Boston finally has its first Michelin star.

311 Omakase in the South End received one star at Michelin’s Northeast Cities ceremony in Philadelphia Tuesday night. The 10-seat restaurant is tucked away in a basement, and the price starts at $250 per person. It was the only restaurant to receive a star in Boston’s inaugural year with the Michelin Guide.

“It’s a starting point. It’s going to build momentum for us,” said David O’Donnell, vice president of communications for Meet Boston.

Meet Boston was influential in bringing the Michelin Guide to Boston, but would not disclose how much the organization paid for it.

“Any recognition you get from Michelin is a game-changer, not only for those restaurants and chefs, but for the destination,” O’Donnell said.

The legendary recognition goes to 311 Omakase on Tremont Street in the city’s South End.

Six restaurants received Bib Gourmand awards recognizing high-quality food at a reasonable price, including Bar Volpe and Fox & the Knife in South Boston, both owned by Karen Akunowicz.

“I want to cry. I mean, I was shocked, and I still am,” said Akunowicz. “For me, that was like getting three stars. Our teams work tirelessly to bring excellent food and amazing hospitality experiences to the folks in Boston and beyond.”

In Cambridge, three restaurants — Jahunger, Pagu, and Sumiao Hunan Kitchen — also earned Bib Gourmands, along with Mahaniyom in Brookline.

On top of that, 20 eateries were named Recommended Restaurants, including Select Oyster Bar in Boston’s Back Bay.

“We try and serve the best seafood we can get our hands on, and if it’s not top-shelf, A+ grade, we don’t let it in the door,” said Benjamin Sandrof, a bartender at Select Oyster Bar.

Toro in the South End also earned the honor of Recommended Restaurant after two decades in the neighborhood.

“This long in, we’re like, ‘Who would ever even recognize us for what we’re doing?’ Because there’s so many new, great chefs in Boston, and we’re not the new kid on the block anymore, and it’s just so nice that people still notice the effort,” said Ken Oringer, the chef and owner.

See the full list of Boston-area restaurants recognized in the Michelin Guide.

By Aaron Parseghian, WBZ-TV

Nearly 200 people from more than 50 countries became America’s newest citizens Tuesday, raising their right hands and reciting the oath of allegiance during an emotional naturalization ceremony at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston.

“By your hard work, patience, and commitment to this long process, you have all earned the right to be citizens of the United States of America,” said U.S. District Court Judge Allison Burroughs, who presided over the naturalization ceremony. “I think that John F. Kennedy, if he could see us now, would love knowing that his library is one of the places where people become citizens.”

Boston naturalization ceremony

For some, the day marked the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. Gaison Brumaire, who came to the U.S. from Haiti in 2016, said the ceremony opened the door to new possibilities.

“I’m just excited. I mean, there’s a lot of opportunity. Like, you know, we can vote now,” Brumaire said.

“I’ve long been hearing about America. America has been a great country, so it’s everybody’s dream. And I’m happy to be a part of it,” added Beatrice Gray, a new U.S. citizen from Liberia. “I’ve long been wanting this forever, and I decided to just abide by the rules and laws of this country and being in America, being so great. I mean, I’m so happy.”

Others described a mix of joy and relief. João Oliveira moved from Brazil to Milford as a teenager and spent nearly a decade waiting for this moment.

“Having all the responsibilities and rights that only you can get when you are a citizen, it’s awesome. It’s a thing that I always wanted to have,” Oliveira said.

“I feel so proud to be an American citizen”  

Despite living in the country legally, he said recent national debates and crackdowns on immigration left him feeling uneasy.

“You know we see a lot of political talk about immigration and everything and laws changing every time. You never feel safe,” Olivera said. “Someone could sign a law that makes you not part of this country anymore. So you always feel anxious about it. And being a citizen says, like, nobody can take this right away from me anymore.”

For Tibet native Yeshi Nyizing, becoming an American was the culmination of hard work and sacrifice.

“I work day and night and I pay a lot of taxes and then I made it,” she said. “I feel so proud to be an American citizen. I love America.”

A protest was held at Boston University Monday night after a student there claimed his tip led to an immigration raid at the Allston Car Wash last week.

The attorney for the nine employees who were detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said three had posted bail on Monday, but none of them had been released.

Video of the incident on November 4 showed ICE agents pull up to the car wash, put the employees in handcuffs and take them away.

“They were asked basically, ‘Do you have any id or documents?’ and when they said ‘Yes, it’s in our lockers,’ they were thrown in the vans and handcuffed and driven away by 22 agents with masks over their faces,” the workers’ attorney, Todd Pomerleau, told WBZ-TV.

Zac Segal statement

Three days later, Zac Segal, president of the BU College Republicans, posted a message online, saying, “I’ve been calling ICE for months on end. This week they finally responded to my request to detain these criminals. As someone who lives in the neighborhood, I’ve seen how American jobs are being given away to those with no right to be here.”

Those comments set off a social media firestorm and Monday’s protest on campus. WBZ has reached out to Segal several times in the last week, but he has not returned any requests for comment.

“This may be naive to say but I was very surprised that this kind of energy would come out of a Boston University student. It was just really disheartening and shocking to me,” said BU employee Olivia Maliszewski, who attended the rally.

Homeland Security rejects “silly rumor”

A spokesperson for Homeland Security said Segal wasn’t the reason for the raid. Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin called it “a targeted immigration enforcement operation.”

“The operation was highly targeted and relied on law enforcement intelligence-not your silly rumor,” she said in a statement.

Boston University statement

BU President Melissa Gilliam said the school has “had many concerns raised by our campus community and neighbors” about Segal’s post.

“We must affirm the dignity and worth of all people. Too often, we fail to see one another’s full humanity, overlooking the rich complexity and unique gifts each person brings. When we focus only on differences-skin color, political views-we risk fostering division and pain where there should be unity and understanding,” she said in a statement.

Pomerleau said the nine employees were detained illegally without due process. They range in age from 19 to 67. One woman was taken into custody on her 45th birthday, according to Pomerleau. He said they’re immigrants from Guatemala, Columbia, Honduras and El Salvador and added that many of them have work visas.

“Three entered under the Biden administration, four were gotaways at the border, one entered illegally under W. Bush, and another overstayed his visa which expired under President Clinton,” McLaughlin said.

Allston Car Wash statement

Over the weekend, the car wash issued its first statement following the raid.

“At no point did this individual contact us, speak with management, or inquire about our employees or operations. Publicly labeling our workforce as “criminals” without any knowledge of who they are is reckless and distressing,” a spokesperson said of Segal’s comment.

“Our employees are good, hardworking individuals who come to work each day to provide for themselves and their families. We take pride in creating a workplace where people are treated with dignity and respect. Many employees have worked with us for years and in some cases decades.”