Austin Has 7 Michelin Stars. Here's Which Ones Locals Actually Go To.
Austin holds 7 Michelin one-stars and roughly 16 Bib Gourmands as of the 2024/2025 Texas guide — more one-stars than any other Texas city. Three of the stars went to barbecue, a first anywhere in the world. Here's which ones locals actually go to.
Last updated August 9, 2026
A Michelin star tells you a meal is exceptional. It doesn't tell you whether you can walk in on a Tuesday, whether it's worth the drive, or whether a local would actually pick it over the Bib Gourmand next door. This is the annotated version.
One-star
Barley Swine
Chef Bryce Gilmore's wood-fire-driven tasting menu — the restaurant that helped define the modern Austin food-trailer-to-fine-dining arc, before he went on to win the Chronicle poll's Chef category twice over.
4.7 stars, 1,445 reviews. $$$$.
Craft Omakase
Omakase-only sushi counter — book ahead, this isn't a walk-in.
5 stars, 526 reviews. $$$$.
Hestia
A steakhouse with a star, which is rarer than it sounds — most Michelin attention in Austin goes to tasting menus and barbecue, not steak.
4.5 stars, 1,023 reviews. $$$$.
One-star (barbecue, a world first)
Leroy and Lewis Barbecue
Won Best Barbecue in the 2026 Chronicle Readers Poll on top of the star — the rare case where critics and 33,000 voters agree.
4.4 stars, 2,401 reviews. $$. The bacon rib is the signature.
la Barbecue
Four blocks from Franklin, with a fraction of the wait — bolder and saltier, with a thicker bark.
4.4 stars, 3,534 reviews. $$.
Interstellar BBQ
Out on RR 620 in NW Austin — the drive is the actual filter on how bad you want it.
4.5 stars, 2,167 reviews. $$. Open Wed–Sun, 11am–4pm or until sellout.
Bib Gourmand (the ones locals actually go to)
Distant Relatives
Chef Damien Brockway explores the African roots of American barbecue — the most intellectually interesting BBQ in the city, and a Bib Gourmand rather than a star.
4.5 stars, 299 reviews. $$.
FAQ
- What's the top pick in "Austin Has 7 Michelin Stars. Here's Which Ones Locals Actually Go To."?
- Barley Swine is our top pick.
- How many spots are in this guide?
- We've featured 7 venues in "Austin Has 7 Michelin Stars. Here's Which Ones Locals Actually Go To.."
