Michelin adds 11 Los Angeles restaurants

Michelin added 11 Los Angeles-area restaurants to its California Guide on May 20, placing them among 21 new California additions ahead of the guide’s annual awards ceremony. The newly listed restaurants now appear in Michelin’s California selection with a “New” designation on the company’s website and app, Michelin said. The additions do not yet mean the restaurants have won stars or Bib Gourmand status. Michelin said those distinctions will be announced on June 24. The Los Angeles additions span Beverly Hills, Studio City, Los Feliz, Mar Vista, Sawtelle, Pico-Robertson, the Arts District, downtown Los Angeles and Rosemead, according to Michelin and local reports. The list mixes tasting-menu counters and neighborhood spots, including Sonoratown, a longtime taqueria with locations in downtown Los Angeles, Mid-City and Long Beach. Michelin’s May update is one of the guide’s twice-yearly additions to its California selection. ### Which Los Angeles restaurants were added this time? The 11 Los Angeles-area restaurants are Miura in Beverly Hills, ALTO in Studio City, Casa Leo in Los Feliz, Electric Bleu in Mar Vista, Kojima in Sawtelle, Lielle in Pico-Robertson, Lynx in the Arts District, The Mulberry in Sawtelle, Sonoratown, SORA Craft Kitchen in downtown Los Angeles and Good Alley in Rosemead, according to NBC Los Angeles and Michelin’s California additions page. (guide.michelin.com) Michelin described the additions as restaurants that had “won over” its inspectors. Michelin’s own descriptions show the range it added in Los Angeles. Miura is led by chef Derek Wilcox in Beverly Hills; ALTO is a live-fire restaurant in Studio City from chefs Juana Castellanos Lagemann and Esteban Klenzi; Casa Leo is chef-owner Joshua Whigham’s Spanish-inspired restaurant; and Electric Bleu is chef-owner Craig Hopson’s French bistro in Mar Vista, Michelin said. (nbclosangeles.com) Kojima, Michelin added, is chef Hayato Kojima’s eight-seat Sawtelle counter, while Lielle is chef Marcus Jernmark’s tasting-menu restaurant. ### Does this mean these restaurants have Michelin stars now? Michelin said no new stars or Bib Gourmands were announced in the May 20 additions. The company said new restaurants are added to the selection twice a year and highlighted with a “New” symbol before annual distinctions are revealed. Eater LA reported the Los Angeles additions are now in consideration for further recognition, including Michelin stars or a Bib Gourmand, at the June 24 ceremony. (guide.michelin.com) The California Guide update recognized 21 restaurants statewide, with 11 in the Los Angeles area and seven in the Bay Area, according to Eater San Francisco. Michelin’s additions also included restaurants in La Jolla, Santa Barbara and Palm Springs. (guide.michelin.com) ### Why is Sonoratown drawing attention on this list? Sonoratown stands out because it is a longtime Los Angeles taqueria rather than a newly opened tasting-menu restaurant. NBC Los Angeles said the May additions ranged from omakase counters and tasting-menu destinations to neighborhood taquerias and Korean American cuisine. Michelin’s Los Angeles restaurant page now lists Sonoratown as a new entry in the guide. (sf.eater.com) The broader Los Angeles group also includes newer restaurants such as Lynx and The Mulberry alongside more established names, according to local coverage. That mix reflects Michelin’s practice of adding restaurants to the selection before deciding whether they later receive stars or Bib Gourmand recognition. (nbclosangeles.com) ### How does Michelin decide what comes next? Michelin says its inspectors assess restaurants using criteria that include ingredient quality, harmony of flavors, mastery of technique, the chef’s voice in the cuisine and consistency over time, according to local reporting summarizing Michelin’s standards. Stars and Bib Gourmands are separate distinctions from simple inclusion in the guide. (nbclosangeles.com) June 24 is the next date on the calendar. Michelin said the annual California ceremony will be held in San Diego, where the full 2026 California Guide and this year’s stars and Bib Gourmands will be unveiled. (guide.michelin.com) (diningandcooking.com)