Get ready Philly: The Michelin Guide is rolling into town.
That’s right, not only does our underdog city hold the reigning title of Super Bowl champions, but the world’s most elusive and prestigious culinary map (curated by a tire company) is about to land here.
Michelin’s Guide dates back to 1900, and its renowned three-star rating system is almost 100 years old. The guide began as a free travel booklet to encourage more driving (and thus tire sales) with practical information for motorists — like maps, repair shops, and places to eat or stay.
Already, unidentified mystery diners have descended upon the city.
“The famous anonymous inspectors have been in the field for quite a while,” said Gwendal Poullennec, the international director of the Michelin Guides. “More recently, we decided to move forward to publish our very first Michelin Guide selection for the Northeast regions that will, of course, include Philadelphia. And Philadelphia is definitely a hot spot.”
For those not in the know, one star (⭐) means that a restaurant is very good; two (⭐⭐) denote an excellent restaurant worth a detour, and three (⭐⭐⭐) mean an exceptional spot worthy of a special journey.
Still, while much of the attention focuses on Michelin’s Red Stars, they aren’t the only award to get excited about. As secret Michelin inspectors test out restaurants and come to a consensus on their experiences, they may agree on a place that is special but doesn’t quite fit the Red Star criteria.
There are also a couple of other Michelin awards that Philly foodies can turn to choose their next culinary night out. So, let’s unpack them:
The Bib Gourmand
The Bib Gourmand not only has an amazing name; it may be the sneaky-best Michelin Award.
The distinction recognizes restaurants that go above and beyond, but also give diners excellent value for their money. So while Michelin star restaurants are the highest echelon of dining (and sometimes come at the highest prices), Bib Gourmand restaurants are still excellent, but won’t be quite as hard on your wallet.
Why does this award have such a silly title? And why is it so fun to say?
The Bib Gourmand began in 1997 and is actually named after the Michelin Man. You know, the big tire mascot? He has a name: Bibendum, or “Bib” for short. It is in reference to the Latin phrase “nunc est bibendum” from Horace’s Cleopatra, which means “now is the time for drinking.” The word “Gourmand” is French for someone who loves to eat — often in large portions.
“We used to say that they are the inspector’s favorites,” Poullennec said. “They are the places the inspectors will go with their own family, and it’s quite often the kind of restaurants they will advise their own friend to go to discover. And, I think it’s a very valuable distinction. Why? Because it’s good food at an affordable price.”
Some highlights include The Girl and the Goat in Chicago or Thai Diner in Manhattan. They are places that serve incredible food, but that you can afford to go to more than once a year.
Chef Bobby Saritsoglou, of Stina Pizzaria, is excited that Michelin is coming to Philly. Still, he isn’t sure if his restaurant is star-worthy. After all, it’s quite rare for a pizzeria (even one at Stina’s level) to earn a star.
“I don’t think they’re going to give like 20 Michelin stars in Philadelphia,” Saritsoglou said. “Cities usually get from three to eight or something like that.”
He would, however, embrace the Bib Gourmand title.
“I think we’re a really great restaurant. My team is amazing,” he explained. “Our success is in our hard work, and getting even that recognition is great.”
The Green Star
Green Stars honor restaurants that not only cook up deliciousness, but do so in a way that is healthy for our planet. And despite what you may be thinking, Michelin’s Red and Green Star system has nothing to do with holiday festivities.
These are restaurants that care about farm-to-table sourcing, reducing food waste, recycling kitchen tools and composting. Poullennec explained that inspectors do not have a one-size-fits-all approach in awarding Green Stars, but instead have a boots on the ground approach. They talk with chefs who are passionate and aim to really recognize those who truly believe in their mission.
“Green Stars highlight the front-runners, the pioneers when it comes to igniting, crafting what is a gastronomic transition. They innovate. They are pushing the boundaries,” Poullennec said. “We are willing to learn something about sustainability. We are willing to have an experience that will help us discover local producers, farmers and new techniques that sometimes go beyond the plates.”
This is a relatively new award, introduced in 2020. Green Stars function a little differently than Red Stars. To begin, the award isn’t ranked. A restaurant either has a Green Star or it doesn’t. There is no three-star scale.
Unlike the Bib Gourmand, a restaurant can get awarded this distinction and also have one or more Red Stars. For example, The French Laundry in California and Blue Hill at Stone Barns in New York currently have both distinctions.
Demystifying the Red Star
Red Stars are the Michelin award that everybody knows about. The honor has made a big pop culture splash, getting referenced in shows like Emily in Paris and The Bear.
However, there are common misconceptions when it comes to Red Stars. For example, like the Green Star, Michelin inspectors do not have any exclusive criteria for them — even though they do follow a certain grading rubric.
“When it comes to choosing the ratings, some people still believe that the Michelin Guide’s highest distinctions are awarded to places that are luxury — places with sophisticated service and expensive products, which is absolutely not the case,” Poullennec said.
“At the Michelin Guide, we do not have any quotas or setup numbers,” he said. “We have more than 30 different nationalities of inspectors. We have this unique ability to embrace with universal criteria all the food cultures and all the restaurant concepts and styles — whatever the price range. We can have a … simple street-food stall or a simple taqueria spot.”
While Bib Gourmands need to have a more affordable menu, Red Stars can go to restaurants for the quality of their cuisine regardless of price.
The Dim Sum restaurant Tim Ho Wan in Hong Kong, known as the world’s cheapest Michelin spot, received a star in 2009 and serves dishes for under $10. So while many have their eye on places like Zahav or Kalaya, even a cheesesteak joint could, in theory, receive a Michelin star.
‘We’ll all be celebrating together’
How Michelin’s various awards will influence the local food scene is yet to be determined.
“Philadelphia is a food-driven city,” said chef Phila Lorn of Mawn. Lorn is a finalist for Emerging Chef for the 2025 James Beard awards. He is both excited about the Guide’s arrival, but also wary of what it could change — perhaps overwhelming restaurants with influencers.
“We’re a cocky restaurant, and we’re a cocky group,” he said. “We know who we are, and we don’t really need people to tell us who we are.”
Although Lorn said he would be “extremely happy” if his restaurant received a Star, he sees the honor as a double-edged sword. “Heavy is the crown,” he said. “Bigger companies will know what to do with it, but places like Mawn … It’ll give us obstacles.”
For his part, Saritsoglou is looking forward to the Guide’s arrival.
“I think it’s gonna be fun,” he said. “I honestly will celebrate any Michelin stars that come to Philadelphia. That’ll be amazing for us, because that’s the other thing, too, about Philadelphia — all the restaurants and chefs, we’re all very connected, and it’s a really tight-knit community. We’ll all be celebrating together.”
