Michelin Guide expands to Philadelphia region
Philadelphia is a newly minted Michelin city.
Why it matters: The Michelin Guide is considered by some the gold standard of dining, a signal to the world that a city's restaurant scene has arrived.
Driving the news: The Philly region will be included in the Michelin Guide Northeast Cities edition alongside Boston, the only other freshman member.
The Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau revealed its partnership with France-based Michelin on Monday.
Zoom out: Philly and Boston join the ranks of Chicago, New York City and D.C., which have been included in the guide for years.
How it works: The company is best known for issuing its coveted stars, which range from one to three.
Anonymous inspectors visit local restaurants, unannounced, to determine which deserve the accolade.
Restaurants that receive stars are often lauded as among the best in the world.
Flashback: In 2023, Michelin added Philly to its Green Guides, which highlight attractions, restaurants and hotels.
The intrigue: Bringing the pay-to-play Michelin Guide to town typically comes with a heavy price tag.
Visitors Bureau spokesperson Robin Bloom declined to reveal how much its partnership with Michelin costs, telling Axios the terms of the agreement are not public.
But state and local tourism boards in Miami, Tampa and Orlando, Florida, agreed in 2022 to shell out $1.5 million to Michelin over three years to get in the guide.
Atlanta is paying out $1 million, while Texas and five of its metros landed a guide for $900,000.
Meanwhile, some areas have declined to participate due to costs, like Virginia.
The big picture: Philly's restaurants and chefs have been in a league of their own in recent years — winning national recognition, big awards, opening hip spots and setting the standard for outstanding dining.
"Our chefs, restaurateurs, and hospitality professionals have been steadily building our city into an internationally acclaimed foodie destination," Gregg Caren, president and CEO of the Philly visitors bureau, said in a statement.
What's next: Philly tourism and elected officials, as well as Gov. Josh Shapiro, will join Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guide, Tuesday at the Barnes Foundation for a news conference about the partnership.
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