The food industry’s long-awaited Michelin stars were announced at a gala in Auckland on Tuesday night, as three new Bay Area restaurants took home the prestigious award.
Nari, San Francisco’s popular Thai restaurant whose lack of a star has long baffled local diners and foodies, won the award years later on Bib Gourmand’s value-driven list. (Nari’s brother, San Francisco restaurant Kin Khao, has retained its star even during the temporary shutdown of the pandemic.)
New restaurants Aphotic, a seafood-centric spot in San Francisco, and Auro at the Four Seasons Hotel in Calistoga, helmed by top chef Rogelio García, also earned their first stars. Beyond that, Carmel’s Chez Noir, which in less than a year has become a seaside dining destination, is awarded one star.
Chef Peter Hemsley marinates an aged tuna steak at Aphotic in San Francisco. The restaurant was awarded its first Michelin star.
Stephen Lamm/The ChronicleMeanwhile, five restaurants in the Bay Area have lost their stars. Spruce, a standby restaurant in San Francisco run by a restaurant group with other starred venues, has lost distinction; So did Marlena from San Francisco, whose chef recently left after a falling out with the owner; and Omakase, a high-end sushi restaurant in San Francisco.
Adega, once San Jose’s Michelin-starred host, has yet to retain the award this year. The owners of the Portuguese restaurant announced Sunday that it will close permanently in December. It will be replaced by a new outpost of their more casual offering, Petiscos, which has just been added to the Bib Gourmand list in the Michelin Guide. (Bib Gourmand’s other new additions this year are Bansang in San Francisco, and Bombera and Snail Bar in Oakland.)
Arroz de pato at Adega in San José, which lost its Michelin star.
Peter Prato / History SpecialManresa in Los Gatos, one of the only three-star restaurants in the Bay Area, closed in November, so it’s no longer listed in the guide.
Many of the notable restaurants that lost their stars last year, including San Francisco’s Murat and Ju Ni, have yet to regain them.
Oakland’s Baumet, run by a well-known Bay Area farmer, has won a “Green Star,” a relatively new award for restaurants dedicated to sustainability, as has Apotec, which is famous for its dry fish. Other notable Bay Area restaurants include Chez Panisse in Berkeley and SingleThread in Healdsburg.
Three Bay Area restaurants were also represented in the guide’s special awards: John Hafey, master sommelier at Aubergine in Carmel, won the sommelier award; SingleThread Operations Manager John Shaffer recognized for outstanding service; Harrison Cheney, executive chef at Sons & Daughters, was awarded the “Young Chef” award.
The Bay Area is now home to 45 Michelin starred restaurants.
Here is the full list of Michelin starred restaurants in Northern California:
Three stars
Crane Atelier, San Francisco
Benno, San Francisco
French Laundry, Yountville
Quince, San Francisco
Singlethread, Healdsburg
2 stars
Aquirillo, San Francisco
Birdsong, San Francisco
Californians, San Francisco
Comes, Oakland
Harbor House, Elk
Lazy Bear, San Francisco
Sisson, San Francisco
1 star
Angler, San Francisco
Apotec, San Francisco (new)
Auberge du Soleil, Rutherford
Eggplant, Caramel by the Sea
Oro, Calistoga (new)
Avery, San Francisco
Barendiva, Healdsburg
Chez Noir, Carmel by the Sea (new)
Chez TJ, Mountain View
Cyrus, Geyserville
Gary Danko, San Francisco
Kenzo, Napa
Kin Khao, San Francisco
The Kitchen, Sacramento
Le Comptoir in Bar Crane, San Francisco
Locales, Sacramento
Madcap, San Anselmo
Mister Geo, San Francisco
Nari, San Francisco (new)
Nikko’s Steakhouse, San Francisco
Nessie, San Francisco
Written by Claude Le Tohiac, San Francisco
Osito, San Francisco
Plumed Horse, Saratoga
Press, Saint Helena
Progress, San Francisco
Protégé, Palo Alto
San Ho-won, San Francisco
Celebes, Redwood City
The Shota, San Francisco
Sons and Daughters, San Francisco
Sorrell, San Francisco
Ssale, San Francisco
State Provisions for Birds, San Francisco
Sushi Shin, Redwood City
Sushi Yoshizumi, San Mateo
The Village Pub, Woodside
Wacoria, San Mateo
Contact Elena Kadvany: [email protected]
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