The Michelin Guide for restaurants made its highly anticipated Lone Star State debut Monday night with a ceremony and cocktail reception at 713 Music Hall in downtown Houston. 

The globally influential dining and travel guide from the French tire company honored 117 Texas restaurants with a variety of distinctions.

Austin had the biggest night of the five major Texas cities represented, taking home 7 of the 15 coveted Michelin Stars awarded to Lone Star restaurants.

Here’s how Texas restaurants fared.

LIST: 7 Austin restaurants awarded Michelin Stars

Seven Austin restaurants were awarded one-star distinctions:

Dai Due and Emmer & Rye, two Austin restaurants that serve American cuisine, were also awarded Michelin Green Star. The distinction highlights restaurants that lead the industry in their sustainability practices.

Read more on Austin restaurants: Austin restaurants earn 7 of the 15 Michelin Stars awarded in Texas and 15 Bib Gourmand

LIST: 6 Houston restaurants awarded Michelin Stars

With the second-largest one-star contingency, six Houston restaurants claimed the distinctions:

Dallas, San Antonio restaurants each receive a Michelin Star

Tatsu Dallas (Japanese cuisine) and Mixtli (Mexican cuisine) in San Antonio also received one-star distinctions.

No restaurant in Texas received two or three stars. There are currently only 13 restaurants in the United States with three stars and 33 with two stars. About 200 restaurants in the U.S. claim one star. Michelin and its inspectors review star designation annually, with new stars being assigned, and restaurants fighting to hold onto existing stars while often striving for more.

What is The Michelin Guide?

The Michelin Guide is a renowned international restaurant rating system managed by the French tire manufacturer. It was first published in 1889 in the small French town of Clermont-Ferrand by brothers Andre and Edouard Michelin, founders of the now world-famous tire company. The guides, which were originally free, were created to encourage travel and thus boost care and tire sales.

What do Michelin Stars mean?

Michelin’s anonymous inspectors and employees have been reporting and ranking Texas restaurants since this summer. The company ranks each restaurant based on five universal criteria:

• quality of products
• harmony of flavors
• mastery of cooking techniques
• voice and personality of the chef as reflected in the cuisine
• consistency of food between each visit and throughout the menu

A restaurant may be awarded one, two or three Michelin Stars, used to indicate those deemed to be among the best in the world. Michelin’s site explains what the number of Stars represents:

• One Star, “worth a stop”: The restaurant uses top quality ingredients, where dishes with distinct flavors are prepared to a consistently high standard.
• Two Stars, “worth a detour”: The personality and talent of the chef are evident in their expertly crafted dishes; their food is refined and inspired.
• Three Stars, “worth a special journey”: As the highest award, three Stars are given for the superlative cooking of chefs at the peak of their profession; their cooking is elevated to an art form and some of their dishes are destined to become classics.

What is the Bib Gourmand award?

“The Bib Gourmand is our award for great value, and highlights simple yet skillful cooking at an affordable price,” according to the Michelin website.

See the full list of Bib Gourmand award-winning restaurants at guide.michelin.com.

Why did the Michelin tire company rate restaurants?

Emerging in 1900, the Michelin Guide initially served as a comprehensive guidebook for France, aiming to inspire drivers (particularly those using the company’s tires) to explore the country by road. It gradually expanded throughout Europe, but its publication was interrupted during World War I.

After the war, the guide resumed its operations and underwent a significant shift in focus in 1926, transitioning from a general travel guide to a specialized rating system for fine-dining establishments.

The Michelin Guide’s renowned one- to three-star rating system was fully established in 1931, providing a comprehensive evaluation framework for discerning diners.