Michelin Guide Awards 63 Restaurants Across Colorado

Aspen —The sky outside the warehouse windows at Mile High Station was streaked with pink as the sun dipped below the Denver skyline. Inside, the air hummed with the low murmur of a statewide industry reunion. Chefs stood shoulder-to-shoulder with mixologists, servers mingled with tourism leaders, and journalists jotted notes between bites from the food stations. It wasn’t just an awards ceremony; it was a collective exhale for a hospitality sector that has spent the last four years proving its worth on the national stage.

The occasion was the fourth annual announcement of the Michelin Guide Colorado Awards. Since the guide began evaluating restaurants in 2023, it has fundamentally shifted how the state views its own culinary identity. The press release dropped on a Monday morning, but the real energy arrived that evening during the invite-only ceremony. For many in the room, the night felt less like a competition and more like a validation of hard work.

One of the most talked-about moments involved the Sommelier of the Year award, which has recently highlighted the depth of talent in the Aspen area. In 2024, the honor went to Chris Dunaway, wine director at The Little Nell. Last year, the recognition shifted to Nick Heileman, wine director at Bosq. Both men are deeply knowledgeable, and their gratitude for the judges’ discernment was palpable. This continuity of excellence in the Aspen region — where Element 47, Prospect at Hotel Jerome, and Mawa’s Kitchen have held Recommended Restaurant status since the beginning, and Bosq has remained the area’s only one-star restaurant — signals a stable, high-quality dining ecosystem.

The broader 2026 selection marked a milestone: the first-ever statewide selection for Colorado. The lineup now includes 63 restaurants representing 22 distinct cuisines. The state’s roster boasts one two-star establishment, The Wolf’s Tailor, alongside nine one-star honorees. While the Denver metro area still holds the majority of these distinctions, the guide’s reach is expanding. New additions in Breckenridge and Telluride highlight the growing culinary appeal of the mountain west.

New faces joined the ranks this year. Milpero in Denver became the state’s newest Michelin Star restaurant. Three new Bib Gourmand recipients, Annette in Aurora, and Pig and Tiger and Rougarou in Denver - were also announced, celebrating great food at accessible prices.

Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the Michelin Guide, framed the expansion as a reflection of the state’s evolution. “The first statewide Colorado selection reflects the remarkable evolution of the state’s culinary landscape from its humble beginnings in 2023,” he said. “From established culinary hubs to emerging dining destinations, the talent, creativity and diversity found throughout Colorado continue to impress our Inspectors. The evolving culinary scene has become a destination in and of itself, offering travelers compelling reasons to explore the state through its restaurants.”

As the night wound down, the room filled with the flash of cameras for a final group photo of all the winners. The energy remained high, a shared sense of pride in what the state’s kitchens and dining rooms have achieved. Outside, the darkening sky over the city served as a quiet backdrop to the loud, celebratory success of another year in Colorado’s culinary history.