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A jamon display at the reception for the 2025 Texas Michelin Awards Ceremony at the Wortham Center in Houston on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025.<\/p>\n
Elizabeth Conley\/Houston Chronicle<\/p>\n
Similar to last year<\/a>, a little voice kept echoing in the background as I scanned the latest Michelin list for Texas<\/a>: Does the typical diner actually care about a French tire company\u2019s selection of the best restaurants?<\/p>\n Stars\u00a0\u2014 which restaurants get them, lose them or want them\u00a0\u2014 dominate the conversation whenever Michelin<\/a> strolls into town. But few people, from avid diners to self-proclaimed food obsessives, forget about the Bib Gourmand (\u201cgreat food at a great value\u201d) and Recommended (\u201csimply a good meal\u201d) spots.\u00a0<\/p>\n Michelin dropped its third roster of Texas stars, Bib Gourmand and Recommended restaurants\u00a0Thursday\u00a0with few surprises and stirred little excitement for Houston\u00a0\u2014 unless you looked beyond a star\u2019s shiny gleam.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Even with all six local-area restaurants keeping their one-star status and no new additions, Houston still stood out as Texas’ most exciting food city when you break down the accolades.\u00a0<\/p>\n Austin may boast the most stars, but Houston dominated everywhere else: Five of the new Bib Gourmands operate in our backyard. More than half of the freshly minted Recommended places also call the Bayou City home. We won three of the four special awards for exceptional cocktails, sommelier and the young chef\/culinary professional award.<\/p>\n We already knew it, but Michelin\u2019s latest tally for Houston doubled down on our restaurants’ emphasis on value and deep talent.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n MICHELIN DROPS TEXAS LIST: Houston\u2019s six Michelin-starred restaurants retain their status in 2026 Texas guide<\/a><\/p>\n Chef Manabu Horiuchi at his restaurant Katami, which neighbors his Michelin Recommended Sushi Horiuchi next door.<\/p>\n Karen Warren \/ Houston Chronicle<\/p>\n At first glance, Houston may not stand out when all the attention focuses on the new one-starred restaurants, including\u00a0Kappo Kappo and Fabrik in Austin plus Goldee\u2019s BBQ in Fort Worth.\u00a0<\/p>\n The hurrah and headlines given to the stars overshadow the Bib Gourmand and Recommended restaurants. Michelin\u2019s own tight-lipped process doesn’t help: Its inspectors are anonymous, and its judging standards are vague. The guide\u2019s $2.7 million, three-year Texas agreement \u2014 which is up for renewal \u2014 also raises questions about the independence Michelin claims.\u00a0<\/p>\n Let\u2019s take a look at Sushi Horiuchi<\/a>, the six-seat omakase counter in Montrose where customers pay at least $300 per person. I\u2019ve been trying to get in since early this year, but reservations disappear within minutes of opening at the top of each month. The restaurant has kindly offered to hold a spot for me, but I\u2019ve kept declining because it breaks my rules about avoiding special treatment as a restaurant critic.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Sure enough, chef Manabu Horiuchi\u2019s hot-ticketed Japanese restaurant landed on Michelin\u2019s Recommended list.<\/p>\n I assumed it was based on more than one visit because Michelin\u2019s site includes this bit: The different categories awarded by the guide are never the result of one Inspector\u2019s assessment. MICHELIN Stars are given by a collective of inspectors who visit the establishment multiple times.\u00a0<\/p>\n I followed up with a Michelin spokeswoman, who clarified over email: \u201cIt is true Star decisions are based on multiple visits, but this is not necessarily the case for the Recommended restaurants. However, for all decisions, regardless of distinction, the decision to add a restaurant to the Michelin Guide selection is based on the Inspector\u2019s expertise and experience.\u201d<\/p>\n MORE FROM BAO ONG: The Chronicle\u2019s top 100 restaurants<\/a><\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Michelin held a ceremony last year, here, but revealed the latest Texas guide via press release on Oct. 8, 2026.<\/p>\n Elizabeth Conley\/Houston Chronicle<\/p>\n But when you dig deeper, you start to wonder whether Michelin\u2019s lists truly reflect what\u2019s happening in Houston right now.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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