Three dozen Tennessee restaurants have been named in the debut Michelin Guide for the American South, including three One Michelin Star recipients in. Here’s what to know.

Three Nashville restaurants earned the city's first ever prestigious Michelin star recommendations: Bastion, The Catbird Seat and Locust. The Hermitage Hotel also earned two Michelin keys, one of the highest global hospitality honors available.

A crowd of more than 100 people watched Nashville restaurants awarded top honors at Bastion's Big Bar in Wedgewood Houston.

Eight restaurants in the metro Atlanta area are keeping the MICHELIN Stars previously awarded to them. A ninth restaurant does not still have a Star, but remains among the dozens of others restaurants that MICHELIN recommends. Atlas, Bacchanalia, Hayakawa, Lazy Betty, Mujō, O by Brush, Omakase Table and Spring all received a Star.

Emeril’s in the Warehouse District debuted in the guide with two stars. Saint-Germain on St. Claude Avenue and Mid-City’s Zasu each received one star. The restaurants are the first in New Orleans to receive the honor. Zasu chef and owner Sue Zemanick said she had to verify the news online before believing it was real.

The 2025 selection highlights 228 restaurants across 44 cuisine types, linking dining destinations for Southern road-trip travelers.

"It's around the concept of us being Counter- to how every restaurant runs and opens. We are Counter-intuitive etc."

Back in 1889, two brothers founded the Michelin tire company in France. With only a few thousand cars in the country at the time, they created a guide for drivers—like where to gas up and places to visit—hoping to encourage road trips and, ultimately, tire sales.