Michelin’s Stars Shine in Boulder

September 20, 2023

Our very own Boulder favorite, Frasca in Boulder received the prestigious honor along with many more.

Since the June announcement that the Michelin Guide would be expanding to Colorado, the buzz had been building as industry insiders and diners speculated about which restaurants would be awarded stars.

On Tuesday, September 12, chefs and restaurateurs attended an invite-only ceremony at Mission Ballroom, where Michelin announced the places that have been included in its first-ever Colorado guide. The state is the eighth region in North America to have a guide, joining New York, Chicago, California, Miami/Orlando/Tampa, Toronto, Vancouver, and Washington, D.C. A ninth region, Atlanta, was also recently added.

The night was a particularly big one for the Id Est Hospitality Group. All of its restaurants, which include Basta, Brutø, the Wolf’s Tailor, and Hey Kiddo, received recognition.

Stars aren’t the only honor that Michelin doles out. Here’s a breakdown of what we know:

Which Colorado restaurants have Michelin stars?

Five Colorado restaurants received one star:

Two of our own Boulder restaurants (Four in total) received green stars, which highlight restaurants at the forefront of the industry when it comes to their sustainable practices:

Michelin also lists recommended restaurants, which are “a sign of a chef using quality ingredients that are well cooked; simply a good meal,” according to its website. Those include:

  • A5 Steakhouse, Denver
  • Barolo Grill, Denver
  • Blackbelly Market, Boulder
  • Bramble & Hare, Boulder
  • Dio Mio, Denver
  • Dushanbe Tea House, Boulder
  • element 47, Aspen
  • Fruition, Denver
  • Hey Kiddo, Denver
  • Guard and Grace, Denver
  • Marco’s Coal Fired, Denver
  • Mawa’s Kitchen, Aspen
  • Mercantile Dining & Provision, Denver
  • Mirabelle, Beaver Creek
  • Noisette, Denver
  • Oak at Fourteenth, Boulder
  • Olivia, Denver
  • Osaki’s, Vail
  • Potager, Denver
  • Prospect, Aspen
  • Q House, Denver
  • Safta, Denver
  • Santo, Boulder
  • Smok, Denver
  • Splendido at the Chateau, Beaver Creek
  • Stella’s Cucina, Boulder
  • Sweet Basil, Vail
  • Temaki Den, Denver
  • Wyld, Beaver Creek
  • Zoe Ma Ma, Boulder and Denver

On August 29, Michelin announced the nine restaurants that received the Bib Gourmand designation, which recognizes places that offer “high quality cuisine at a good value.” Generally, at Bib Gourmand restaurants in the U.S., “one would be able to order two courses and a glass of wine or dessert for about $50 USD (tax and gratuity not included),” explains Andrew Festa, who handles external communications for Michelin North America.

To find out more about the Michelin Stars awarded in Colorado, amongst other recognitions read more HERE.


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