March 22, 2025
Many people enjoy eating at the finest restaurants where they live or when they are traveling. Those looking for the best food that money can buy often head to France, which leads all other countries by having the most Michelin-star restaurants at 680 in 2024, according to WorldPopulationreview.com. Runners-up include Japan at 539 and the UAE at 420. The U.S. has 235 Michelin-starred restaurants. LA Eaters states that 80 of the restaurants are in California. This year, 15 new restaurants received Michelin stars in the state, and seven of them are in Los Angeles. The only area with more Michelin-starred restaurants is the San Francisco Bay Area.
Los Angeles Leading the Way with Michelin Stars:
On March 12, seven new restaurants in LA were awarded Michelin stars in 2025. Those restaurants include:
- Bar Étoile: This new addition to the Melrose Hill area opened on October 29th. Restaurant owners Julian Kurland, Travis Hayden, and Jill Bernheimer wanted a place that highlighted many of their experiences in France—a casual environment where great food was served. The restaurant features two menus, both lean toward European-style dining trends. The first has small bar bites like olives, bread, and nuts, to be served with a favorite cocktail or wine. The second features more substantial fare, many being house-made. They include mortadella and house-cured charcuterie like coppa salami and rillettes.
- Kusano: Having only eight seats makes this Culver City stand out as a great place for chef/owner Yasu Kusano to highlight his skill and create some of the best sushi around. The menu is nigiri forward with a hint of nikiri and wasabi; other options feature squid, ginger, and seaweed for a heartier culinary experience. The restaurant has two nightly seatings. Everything from preparing the food, setting the counters, serving food, and removing dishes is done by Kusano himself. The restaurant serves omakase for $150 per person.
- Mori Nozomi: Mori Sushi has been serving some of the most highly-regarded sushi dishes for over 25 years. The newest occupant is Nozomi Mori. The venue is beautiful inside and minimally decorated with special attention being paid to the sushi counter. Chef Mori emphasizes sourcing the best Japanese sushi omakase with the fish coming in directly from Japan and fresh produce from local farmer’s markets. Each meal comes with a traditional matcha tea pairing for an additional $55 per person. The restaurant also features a 20-course sushi and tea experience that will make diners think of an exclusive tea ceremony.
- Rasarumah: Rasarumah is located in the late Pear River Deli in Filipinotown. Chef Johnny Lee opened the restaurant on November 24, 2024, and prepares foods from the Chinese diaspora in Southeast Asia. While he was running Pearl River Deli, Chef Lee began traveling to Malaysia and Singapore to find out what the Cantonese diaspora was like outside of China. His interest in exploring the foods of the Malay, Indian, and Indonesian cultures inspired him to open Rasarumah. The restaurant is also now home to veteran sommelier Evelyn Goreshnick, who has added some fabulous wines as well as beers that pair perfectly with the food offerings.
- Seline: Chef/owner Dave Beran looks to inspiration around him and uses that insight to create a culinary journey with his food. While working in Chicago, Beran received two big awards. First, he received a James Beard Award for Best Chef Great Lakes then he was named one of the best Chefs of 2014 by Food & Wine Magazine. Seline features dishes such as torn prawn with gooseberries, grilled bass with broccolini, and spring herbs. His menus are creative and showcase inspiration from southern California cuisine. Seline offers tasting menus that range from 14 to 17 courses that feature meat, seafood, and vegetables. It is suggested to plan for 2.5 hours to leisurely enjoy the meal.
- Tomat: This restaurant first opened its doors for dinner on October 30th. It is the concept of the husband/wife team of Harry Posner and Natalie Dial. The restaurant, located in the Westchester area of LA, shares British and Persian culinary influences. During the morning hours, Tomat serves freshly made bakery items and a variety of coffee options. The dinner service will feature local produce and globally-inspired dishes that are served on the rooftop terrace. Dishes include barbari bread with roasted tomato, salmon and bluefin tuna with English mustard, and pork chop with apple tomatillo sauce. Several English-inspired desserts round out the menu.
- Restaurant Ki. This Korean-influenced restaurant opened on January 16 and has been turning out multi-course menus ever since. The Chef, Ki Kim has created a menu featuring numerous Korean ingredients, flavors, and techniques. Even though the eatery is new, co-chefs Ryan Brown and Shingo Kato prepare each dish expertly and work together like a long-time team. The restaurant offers a tasting menu for $285 per guest, and what awaits them is a surprise in every dish. From plates featuring grilled lobster with doenjang butter sauce and raspberry powder to bite-size Colorado lamb roasted in traditional rosemary.
Only the Best:
California is known to be a culinary epicenter. Chefs and authors like Alice Waters and Claudette Spinelli have sung the praises of the great culture of the area and the abundance of fresh produce, which is the highlight of many of the new Michelin-starred restaurants making this year’s list.
