Colorado restaurants reveal Michelin's impact
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A spread of offerings at the Michelin Guide-recognized Restaurant Olivia in Denver. Photo: AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post via Getty Images
Michelin recognition can flood a restaurant with new diners. Getting them to come back is another story.
Why it matters: As 15 Colorado restaurants celebrate their first appearance in the newly expanded statewide Michelin Guide, industry veterans say the honors can be a boon for business — but the shine doesn't always last.
By the numbers: More than 72% of 30 Michelin-recognized Colorado restaurants surveyed in late 2024 reported a sales bump — 14% on average, per the Colorado Restaurant Association.
- More than 65% said Michelin helped with hiring, while nearly 60% said it helped retain workers.
Yes, but: The long-term payoff is less clear.
- Among restaurants included in both the 2023 and 2024 guides, more than half reported flat year-over-year sales.
Zoom in: Allison Anderson, Beckon's director of experience, watched the Michelin windfall after her Denver restaurant earned its star in 2023.
- Beckon was booked solid, with 55 to 100 people waiting for tables some nights, Anderson told Axios. Months later, its waitlist had shrunk roughly 95%.
- The star still draws diners from around the world, she said, but the initial frenzy faded.
The other side: Michelin can bring pressure with the prestige.
- Restaurants surveyed by the CRA reported heightened guest scrutiny and sharper criticism.
Restaurant Olivia co-owner Heather Morrison, who earned Michelin's outstanding service award last year, said diners can arrive expecting a "Michelin experience."
- "If you're not on that night," she said, "that's real problematic."
- Still, Morrison said Michelin has helped Restaurant Olivia maintain momentum and likely attracted job applicants. She'll soon see whether the boost reaches sister restaurant Dear Emilia, which joined Michelin's recommended list Monday.
The intrigue: For James Beard Award-winning chef Caroline Glover, whose Aurora-based Annette earned its first Bib Gourmand on Monday, the recognition extends beyond her restaurant.
- Glover previously criticized the guide for excluding Aurora. With Annette and fellow Aurora restaurant Dân Dã now recognized, she calls Michelin's arrival in the city "a really big deal."
- "It's just opening the door," Glover told Axios.
- After several difficult years for restaurants, she hopes Michelin gives diners another reason to come: "At the end of the day, it's about putting butts in seats."
Between the lines: Michelin recognition can move the needle, but restaurant owners say it's not make or break.
- Blackbelly Market & Restaurant in Boulder saw a modest bump when Michelin arrived, chef Hosea Rosenberg said, and the recognition does attract talent.
- But he and his wife, co-owner Lauren Feder Rosenberg, said their restaurants — including Michelin-recommended Santo — wouldn't materially suffer if Michelin disappeared.
What's next: Colorado's betting Michelin's benefits will spread as the Guide expands.
- The Colorado Tourism Office committed about $100,000 annually for the next three years to promote the Guide.
- The state expects the expansion to draw more attention to restaurants and communities statewide, boosting both the industry and tourism.
The bottom line: "A Michelin recommendation might get [diners] in the door," Hosea Rosenberg said, "but we got to do what we do every day to keep them coming back."