At the highly anticipated inaugural Texas Michelin Guide ceremony on Monday night, Tatsu in Deep Ellum emerged as the only North Texas restaurant to earn a coveted one-star Michelin rating. This achievement marks a significant milestone for the restaurant, which opened in 2022 under the expert guidance of Chef Tatsuya Sekiguchi. A former executive chef at the world-renowned Sushi Yasuda in Manhattan, Chef Sekiguchi has brought his impeccable skill and artistry to Tatsu, offering a refined, intimate omakase dining experience. Located in the historic Continental Gin Building, Tatsu is one of the most exclusive dining experiences in Dallas, with just 10 seats, making a reservation an exceedingly rare and coveted opportunity.
Michelin, one of the world’s most recognized and prestigious restaurant rating systems, assigns stars to restaurants based on rigorous criteria, including the quality of the ingredients, technical mastery, creativity, the personality of the chef reflected in their dishes, and the consistency of the experience. A single Michelin star is considered a mark of culinary excellence and a monumental achievement in the restaurant world.
In total, 15 Texas restaurants earned a one-star Michelin award at this historic event, further establishing Texas as an epicenter of gastronomic innovation. Austin led the charge with seven one-star winners, including notable names like Barley Swine, Craft Omakase, and Interstellar BBQ. Across the state, other cities also shone brightly, including Houston and San Antonio, which were home to several celebrated Michelin-starred establishments.
The Michelin Guide now spans five major Texas cities: Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, Houston, and San Antonio, making Texas the 11th Michelin Guide destination in North America. The Guide’s expansion into Texas underscores the state’s evolving and dynamic food scene, one that blends tradition with cutting-edge innovation. Adrianna Cruz, of the Texas Economic Development Corporation, encapsulated the state’s unique culinary identity: “Texas is a state like no other. We are known for our legendary culture, our diverse cities and landscapes, our cuisine, and our hospitality.”
Notably, no restaurants in Texas received Michelin’s highest honors of two or three stars this year, which are awarded only to the most exceptional restaurants. Nonetheless, the 15 one-star winners in Texas reflect the state’s burgeoning reputation as a global culinary destination. Among the other one-star Michelin recipients are:
North Texas:
- Tatsu – Deep Ellum, Dallas (Chef Tatsuya Sekiguchi)
Austin:
- Barley Swine – Bryce Gilmore
- Craft Omakase – Charlie Wang & Nguyen Nguyen
- Hestia – Kevin Fink
- Olamaie – Michael Fojtasek
- Interstellar BBQ – John Bates
- La Barbecue – Alison Clem
- Leroy and Lewis Barbecue – Evan Leroy & Sawyer Lewis
Houston:
- BCN Taste & Tradition – Luis Roger
- Corkscrew BBQ – Will Buckman
- Le Jardinier Houston – Felipe Botero & Alain Verzeroli
- March – Felipe Riccio
- Musaafer – Mayank Istwal
- Tatemó – Emmanuel Chavez
San Antonio:
- Mixtli – Diego Garcia & Rico Torres
In addition to the one-star awards, Michelin also recognized 20 North Texas restaurants in its Michelin Guide’s Recommended list, a distinction that honors consistently high-quality dining experiences. This includes iconic Dallas spots like Fearing’s, Tei-An, and Monarch, as well as Fort Worth’s Birriera Y Taqueria Cortez and Panther City BBQ.
The Bib Gourmand awards, which highlight restaurants offering exceptional three-course meals at a reasonable price, also saw significant recognition in the region. Seven North Texas restaurants earned the Bib Gourmand honor, including Cattlesack, Gemma, Lucia, and Goldee’s Barbecue.
Michelin also awarded four special distinctions during the ceremony, among them the Exceptional Cocktails Award presented to Julian Shaffer, the bar manager at Rye in Dallas’ Lower Greenville.
Dallas-Fort Worth restaurants marked ‘Recommended’ by Michelin
- Barsotti’s
- Birrieria y Taqueria Cortez
- The Charles
- Crown Block
- El Carlos Elegante
- Fearing’s
- Georgie
- Harvest
- Knox Bistro
- Mercat Bistro
- Monarch
- Panther City BBQ
- Quarter Acre
- Rye
- Sachet
- Smoke’N Ash BBQ
- Stillwell’s
- Stock & Barrel
- Tei-An
- Written by the Seasons
This inaugural Michelin event cements Texas’ place on the global culinary map, and while the highest honors may not have been awarded this year, the state’s remarkable achievements signal a bright future for its chefs and dining culture. The Michelin Guide’s expansion into Texas is a testament to the state’s culinary innovation, diversity, and the passionate chefs who are shaping its gastronomic landscape.
