2019 Michelin Guide California Proves the Bay Area Is Still a Fine Dining Mecca
Time to make a new list of Michelin-starred restaurants to visit in 2019! Today, the Michelin Guide California announced that 90 California restaurants (out of their 657 Michelin-recommended restaurants) have been awarded Michelin stars. For anyone new to the system, one star means “high-quality cooking, worth a stop,” two stars equals “excellent cooking, worth a detour” and the highly coveted three stars means a restaurant has “exceptional cuisine and is worth a special journey.”
Out of those 90 stars in California, the Bay Area made a strong stand again as we did on the Michelin Bib Gourmand list, taking 63 out of 90 spots. Sacramento got the star it had been waiting for with The Kitchen, but, surprisingly, Saison dropped from three stars to two stars.
There weren't any new additions to the three-star category, so it mainly remains restaurants in San Francisco and wine country (sorry, Los Angeles). And congratulations to Dominique Crenn since she is now still the only female chef in America to helm a restaurant with three stars!
Joining the two-star category, a big congratulations to Campton Place, the country’s only South Asian restaurant to hold the honor. In the one-star category, diners will not be surprised to see Sorrel and Angler on the list—the latter was listed amongst Esquire's Best Restaurants with Bar Crenn and Che Fico.
Scroll through for the full list of Bay Area stars, and, if they appeared on Check, Please! Bay Area, we made sure to include a link to the restaurant's review. Cheers!
Three Stars
Atelier Crenn // Cow Hollow, San Francisco (Watch the CPBA review)
Benu // Financial District, San Francisco
The French Laundry // Yountville
Manresa // Los Gatos (Read the CPBA review)
Quince // Financial District, San Francisco
The Restaurant at Meadowood // St. Helena
SingleThread // Healdsburg
Two Stars
Acquerello // Nob Hill, San Francisco (Read the CPBA review)
Baumé // Palo Alto
Californios // Mission, San Francisco
Campton Place // Union Square, San Francisco (Watch the CPBA review)
Coi // North Beach, San Francisco
Commis // North Oakland
Lazy Bear // Mission, San Francisco
Saison // South Beach, San Francisco
One Star
Al’s Place // Mission, San Francisco (Watch the CPBA review)
Angler // Embarcadero, San Francisco
Aster (closed) // Mission, San Francisco
Aubergine // Carmel-By-The-Sea
Bar Crenn // Cow Hollow, San Francisco
Birdsong // SoMa, San Francisco
Bouchon // Yountville
Chez TJ // Mountain View
Commonwealth // Mission, San Francisco
Farmhouse Inn & Restaurant // Forestville
Gary Danko // Russian Hill, San Francisco
Harbor House // Elk
Hashiri // SoMa, San Francisco
In Situ // SoMa, San Francisco
jū-ni // NoPa, San Francisco
Keiko à Nob Hill // Nob Hill, San Francisco
Kenzo // Napa
Kinjo // Russian Hill, San Francisco
Kin Khao // Union Square, San Francisco (Watch the CPBA review)
The Kitchen // Sacramento
La Toque // Napa
Le Comptoir // San Rafael
Lord Stanley // Nob Hill, San Francisco
Luce // SoMa, San Francisco
Madcap // San Anselmo (Watch the CPBA review)
Madera // Menlo Park
Madrona Manor // Healdsburg
Maum // Palo Alto
Michael Mina // Financial District, San Francisco
Mister Jiu’s // Chinatown, San Francisco
Mourad // SoMa, San Francisco
Nico // Financial District, San Francisco
Octavia // Lower Pacific Heights, San Francisco
Omakase // Mission Bay, San Francisco
Plumed Horse // Saratoga (Watch the CPBA review)
The Progress // Western Addition
Protégé // Palo Alto
Rasa // Burlingame
Rich Table // Hayes Valley, San Francisco
Sons & Daughters // Nob Hill, San Francisco
Sorrel // Presidio Heights, San Francisco
SPQR // Lower Pacific Heights, San Francisco (Watch the CPBA review)
Spruce // Presidio, San Francisco
State Bird Provisions // Western Addition, San Francisco
Sushi Yoshizumi // San Mateo
The Village Pub // Woodside
Wako // Inner Richmond, San Francisco
Wakuriya // San Mateo