These Restaurants Received the First Michelin Stars in Colorado

Tuesday night was a historic event for Colorado's culinary scene as the first-ever Michelin Guide awards were presented to Colorado restaurants. I had the honor of attending the Michelin Guide Ceremony at the Mission Ballroom and it was an event I won't ever forget. I got to try some of the most amazing food from Colorado's restaurants I have ever had and had a cocktail by Basil Hayden that I would do anything for to have the recipe at my disposal at home.

Denver's Mayor, Mike Johnston, attended the event and spoke on stage.

Just to put in context what an honor this evening is for Denver and for the state of Colorado, Denver, and Colorado will only be the sixth site in the entire United States of America that has Michelin-rated restaurants.

Get our free mobile app

Johnston continued by giving a little context to the importance and rarity of Michelin-rated restaurants. With only 221 restaurants, there are fewer Michelin stars in the United States than there are starting players in the NBA. Johnston closed out his speech on the Michelin Award stage by saying thank you to the Colorado entrepreneurs saying:

Thanks to you, tonight (Colorado), we are that destination.

The Michelin Guide awarded three categories on Tuesday night. Those categories were the Bib Gourmand Award, the Green Star Award, and the One Star Award. Take a look at the first Michelin-starred restaurants in the state of Colorado.

It’s quite an impressive feat for a debut selection to include so many MICHELIN Green Stars. Our famously anonymous inspectors were wowed by these restaurants’ high-quality, local ingredients, sourced seasonally and sustainably. It’s a very exciting time for the culinary community here, and we feel the momentum growing.

Said International Director of the Michelin Guides, Gwendal Poullennec, at the ceremony.

RELATED: THE FIRST MICHELIN AWARDED RESTAURANTS IN COLORADO

Three special awards were given out at the Michelin ceremony, awards include:

• Michelin Exceptional Cocktail Presented By Basil Hayden- Caroline Clark of The Wolf's Tailor
• Michelin Sommelier Award - Ryan Fletter and Erin Lindstone of Barolo Grill
• Michelin Outstanding Service Award - Sergei Kiefel and the front-of-house team at Frasca Food and Wine
• Michelin Young Chef/Culinary Professional Award - Kelly Kawachi at Blackbelly Market

Colorado Michelin Guide By The Numbers

Colorado now has 44 restaurants in the Michelin Guide. five One Star locations, four Green Star locations, nine Bib Gourmand locations, and 30 recommended restaurants. To learn more about these restaurants and the Coloado Michelin Guide, visit Michelin.com. See the full Colorado Michelin Guide Award Ceremony below: