It’s official: The Michelin Guide is en route to Boston.
The prestigious guide’s been rating restaurants since 1900, expanding to cities across the globe. Boston long didn’t have a Michelin Guide, but history is about to change.
Michelin Guide debuted its first North American location in 2005, starting with New York City. As of last year, New York City has 74 Michelin Guide Restaurants, earning one, two, or three stars.
Michelin Guide debuts in Boston
Along with Boston, Philadelphia will also be getting a Michelin guide for the first time ever. In order for anonymous Michelin reviewers to visit a city, taste, a curate a guidebook of restaurants, there must be an underlying partnership between the city’s tourism administration and Michelin.
The Boston restaurant scene has reached new heights, a fact validated by the MICHELIN Guide’s entrance into our market,” said Martha J. Sheridan, President & CEO of Meet Boston. “Long known for distinguished and unparalleled farm-to-table and sea-to-table cuisine, Boston now boasts an expanded portfolio of epicurean excellence, underpinned by our great diversity of offerings and contributions from a global diaspora of culinary creators. We invite all to see and try for themselves how Greater Boston’s contemporary culinary culture has evolved.
Why was there no Michelin guide in Boston?
MeetBoston, Boston’s tourism management team had been opposed to the idea of a Michelin guide for a long time, noting that Boston restaurants hold their own, and did not require Michelin to highlight Boston’s restaurant scene. Bostonians had mixed opinions on that stance, and MeetBoston, along with Michelin just confirmed the news that after years without a Michelin Guide, it was now Boston’s time.
Historically, tourism boards pay upwards of $1,000,000 to secure Michelin visitations and coverage. MeetBoston and Cambridge’s toursim board collaborated to secure a deal with Michelin for Boston.
When is Michelin Guide coming to Boston?
Boston and Philadelphia will join other Northeast cities who have Michelin Guides: New York, Chicago, and Washington D.C. The Boston Michelin Guide will be announced at the Northeast Cities Michelin Guide Ceremony—the ceremony’s date is yet to be announced.
Will the guide only cover include Boston restaurants?
According to a recent press release, the boundaries for Boston’s Michelin guide will be flexible, opening up beyond Boston proper. If anything exceptional is discovered beyond city lines, its fair game to make the guide, especially in neighboring cities like Cambridge and Somerville.
So who will get Boston’s coveted stars? Stay tuned to find out when Boston’s first Michelin Guide debuts later in 2025!