Aurora Eateries Are Now Eyeing the Michelin Spotlight

Three years ago, the Michelin Guide launched its first Colorado edition and those who have been included in the years since say that the attention has greatly benefited the dining scene and its national culinary reputation. 

But that impact didn’t reach far. Initially, the guide’s inspectors were limited to the very specific cities of Denver, Boulder, Aspen/Snowmass, Vail and Beaver Creek — all of which agreed to foot the bill for the marketing costs associated with launching in a new market. That meant such notable culinary scenes as Aurora’s highly diverse collection of restaurants were not included, along with Colorado Springs, the Western Slope, and several mountain communities. 

No longer. This week, Michelin announced that the 2026 edition of the Colorado Michelin Guide will cover the entire state, and restaurant owners previously left out of its spotlight couldn’t be happier. 

“I’m really excited,” says chef Caroline Glover, the James Beard award-winning chef and owner of Annette inside the Stanley Marketplace, who called the Aurora omission a “missed opportunity” back in 2023.

“I have seen what Michelin has done for other parts of the state and restaurants,” she notes. “And since 2020, things have been pretty wonky. Business has been a roller coaster for all types of restaurants. So even just the thought or idea of Michelin bringing what they do to an area like Aurora, I think it’s going to only do good things for the city.”

What changed? Details behind the expansion remain scarce, with the Colorado Tourism Office keeping a tight rein on the communications flow, but money is a major factor. According to previously published reports, the CTO and tourism boards of the regions initially covered contributed up to $100,000 a year to support the Michelin program. 

Bruce Dalton, president and CEO of Visit Aurora, declined to comment on any specific financial agreement with the Michelin Guide this time around, but hinted that the statewide umbrella made it easier for cities like Aurora to get involved. 

“While we did not elect to participate in the program back in 2023, the expansion of the Michelin Guide to include the full state of Colorado has opened new possibilities,” Dalton says. “It is now more accessible for destinations like ours to be involved. … While contracts are confidential, the program takes a shared approach to financial and marketing responsibilities that allow various destinations across the state to work together and ensure it’s a success.”

While it may seem a small step, expanding the Michelin coverage to the entire state is critical to ensuring all restaurants, wherever they may be located, gain the same benefits. As much as Michelin Guide inclusion has helped some restaurants, not being included can be equally harmful, which is particularly frustrating when the reason for omission has nothing to do with the food but rather to a budgeting decision made by others. 

“Any time there’s something as coveted as Michelin that’s in a neighboring city, it definitely draws a lot of people to different areas, and we have seen a dip,” says Glover, whose Annette lies just 500 feet away from the Denver border. “Michelin causes a lot of people to look at the dining scene, so I think including other places in the state allows everyone to feel some benefit from that.”

In many ways, it feels the Guide needs Aurora just as much as Aurora needs the Guide. Few (if any) of the restaurants that make Aurora worth visiting are of the white-tablecloth, fine dining, tasting menu ilk that Michelin-starred restaurants are known for. And that’s entirely the point. 

Over the last several years, the Michelin Guide has not only expanded into new regions like Colorado, but has made a notable attempt to move beyond its stuffy reputation, like its 2024 decision to award a star to a humble taco stand in Mexico City. 

The Guide also is not limited to the one-to-three star ratings. Its Bib Gourmand and recommended lists go far beyond the tasting menu to include more accessible and affordable options, often selecting restaurants representing a highly specific regional cuisine, technique or ingredient. 

Moves like this project the organization’s desire to be both current and inclusive past its Eurocentric roots. And in that effort, Aurora has plenty to offer, as Visit Aurora summed up in its press release announcing its participation, writing, “As one of the state’s most dynamic and culturally rich dining destinations, Aurora stands at the forefront of this expanded statewide recognition, offering a globally inspired food scene that has long attracted adventurous travelers and devoted locals alike. From the internationally celebrated restaurants along Havana Street, home to flavors from around the world, to chef-driven destinations such as Stanley Marketplace, including acclaimed restaurants like Annette, Aurora’s culinary identity is rooted in authenticity, creativity, and community.”

So to help out the Michelin Reviewers, here’s a by-no-means-complete list of Aurora eateries they may want to make a point of visiting as they make their rounds across the city before the Guide releases its newly expanded Colorado edition later this year: 

Annette (Stanley Marketplace): C’mon. Chef Caroline Glover already won a James Beard award for Best Chef in the Mountain Region in 2022. If it’s not the first stop, then somebody’s lost. 

Molino Chido (Stanley Marketplace): The taco concept is helmed by two previously Michelin-recognized chefs: Michael Diaz de Leon (formerly of Bruto) and Tommy Lee (of Hop Alley and Uncle). 

Urban Burma (Mango House): Aurora chefs often namecheck this humble food stand as their go-to favorite stop. 

Dan Da (Colfax): Rustic Vietnamese dishes meant to foster community from a scion of Denver’s Asian dining scene. 

Tofu Story (Havana Street): The crown jewel in chef JW Lee’s Aurora empire is one of the only places in the country where the tofu is made fresh in house. 

Nile Ethiopian (Havana Street): Soulful East African comfort food served with love and tradition. 

And so many more. Scattered across the city are notable favorites like La Machaca de Mi Ama, Aroma Do Brazil, Katsu Ramen, Golden Banh Mi and Cafe Paprika, among others. We hope those famously secretive Michelin inspectors are actually putting in the hours to explore what makes Aurora’s dining scene so special.