Unparalleled diversity, sustainable innovation, and exceptional cuisine worth a special journey—three pillars that define the California restaurant scene, according to the Michelin Guide. With the release of the 2022 Michelin Guide California, the state now boasts half of the three-star restaurants in the United States and the most Green Star establishments in the country.
“California is a foodie’s dream come true,” said Gwendal Poullennec, the International Director of the Michelin Guides. “The restaurant teams here are definitely inspired by the wonderful landscape and all the incredible local produce. In many places, the farms and even the vineyards are really in their own backyards.” On stage in Los Angeles, Poullennec addressed a crowd of star chefs and restaurant insiders eager to hear who would make the new list.
At the ceremony, held at L.A.’s Petersen Automotive Museum on Monday, Dec. 5, Michelin announced top honors for this year’s guide. More than 600 restaurants will be featured in the 2022 edition, representing more than 56 different cooking styles. In recognition of California’s ever-expanding culinary excellence across the state, the prestigious mobility company included coverage of the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, San Diego County, Orange County, Santa Barbara, Paso Robles, Monterey, and Sacramento—plus, Greater Palm Springs, new for 2022.
Three Stars for San Diego and Six Bay Area Restaurants
When it came to the main event, the announcement of the one-, two-, and three-star establishments, 18 total restaurants earned new Michelin stars. The highest award, three stars, is incredibly prestigious—and difficult to obtain. Only 14 restaurants in the United States and 142 across the world hold this honor. Del Mar’s Addison (which previously had two stars) became the newest restaurant to add its name to this exclusive list.
“Thank you to the Michelin Guide, it’s been something I’ve followed since I was a small kid. The chefs that I admire on this stage, these are my heroes,” said Chef William Bradley. Raising his fist in the air, he shouted, “San Diego, we did it!” This represents the first three-star honor not only for the restaurant but for all of San Diego County.
With an additional six restaurants retaining their stars, California is now home to half of the three-star restaurants in the United States.
California Continues to Spearhead Sustainability
Michelin Green Stars, first announced in 2020, reward restaurants at the forefront of ethical and environmentally friendly practices. With nine returning and two new award-winners, California now boasts an impressive 11 Green Stars—out of a total of only 13 Green Star restaurants in the United States.
The Restaurant at Justin in Paso Robles, one of the new additions, led by Chef Rachel Haggstrom, relies on produce harvested from the restaurant’s 26-acre garden with 150 orchard trees and edible flower beds. Caruso’s in Montecito, the second 2022 addition, has a comprehensive program of local sourcing developed by Chef Massimo Falsini that includes harvesting honey from an in-house apiary. San Francisco's Atelier Crenn and Le Comptoir Crenn, both helmed by Chef Dominique Crenn, retained their Green Stars as internationally renowned meat-free restaurants. (See the full list of honorees below.)
Diversity Comes First in the Golden State
“The diversity and abundance of dining opportunities set the state apart from all other destinations in the world,” said Erika Diprofio, Visit California’s Associate Vice President of Global Brand Marketing. Many of the new one-star restaurants reflect a wide range of culinary approaches informed by the diverse perspectives of award-winning chefs across the state. Newly minted one-star establishments include Ssal (Korean cuisine) in San Francisco, 715 (Japanese/sushi) in Los Angeles, and Localis (modern Californian) in Sacramento.
"I am so happy in life already and truly have everything I need, but these 'extras' are so cool for the team and the people who we feed," says Localis chef Chris Barnum-Dann. "Still floating right now. I never thought my goal set in my first culinary class, 'to have a Michelin star by the time I'm 40' could ever come true."
The Michelin Guide also added 15 new Bib Gourmands, a distinction that honors “great food at reasonable prices.” Honorees include Flavors From Afar, a Los Angeles–based restaurant serving a rotating menu developed by refugees and asylum seekers; Ipoh Kopitiam, an unassuming Malaysian cafe in Alhambra; and Jo’s Modern Thai in Oakland, featuring classic flavors with a California twist from innovative young chef Intu-on Kornnawong.
Avish Naran, owner of Pijja Palace, a self-described “Indian sports bar” and Bib Gourmand winner says, “There are a lot of people cooking not fusion food, but food that originally comes from being ethnic and growing up in California. It really pushes creativity forward.” Kristina Liedags Compton, co-founder/chef of Bib Gourmand winner Hilda and Jessie in San Francisco adds, “We’re at a really exciting time in restaurants with California more open to diversity than ever. A newer, younger generation of chefs are finally able to pursue opening their restaurants and the food is exceptional.”
All the Michelin Stars in California
Below is the full list of current Michelin-starred restaurants in California, including the 18 new star winners and the 15 recently added Bib Gourmands. For 2022, the Michelin Sommelier Award went to Vincent Morrow of Press in Napa Valley; the bar team at Manzke in Los Angeles won the Michelin Exceptional Cocktails Award, and David Yoshimuraof Nisei in San Francisco is the recipient of the Michelin Young Chef Award. Find full reviews and ratings on the California Michelin Guide Sections of the Michelin Guide App.
Three Stars
- Addison, San Diego *NEW*
- Atelier Crenn, San Francisco
- Benu, San Francisco
- The French Laundry, Yountville
- Quince, San Francisco
- Manresa, Los Gatos
- SingleThread, Healdsburg
Two Stars
- Acquerello, San Francisco
- Birdsong, San Francisco
- Commis, Oakland
- Californios, San Francisco
- Harbor House, Elk
- Hayato, Los Angeles
- Lazy Bear, San Francisco
- Mélisse, Santa Monica
- n/naka, Los Angeles
- Providence, Hollywood
- Saison, San Francisco
- Sushi Ginza Onodera, West Hollywood
One Star
- 715, Los Angeles *NEW*
- Adega, San Jose
- Angler SF, San Francisco
- Auberge du Soleil, Rutherford
- Aubergine, Monterey
- Avery, San Francisco
- Barndiva, Healdsburg
- Bell’s, Los Alamos
- Camphor, Los Angeles *NEW*
- Caruso’s, Montecito *NEW*
- Chez TJ, Mountain View
- Citrin, Santa Monica *NEW*
- Cyrus, Geyserville *NEW*
- Gary Danko, San Francisco
- Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura, Los Angeles
- Gwen, Los Angeles *NEW*
- Hana re, Costa Mesa
- Hatchet Hall, Los Angeles *NEW*
- Jeune et Jolie, San Diego
- Kali, Los Angeles
- Kato, Los Angeles *NEW*
- Kenzo, Napa
- Kin Khao, San Francisco
- The Kitchen, Sacramento
- Knife Pleat, Costa Mesa
- Le Comptoir Crenn, San Francisco
- Localis, Sacramento *NEW*
- Madcap, Marin
- Manzke, Los Angeles *NEW*
- Marlena, San Francisco
- Maude, Los Angeles
- Mister Jiu’s, San Francisco
- Morihiro, Los Angeles
- Niku Steakhouse, San Francisco
- Nisei, San Francisco *NEW*
- Nozawa Bar, Los Angeles
- O’ by Claude le Tohic, San Francisco
- Omakase, San Francisco
- Orsa & Winston, Los Angeles
- Osito, San Francisco *NEW*
- Osteria Mozza, Los Angeles
- Pasta Bar, Los Angeles
- Phenakite, Los Angeles
- Plumed Horse, Saratoga
- Press, Santa Helena *NEW*
- The Progress, San Francisco
- Protégé, Palo Alto
- Q Sushi, Los Angeles
- The Restaurant at Justin, Paso Robles *NEW*
- San Ho Won, San Francisco *NEW*
- Selby’s, Redwood City
- Shibumi, Los Angeles
- Shin Sushi, Los Angeles
- The Shota, San Francisco
- Six Test Kitchen, Paso Robles
- Soichi, San Diego
- Sons & Daughters, San Francisco
- Sorrel, San Francisco
- Spruce, San Francisco
- Ssal, San Francisco *NEW*
- State Bird Provisions, San Francisco
- Sushi by Scratch Restaurants, Montecito
- Sushi l-Naba, Los Angeles
- Sushi Kaneyoshi, Los Angeles *NEW*
- Sushi Shin, Redwood City
- Sushi Tadokoro, San Diego
- Sushi Yoshizumi, San Mateo
- Taco María, Costa Mesa
- The Village Pub, Woodside
- Wakuriya, San Mateo
Green Stars
- Atelier Crenn, San Francisco
- Caruso’s, Montecito *NEW*
- Chez Panisse, Berkeley
- Chi Spacca, Los Angeles
- Le Comptoir Crenn, San Francisco
- The French Laundry, Yountville
- Harbor House, Elk
- Osteria Mozza, Los Angeles
- The Restaurant at Justin, Paso Robles *NEW*
- Quince, San Francisco
- SingleThread, Healdsburg
*New* Bib Gourmand
- All Day Baby, Los Angeles
- Caboco, Los Angeles
- Chulita, Los Angeles
- Flavors From Afar, Los Angeles
- Good Good Culture Club, San Francisco
- Hilda and Jesse, San Francisco
- Ipoh Kopitiam, Alhambra
- Jo’s Modern Thai, Oakland
- Lalibela, Los Angeles
- Moo’s Craft Barbecue, Los Angeles
- peasants FEAST, Solvang
- Pijja Palace, Los Angeles
- Pizzeria Bianco, Los Angeles
- Ramen & Tsukemen TAO, Buena Park
- Saffy’s, Los Angeles
