Some of Austin’s top restaurants are celebrating their highly coveted Star status awarded by MICHELIN Guide Texas. Just a few of the ingredients that contributed to their success include responsible food sourcing, creative cooking techniques and a commitment to sustainability. Learn about Austin’s MICHELIN One Star and Green Star restaurants, then make reservations to check them out yourself.

Small, round pastry topped with cream and a skull-topped skewer covered in crispy bacon.
Barley Swine. Credit Richard Casteel.

One Star

Seven Austin restaurants earned a single star, signifying a "very good" restaurant rating. 

Fresh, regionally sourced ingredients are key at owner and executive chef Bryce Gilmore’s Barley Swine, where the menu continually changes depending on the season’s bounty. Offerings might include grilled halibut with persimmon curry, pig face carnitas or 30+-day aged Akaushi ribeye steak. It’s the bold flavors and creative presentation that take meals to the next level. Desserts can range from simple brown butter chocolate chip cookies to an intriguing sunflower-and-miso layer cake made with apple jelly, chocolate ganache and peanuts. The contemporary yet rustic restaurant offers optional beer and wine pairings to complement its innovative dishes. Try the small plate tasting menu for an elevated experience, with options for vegetarians and pescatarians. 

At superb Japanese restaurant Craft Omakase, patrons receive a welcome drink as they mingle with fellow diners. After moving into the intimate 12-seat dining room, the fine dining experience begins. Chefs craft a 22-course culinary journey right in front of guests, explaining each step while using seasonal, meticulously sourced foods like ocean trout, shiitake mushrooms and wagyu beef. A new menu of hot and cold offerings is created for each service. Diners are treated to complex flavors, intricate presentations and attentive service. Craft Omakase exudes the principles of Japanese cuisine — balance, comfort, seasonality, technique and tradition. 

Image of a white plate with slices of rare steak and a charred wedge of lettuce.
Courtesy of Hestia.

Hestia offers wood-fired American cuisine prepared by talented chefs who command the room from a 20-foot hearth. Choose from the tasting menu or order snacks, small plates and entrees a la carte. On any given night, choices might include a crab tostada with cucumber, pecan and salsa macha, beef tongue with pastrami, horseradish and beets, or halibut served with shiro dashi beurre monte, corn and caviar. Splurge on the dry-aged Texas wagyu ribeye with grilled green onion, okra and fermented green peaches. End your meal with sourdough ice cream draped in caramel, tomato-orange jam and strawberry ash powder, or the bu​ñuelo, consisting of cinnamon panna cotta, smoked coconut ice cream and roselle jam, paired with a dessert wine.  

Quality meats cooked over Texas post oak earned InterStellar BBQ its MICHELIN Star. Owner, chef and pitmaster John Bates takes slow-cooked pork ribs, turkey, brisket and other meats to the next level by using top-tier ingredients. House-made sausages include a traditional beef kielbasa and the jalapeño popper — beef, pork, chunks of bacon, jalapeño and cheddar. Must-order sides include jalapeño slaw, scalloped potatoes and pasta shells topped with smoked gouda cheese sauce. Get in line as early as 11 a.m. to either dine in or order take-out, as their food sells out fast. Pre-orders guarantee you won’t miss a meal.

A custom-made smoker filled with seasoned post oak turns out the delicious low-and-slow brisket, pork, turkey and sausages at la Barbecue. Everything’s fresh here, including house-made traditional, jalapeño and chipotle sausages. The grass-fed, hormone-free beef comes from a local ranch. Choose meats by the pound, sandwiches served on potato buns and sides like chipotle slaw, potato salad and beans. Spicy garlic pickles and other pickled items are a specialty and include red onions, jalapeños and kimchi. Sip a local beer or cocktail as you savor your meal.

Image of a meal at Olamaie with chicken and vegetables sitting on top of a white sauce.
Courtesy of Olamaie.

The owners of the beloved LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue food truck opened a 150-seat brick-and-mortar location in 2024. The restaurant continues to offer “new school” barbecue with old-school service under the direction of partners Evan and Lindsey LeRoy and Sawyer and Nathan Lewis. Their meat is locally and sustainably sourced from area farms and ranches. Favorite items include beef cheeks, brisket, flat iron steak, tri tip, pulled whole hog and sausages, with sides like beef fat potato chips or pork hash and rice. Even vegetarians can find smoked fare like cauliflower burnt ends and miso-glazed carrots on the menu. Buy a bottle of their unique beet barbecue sauce to take home.

Using traditional recipes passed down over four generations, Olamaie founder and executive chef Michael Fojtasek and chef de cuisine Amanda Turner offer modern variations of Southern favorites in an intimate dining room. First course options include seasonal oysters “Rockafella” with collard greens and cheddar. Main course dishes feature dayboat fish with moppin’ sauce, tomato and crispy cornbread, squash melange with butter beans and spring onions,  and a pork chop with creamed corn, poirer’s glaze and lime. Meals are best accompanied by Olamaie’s signature buttermilk biscuit (with the option of adding caviar). End your meal on a sweet note with the Baked Texas cobbler or a cucumber-melon sundae. Try Olamaie’s tasting menu for a well-rounded experience.

Hand scooping a spoonful of pasta covered in finely shredded cheese, peas and microgreens.
Emmer & Rye (Green Star). Credit to Mars Tello.

Green Star

Three Austin restaurants received a MICHELIN Green Star, in recognition of their commitment to sustainable practices.

Dai Due, a combination butcher shop and supper club, takes pride in supporting local farms and ranches, serving food focused on regional ingredients. Thus, the menu changes with the seasons. Behind the concept are chef and co-owner Jesse Griffiths and business partner Tamara Mayfield, who share their techniques during butchery classes. They preserve harvests by drying, canning, pickling, fermenting and freezing. The chef cooks with Texas olive oil and animal fats, sources Texas-brewed beer and serves wine made from Texas-grown grapes. Stop by for dinner or weekend brunch. Go online to order their signature products, including house bone broth, organic yellow cornmeal and poultry seasoning.

A menu that changes daily showcases Emmer & Rye’s focus on serving seasonal and local food in its quest to be a carbon-neutral restaurant. Pastry chef and co-founder Tavel Bristol-Joseph and his team employ a variety of eco-conscious techniques. They mill heirloom grains for breads, pastas and desserts, and order whole animals to be butchered. A fermentation process captures flavors at their peak. Order a dish off the menu or choose a nightly dim sum-style special from a cart as it passes your table. A sample menu might include tender Texas wagyu carpaccio, Johnny cakes and French ravioli. The extensive bar menu includes sake, cider and zero-proof options.

Nixta Taqueria, from chef Edgar Rico and Sara Mardanbigi, joins the ranks of Austin's Green Star recipients, recognized for their commitment to environmentally conscious gastronomy. The foundation of their acclaimed tacos is a dedication to the ancient Mexican practice of nixtamalization, using heirloom corn sourced from a fifth-generation family of farmers in Oaxaca. This focus on traditional methods and responsible sourcing is key to their sustainability efforts. The taqueria, which also holds a Bib Gourmand award for great value, further minimizes its environmental footprint by maintaining an onsite garden to supply the restaurant and local community fridges with fresh produce. Make a reservation to try the new tasting menu.

For One Star and Green Star restaurants to Bib Gourmands and MICHELIN-recommended spots, explore the full list of MICHELIN-recognized restaurants in Austin.