Sign up for The Dish
Stay up to date on the latest food and drink news from Boston.com.
Michelin Guide to officially debut in Boston
The news comes after weeks of speculation and early breaking reports that Boston would likely be a part of the prestigious restaurant ranking.
It’s official: Boston area restaurants will soon get the Michelin Guide treatment.
The prestigious restaurant ranking announced its Boston debut on Monday, days after Boston Business Journal broke the news that Michelin and Meet Boston, the city’s tourism bureau, had entered a partnership.
Boston will join the new Michelin Guide Northeast Cities edition, which includes the addition of Philadelphia, as well as pre-existing cities with guides: New York, Chicago, and Washington, DC.
A press release Monday from the French tire company said that the guide’s anonymous inspectors are already out in the field in order to decide who makes the list, which could be restaurants in Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, and “beyond.” Restaurants that make the cut won’t be announced until a later date at a Northeast Cities ceremony.
Advertisement:
“We are thrilled for Boston and Philadelphia to join the Michelin Guide Northeast Cities as both are premier destinations for gourmets to experience a rich diversity of cuisine and culinary history,” said Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guide. “The local passion, talent and camaraderie in both Boston and Philadelphia is evident in their restaurant communities, and the anonymous Inspectors look forward to spotlighting their unique experiences in both cities.”
More restaurant news
Michelin inspectors use a criteria that examines a restaurant’s quality of products, the flavors of dishes, cooking technique, how the voice of a chef is reflected in the dishes, and consistency, which is scrutinized over multiple visits.
Advertisement:
Restaurants can get up to three Michelin stars. Though three stars is the highest recognition given, one or two stars are still highly sought after in the restaurant world. The guide also highlights restaurants that are a great value with the Bib Gourmand award, and a new recognition known as the Green Star celebrates sustainable gastronomy.
Boston’s Michelin Guide debut could be a boon for tourism in the city and business at restaurants, but it should be noted that entry into the ranking usually doesn’t come cheap.
In recent years, some cities and states have spent anywhere from hundreds of thousands to more than $1 million to have their restaurants rated.
In 2023, a Meet Boston representative told Eater Boston that once the tourism board realized it was a “pay-to-play” system, they told Michelin they weren’t interested.
It isn’t immediately clear why Meet Boston changed its mind, or how much the possible cost to entry was for Boston. It could be that the Michelin Guide has rapidly expanded across the U.S. in recent years.
Some of the country’s top food destinations, like Austin and New Orleans, were only added for consideration in recent months.
Advertisement:
What do you, the readers, think about this news? Do you agree that it’s Boston’s time for a Michelin Guide? And if so, which restaurants should be included?
Fill out the form below, or email [email protected], and your response may be featured in a future article.
Sorry. This form is no longer available.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com