The Michelin Guides have been published by the French tire company Michelin since 1900. They were designed as a guide to tell drivers about eateries they recommended to visit and to subtly sponsor their tires, by encouraging drivers to use their cars more and therefore need to replace the tires as they wore out. Over time, the stars that were given out started to become more valuable. [1]
Multiple anonymous Michelin inspectors visit the restaurants several times. They rate the restaurants on five criteria: "quality of products", "mastery of flavor and cooking techniques", "the personality of the chef represented in the dining experience", "value for money", and "consistency between inspectors' visits". [1] [2] Inspectors have at least ten years of expertise and create a list of popular restaurants supported by media reports, reviews, and diner popularity. If they reach a consensus, Michelin awards restaurants from one to three stars based on its evaluation methodology: One star means "high-quality cooking, worth a stop", two stars signify "excellent cooking, worth a detour", and three stars denote "exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey". [3] The stars are not permanent and restaurants are constantly being re-evaluated. If the criteria are not met, the restaurant will lose its stars. [1]
The Colorado guide was announced on June 14, 2023, with Colorado becoming the sixth Michelin Guide region in the United States in partnership with the Colorado Tourism Office covering Aspen and Snowmass Village, Boulder, Denver, and Vail and Beaver Creek Resort. [4] [5] Cities paid between $70,000 and $100,000 on top of a state contribution; other cities (Aurora, Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, and Grand Junction) declined to participate. [6] [7]
The complete selection and ratings for 2023 guide were revealed on September 12, 2023, awarding one star to five restaurants. [8] [9] [10]
As of the 2024 guide, there are 6 restaurants in Colorado with a Michelin-star rating, a rating system used by the Michelin Guide to grade restaurants based on their quality. [11]
| Name | Cuisine | Location | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alma Fonda Fina | Mexican | Denver – Highland | — |  |
| Beckon | Contemporary | Denver – Five Points | | |
| Bosq | Contemporary | Aspen | | |
| Brutø | Mexican | Denver – LoDo | | |
| Frasca Food and Wine | Italian | Boulder | | |
| The Wolf's Tailor | Contemporary | Denver – Sunnyside | | |
| Reference | [8] [9] [10] | [12] [11] | ||
| | Indicates a restaurant with one Michelin star |
|---|
The Michelin Guides are a series of guide books that have been published by the French tire company Michelin since 1900. The Guide awards up to three Michelin stars for excellence to a select few restaurants in certain geographic areas. Michelin also publishes the Green Guides, a series of general guides to cities, regions, and countries.
