The California MICHELIN Guide 2024 unveils seven novel one MICHELIN Star diners and three fresh two MICHELIN Star spots. The entire collection was publicized Monday, August 5 at the Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay.
Eggplant, Offspring & Offspring and Vesper have been each bestowed two MICHELIN Stars, with Vesper being the newest environmentally conscious Star restaurant in the lineup. California now boasts 13 two MICHELIN Starred eateries and 16 Environmentally Friendly Stars.
”California still remains a beacon of greatness as the food landscape continues to develop and show off emerging talents and cuisines,” declared Gwendal Poullennec, the International Manager of the MICHELIN Guides. ”This year we are pleased to embrace 10 new diners into the MICHELIN Starred family, along with an additional newly awarded Environmentally Friendly Star.”
”Our Evaluators remain astounded by this year’s selection and raise a toast to the outstanding chefs and restaurant squads being acknowledged. The wide variety of culinary options will thrill food enthusiasts both locally and internationally and keep California in the limelight.”
An aggregate of eighty-five MICHELIN Starred restaurants form the 2024 edition of the California MICHELIN Guide. Listed below are the recent MICHELIN Starred diners, with detailed insights from each Inspector (Complete comments from Inspectors can be accessed on the MICHELIN Guide website and mobile application):
Two MICHELIN Stars
Eggplant (Carmel-by-the-Beach; Modern/Californian)
An attitude of relaxed luxury and finesse strikes a delightful chord within L’Auberge Carmel, where every aspect seems tailored to please. Chef Justin Cogley balances traditional methods with a sleek, contemporary style, and his cuisine captures a distinct sense of belonging that feels completely unique. Ingredients of exceptional quality are skillfully prepared and meticulously presented with an artistic touch, such as a surprising ‘cabbage’ taco filled with shallot jam, Madeira-braised treviso, Kaluga queen caviar, and cabbage chips. The culinary hits keep on coming, like the rice roulade with Dungeness crab finished in a white dashi and butter sauce or the triple-seared dry-aged ribeye brushed in wagyu XO.
Offspring & Offspring (San Francisco; Modern)
A sleekly minimalist new Scandinavian trend is clearer than ever in Chef Harrison Cheney‘s refined tasting menu that skillfully intertwines an array of preserved fruits and vegetables, flawless seafood, and aged meats. Meals kick off with impressive offerings like a refreshing cured California trout enhanced with a chilled fish bone broth topped with herbed oil. Rutabaga is transformed into thin, flat strands reminiscent of pasta and dressed with a creamy smoked pork fat sauce. The applewood roasted quail showcases crisped-skin breast served with a luscious jus and a bouquet of Napa Valley greens, while the leg and thigh are coated with fermented blueberry.
Vesper (Culver City; Modern)
Embarking on a fresh chapter, Chef Jordan Kahn’s distinctive establishment emerges from a lengthy hiatus with a revitalized creative vision. Diners experience an extraordinary menu that moves between floors as the meal unfolds. Each dish is visually striking, with cuisine that is not only daringly inventive, but also showcases finely honed techniques and impeccably balanced flavors as evident in an artistic dish of scallop with passionfruit, ají amarillo, and horseradish tuile petals, or an ‘obsidian mirror’ of smoked mussel cream with salted plum. The meal concludes as strongly as it commences, with a captivating dessert featuring a kaleidoscope of flavors. Alongside their affiliated restaurants, Vesper ensures full utilization of all ingredients.
One MICHELIN Star
Harold and Jessica (San Francisco; American)
Offering arguably the most creative and ambitious brunch experience in the Bay Area, this endearing passion project from co-proprietors Kristina Compton and Rachel Sillcocks gains additional brilliance from the duo’s extensive fine dining background—each also contributed a grandparent for the diner’s name. The food here is neither delicate nor manicured. It is often bold and assertive, a complete blend of flavors combined with top-notch ingredients, and dishes are equally surprising and unquestionably gratifying. During dinner, discover a rotating, seasonal multi-course menu with several optional enhancements.
Sea Monster (Los Angeles; Mexican)
Chef Gilbert Cetina, previously collaborating with his father at the neighboring booth Chichen Itza, draws inspiration from Mexican coastal cuisines in dishes whose simplicity belies incredible flavor. Exceptional seafood of impeccable freshness makes an impression, whether in vibrantly colorful agua chiles and ceviches, outstanding tacos served on homemade heirloom corn tortillas, or expertly grilled lobster—various exceptional house salsas enhance the experience. The frequently updated menu offers a plethora of delights, and a sought-after tasting menu, available by reservation only on Thursdays and Fridays, is in high demand.
Oven (San Francisco; Modern)
Veterans of the industry Chef John Wesley and general director Julianna Yang have united talents at Oven, where the warehouse ambiance is warmed by welcoming service and the kitchen delivers skillful creations. The tasting menu leans towards Scandinavian cuisine, emphasizing preservation methods such as curing, drying, and fermentation in dishes that may seem simple, but are actually crafted with intricate techniques and captivating flavor pairings. Opening snacks like a crispy spiral of puffed beef tendon capture this philosophy, while others, like a squab breast glazed with burnt honey and accompanied by a truffled jus, exhibit a classical touch.
Monastery (Los Angeles; Creative)
This fanciful, immersive setting is somewhat ethereal, with its twisted greenery, moody lighting, and hypnotic soundtrack, but visitors will gladly succumb to its charm when they savor Chef Jordan Kahn’s unique cuisine. Primitive live-fire cooking merges with a zero-waste philosophy and a trove of sustainably sourced wild and organic ingredients to create dishes that are as unforgettable as they are delectable. Charred yam with a buttery sauce enhanced with smoked trout roe and grilled hazelnuts transcends its components, and a plate of raw scallops with a vibrant macadamia nut tiger’s milk, banana, and crispy kelp both astounds and captivates.
R|O-RebelOmakase (Laguna Beach; Japanese)
At this dining establishment, known as omakase, a selection of two seatings is offered each night for reservation, curated by Chef Jordan Nakasone. The culinary experience, deeply rooted in tradition, showcases a modern twist emphasizing seasonal variations and top-notch ingredients. Aside from exceptional sushi options like Japanese white salmon and shima aji, the menu also boasts a variety of kitchen creations. Among these are gindara, a delightful piece of cod complemented by a memorable cauliflower dashi, adorned with tonburi, and a comforting chawanmushi topped with firefly squid along with shaved bottarga.
7 Adams (San Francisco; Californian)
In the bustling city of San Francisco, locating a five-course meal priced under a hundred dollars is quite a challenge. Yet, chefs Serena and David Fisher effortlessly achieve this feat in their new chic venue. The cuisine presented exudes an unpretentious Californian elegance, showcasing impeccable culinary skills and thoughtful flavor pairings that allow the seasonal ingredients to shine. For example, envision meticulously crafted caramelle pasta filled with the delightful blend of sweet, nutty kabocha squash and buttery chanterelles, or a crispy-skinned black cod served with sunchoke confit and exquisite shellfish broth. The meal is always concluded on a high note with desserts like a perfectly moist apple crumb cake adorned with orange bay leaf ice cream and satsuma granita.
Uka (Los Angeles; Japanese)
Within the Japanese House at the Ovation Hollywood, Chef Yoshitaka Mitsue and Chef Shingo Kato (previously of the Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations) alongside two attentive servers meticulously attend to every detail at this modern and sophisticated retreat. Premium fish sourced from Japan, flown in bi-weekly, and either cured or aged on-site sets the stage for the kaiseki dining adventure at Uka, where patrons can relish in six or nine courses. While the menu predominantly leans towards traditional offerings, such as the kabutamushi, a dumpling filled with Japanese sea bream, French influences sneak into dishes like grilled abalone with a butter ponzu sauce and wagyu served with red wine jus and miso butter sauce.
MICHELIN Green Star
Vespertine (Culver City; Contemporary)
Key features: sourcing ingredients responsibly from biodynamic, organic, or wild origins; collaborating with two local farms practicing biodynamic agriculture; incorporating locally foraged herbs; securing sustainable seafood from indigenous fishing communities or local fishers; using open pasture grass-fed beef; showcasing a commitment to sustainability in the dining room ambiance with wool carpeting, recycled glassware, and ceramic serving pieces harvested from the wild.
Image Source: Pawel Michalowski / Shutterstock
