LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas dining institution earned two Michelin stars at the inaugural Michelin Guide Southwest ceremony on Aug. 26, as restaurants and chefs from Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah received honors from the prestigious dining guide for the first time.
Restaurant de Joël Robuchon at MGM Grand took home the night's top honors with two Michelin stars, joining 39 other restaurants across the United States with the recognition. The contemporary French restaurant previously had three stars from the Michelin Guide before it suspended ratings in Las Vegas in 2010.
A Michelin star is a highly coveted honor in the dining industry, with recognition from the Michelin Guide serving as a mark of culinary excellence. Michelin's top rating, three
stars, suggests a restaurant is worth a dedicated trip. Two stars indicate a restaurant is worth a detour, while one star signifies a restaurant that is worth a stop.
Michelin's Bib Gourmand award recognizes restaurants that provide "simple yet skillful cooking at an accessible price."
Four restaurants received one star, with Monte in South Salt Lake City earning Utah's first Michelin star.
"Utah needed a change, Utah needed to grow about the gastronomy concept," chef Martín Babio of Monte told USA TODAY after the ceremony. "The star is about the hard work."
The ceremony, held at the Fontainebleau Resort on the Las Vegas Strip, also saw chefs receive individual honors ranging from the Michelin Sommelier Award to the Mindful Voices Award.
"I always wanted to thrive for whatever's coming next," Rene Andrade, who won the Michelin Young Chef Award, told USA TODAY after the ceremony.
When asked what it meant to be honored, the owner of Phoenix restaurants Bacanora and Huarachis Taqueriasaid: "It means that dreams do come true."
Here are the winners from the 2026 Michelin Southwest ceremony.
2026 Michelin Southwest award winners
Michelin Stars
Two stars
- Restaurant de Joël Robuchon: Las Vegas
One star
- é by José Andrés: Las Vegas
- Guy Savoy Las Vegas: Las Vegas
- L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon: Las Vegas
- Monte: South Salt Lake, Utah
Michelin Bib Gourmand
- China Poblano: Las Vegas
- Esther's Kitchen: Las Vegas
- Feldman's Deli: Salt Lake City
- FnB: Scottsdale, Arizona
- Frontier: Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Huarachis Taqueria: Phoenix
- Jambo Cafe: Santa Fe, New Mexico
- kid sister: Phoenix
- La Choza: Santa Fe, New Mexico
- Little Miss BBQ: Phoenix
- Lom Wong: Phoenix
- One More Noodle House: South Salt Lake
- Paper Dosa: Santa Fe, New Mexico
- Phở 777: West Valley City, Utah
- Pizzeria Bianco: Phoenix
- Tia Sophia's: Santa Fe
- Valentine: Phoenix
- YEN Viet Kitchen: Las Vegas
Michelin-recommended restaurants
- Anima by Edo: Las Vegas
- Arroyo Vino: Santa Fe
- Atria: Flagstaff, Arizona
- Bacanora: Phoenix
- Bouchon: Las Vegas
- Campo at Los Poblanos: Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Christopher's at Wrigley Mansion: Phoenix
- Cote Las Vegas: Las Vegas
- Estiatorio Milos: Las Vegas
- Fry Bread House: Phoenix
- Glai Baan: Phoenix
- Gymkhana Las Vegas: Las Vegas
- Handle: Park City, Utah
- Hush Public House: Scottsdale
- INDIBAR: Paradise Valley, Arizona
- Izanami: Santa Fe
- Joseph's Culinary Pub: Santa Fe
- Kabuto: Las Vegas
- Kame Omakase: Las Vegas
- Koyote: Salt Lake City
- Lamaii: Las Vegas
- Latha: Phoenix
- Market Steer: Santa Fe
- Matilda: Park City
- Michael Mina: Las Vegas
- Mott 32: Las Vegas
- Paloma: Santa Fe
- Partage: Las Vegas
- Pho Ga Bac Bac: Las Vegas
- Ping Pang Pong: Las Vegas
- Pretty Penny: Phoenix
- Reserve: Scottsdale
- Restaurant Martin: Santa Fe
- ShinBay: Scottsdale
- SoulBelly BBQ: Las Vegas
- Sparrow + Wolf: Las Vegas
- Star of India: Salt Lake City
- Stubborn Seed Las Vegas: Las Vegas
- The Nelson Cottage by High West: Park City
- Tratto: Phoenix
- Wing Lei: Las Vegas
Michelin Special awards
- Exceptional Cocktails: Joseph Simonson, Campo at Los Poblanos
- Michelin Sommelier: John Germain, Reserve
- Outstanding Service: Sean Christopher, Restaurant de Joël Robuchon
- Young Chef / Culinary Professional Award: René Andrade, Bacanora and Huarachis Taqueria
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 5 restaurants in these 2 states received Michelin stars
