Las Vegas dominated the top of the list, including the Southwest’s only Two MICHELIN Star restaurant, Restaurant de Joël Robuchon. Four restaurants received One MICHELIN Star distinctions.
Source: Michelin North America (Michelin Lifestyle)
Images: Courtesy
Cover Image: Courtesy “Bib Gourmand” recognized Paper Dosa, Santa Fe
The famed restaurant guide unveiled its inaugural MICHELIN Guide Southwest selection Wednesday, Aug. 26, recognizing 64 restaurants across New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and Utah.
Las Vegas dominated the top of the list, including the Southwest’s only Two MICHELIN Star restaurant, Restaurant de Joël Robuchon. Four restaurants received One MICHELIN Star distinctions.
No New Mexico restaurant received a MICHELIN Star in the inaugural guide, but a healthy dozen New Mexico restaurants were included among the Guide’s Bib Gourmand and Recommended selections.
Five New Mexico restaurants earn Bib Gourmand recognition
MICHELIN’s Bib Gourmand distinction recognizes restaurants offering what the Guide describes as great food at a great value. Of the 18 restaurants receiving the designation across the Southwest, six are in New Mexico:
- Frontier — 2400 Central Ave. SE, Albuquerque
- Jambo Cafe — 2010 Cerrillos Rd., Santa Fe
- La Choza — 905 Alarid St., Santa Fe
- Paper Dosa — 551 W. Cordova Rd., Santa Fe
- Tia Sophia’s — 210 W. San Francisco St., Santa Fe
Bib Gourmand recognized restaurants: (Left) La Choza, Santa Fe, (Right) Jambo Cafe, Santa Fe. Photos Courtesy La Choza and Jambo Cafe.
Seven more New Mexico restaurants make Michelin’s Recommended list
Another seven New Mexico restaurants were included among the Guide’s Recommended establishments:
- Arroyo Vino — 218 Camino La Tierra, Santa Fe
- Campo at Los Poblanos — 4803 Rio Grande Blvd. NW, Los Ranchos de Albuquerque
- Izanami — Ten Thousand Waves, 21 Ten Thousand Waves Way, Santa Fe
- Joseph’s Culinary Pub — 428 Agua Fria St., Santa Fe
- Market Steer — 213 Washington Ave., Santa Fe
- Paloma — 401 S. Guadalupe St., Santa Fe
- Restaurant Martin — 526 Galisteo St., Santa Fe
New Mexico also appeared among MICHELIN’s four Special Awards. Joseph Simonson of Campo at Los Poblanos received the MICHELIN Exceptional Cocktails Award.
Exceptional Cocktail Award winner Joseph Simonson of Campo at Los Poblanos. (Photo Courtesy Campo at Los Poblanos)
The inaugural selection is heavily concentrated in the northern half of New Mexico. Albuquerque and Los Ranchos de Albuquerque account for the state’s Albuquerque-area selections, while Santa Fe accounts for the remainder. No restaurant from Las Cruces or elsewhere in southern New Mexico was included in the inaugural MICHELIN Guide Southwest.
Still, the arrival of MICHELIN in the region puts New Mexico restaurants on a new international culinary map. While the state’s first MICHELIN Star will have to wait, its first class of recognized restaurants gives New Mexicans plenty to celebrate — and perhaps a few destinations for the next trip north.
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