Seven restaurants in California recently earned a Michelin star, joining nearly 70 others with the distinction.
But sifting through the Michelin Guide for California may be overwhelming, as hundreds of eateries are listed with various ratings.
If you're looking for your next tasty meal or seeking out a grand culinary experience, here’s what you should know about California and its Michelin-starred restaurants.
What are the seven restaurants that earned a Michelin star in 2024?
These seven restaurants, the majority of which are in San Francisco or Los Angeles, earned a Michelin star, the Michelin Guide announced in early August. Earning a star is considered a top honor in the culinary industry. Those interested in a restaurant should visit its website to learn more about the establishment. Prices included in this list were recorded from the restaurant or third-party reservation service in August.
Hilda and Jesse
Self-described as a “queer owned brunch, dinner and event space,” Hilda and Jesse offers “what may well be the Bay Area’s most creative and ambitious take on brunch,” according to the Michelin Guide. Hilda and Jesse chef Kristina Liedags Compton was a James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef, California earlier this year. The James Beard Award Foundation's awards are among the highest honors in the nation for the culinary industry.
Where: 701 Union St., San Francisco
Price: Chef’s Adventure Menu, $85; Brunch on Saturday and Sunday, $49 three-course set menu and $85 Chef’s Adventure Menu and a la carte.
Website: hildaandjessesf.com
Holbox
Chef Gilbert Cetina, a James Beard Award semifinalist in 2023, is behind this Mexican seafood restaurant in Los Angeles. The Michelin Guide praises the restaurant for its “spectacular quality seafood,” and a “frequently changing menu offers no shortage of delights.” Holbox won the Los Angeles Times’ Restaurant of the Year last year.
Where: 3655 S. Grand Ave. #C9, Los Angeles
Price: Menu items start at $5
Website: holboxla.com
Kiln
Expect “artful creations” from Kiln and a tasting menu that “leans Nordic,” according to the Michelin Guide. Kiln, which opened last year and was named a Best New Restaurant semifinalist by the James Beard Awards in 2024, is led by chef and co-owner John Wesley, whose career has included working at the two-star Michelin restaurants Commis in Oakland and Sons & Daughters in San Francisco, according to the restaurant. Kiln's co-owner is Juliana Yang, also of Sons & Daughters.
Where: 149 Fell St., San Francisco
Price: $295 per person for the Kiln Tasting Menu
Website: kilnsf.com
Meteora
Meteora is self-described as a restaurant experience “that takes diners on a multi-sensory journey through nature, creativity and discovery.” Meteora was praised by the Michelin Guide for its “zero-waste ethos” and its “treasure trove of sustainably sourced wild and organic ingredients.”
Where: 6703 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles
Price: Weekday tasting menu: Four-course tasting menu, $95 per person and seven-course tasting menu, $150 per person; Weekend tasting menu: $150 per person for a seven-course tasting menu
Website: meteora.la
Rebel Omakase
Omakase is a form of Japanese dining that, directly translated, means “I leave it up to you,” according to the Michelin Guide. Guests at Rebel Omakase entrust chef Jordan Nakasone with their dining experience — one where the meal is “rooted in tradition” that “skews contemporary with a focus on seasonality and product quality,” according to the Michelin Guide.
Where: 361 Forest Ave., suite 103, Laguna Beach
Price: Two-hour Omakase Experience dinner is $300 per person
Website: rebel-omakase.com
Uka
Experience a multi-course meal composed of small plates, or kaiseki, at Uka, which boasts “sweeping views” from Hollywood to downtown LA. Kaiseki is “often considered the finest level of dining in Japan,” according to the Michelin Guide. Fish is “locally sourced from Japan,” and products are “sourced locally for the best quality” at Uka.
Where: 6801 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles
Price: Introduction to kaiseki, $200; Kaiseki experience, $300; Shabu Shabu x Kaiseki experience, $400
Website: ukarestaurant.com
7 Adams
Find “unfussy Californian simplicity" cuisine "featuring solid technique and thoughtful flavor combinations” at 7 Adams, named after the street address of chef David Fisher’s childhood home, according to the restaurant. Fisher, joined by chef Serena Chow Fisher, are both inductees of StarChef’s Class of Rising Star Chefs.
Where: 1963 Sutter St., San Francisco
Price: Five-course tasting menu, $87 per person; Chef’s counter, $157 per person
Website: 7adamsrestaurant.com
How many Michelin-starred restaurants are in California?
California has 66 one-star Michelin restaurants, 13 restaurants with two stars and six restaurants with three stars in 2024 — three stars are the most Michelin stars a restaurant can earn.
Here's just a sampling of other restaurants with one Michelin star in California:
- Bell’s, Los Alamos
- Citrin, Santa Monica
- Heritage, Long Beach
- Kenzo, Napa
- Osito, San Francisco
- Plumed Horse, Saratoga
- Sushi Inaba, Torrance
- Valle, Oceanside
The difference between the stars are described by one Michelin guide inspector as:
- One star: Top-quality ingredients, dishes prepared with distinct flavors and to a consistently high standard
- Two stars: Chef's personality and talent are evident in the dishes, and the food is "refined and inspired"
- Three stars: Awarded for the “superlative cooking of chefs at the peak of their profession,” and the cooking “is elevated to an art form”
But in addition to restaurants in California with one or more stars, some have different recognitions that people exploring the California Michelin Guide will find. Those include the Michelin Bib Gourmand, which recognizes “restaurants offering exceptionally good food at moderate prices,” and the Michelin green star, which is awarded to restaurants “at the forefront of the industry when it comes to their sustainable practices.”
How can I find a Michelin-starred restaurant near me?
Visit the Michelin Guide for California online and sort through hundreds of restaurants featured, from recommended restaurants to restaurants with a Michelin star or another Michelin distinction.
Paris Barraza is a trending reporter covering California news at The Desert Sun. Reach her atpbarraza@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @ParisBarraza.
