It has been a long, fall season of very few wins for New Orleans, but leave it to the city’s iconic culinary scene to finally deliver a much-needed victory.
Emeril’s in New Orleans is the sole restaurant to earn two MICHELIN Stars in the inaugural The MICHELIN Guide American South 2025, a new regional publication by a globally recognized standard for excellence in the culinary world.
Three stars is the highest level of accreditation a restaurant can receive from the MICHELIN Guide, and it is rare that a restaurant debuts in the guide at the two-star rating. There are only 35 restaurants across the country rated at two stars by MICHELIN.
In addition to Emeril’s two-star rating, chef E.J. Lagasse, son of legendary chef Emeril Lagasse, was recognized with the MICHELIN Young Chef/Culinary Professional Award.
All recognized restaurants and honorees were announced at the MICHELIN Guide to the American South Ceremony held Monday evening in Greenville, South Carolina. A total of 228 restaurants will be included in the inaugural publication with Emeril’s the only restaurant in the South earning two stars, and 18 restaurants earning one MICHELIN star, including two New Orleans restaurants – Saint-Germain and Zasu.
Twenty-nine additional New Orleans restaurants received recognition at other MICHELIN Guide levels, including 11 earning the “Bib Gourmand” distinction (offering great food at a great value), and 18 honored among “Michelin Recommended Restaurants.”
The founders of the Michelin Tire Company, Andre and Edouard Michelin, created the Michelin Guide in 1900, and Michelin debuted its first North American restaurant guide in 2005 for New York. In April 2025, Michelin and Travel South USA announced an inaugural MICHELIN Guide American South publication, covering top restaurants across Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, all to join the pre-existing Atlanta Guide.
The prestigious guide has an independent selection process determined by anonymous inspectors who visit the businesses for consideration. Stars and honors are based on five universal criteria: 1) quality products; 2) the harmony of flavors; 3) the mastery of cooking techniques; 4) the voice and personality of the chef as reflected in the cuisine; and 5) consistency between each visit and throughout the menu (each restaurant is inspected several times a year).
Emeril’s Has “Celebrated Creole Cuisine for More Than Three Decades”
Emeril’s is legendary chef Emeril Lagasse’s acclaimed flagship restaurant, and since 1990, the Warehouse District restaurant on Tchoupitoulas St. has introduced a fresh, creative approach to culinary traditions that redefine Creole cuisine. Today, the Lagasse flagship is helmed by his son E.J. who carries on Emeril’s culinary legacy.
“The young E.J. Lagasse, son of the indomitable namesake, now oversees a remarkable dining room that has celebrated Creole cuisine for more than three decades,” writes the MICHELIN Guide field inspectors in their research. “His determination is palpable as he charts a new course, bringing contemporary refinement and vibrant originality to the fore.”
Two MICHELIN Stars are awarded when the personality and talent of the chef are evident in their expertly crafted dishes; the food is refined and inspired, and the restaurant is “worth the detour,” as defined by the MICHELIN Guide.
“BBQ shrimp tarts, deep-flavored gumbo and superb, golden-brown cornbread paired with French butter feel familiar and new at once. This is cooking that bursts with personality and class and never at the cost of flavor,” writes the inspectors. “Generously spaced tables and plush banquettes offer direct, unobstructed views into a gleaming kitchen fronted by floor-to-ceiling glass. All the while, a superb service team tends to every detail with warmth and generosity.”
Bywater’s Saint-Germain and Mid-City’s Zasu Earn One MICHELIN Star
MICHELIN Guide inspectors write “the old adage about not judging a book by its cover couldn’t be more apt for this little restaurant in Bywater.”
Saint-Germain is a contemporary cuisine restaurant with a 10+ course tasting menu and dining experience located in a double shotgun in the Bywater. Saint-Germain opened in 2018 on St. Claude Ave. and was launched by co-chefs Trey Smith and Blake Aguillard, and business partner Drew Delaughter.
“An unassuming front advertising ‘natural wines and garden patio’ leads to a quaint bar where Chefs Blake Aguillard and Trey Smith start the meal with a few pleasant bites,” writes the MICHELIN Guide field inspectors in their research. “The contemporary tasting kicks into high gear with a griddled cornbread cake smeared with butter aged and cultured in-house. A series of petite courses follows, each one showcasing refined sauces and bold flavors. Carolina Gold rice with crab and ginger is a winter-proof knockout. Other hits include squab with creamed greens as well as a warm cheese soufflé bolstered by brûléed sugar.”
A MICHELIN one-star rating signifies a restaurant that serves high-quality cooking, uses high-quality ingredients, skilled techniques, and is “worth a stop”.
Zasu is also worth a stop. The upscale, fine dining, American Contemporary Cuisine restaurant opened in 2019 on North Carrollton Ave. in Mid City and has emerged on the New Orleans culinary scene led by James Beard award-winning chef Sue Zemanick.
“Chef Sue Zemanick is no stranger to the New Orleans dining scene, having spent time in the kitchens of some of the city’s famed restaurants before opening Zasu in 2019,” writes the MICHELIN Guide field inspectors. “Set in an easy-to-miss cottage in Mid-City, it’s an elegant oasis with a sleek dining room marked by wood floors, dark green walls and gold tones.”
The MICHELIN Guide inspectors continue: “The menu is tightly edited, featuring a dozen or so dishes focused on seafood and blending local flavors with French techniques. A scallop shell holds two perfectly seared scallops in a Thai chile-lime butter with watermelon radish for a refreshing opener, while tilefish on a bed of Swiss chard, sweet potatoes and beech mushrooms in a beurre blanc is a satisfying main course.”
Eleven New Orleans Restaurants Receive “Bib Gourmand” Distinction
The MICHELIN Guide inspectors awarded 50 restaurants in the South with the Bib Gourmand distinction, which recognizes eateries for offering great food at a great value. Eleven New Orleans restaurants were included in that number, including:
MICHELIN Recognizes 18 “Recommended Restaurants” in New Orleans
Recommended restaurants are also highlighted by the MICHELIN Guide inspectors, and 18 of them are located in New Orleans, including:
Dining and Cooking