When the Michelin Guide announced its entry into the Southwest region this year, the Phoenix food scene found itself with plenty of reason to hold its breath.
Michelin, first published in France in 1900 to encourage more road trips (yes, it’s that Michelin man!), has evolved into one of the most influential restaurant guides in the world.
The first-ever award ceremony for Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Arizona took place last night in Las Vegas. And although Arizona walked away star-less, the night still presented plenty of reasons to celebrate.
The Michelin Guide Individual Chef Awards
I have beef with the fact that we didn’t take home any stars, but I did agree with the Young Chef Award recipient. I was hovering over my livestream of the event when they were about to announce the winner, and I said aloud, “I bet René Andrade is going to snatch it.”
And then, out of all four states, our 2024 James Beard Award winner for Best Chef: Southwest did just that.
Andrade, the chef behind Bacanora and Huarachis Taqueria, has practically become Phoenix’s golden child since he first opened Bacanora back in 2021, a tiny live-fire cooking concept that serves as an ode to his Sonoran roots.
Phoenix picked up two more individual honors when John Germain, wine director of Reserve in Scottsdale, received Michelin’s Sommelier Award, and Charleen Badman of FnB was given a Mindful Voices Award.
The Mindful Voices Award is for chefs “rewriting the rules in their respective fields,” as Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guide, described it.
It’s about staying true to identity and values while continuing to innovate. Badman took home the honor for her commitment to supporting local farms. It’s a well-deserved award for a chef who helped pave the way for more Phoenix restaurants to work closely with local growers, embrace seasonal produce and push the limits of what can be turned into art on the plate.
The Guide’s Selected Restaurants
The Guide also unveiled its inaugural list of Selected Restaurants, with 12 Arizona restaurants making the cut. Eleven are in metro Phoenix: Bacanora, Christopher’s at Wrigley Mansion, Fry Bread House, Glai Baan, Hush Public House, INDIBAR, Latha, Pretty Penny, Reserve, ShinBay and Tratto. Atria in Flagstaff rounded out the Arizona selections.
It’s an eclectic list and one that may surprise Phoenicians for its range. From white-tablecloth tasting menus to Thai street food to Indigenous fry bread, it seems the inspectors weren’t particularly interested in equating fine dining with formality.
Michelin’s Bib Gourmands 2026
Bib Gourmand recognizes restaurants offering high-quality food at a good value, and this is the list I am completely ecstatic about. Of the 18 Bib Gourmands awarded across the Southwest, seven went to Arizona restaurants — nearly 40%.
On the list was my personal favorite, and a spot I recommend to every tourist, Valentine, a restaurant devoted to championing Southwest ingredients in innovative ways. Andrade had quite a night, too, because his other concept, Huarachis Taqueria, scored a Bib Gourmand.
Little Miss BBQ, recently named Yelp’s No. 1 barbecue spot in the country, also took home a Bib Gourmand, as did beloved local favorite Pizzeria Bianco. Also on the list, Lom Wong, the restaurant from Yotaka Martin, the 2025 James Beard Award winner for Best Chef: Southwest. Finally, Badman’s FnB (she also won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest in 2019) and a great local wine bar, Kid Sister.
Notable Misses
Okay, so who do we think should’ve made the list this year?
Let’s start with Chilté. The new-wave Mexican restaurant deserved a Bib Gourmand for its innovative and experimental menu at an approachable price point. Chef Lawrence “LT” Smith was a James Beard Emerging Chef semifinalist in 2025, and Chilté has attracted plenty of national attention. It’s one of my favorite places to eat and one that I gush about often.
And then there’s Tacos Chiwas. Nadia Holguin and Armando Hernandez were 2026 James Beard Award semifinalists for Best Chef: Southwest. Their family-run restaurant is another fixture in the Valley’s Mexican food scene, known for Chihuahua-style tacos, gorditas, and burritos.
Progress, the Melrose District restaurant that built its reputation around seasonal cooking and an ever-changing menu, should also have garnered some Michelin recognition. After all, chef TJ Culp was named a 2026 James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: Southwest.
Oh, and where was Kai? Kai at Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass is one of Arizona’s most decorated restaurants, with a fine-dining menu influenced by the ingredients and culinary traditions of the Gila River Indian Community. If there was an Arizona restaurant diners expected to hear called on Michelin night, this was likely it.
But the biggest omission might not be a restaurant at all as Tucson was completely skipped over. The entire inaugural Arizona list is concentrated in metro Phoenix, with one Selected Restaurant in Flagstaff. Tucson, a UNESCO City of Gastronomy and one of the state’s most distinctive food destinations, didn’t land a single restaurant on Michelin’s inaugural Arizona list.
I just spent a foodie weekend there, and let me tell you, the hype is well deserved. To leave the city out feels like a low blow to a place internationally recognized for its food culture. Of course, Michelin inspectors will be back. And if the inaugural Guide proved anything, it’s that our state has plenty of restaurants worth watching.
Maybe next year we’ll finally see some stars. What do you think about this year’s awards? Let us know in the comments.
