How Many Michelin 2 Star Restaurants Are in the US?

The Michelin star system is the most recognizable and respected guide to the world’s best restaurants. A Michelin two-star rating is an indication of exceptional cuisine, skillful preparation, and high-quality ingredients.

It is a rare honor for a restaurant to be awarded two stars, and it can be incredibly difficult to maintain the rating year after year. So how many Michelin two-star restaurants are there in the United States?

The answer is not as simple as one might think. The Michelin Guide only covers certain regions around the world such as Europe, Japan, and certain parts of Asia.

The US does not have its own guide, but some states are included in other regional guides such as California in the San Francisco Bay Area guide. As of 2021, there are currently twenty-two Michelin two-star restaurants in the United States spread out across seven states.

California has the most Michelin two-star restaurants with a total of nine including Atelier Crenn in San Francisco, Benu in San Francisco, Manresa in Los Gatos, Saison in San Francisco, Single Thread Farms Restaurant & Inn in Healdsburg, Sons & Daughters in San Francisco, The French Laundry in Yountville, Trois Mec in Los Angeles and Yamashiro Hollywood.

New York follows closely behind with six two-star restaurants including Eleven Madison Park and Le Bernardin both located in Manhattan; Aquavit and Daniel both located on the Upper East Side; Marea located near Central Park; and Momofuku Ko located near Washington Square Park.

Illinois has three Michelin two-star restaurants including Alinea located in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood; Grace located on Chicago’s West Loop; and Smyth + The Loyalist which is also located on Chicago’s West Loop.

Massachusetts

has three two-star restaurants: O Ya located near Boston’s Chinatown neighborhood; Coi located near North Beach; and Bar Boulud inside Boston’s Mandarin Oriental Hotel.

Washington DC

, Maryland and Virginia have one two-star restaurant each: The Inn at Little Washington which is located near Washington DC; Voltaggio Brothers Steak House which is located near Frederick MD; and Inn at Little Washington which is also located near Washington DC.

Michigan

has one Michelin two-star restaurant: Selden Standard which is located in Detroit’s Midtown neighborhood.

Conclusion

: There are currently 22 Michelin 2 Star Restaurants spread out across 7 states within the US – California (9), New York (6), Illinois (3), Massachusetts (3), Washington DC/Maryland/Virginia (1) and Michigan (1). While this number may seem small relative to other countries that have their own regional guides such as Europe or Japan, it still speaks volumes about the quality of food that can be found throughout America’s finest culinary establishments.