Monte in South Salt Lake wins Utah's first Michelin star
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Utah scored its first Michelin star in the new American Southwest Michelin Guide, which launched with a ceremony Wednesday.
Why it matters: A mention in the famously choosy guide is a huge boon for any restaurant's reputation and business.
- The guide's coverage of Utah is likely to elevate the profile of the state's food scene.
Driving the news: Monte earned a coveted star for its gourmet tasting menus served at South Salt Lake's Beehive Distilling, next door to a fire extinguisher store.
- Open for barely a year, the "distinctive restaurant quickly established itself as one of the region's most exciting dining destinations," said Nevada journalist Rachel Smith, who hosted the announcement ceremony in Las Vegas.
- Monte is one of just five restaurants to receive stars in the guide, which also covers Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico.
What they're saying: "I promised … I'd bring a star for Utah. Tonight I achieved my promise," Chef Martín Babío said at the ceremony.
Catch up quick: It's the first time Utah restaurants were eligible for the guide.
- Previously just 270 restaurants in the U.S. were starred in the guide.
Zoom out: Michelin's anonymous inspectors deemed five other Utah eateries "recommended" in the guide:
- Koyoté in SLC's Marmalade neighborhood
- Star of India in Central 9th
- Handle, Matilda and High West's Nelson Cottage in Park City
Meanwhile, three others won "Bib Gourmand" accolades, which Michelin bestows to high-value restaurants whose food is both excellent and affordable:
- Feldman's Deli in Sugar House
- One More Noodle House in South Salt Lake's Chinatown complex
- Phở 777 in West Valley City
Erin's thought bubble: After hearing rave reviews about Monte from the most exacting foodies I know, I've been wanting to make reservations for months — but was holding out for autumn harvest.
- A Michelin star means the small, unassuming restaurant probably will be booked solid for the foreseeable future. So I snagged a table for Saturday while Babío was still onstage in Vegas.
The bottom line: You gotta move fast to catch a rising star.