News & Views 2 minutes 29 November 2018

MICHELIN Guide San Francisco 2019 Selection

The City by the Bay shines with the most three-star restaurants in the United States.

Hear ye, hear ye: the MICHELIN Guide San Francisco selection for the 2019 guide has been announced featuring seven restaurants that were either promoted or joined the star selection.

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Dominique Crenn’s lauded Atelier Crenn was one of the most closely followed restaurants this year and has been elevated from two to three stars. The current menu displays a wonderful balance of grace, artistry, technical ability and taste; inspectors consistently experienced a top-quality experience across numerous visits.

Kyle and Katina Connaughton’s SingleThread in Sonoma County has also been promoted to three-star status. The power couple has shown consistent commitment to the highest standards of ingredient quality and exceptionally refined cuisine.

The San Francisco Bay Area now boasts eight three-Michelin-starred restaurants, the most in the United States.

“The dining scene in San Francisco is booming at the moment and our inspectors were especially impressed with the choice of cuisine styles, the levels of consistency and the overall high quality of the food they found in the city,” says Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the MICHELIN Guides. “In particular, the teams at Atelier Crenn and SingleThread should be extremely proud, as our inspectors were very impressed by the quality of the produce used in the preparation of the dishes. This, along with their meticulous attention to detail, creativity and dedication to delighting their customers means they always offer diners a memorable and very pleasurable gastronomic experience. Without a doubt, they are definitely worth a special journey!”

Benu, The French Laundry, Quince, The Restaurant at Meadowood, Saison and Manresa—which shuttered briefly by a fire in mid-July—all retained three stars.

Daniel Patterson’s Coi receives two stars this year. After Matthew Kirkley’s departure last year to train for the Bocus d’Or, chef Erik Anderson stepped in and shifted the focus away from seafood. Considering this high-level conceptual change, our inspectors approached this decision with careful consideration, and after a number of meals—and much deliberation—it was decided that the new menu fell short of three stars. (Michelin inspectors will be watching the kitchen closely as it continues to settle in.)

There are five new one-star distinctions in the 2019 guide:

Bar Crenn, the charming wine bar with a focus on classic French cuisine—and adjacent to Atelier Crenn—has been designated with a Michelin star. Here, quality and technique are the backbone of the beautiful dining room where dishes from renowned French chefs, as well as original creations, are expertly presented.

(Photo courtesy of Birdsong Facebook page.)
(Photo courtesy of Birdsong Facebook page.)

Chef Chris Bleidorn’s unique approach to total utilization of product at his first solo debut, Birdsong, is both admirable and creative.

Madcap offers high-quality contemporary Californian fare made with fresh, seasonal ingredients and a skillful touch. Led by chef/owner Ron Siegel, a fine-dining veteran of Northern California’s dining scene since the 1990s, the chef has stepped out on his own with this new Marin stunner.

Nicolas Delaroque’s Nico originally opened in Laurel Heights and was removed from the guide after it closed in 2017. After the restaurant reopened in nearby Jackson Square, inspectors found that the cooking is as good as ever.

Chef Anthony Secviar and Master Sommelier Dennis Kelly’s Protégé in Palo Alto displays a level of finesse to prepare consistently excellent meals, while the dining experience remains casual and approachable.

There are 315 restaurants in the MICHELIN Guide San Francisco 2019 selection, including eight with three stars, six with two stars, 43 with one star, 68 Bib Gourmand establishments and 191 restaurants designated with a Michelin Plate.

Congratulations to all restaurants. View the full list of Michelin-starred restaurants in the MICHELIN Guide San Francisco 2019 below.

Three Stars

Atelier Crenn (NEW)
Benu
The French Laundry
Manresa
Quince
The Restaurant at Meadowood
Saison
SingleThread (NEW)

Two Stars

Acquerello
Baumé
Californios
Coi
Commis
Lazy Bear

One Star

Al’s Place
Aster
Auberge du Soleil
Bar Crenn (NEW)
Birdsong (NEW)
Bouchon
Campton Place
Chez TJ
Commonwealth
Farmhouse Inn & Restaurant
Gary Danko
Hashiri
In Situ
jū-ni
Keiko à Nob Hill
Kenzo
Kin Khao
Kinjo
La Toque
Lord Stanley
Luce
Madcap (NEW)
Madera
Madrona Manor
Michael Mina
Mister Jiu’s
Mourad
Nico (NEW)
Octavia
Omakase
Plumed Horse
The Progress
Protégé (NEW)
Rasa
Rich Table
Sons & Daughters
SPQR
Spruce
State Bird Provisions
Sushi Yoshizumi
The Village Pub
Wako
Wakuriya

Portrait of Dominique Crenn by Jordan Alexis Photography.

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