San Antonio's Mixtli earns star in first Texas Michelin Guide
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Mixtli chefs receive their Michelin Star award. Photo: Madalyn Mendoza/Axios
After months of anticipation (and many years of waiting), Michelin released its Texas guide, and Mixtli was San Antonio's sole star-awarded restaurant.
Why it matters: A Michelin Guide endorsement brings restaurants international acclaim and recognition of San Antonio's diverse food scene.
Driving the news: The list was announced at a ceremony in Houston on Monday.
How it works: A group of anonymous inspectors from across the world judged restaurants on the quality of ingredients, mastery of cooking techniques, harmony of flavors, chef's vision, consistency and value. Service and restaurant decor were not considered.
- The guide includes a full list of Michelin recommendations, Bib Gourmand awards (for quality food at a good price), and Michelin Green Stars for sustainability champions.
- Receiving a Michelin Star is an honor highly coveted by chefs, and that designation is more rare with each additional star.
Zoom out: Cullum's Attaboy, The Jerk Shack, Ladino and Southerleigh Fine Food & Brewery earned Bib Gourmand awards.
Context: The Texas Michelin Guide has been a long time coming. Tourism boards from five Texas cities, plus the state's tourism agency, partnered with Michelin and provided money to bring the guide to the state.
- Other cities — like Washington, D.C., Chicago and New York — have had Michelin guides for years.
- The Lone Star State has its own James Beard Awards category. It was broken out from the Southwest category in 2020.
State of play: Houston rolled out the red carpet for the inaugural ceremony, which was hosted at 713 Music Hall.
- Texas chefs and their teams flanked the stage throughout the night as each award category was announced.
Fun fact: Winners posed with the Michelin Man, the mascot made of stacked tires. The Michelin tire company began the guide as a list of food spots worth the drive.
- With San Antonio's sprawling highways, it's a natural fit that we finally have a guide.
Go deeper: Explore the full Texas guide