received one star.

Casey Wilson

Which Colorado restaurants have Michelin stars?

Five Colorado restaurants received one star:

• Beckon, Denver
• Bosq, Aspen
• Frasca Food and Wine, Boulder
• Brutø, Denver
• The Wolf's Tailor, Denver

Four Colorado restaurants received green stars, which highlight restaurants at the forefront of the industry when it comes to their sustainable practices:

• Blackbelly Market, Boulder
• Bramble & Hare, Boulder
• Brutø, Denver
• The Wolf's Tailor, Denver

Michelin also lists recommended restaurants, which are "a sign of a chef using quality ingredients that are well cooked; simply a good meal," according to its website. Those include:

• A5 Steakhouse, Denver
• Barolo Grill, Denver
• Blackbelly Market, Boulder
• Bramble & Hare, Boulder
• Dio Mio, Denver
• Dushanbe Tea House, Boulder
• element 47, Aspen
• Fruition, Denver
• Hey Kiddo, Denver
• Guard and Grace, Denver
• Marco's Coal Fired, Denver
• Mawa's Kitchen, Aspen
• Mercantile Dining & Provision, Denver
• Mirabelle, Beaver Creek
• Noisette, Denver
• Oak at Fourteenth, Boulder
• Olivia, Denver
• Osaki's, Vail
• Potager, Denver
• Prospect, Aspen
• Q House, Denver
• Safta, Denver
• Santo, Boulder
• Smok, Denver
• Splendido at the Chateau, Beaver Creek
• Stella's Cucina, Boulder
• Sweet Basil, Vail
• Temaki Den, Denver
• Wyld, Beaver Creek
• Zoe Ma Ma, Boulder and Denver

On August 29, Michelin announced the nine restaurants that received the Bib Gourmand designation, which recognizes places that offer "high quality cuisine at a good value." Generally, at Bib Gourmand restaurants in the U.S., "one would be able to order two courses and a glass of wine or dessert for about $50 USD (tax and gratuity not included)," explains Andrew Festa, who handles external communications for Michelin North America.

The list includes:

• Basta, Boulder
• AJ's Pit Bar-B-Q, Denver
• Ash'Kara, Denver
• The Ginger Pig, Denver
• Glo Noodle House, Denver,
• Hop Alley, Denver
• La Diabla Pozole y Mezcal, Denver
• Mister Oso, Denver
• Tavernetta, Denver

Other awards announced at the ceremony:

• Colorado Culinary Professional award winner: Kelly Kawachi, butcher at Blackbelly in Boulder
• Sommelier: Ryan Fletter and Erin Lindston, Barolo Grill
• Exceptional Cocktails: Caroline Clark, The Wolf's Tailor
• Service award winner: Sergei Kiefel, Frasca Food and Wine

What is the Michelin Guide?

Started by, yes, the Michelin tire company, the guide was originally published in France in 1900 "as an accompaniment to tire sales providing practical advice on where to dine and stay to local motorists," according to Michelin's website. While the guide and its prestigious stars were long awarded only to European restaurants, the company added its first North American guide in 2005; it covers New York.

What criteria are considered in awarding stars?

Restaurants can earn one, two or three stars, which are awarded by a group of anonymous inspectors who consider five criteria: quality products; the harmony of flavors; the mastery of cooking techniques; the voice and personality of the chef reflected in the cuisine; consistency between each visit and throughout the menu.

Several factors are not considered, including interior decor, table setting and service quality.

According to Michelin, the guide's goal is to "identify establishments serving exceptional cuisine that’s rich in flavor, remarkably executed and infused with the personality of a talented chef."

What areas are covered by the Michelin Guide Colorado?

It covers Denver, Boulder, Aspen and Snowmass Village, the Town of Vail and Beaver Creek Resort.

Inspectors "conducted a destination study," in Colorado in 2022, it says. Pleased with the results, the next step was meeting with the Colorado Tourism Office (CTO) and other Destination Marketing Organizations, like Visit Denver. Those organizations agreed to foot the bill to cover some of the marketing costs associated with launching the guide in Colorado.

CTO's contribution, for example, is around $135,000 per year, according to communications officer Hayes Norris. Richard W. Scharf, president and CEO of Visit Denver, says it is contributing about $100,000 per year.

On September 13, the day after the ceremony, Bruce Dalton, president and CEO of Visit Aurora, addressed that organization's decision to not be a part of the Michelin guide. That move that eliminated its diverse dining scene, which includes Annette at Stanley Marketplace, where chef/owner Caroline Glover is Colorado's only recent James Beard Award winner.

"We congratulate those who received Michelin awards last night, and we are excited that Michelin chose to come to Colorado for its latest guide," Dalton said. "This will raise the profile of the strength and diversity of our culinary offerings even for the cities that are not evaluated by Michelin. Making an investment in the guide is each city’s decision, and it is a risk because you do not know if stars will be awarded. We chose to focus on the Aurora restaurant community as a whole. Our chefs are incredibly talented and dedicated to their craft. We are proud to promote them when we market Aurora. We appreciate them and will continue to showcase their talents."

But although Annette wasn't up for consideration by Michelin, it did make the first paragraph of the New York Times article on the Michelin Guide Colorado that was published only hours before the awards were announced.