French
DeutschList of Michelin-starred restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area and Northern California
The Michelin Guides have been published by the French tire company Michelin since 1900. They were designed as a guide to tell drivers about eateries they recommended to visit and to subtly sponsor their tires, by encouraging drivers to use their cars more and therefore need to replace the tires as they wore out. Over time, the stars that were given out started to become more valuable.[1]
Multiple anonymous Michelin inspectors visit the restaurants several times. They rate the restaurants on five criteria: "quality of products", "mastery of flavor and cooking techniques", "the personality of the chef represented in the dining experience", "value for money", and "consistency between inspectors' visits".[1][2] Inspectors have at least ten years of expertise and create a list of popular restaurants supported by media reports, reviews, and diner popularity. If they reach a consensus, Michelin awards restaurants from one to three stars based on its evaluation methodology: One star means "high-quality cooking, worth a stop", two stars signify "excellent cooking, worth a detour", and three stars denote "exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey".[3] The stars are not permanent and restaurants are constantly being re-evaluated. If the criteria are not met, the restaurant will lose its stars.[1]
The San Francisco Michelin Guide was the second North American city chosen to have its own Michelin Guide. Unlike the other U.S. guides which focus mainly in the city proper, the San Francisco guide includes all the major cities in the Bay Area: San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose and Berkeley, as well as Wine Country, which includes Napa and Sonoma.[4] In 2019, the San Francisco guide was combined with the Los Angeles guide to cover the entire state of California.[5]
2019 – 2024 lists
[edit]The 2019–2024 Michelin Guides cover the entire state of California.[5][6][7] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and wildfires in California, the French tire company's restaurant guide took a hiatus in California in 2020.[8]
 | Indicates a restaurant with one Michelin star |
|---|---|
 | Indicates a restaurant with two Michelin stars |
 | Indicates a restaurant with three Michelin stars |
2007 – 2018 lists
[edit]The 2007 to 2018 Michelin Guides cover the San Francisco Bay Area & Wine Country.
| Name | Cuisine | Location | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acquerello | Italian | Nob Hill | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Adega | Portuguese | San Jose | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | |
| Alexander's Steakhouse | Steakhouse | Cupertino | — | — | — | — | | | | — | — | — | — | — | |
| All Spice | Californian | San Mateo | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | | | — | — | |
| AL's Place | Californian | Mission | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | | |
| Ame | New American | SoMa | — | | | | | | | | | | — | Closed | |
| Applewood | Haute | Guerneville | — | — | — | | | — | — | — | — | — | Closed | ||
| Aster | Californian | Mission | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | — | |
| Atelier Crenn | Contemporary | Cow Hollow | — | — | — | — | — | | | | | | | | |
| Aqua | Seafood | Financial District | | | | — | Closed | ||||||||
| Auberge du Soleil | Californian | Rutherford | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Aziza | Moroccan | Richmond District | — | — | — | | | | | | | | | — | |
| Baumé | French | Palo Alto | — | — | — | — | | | | | | | | | |
| Benu | Asian | SoMa | — | — | — | — | — | | | | | | | | |
| Bistro Jeanty | French | Yountville | | | | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Bouchon | French | Yountville | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Boulevard | American | SoMa | | | | | | | | | | — | — | — | |
| Bushi-Tei | California-Asian | Japantown | — | | — | — | — | — | — | — | Closed | ||||
| Californios | Mexican | Mission | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | | |
| Campton Place | Californian | Union Square | — | — | — | — | | | | | | | | | |
| Chez Panisse | Californian | Berkeley | | | | | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Chez TJ | Contemporary | Mountain View | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Coi | Californian-French | North Beach | | | | | | | | | | | | ||
| Commis | Contemporary | Oakland | — | — | — | | | | | | | | | | |
| Commonwealth | American | Mission | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | | |
| Cortez | New American | Financial District | — | | Closed | ||||||||||
| Cyrus | Californian | Healdsburg | | | | | | | Closed | ||||||
| Dio Deka | Greek | Los Gatos | — | — | — | — | | | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Dry Creek Kitchen | New American | Healdsburg | | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| El Paseo | New American | Mill Valley | — | — | — | — | | Closed | |||||||
| Etoile | Californian | Yountville | — | — | — | | | | — | — | — | Closed | |||
| Farmhouse Inn & Restaurant | Californian | Forestville | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Fifth Floor | American, French | SoMa | | | | | — | — | — | Closed | |||||
| Fleur de Lys | French | Financial District | | | | | | | — | — | Closed | ||||
| Frances | Californian | Castro | — | — | — | — | | | | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Gary Danko | Contemporary | North Beach | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Hashiri | Japanese | SoMa | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | |
| In Situ | Haute | SoMa | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | |
| Jū-Ni | Japanese | North Panhandle | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | |
| K&L Bistro | French | Sebastopol | | | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Keiko à Nob Hill | Japanese-influenced French | Nob Hill | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | | | | | |
| Kenzo | Japanese | Napa Valley | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | |
| Kin Khao | Thai | Union Square | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | | |
| Kinjo | Japanese | Russian Hill | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | |
| Kusakabe | Japanese | Financial District | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | — | — | |
| La Costanera | Peruvian | Montara | — | — | — | — | — | | | — | — | — | — | — | |
| La Folie | French | Russian Hill | | | | | | | | | | — | — | — | |
| La Toque | French | Rutherford | — | — | — | | | | | | | | | | |
| Lazy Bear | New American | Mission | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | | |
| Lord Stanley | Californian-European | Nob Hill | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | | |
| Luce | Mediteranean | SoMa | — | — | — | | | | | | | | | | |
| Madera | Contemporary | Menlo Park | — | — | — | | | | | | | — | | | |
| Madrona Manor | Californian | Healdsburg | — | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Manresa | New American | Los Gatos | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Martini House | New American | St. Helena | — | | | — | Closed | ||||||||
| Maruya | Japanese | Mission | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | — | — | — | |
| Masa's | French | Nob Hill | | | | | | | | Closed | |||||
| Michael Mina | New American | Financial District | | | | | — | | | | | | | | |
| Mirepoix | French | Windsor | — | — | — | — | | Closed | |||||||
| Mister Jiu's | Chinese | Chinatown | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | |
| Mosu | New American | Fillmore | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | — | |
| Mourad | Moroccan | SoMa | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | | |
| Murray Circle | American | Sausalito | — | — | | | | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Nico | Californian | Pacific Heights | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | — | |
| Octavia | Californian | Lower Pacific Heights | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | | |
| Omakase | Japanese | SoMa | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | | |
| One Market | New American | SoMa | — | | | | | | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Plumed Horse | Contemporary | Saratoga | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Quince | Contemporary | Jackson Square | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Range | American | Mission | | | | ||||||||||