The One MICHELIN Star distinction is awarded to restaurants using top quality ingredients, where dishes with distinct flavors are prepared to a consistently high standard.
In North America, there are currently more than 210 One MICHELIN Star restaurants in the United States, over 30 in Canada, and over 20 in Mexico.
We are spotlighting our most popular, based on views across our MICHELIN Guide website and app.
MICHELIN-Starred restaurants span a wide range of flavors, and our most searched spots include cuisines like Indian, Thai, Texas barbecue, Italian, Japanese and American. They span settings as varied as Disney World to a humble Mexican taqueria.
Below, discover our top 13 most viewed One MICHELIN Star spots from cities across North America as of January 2025.
Alma Fonda Fina
Denver, ColoradoChef Johnny Curiel started off in his family’s restaurant in Guadalajara, and after years of high-end culinary experience, he revisits dishes and flavors from his upbringing with creativity and finely honed technique delivering results that are both satisfying and delicious.
Inspector notes: "Resist the temptation to fixate on any one item, as the menu is littered with treasures: perfectly crisped pork belly carnitas make for a brilliant taco on a sourdough flour tortilla, while agave-roasted sweet potato with nutty salsa matcha and luxuriously creamy whipped requesón is a revelation, and vibrant seafood crudos like thinly sliced Maine diver scallop with tomatillo and apple aguachile are downright electric."
Taquería El Califa de León
Mexico City, MexicoThere is a reason why El Califa de León has endured for more than half a century. This taqueria may be bare bones with just enough room for a handful of diners to stand at the counter but its creation, the Gaonera taco, is exceptional.
Inspector notes: "Thinly sliced beef filet is expertly cooked to order, seasoned with only salt and a squeeze of lime. At the same time, a second cook prepares the excellent corn tortillas alongside. The resulting combination is elemental and pure. Other options are few but excellent, and include bistec (beef steak), chuleta (pork chop), and costilla (beef rib). With meat and tortillas of this caliber, the duo of house-made salsas is hardly even necessary."
Semma
New York, New YorkChef Vijay Kumar runs the show at Semma, where regional south Indian cuisine is on full display. This is authentic Indian cooking that doesn't pander to American expectations, and if some of the dishes are unfamiliar, lean on the staff who know their stuff and are eager to share.
Inspector notes: "One bite in and you'll quickly learn that this cooking is all heart. Dishes are spicy, but the heat is used as elegantly as it is liberally. Start with the mulaikattiya thaniyam, the chef's childhood snack that bursts with flavor. The gunpowder dosa, a classic rice and lentil crepe filled with potato masala, is on every table for a reason. Attu kari sukka is falling-apart tender lamb in a dark brown curry redolent of warm spices."
Rocca
Tampa, FloridaChef Bryce Bonsack blends his New York know-how with Italian training to great effect in this of-the-moment eatery.
Inspector notes: "Naturally, there's an assortment of pastas, skillfully made in house and showcasing classic flavors and scrupulous technique, as in spaghetti al limone, tossed with knobs of blue crab and lemon, shaved garlic and zucchini. Guests gush over mozzarella hand pulled to order in a tableside cart, but the flavor outshines the show. Perhaps most exciting of all are the displays of originality, as in a vibrant hiramasa carpaccio with green apple, capers and horseradish; and dessert is a delightful bookend to an impressive meal. Basil custard topped with an elegant brunoise of fresh apples and a layer of streusel is spot on in every way."
Holbox
Los Angeles, CaliforniaIts namesake is a Caribbean island just off the coast of the Yucatán Peninsula, but this beloved counter, located inside the Mercado La Paloma, is a distinctively Angelino phenomenon. Chef Gilbert Cetina, who previously cooked with his father at neighboring stall Chichen Itza, draws from Mexican coastal cuisines in dishes whose simplicity belies remarkable flavor. The frequently changing menu offers no shortage of delights, and a tasting menu is hotly sought-after.
Inspector notes: "Spectacular quality seafood of unassailable freshness leaves an impression, whether in electrifyingly vibrant aguachiles and ceviches, excellent tacos served on house-made heirloom corn tortillas, or skillfully grilled lobster—a panoply of exceptional house salsas gilds the lily."
Fiola
Washington, D.C.With stone walls, seasonal arrangements and Warhol-esque prints, this DC powerhouse is equal parts retro glitz and country lodge. Before even crossing the threshold, diners are met by gracious servers. While they may rhapsodize about their favorite dishes, take your time to peruse the menu, complete with stunning creations and playful twists. Classic and modern elements come together in the regional Italian food, which is as likely to celebrate Roman inspiration as it is to represent Venetian flavors.
Inspector notes: "Cubetto Genovese D'Antra, or delightful squares stuffed with shredded duck ragu and sauced with a duck jus reduction, is a memorable dish. Lamb with red pepper gel and eggplant caponata is another standout."
InterStellar BBQ
Austin, TexasThe mark of a good place is when a line starts forming before they've even opened, and at InterStellar BBQ, it's long before they've swung open the door. Everyone is here for a taste of pitmaster John Bates's barbecue, done low and slow over post oak.
Inspector notes: "Brisket with a simple salt, pepper, and garlic rub, is outstanding but it doesn't end there. Peach tea-glazed pork belly is meltingly tender; the beer-brined tipsy turkey is moist and delicious; and there are three sausages on offer, including kielbasa. You can't go wrong with any of the enticing side dishes like the Frito pie, though the smoked scalloped potatoes with a golden-brown crust and the poblano creamed corn are standouts."
Tatsu Dallas
Dallas, TexasWith just 10 counter seats, the greatest challenge is securing a reservation at this sushi restaurant within the renovated Continental Gin Building – but perseverance will be rewarded because this is the genuine article. All guests are served together, so do arrive on time.
Inspector notes: "The omakase contains around 14 pieces and follows the Edomae tradition, so expect fish that gets steadily stronger in flavor as dinner progresses. You might start with Alaskan sockeye salmon, followed by Spanish tuna and delicious uni from Hokkaido and end with eel from Maine. The rice is also from Hokkaido and chef Tatsuya Sekiguchi’s deft, practiced movements ensure each piece is a perfect creation; he’ll even alter the size if you so wish."
Kin Khao
San Francisco, CaliforniaTucked into an alcove of the Parc 55 hotel, the space is no great shakes in the décor department, but when it comes to layered, vibrantly flavorful Thai cooking with a produce-driven northern California flair, Chef Pim Techamuanvivit is in a league of her own. The menu draws on tradition, but it’s a far cry from run-of-the-mill, with creative interpretations of classics as well as original offerings.
Inspector notes: "A fragrant steamed curry mousse (hor mok), studded with tender mushrooms and served with crispy puffed rice cakes, is a tantalizing starter, and even a familiar dish like green curry is made memorable with slow-cooked rabbit sourced from a local farm. Expect bold, unapologetic flavors—certain dishes feature spice levels not for the faint of heart."
Victoria & Albert's
Orlando, FloridaNestled within Disney's crown jewel, the Grand Floridian Resort, this restaurant is by no means an easy reservation, but the reward is a kind of magic rarely seen these days. The setting is intimate, and the pacing is that of a leisurely, three-hour waltz orchestrated by a gracious brigade of veteran servers. Chef Matthew Sowers cooks with contemporary verve and draws on influences spanning from Asia to the Nordics.
Inspector notes: "Think delicate tarts set with New Zealand langoustine, striking “sandwiches” made with venison carpaccio and red cabbage, and bold sauces like cherry-cola bordelaise. Other details like water lists, an ornate coffee and tea service, and a serious wine program further impress."
Staplehouse
Atlanta, GeorgiaOpen two nights a week for dinner (Friday-Saturday) and located in the Old Fourth Ward, Staplehouse promises a convivial evening of conversation and talented cooking. An open kitchen, exposed brick, and a high ceiling lend a rustic/industrial vibe to this charmingly attended-to place.
Inspector notes: "Here, a contemporary tasting menu flips the script with a hearty, far-from-fussy offering where you may discover a cabbage course that sings with character and flavor. A thick slice of grilled sirloin steak with a crispy morel mushroom is sided by a wedge of grilled gem lettuce with tiny florets of sprouting cauliflower. Finally, a citrus tart with honeycomb candy is spot on."
Restaurant 20 Victoria
Toronto, CanadaOn a quiet stretch of downtown Toronto, Chef Julie Hyde is making her talents known in this tiny-but-mighty restaurant that captured the city’s heart the day it opened. The dimly lit dining room is elegantly easy-going, as Hyde and her small team work with laser-like focus from a kitchen that’s simultaneously always in use and always pristine.
Inspector notes: "Top-notch local produce, pristine seafood and refined sauce work make for a delicious trifecta on a seasonal tasting menu that boasts originality in spades. Recent highlights included Iberico pork chop with bagna vert sauce, frisee salad finished with fried shallot, and a rhubarb strawberry jam and white chocolate ganache in a beautiful pâte à choux."
Sepia
Chicago, IllinoisHoused within a 19th-century print shop, this urbane dining room mixes original details with modern touches. Exposed brick walls and custom tile floors complement floor-to-ceiling wine storage and dramatic chandeliers.
Inspector notes: "Chef Andrew Zimmerman’s menu brings elements of Southeast Asian, Korean, and Mediterranean flavors to American cooking, as in a toasted brioche layered with Délice de Bourgogne cheese, wilted sliced leeks, and black truffle with a tableside pour of a rich and savory leek and popcorn velouté. Grilled sablefish, served Carolina barbecue style, offers a balanced blend of savory, sweet, and smoky thanks to a side of shredded cabbage tossed with honey mustard, trout roe, and smoked apple cider beurre blanc. For dessert, try the jivara milk chocolate 'frosty.'"
Hero image: Shawn Campbell / Alma Fonda Fina
Thumb image: Liam Brown / Holbox
