Nearly a century after Michelin started rating restaurants around the world for an annual guide, its anonymous inspectors descended on Philadelphia for the first time this year. On Tuesday, the tire company that can elevate a restaurants' reputation with just one star announced that it had given that designation to three dining establishments in the city.
Her Place Supper Club, Friday Saturday Sunday and Provenance earned one star during a ceremony held at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts.
RELATED: Chef who won Michelin star for seafood restaurant in New York to try his hand at pizza in Philly
"I wish that we had more people standing up on that stage, but there's another year and there's going to be way more of us up there," Provenance chef Nicholas Bazik said of Philly's inaugural year.
The Michelin Guide was created in 1900 by brothers and tire manufacturers Andre and Edouard Michelin as recommendations for motorists traveling in France. It was updated in 1926 to add the one, two and three star ratings – one star is worth a stop on the way, two is worth a detour and three is worth making a trip specifically to go to the restaurant. Today, it includes over 40,000 eateries in 24 countries and territories.
The company's first North American Guide was released in 2005, and in May officials announced that Philadelphia and Boston would be added to the Northeast Cities guide that was previously limited to Chicago, New York City and Washington, D.C.
Restaurants must undergo multiple inspections by anonymous reviewers to test the food's quality, flavor, cooking techniques, consistency and how a chef's personality appears in the food. Most restaurants don't get more than one star in the initial review, and they can gain or lose stars over time.
To compare Philly's inaugural year to some other U.S. cities, Chicago was added to the guide in 2010 and 22 of its restaurants received stars that year. Two received three stars each and another three got two stars. Austin was added in 2024 and nabbed seven stars its first year, and Atlanta had five restaurants with a star for its debut in 2023.
While it's hard to say how this announcement will change the city's dining scene, Chef's Pencil found that for every Michelin star, there's an added cost of $100 per person, on average. So expect these restaurants that already require reservations months in advance to only get more expensive and exclusive.
Here are the Philly restaurants that received a star this year:
One star
Her Place Supper Club, located at 1740 Sansom St. in Rittenhouse, earned a Michelin star for being 'accomplished and beautifully balanced.'
• Her Place Supper Club (1740 Sansom St., Rittenhouse): Before opening My Loup, Amanda Shulman created Her Place Supper Club in 2021 after working at a few Vetri restaurants and Momofoku Ko. The restaurant began as a pop-up supper club, so the menu changes frequently, although it tends to lean French and Italian. Michelin said Her Place Supper Club was "accomplished and beautifully balanced."
Friday Saturday Sunday, located at 261 S. 21st St. in Rittenhouse, earned one Michelin star, with the reviewers saying 'expect an atmosphere as spirited and enjoyable as the food on the menu.'
• Friday Saturday Sunday (261 S. 21st St., Rittenhouse): The Center City spot serves contemporary American cuisine and won a James Beard award in 2023. It was included on the 50 Best brand's North America's 50 Best Restaurants, and the establishment's head bartender Paul MacDonald was recently named one of Wine Enthusiast's Future 40 Tastemakers. Michelin said "expect an atmosphere as spirited and enjoyable as the food on the menu."
Owners Chad and Hanna Williams said it was an unexpected honor.
"We were terrified," Chad Williams said. "Everybody said, 'Oh, you're gonna get it. You're gonna get it.' And we were a mess. … We're just happy to get the recognition, and it kind of puts a little more fire under us."
Hanna Williams added: "You work your whole life for it so it's incredible when it happens."
Provenance chef Nicholas Bazik, center, stands on stage to accept the honor of his restaurant earning a Michelin star.
• Provenance (408 S. 2nd St., Society Hill): The 25-seat restaurant inside an old rowhome merges French cuisine with a bit of Korean flavors in a seafood-heavy tasting menu. In September, Bon Appétit included it in its roundup of the 20 best new restaurants in the country. Michelin said its "high-stakes performance is defined by precision, harmony and of course based on Korean and French influences."
"We've only been open for a year and so this is quite amazing," Bazik said. "We've worked really hard, and we're just really happy to be part of the conversation and to be extended beyond that is just incredible."
Bib Gourmand awards
The star awards tend to favor fine-dining restaurants, which come at a high cost to consumers. But in 1997, the Bib Gourmand award was introduced for eateries with meals at a relatively reasonable price. Price limits vary by region based on the cost of living. Michelin said that Bib Gourmand awardees often offer simpler dishes that are easy-to-eat and easily recognizable, and that they will "also leave you with a sense of satisfaction, at having eaten so well at such a reasonable price."
Here are the Philly restaurants that were awarded a Bib Gourmand:
• Angelo's (736 S. Ninth St.)
• Dalessandro's (600 Wendover St.)
• Del Rossi's (538 N. Fourth St.)
• Dizengoff (1625 Sansom St.)
• El Chingon (1524 S. 10th St.)
• Fiorella (817 Christian St.)
• 4th Street Deli (700 S Fourth St.)
• Pizzeria Beddia (1313 N. Lee St.)
• Royal Sushi & Izakaya (780 S. Second St.)
• Sally (2229 Spruce St.)
The Green Star
Pietramala, a vegan spot at 614 N. 2nd St. in Northern Liberties, was awarded a Green Star, which recognizes restaurants with sustainable practices that source ingredients from eco-friendly suppliers and reduce wasteful materials in their kitchens.
Chef Ian Graye of Pietramala was awarded a Michelin Green Star for his restaurant's dedication to sustainability.