Georgia Trend Magazine. Nov 2023.

Atlanta’s culinary scene has been on a positive trajectory for past two decades. We have produced a great selection of international restaurants, inspired southern chefs and attracted the country’s best talent here. So it is no surprise that Atlanta is finally being recognized as a foodie city fit for epicurean explorers.

The coveted MICHELIN Guide recently included Atlanta as the seventh Michelin Guide destination in the U.S. and among 40 guide destinations globally. This is a very big deal for chefs, restauranteurs and diners!

The Michelin Guide is often considered to be the Oscars of the restaurant industry and the pioneers in culinary guidebooks. The French tire manufacturer debuted its first handbook at the 1900 World’s Fair in Paris as a way to get people to take more road trips. Over 123 years later, people are traveling for food more than ever! The star ratings of restaurants started in 1926, and it wasn’t until 2005, the inspectors made it to the United States.

Michelin set the stage for dining critics, reviewers and guidebooks everywhere. Their anonymous diners visit restaurants several times and evaluate it based on five main criteria – quality of products, mastery of cooking technique, harmony and balance of flavors, personality of the chef as expressed in the cuisine, and consistency between visits and throughout the menu. Only the best of the best are given the sought after white jacket!

The exciting inaugural ceremony was held at Rialto Center for the Arts at Georgia State University in downtown Atlanta where chefs, media and friends of the city awaited the list of winners while sipping on champagne and taking photos with Michelin’s bubbly mascot, Bib. What’s more, Atlanta’s event was the first zero-waste MICHELIN Guide ceremony in partnership with Better Earth, CompostNow, Haulin’ Glass, Rataaza and Second Helpings Atlanta.

As emcee Mara Davis, Discover Atlanta’s Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Andrew Wilson, and the MICHELIN Guide’s Elisabeth Boucher-Anselin took to the stage, the audience cheered on the winners! Among these were some of Atlanta’s iconic restaurants such as The General Muir, Miller Union, Twisted Soul Cookhouse & Pours, The General Muir, and Gunshow. Atlas, Bacchanalia, Hayakawa, Lazy Betty, and Mujo were awarded one Michelin star, which will have the most sought after reservations in the coming months.

I was also impressed to see so many international cultures represented among the winners. The 45 restaurants in the list included 23 cuisines, including Venezuelan, Persian, Italian, Vietnamese and Filipino.

The food in Atlanta, like its talented people, are boundless. They have infused southern ingredients and inspiration and married them with flavors from their birth countries. As a result you can get some of the best Korean inspired BBQ at Heirloom Market BBQ, hip Indian at Chai Pani, Asian street food staples at Food Terminal, globally inspired sandwiches at Fred’s Meat and Bread, and some of the freshest sushi at Tomo.

While the guide will increase the visibility of the city as a culinary destination, restaurants have an added responsibility to be consistent with their creativity and service, while challenging themselves to be included next year.

If you are questioning why the list did not include great restaurants in your suburban neighborhood, Michelin inspectors limited their evaluations to restaurants located inside the Perimeter (ITP). Visit Michelin’s website to see the complete list of 2023 MICHELIN Guide Atlanta.

~ Written for and published by Georgia Trend Magazine. All rights reserved.