Do 5-Star Restaurants Actually Exist?

When considering the best of the best, there's a discrepancy between the colloquialism "five-star" and the actual rubrics by which quality is measured depending on who's measuring. For example, the Michelin Guide's star rating system goes up to a maximum of three stars, which is considered a "five-star" rating. The Michelin Guide is just one of many respected guides among others such as Zagat, Forbes, and many more. What's more, not all of these guides universally use stars in their ratings, which raises a very important question: Do five-star restaurants actually exist?

The meaning of each Michelin Star, in ascending order, demonstrates the level of accolades for which a restaurant has been deemed worthy. What you should know about the Michelin Guide is that it specifically measures based on ingredient quality and cohesiveness of flavors, culinary techniques, how the chef's personality comes through in their food, and the overall consistency of a restaurant's menu both generally and over time. This is a solid set of standards, however restaurant ratings remain something of a wild west scenario. Though you can still grab a tangible guide such as the Michelin Guide France 2024, the advent of internet rating systems has opened up a world of possibilities for critics and food enthusiasts to offer their opinions regarding restaurants, whether solicited or not.

While everyone is entitled to their own opinions — and social media has made it easier than ever share those opinions widely — there are still a number of standards which can be nearly universally agreed upon. Whether a restaurant rating is based on thumbs up, forks raised, stars awarded, or anything else, overall quality can still be measured based on two very basic tenants: Food and dining experience.

Breaking this down further, the quality of ingredients, cohesiveness of flavor, preparation, and presentation are all considered. It's not enough to just have quality ingredients if they aren't prepared with skill and precision. Experience can delve into the general ambience of a restaurant from the FOH all the way back to the kitchen and everything in between. Consider the level of customer service, the care and upkeep of the restaurant, and the way that everything — not just the food — is presented. Some theories indicate that food tastes better when the restaurant is pretty, which makes sense to a certain point. When it comes to a "five-star" experience whether measured in stars or otherwise, a restaurant needs to have a fully realized vision that hits all major points.