The American South is now the home of Michelin Star restaurants, with Memphis earning one Bib Gourmand honor and four other local restaurants making the “recommended” list.
Michelin Guide recipients received their honors during a Nov. 3 ceremony at the Peace Center in Greenville, South Carolina. According to a news release, more than 200 restaurants were honored, including five in the Memphis area.
In 2025, the Michelin Guide — which first launched in 1900 — was expanded to include dining establishments in the American South, including Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, incorporated with the preexisting Atlanta Guide.
East Memphis’ Hog & Hominy was honored among the Michelin Guide’s 2025 Bib Gourmand restaurants.
Ten restaurants — including Nashville’s Bastion — earned Michelin Stars. Michelin-starred restaurants are distinguished by their outstanding cuisine. Inspectors focus on the restaurants’ use of quality ingredients, the harmony of flavors, the mastery of techniques, the chef’s personality as expressed through their food, and the consistency of the menu, as demonstrated over time.
In addition to Michelin Stars, the guide recognizes restaurants with Bib Gourmand awards. This rating system recognizes restaurants that offer the best value for money, which translates to a three-course meal at a reasonable price, considering the area’s cost of living. This year, there were 228 Bib Gourmand and recommended restaurants, representing 44 cuisine styles.
East Memphis’ Hog & Hominy — which bills itself as Italian cooking with Southern roots — was honored among the 2025 Bib Gourmand restaurants, the only local eatery to earn that distinction.
Four other Memphis spots were also recognized as part of Michelin’s “American South’s 2025 Recommended Restaurants.” Those included:
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The Lobbyist, “New American Style” restaurant located Downtown inside The Chisca.
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Petals of a Peony, a Chengdu-style Sichuan restaurant in Cordova (there are three additional locations in the area.)
For more information, go to guide.michelin.com.
The USA TODAY Network contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: 5 Memphis restaurants make new Michelin Guide to the American South
