The culinary world turns its attention to Houston this Tuesday evening when the Michelin Guide announces which Texas restaurants earned—or kept—their coveted stars for 2025.
This marks year two of Michelin’s Texas adventure, and the stakes feel higher. Last year brought 15 one-star restaurants, historic wins for Texas barbecue, and bragging rights for chefs across five cities. This year? Restaurants can rise, fall, or disappear from the list entirely.
The Big Night
The Wortham Theater Center in Houston hosts the invitation-only ceremony Tuesday, October 28, starting at 7:15 p.m. Chefs and restaurateurs nervously wait to hear whether their restaurants maintained their status, earned new recognition, or—the dream—jumped from one star to two.
No Texas restaurant received two or three stars in 2024. Will 2025 change that? Anonymous Michelin inspectors have been dining across Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio all year, keeping their findings secret until Tuesday night.
What Happened Last Year
Texas made a splashy debut in November 2024. The inaugural guide recognized 117 restaurants across 26 different cuisines, proving Texas offers far more than barbecue and Tex-Mex (though those certainly earned their place).
Houston claimed six one-star restaurants in 2024: BCN Taste & Tradition for Spanish cuisine, CorkScrew BBQ in Spring, French spot Le Jardinier, Mediterranean restaurant March, Indian fine dining at Musaafer, and Mexican restaurant Tatemó.
Austin dominated with seven one-star winners, including Barley Swine, Craft Omakase, Hestia, and four barbecue joints that made history as the first American-style barbecue restaurants in North America to earn Michelin stars: InterStellar BBQ, la Barbecue, LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue, plus Houston-area CorkScrew BBQ.
Dallas and San Antonio each snagged one star—Tatsu for Japanese cuisine in Dallas, and Mixtli in San Antonio.
Beyond stars, 44 restaurants earned Bib Gourmand status (exceptional food at moderate prices), and 57 made the Recommended list. Houston contributed 17 Bib Gourmand spots and seven Recommended restaurants to those totals.
The Pressure’s On
Here’s what makes Tuesday nerve-wracking: Michelin designations reset annually. A restaurant that earned a star last year must prove it deserves to keep it. Anonymous inspectors visit multiple times throughout the year, evaluating five criteria: ingredient quality, cooking technique mastery, flavor harmony, the chef’s personality reflected in the cuisine, and consistency.
Restaurants can be upgraded, downgraded, or removed entirely. New restaurants join the guide while others fall off. It’s merit-based, ruthless, and entirely in the hands of those anonymous inspectors.
Chef Dean Fearing of Dallas called Michelin recognition “the monkey on your back” in a 2024 interview. You earn the star, then you spend the next year proving you still deserve it.
Why This Matters
A Michelin star transforms restaurants overnight. Reservations become impossible to snag. International tourists plan trips around dining at starred restaurants. Local food lovers suddenly notice spots they’d overlooked.
The economic impact ripples beyond restaurants. Cities invested heavily to bring Michelin to Texas—approximately $900,000 total, with Houston First spending $90,000 annually for three years, matched by similar contributions from other cities and Travel Texas.
That investment aims to position Texas as a global culinary destination, not just a place with good local food. Michelin’s arrival signals that Texas competes with New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and other major food cities.
What’s Different This Year
Michelin changed its invitation policy for 2025. Restaurants receiving only “Recommended” distinction won’t be invited to the ceremony (they were invited in 2024). Bib Gourmand recipients are “often” invited, according to Michelin.
Translation: If a restaurant gets invited, they’re likely winning something significant—a star, a Bib Gourmand, or a special award.
Restaurateurs and chefs not invited can still tune into the livestream, as they remain eligible for other recognitions that don’t require attendance.
Special Awards
Beyond stars, Michelin hands out individual honors. In 2024, Dallas bar manager Julian Shaffer of Rye won the Exceptional Cocktails Award. Steven McDonald of Pappas Bros. Steakhouse in Houston earned the Sommelier Award. San Antonio’s Mixtli staff received the Outstanding Service Award. Austin’s Edgar Rico from Nixta Taqueria took home the Young Chef Award.
Expect similar individual recognitions Tuesday night alongside the restaurant awards.
The Bigger Picture
Texas barbecue stole headlines in 2024 when four barbecue joints earned stars—a first for American-style barbecue anywhere in North America. Will more barbecue restaurants join that elite club in 2025? Will any of last year’s winners move from Recommended or Bib Gourmand status up to star level?
Most intriguing: Will any restaurant earn two stars? That would signal Michelin inspectors believe a Texas chef is cooking at an exceptional level, worthy of a detour trip specifically to dine there.
Where to Follow Along
You can’t attend unless invited, but you can watch. Check back Tuesday evening for livestream links and updates as winners are announced.
Browse the complete 2024 Texas guide and learn more about Michelin’s methodology at the official Michelin Guide Texas page: https://guide.michelin.com/us/en/texas/restaurants
The site breaks down restaurants by city, shows inspector reviews, explains the rating system, and lets you book reservations directly at Michelin-recognized spots.
The Waiting Game
Between now and Tuesday night, speculation runs wild. Food journalists, chefs, and industry insiders debate which restaurants deserve elevation, which might lose their stars, and which newcomers could crack the list.
Restaurant staffs cross their fingers. Chefs second-guess every dish they’ve sent out this year. Owners wonder whether their investments in ingredient quality and staff training paid off in the eyes of those anonymous inspectors.
Tuesday night brings answers. Until then, Texas restaurants hold their breath and hope Michelin’s inspectors liked what they tasted.
Event Details
2025 Michelin Guide Texas Ceremony
Date: Tuesday, October 28, 2025 Time: 7:15 p.m. start Location: Wortham Theater Center, Houston Type: Invitation-only (livestream available)
Official Michelin Guide Texas Website: guide.michelin.com/us/en/texas/restaurants Browse 2024 winners, read inspector reviews, book reservations
Cities Covered Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio
What’s Announced One, two, and three Michelin Stars Bib Gourmand restaurants (great value) Recommended restaurants Green Stars (sustainability) Special individual awards (cocktails, sommelier, service, young chef)
2024 Results 15 one-star restaurants 44 Bib Gourmand restaurants
57 Recommended restaurants 2 Green Stars 4 special individual awards 117 total restaurants recognized 26 different cuisines represented
