In a thrilling night at the Chabot Space & Science Center in Oakland, the 2023 Michelin Guide California announced additions and subtractions to its acclaimed list of top-tier restaurants, further solidifying the region's culinary prowess. Six restaurants across California, four of them in Northern California, earned their first Michelin stars, while five Bay Area restaurants lost their stars via Eater SF. The event not only celebrated culinary excellence but also embraced sustainable dining, bestowing four establishments with the Michelin Green Star award.
New Michelin Stars in the Bay Area
Nari - Thai restaurant in San Francisco.
(Aphotic - A seafood-centric restaurant in San Francisco, which only opened in May this year.
Auro - Located in the Four Seasons resort in Calistoga
Chez Noir - Carmel-by-the-Sea
Bay Area Restaurants Lose Michelin Stars
On the flip side, five Bay Area restaurants saw their stars revoked. Spruce, a veteran San Francisco restaurant and part of an award-winning restaurant group, lost its Michelin Star. Marlena in San Francisco, which recently faced chefs' departures due to a conflict with the owner, also lost its star, along with Omakase, a high-end sushi restaurant in the city. Meanwhile, San Jose's Adega, the only Michelin-starred restaurant in the area, announced its permanent closure in December, paving the way for its more casual spinoff - Petiscos, which was just added to the Michelin Guide's Bib Gourmand list.
Michelin's Green Star Recognizes Sustainable Dining
Aphotic and Pomet in Oakland both received Michelin Green Stars, an accolade recognizing restaurants at the forefront of sustainable practices. Pomet is a farm-to-table restaurant known for its collaboration with regenerative ranchers and using pruned wood in its wood-fire oven, while Aphotic explores lesser-known seafood varieties and maintains direct relationships with local fishermen. This award highlights the increasing emphasis on environmentally conscious gastronomy in the dining scene.
Special Michelin Awards for Northern California Talent
Individuals in the Northern California culinary scene were also honored with special awards. Harrison Cheney of San Francisco's Sons & Daughters received the Michelin Young Chef Award, and John Schafer, the director of operations at Healdsburg's SingleThread, won the Outstanding Service Award. Moreover, John Haffey of Aubergine in Carmel earned the Michelin Sommelier Award, marking recognition for the indispensable talent behind these award-winning establishments via the San Francisco Chronicle.
In total, the Bay Area is now home to 45 Michelin-starred restaurants, reinforcing its status as a culinary hotspot. With a focus on sustainability and honoring exceptional talent, the 2023 Michelin Guide California awards highlight not only excellent dining but also the importance of environmentally conscious practices in the industry, inspiring further growth and innovation in California's culinary scene.
