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The first Atlanta Michelin guide just dropped, with Atlas and Mujo counted among the starred restaurants and Heirloom Market BBQ and Little Bear recognized as bib gourmands.
A total of 45 restaurants were awarded stars, bib status, or other distinctions during the October 24 ceremony held at the Rialto Center in downtown Atlanta. Michelin kept its restaurant selections for the first-ever Atlanta guide within the perimeter (ITP), but could expand beyond the perimeter (OTP) in the future.
The night began with a gala that included food from Atlanta restaurants like the General Muir and Whoopsie’s and pop-ups such as Salty Smiles, So So Fed, and Lupe’s Mexican Eatery, with officials from both Michelin and Atlanta rubbing elbows with local and Michelin chefs and other members of the Atlanta restaurant industry. The reveal ceremony followed, emceed by Atlanta radio personality Mara Davis, and the Rialto theater was packed with nervous excitement from the local chefs, bartenders, sommeliers, and restaurant owners in the audience.
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Award recognitions were presented first for exceptional cocktails, outstanding sommelier, outstanding service, and Michelin young chef (Think rising star.) Green star restaurants using sustainable and environmentally friendly practices were recognized next, along with a long list of recommended restaurants by Michelin, which are given mentions in the Atlanta dining guide. The ceremony concluded with the reveal of Atlanta’s newly minted Michelin bib gourmands and starred restaurants.
Below are the 2023 Atlanta Michelin awardees, starred restaurants, bib gourmand restaurants, and recommended restaurants. Keep an eye out for a full report on the ceremony, winners reactions, and what it all means for the Atlanta dining scene in an upcoming story.
Michelin Service Award
Neil McCarthy, Miller Union
Exceptional Cocktails Award
Jason Furst and bar team, BoccaLupo
Sommelier Award
Juan Fernando Cortes, The Chastain
Michelin Young Chef Award
Chef Jarrett Stieber, Little Bear
Green Star
Notable: joining 21 other restaurants in the U.S., 469 in the world.
Bib Gourmand
One Star
Recommended Restaurants
Georgia Boy and Southern Belle
Twisted Soul Cookhouse & Pours
Xi’an Gourmet House (Midtown)
Did Michelin get it right, Atlanta? Let us know your thoughts on the inaugural Atlanta Michelin guide by sending an email to atlanta@eater.com. We hope to share some reader reactions in an upcoming story on the impact the new guide will have on the newly awarded restaurants and what it reveals about Michelin’s perspective on the Atlanta dining scene.