The First 7 Michelin Star Restaurants in Austin
It’s an Austin foodie’s dream come true! The Michelin Star has made it’s Texas debut and I couldn’t be more excited! If you know me, you know that I have always been very proud of the culinary scene here in Austin, probably because it caters to my exact foodie flavors: Southern Comfort, Tex Mex, BBQ, Fried Chicken… What’s not to love?!
But one thing we’ve been missing here in Austin – A Michelin Star Restaurant!
Waking up Tuesday morning, I was proud to discover Hestia on the list of Austin’s first 7 restaurants to earn a Michelin star. If you’ve read my Local’s Guide To The Best Restaurants in Austin, TX, you know that Hestia is an all-time favorite and is where I would send any foodie visiting Austin and looking for an unforgettable culinary experience.
Of course, Hestia is not the only restaurant on this list – Below are the first 7 restaurants in Austin to be awarded a star. Way to go!
Austin Restaurants with Michelin Star (11/11/24)
1. Barley Swine
This farm to table restaurant was opened in 2010 by Bryce Gilmore, a born and raised Austin chef with a dream to highlight the ingredients of local farmers through exciting dishes. Barley Swine uses global influence and seasonal produce to create a casual but artistic culinary experience, giving you an explosion of flavors and leaving you wanting more with each and every bite.
Dining at Barley Swine requires full participation in the tasting menu, which is priced at $115/guest. Special pricing of $85/guest is available once per week on Sundays during the first 30 minutes of service.
The full tasting menu is available on their website daily!
2. Hestia
Named after the greek goddess of the Hearth, this live-fire grill house is located in the heart of downtown Austin. Hestia was opened by Austin’s Emmer & Rye Hospitality Group in 2019 with a goal to showcase New American grilling techniques via a 20-foot hearth within the center of the kitchen.
Hestia’s menu includes a la carte small plate options, as well as a full Chef’s Tasting Menu priced at $195/person, which requires full table participation.
Chefs Charlie Wang and Nguyen Nguyen opened Craft Omakase in 2023, providing a unique Japanese culinary experience through this 22-course tasting menu with a focus on balance and harmony, showcasing the ingredients through a combination of modern techniques and traditional preparation methods.
Craft Omakase’s tasting menu is priced at $175/guest and reservations are booked out a month in advance, so if you’ll have to do some planning ahead in order to book a spot at this new Austin gem.
4. La Barbecue
This female-owned barbecue hot spot opened as a food truck back in 2011 with recipes inspired by LeAnn’s father, Bobby Mueller, an OG barbecue legend. The pair is proud to represent a female future in the male-dominated industry with global twists on classic barbecue dishes, hot dogs, and specialty sandwiches.
Pricing is what you’d expect from any highly-rated BBQ spot in Austin, with sandwiches starting at just $14. What’s not so typical? The cocktail menu stacked with refreshing options to wash down your chopped brisket sandwich!
Interstellar BBQ is constructed on the simplicity of patience, clean smoke from Post Oak, and the highest quality ingredients. This BBQ haven was named second best BBQ in Texas shortly after pitmaster John Bates’ sandwich shop was rebranded back in 2019.
Bates will be the first to warn – Come early! While they do their best to cook as much quality meat as they can to feed the crowd, some of the most popular items tend to run out around 3pm daily. Customers begin lining up at 10am, at least an hour before opening on weekdays, and 8am on weekends.
6. Olamaie
This Austin staple has been at the helm of the restaurant scene since Chef Michael Fojtasek opened the doors in 2014. Providing a creative and classy twist on Southern Comfort, Olamaie serves as an unforgettable culinary experience.
Reservations at Olamaie are encouraged, but not required. Be sure to book at least a week in advance to secure your spot, as spots are currently booking up quickly!
In addition to the dinner menu, Olamaie offers a special Tasting Menu, the “Southern Exposure” dinner series, created by Top Chef contestant and Chef de Cuisine, Amanda Turner, along with other Top Chef competitors. The price is $150/guest with an optional wine pairing for $80/guest. The series will come to a close at the end of 2024, so be sure to book your spot here before it’s too late!
This global barbecue experience is not confined by the expectations of Texas barbecue culture, as the owners pride themselves on using bbq as a method of cooking, not a choice of cuisine. LeRoy & Lewis began gaining recognition after opening their food truck at Cosmic Beer Garden in 2017, upgrading to a new South Austin location in 2023 following numerous awards for their superior barbecue offerings.
What’s unique about the menu here is their offering of a BBQ plate including 1 Meat and 2 Sides for only $17, making this one of the most affordable spots to grab some killer barbecue in the city. Another aspect that sets this menu apart – An abundance of vegetarian options! (For a barbecue spot that is.)
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Any other Austin foodies realizing their foodie bucket list just got a whole lot longer? Let me know which of these 7 Michelin Star winners will be next on your list!
One Response
[…] Afternoon/Evening: Food & CultureIS IT BBQ TIME YET?The answer to that question is up you. Here’s the thing about BBQ – It will be the best food of the trip, and then it will put you right to sleep. So are you ready for a nap or do you have more to explore? If you want to save the BBQ feast for before bed, grab some tacos and keep it moving because we’re spending the rest of the day doing one of two things:1 – Brewery Crawling: Trust me when I say, you will find any endless supply of breweries in Austin. A few of my favorites:Meanwhile Beer (South Austin)Blue Owl Brewing (East Austin; Mostly Sour Beer)Lazarus Brewing (East Austin)2 – Paddleboarding: Got plenty of energy? Rent a paddle board and float through Austin! You can find places to rent paddle boards or kayaks all along the lake, but Texas Rowing is a top contender. IS IT BBQ TIME NOW???Okay, whenever you’re ready…. Let’s get er’ done. I’m not sure if you’ve heard, but Austin has not one, not two, but THREE Michelin Star barbecue spots as of 2025. So take your pick and prepare for the food coma to follow.La BarbecueLeroy & LewisInterstellar BBQFor more Michelin Star spots in Austin, check out this post from earlier in the year:The First 7 Michelin Star Restaurants in Austin […]