What It Means When A Restaurant Is 'Michelin-Recommended' — And Why It Might Be Worth A Visit

There is no more prestigious award for a restaurant than a Michelin star, but the organization's food guide is actually more expansive than you might realize. Launched in 1900 as a way for the Michelin company to get people traveling and driving, the famous Michelin Guide has evolved into the final say on the top spots on gourmet dining. Almost everyone knows the stars and the kind of restaurants they represent: high-end, luxury fine dining, usually with an eye-popping price point. But over the years, Michelin has tried to expand its coverage to incorporate a wider range of restaurants that aren't quite worthy of a star, but still serve travel-worthy food. "Michelin-recommended" is one of those categories.

Michelin-recommended restaurants are rated by Michelin inspectors using the same criteria as Michelin-starred locations, and are determined to not quite be at the level of receiving a star – but still good enough to be worth visiting. Having the recommended category means Michelin can list far more restaurants than the very select starred ones. For example Los Angeles has 26 restaurants with at least one star, and 169 total Michelin-recommended restaurants. Because Michelin star worthiness is something that gets reassessed year-after-year, these restaurants could always be upgraded with a star in the future. But either way, they should be on your radar if you're looking for some next-level dining. 

Of the three Michelin categories, "recommended" is the most expansive. The other category is the Michelin "Bib Gourmand," which is for simpler, more affordable restaurants that offer great bang for the buck. With less criteria holding it back, the recommended restaurants cover both luxurious spots competing for stars, and more affordable restaurants that could end up on the Bib Gourmand list.This makes Michelin-recommended restaurants can be a great way to explore the full diversity of a city's culinary offerings. 

Like all spots, getting listed as Michelin-recommended means being deemed worthy in five different criteria: the ingredient quality, the flavors and technique, the level of consistency, the value for money, and how the chef's individuality shines through the food. While not earning a star may strike some people as meaning the food is mediocre, simply getting on Michelin's Guide is an accomplishment. Michelin-recommended restaurants appeal to all kinds of diners — you'll find fancy sit-down spots, but also dumpling houses, taco stands, ramen, and pan pizza.

Michelin makes it easy to track its recommended restaurants down, even without shelling out for the guide. On the Michelin website, you can sort the options in any area by rating, and recommended restaurants are simply anything listed that don't have a star or Bib Gourmand award. So don't think Michelin is only for the fancy — because its dedication to good cooking is only getting more inclusive by the year.