Michelin now considering Colorado Springs
The prestigious guide has gone statewide. Will the Springs see Stars? Bib Gourmand nods? Or at least names on the Recommended list? Just being at the table is already a win say some.
“If Colorado Springs wanted to get involved, they have to get involved.”
That’s what Tim Wolfe, Colorado Tourism Office’s director, told the New York Times back in late 2023 when commenting on which cities in our state did and did not pay to place themselves in consideration for Michelin awards.
“So while it is still true that individual restaurants can’t buy stars, tourism boards and hotel owners can buy the possibility,” explained author Julia Moskin, who noted the “costly undertaking” of Michelin’s thorough reviewing process.
Springs Top Chef Brother Luck was quoted in the article, saying, “How do you leave out the second-largest city in the state? It feels like a slap in the face.”
He later gained insight from Visit Colorado Springs on their decision, and as I reported in my writeup at the time, he came to agree that they “made the right call.”
Luck has since become an outspoken evangelist for our city to ante up and play. “This isn’t about copying another city’s food scene. It’s about giving ours the framework it deserves,” he said in a recent social media post.
In 2023, the price tag facing Visit COS would have been at least $70,000 annually with a three-year commitment. By waiting and watching — evaluating economic impact elsewhere — the Pikes Peak region’s marketing arm has surely saved money. That’s because as Michelin expands into smaller markets and more cities invest, each destination’s costs go down.
Our visitor’s bureau will not disclose exactly what they’re paying this year. I politely push, ’cuz I’m me and we have good rapport, and I tell them my readers will be asking.
Visit COS President & CEO, Doug Price, offers me this: “While we did not elect to participate in the program back in 2023, the expansion of The MICHELIN Guide to include the full state of Colorado has opened new possibilities. The Guide has proven to have a positive impact on the state’s restaurant industry over the last few years, and it is now more accessible for destinations like ours to be involved. We’ve committed to supporting The MICHELIN Guide Colorado.”
Price says that Michelin contracts are confidential, but “the program takes a shared approach to financial and marketing responsibilities that allow various destinations across the state to work together and ensure it’s a success.”
In a Visit COS press release sent to wider media — which, transparently, I am quoted in, having quietly been involved behind the scenes in conversations with Visit COS and other stakeholders for many months — the agency formally announced that it’s finally game-on for C. Springs’ culinary contention:
“We are thrilled that the Michelin Guide will now consider all four corners of the state for its program,” says Price. “… we are confident the inspectors will recognize that the incredible chefs and restaurants in Colorado Springs deserve a seat at the table.”
If you wish to read Michelin and the Colorado Tourism Office’s press releases too, just click those links. Notably, Michelin’s states that “anonymous Inspectors are already in the field, making dining reservations and scouting for culinary gems throughout the state of Colorado.” And in their methodology disclosure, they note that “each restaurant is inspected several times a year” for consistency.
“A huge motivator”
Visit COS’ release points to the value already provided by Michelin awards in Colorado in the past few years: “… unprecedented national recognitions like OpenTable’s Top 100 Restaurants, the New York Times’ America’s 50 Best Restaurants, 17 James Beard Foundation nominations and more.” And it cites a 2025 travel statistic that “food and cuisine is the highest travel passion category for recent or likely visitors to Colorado.”
Visit COS calls it “a huge motivator and deciding factor for visitors choosing one destination over another.” Data I was privy to earlier shows that 74 percent of frequent travelers consider Michelin restaurants as “decisive in their choice of destination.”
For its part, Visit COS makes it clear that attracting tourist dollars is the motivator, not anyone’s ego. “It’s not about a chef earning a ranking — it’s about inspiring the destination’s entire culinary scene to elevate,” Price had said in a prior meeting. He recognizes, by way of workforce development, how awarded restaurants can help attract and retain talent, which adds sustainability to the system. There’s also high value to culinary credibility, which factors in community pride and positive public perception.
By way of return-on-investment, Visit COS’ goal is to grow overnight stays in C. Springs year-round, especially during the off-season, as well as increase the average length of stay for visitors. They view Michelin attention as ideal for attracting desired “higher-spend visitors,” who have greater economic impact across all industry segments, including lodging and retail.
All of this can help us polish our image as a worthwhile food city. Visit COS researched online rankings and local social media forums, concluding that our culinary scene has a less-than-stellar reputation. (That’s a topic I tackled in my first podcast, State of Plate.) They’re well aware that we’re known for having a high ratio of chain restaurants to independents. That dates back at least 25 years, to when the Springs was prominently profiled as part of Fast Food Nation by author Eric Schlosser.
We’ve got a lot to overcome, and Michelin might help.
But nothing is guaranteed. Ponying up doesn’t mean Michelin’s inspectors will definitely award anything here. And if they don’t, it could perpetuate negative perception of C. Springs — that we suck, and should just stick to things served with ketchup or ranch dip.
The aforementioned NYT’s article noted how chefs in many markets have begun pushing back against Michelin, even renouncing stars. Part of that factored into the true cost of trying to attain and maintain them, especially in an industry that lives on a knife’s edge and has never been able to find its footing with parity between front- and back-of-the-house staff. As much as insiders hoped that the Covid pandemic’s forced reset might offer an inflection point for restaurants to recreate how they operate, and do better, they simply didn’t. (Recall the provocative article from May 2020, “The Case for Letting the Restaurant Industry Die.”)
Risky business
Beyond any one city’s, Michelin’s own image remains at stake. Again quoting from that article: “… when thousands of vaguely recommended restaurants can call themselves ‘Michelin’ destinations, Michelin may risk diluting its brand.”
Chef Mark Henry, from Wobbly Olive/Allusion Speakeasy, says he’s against Michelin coming because he’s doesn’t think we’re ready for them, and worries it can affect “being genuine in our craft.” He’s partly concerned that awarded chefs elsewhere will arrive and open satellite outfits, believing this to be an easier market to earn more accolades (think: big fish, smaller pond). That could contribute to driving up what he can afford to pay his cooks, as the market might trend higher in the pursuit of awards.
Henry also points to the imposition of higher standards “that won’t truly benefit the customers, but will negatively impact staff members,” including their mental health. On that point Luck’s actually in agreement with him. Luck told the NYT’s in 2023 that he worried “chasing the validation of these standards and these stars can be dangerous.” But still, he’s now expressing support, despite the risks. (Transparency note: Both Wobbly Olive and Four by Brother Luck sponsor Side Dish.)
We won’t find out whether our bet has paid off until Michelin announces awards for Colorado in September, more than half a year from now.
Between now and then I expect Michelin to stay near the forefront of town banter. Firstly, restaurants who think they have a shot at even making the Recommended list (below a Bib Gourmand or Star award) will be on their best behavior, striving to be excellent every shift. Even more so than they might already be given the pressure that KRDO’s Restaurant Roundup has added to the scene this past year.
Chefs: If you have any fucks left to give, now is the time.
I’ve talked to restaurateurs already scanning their dining rooms for reviewers, just in case all this talk of Michelin coming means inspectors are already among us. (That wasn’t confirmed until Visit COS’s press release went out, but given Luck’s prolific postings in recent months, it was suspected it was a matter of time.) The new suspicious eater for 2026 around these parts won’t be someone likely to dine-and-dash on the bill — but instead, a conspicuous solo diner, or possibly a two-top that triggers a Spidey Sense amongst the staff. (How’s paranoia factor into plating? We’ll find out.)
Inevitably I’m going to field a lot of questions by readers, industry pals and perhaps other media. I’ll be asked to opine on whether we have a shot at awards, and if I think we should have paid to play.
Back in my formal newsroom CS Indy days, I would have had to write a separate editorial column to present an opinion safely removed from an impartial news story. But I can now proffer it here, thanks to the new-era of Substack and the slightly looser format that entrepreneurial journalism (which occasionally dabbles at the edges of advocacy or social impact journalism) affords me.
I see no reason to remain neutral and sit on the sidelines when perhaps the most impactful thing to happen to our food scene locally during my whole career is going down real-time. Any way you slice it, this is a big deal.
The odds
So, do we have a chance? Shit yeah we do. I wouldn’t have chosen to be quoted in Visit COS’ press release expressing support if I didn’t believe so. And frankly I’d be stabbing my thumb in the eye of many a talented industry friend and colleague if I pre-judged them as unfit. I’ve experienced moments of pure gustatory joy inside our restaurants just as I have in major U.S. cities and abroad. The question has always been consistency. Can you do it again, night after night, perfectly?
Sure, I just told KRCC last month that I believed our scene to be “nascent” on the whole and too-often middling. But I couched that by not wanting to detract from what we’re doing right already. I can confidently say there’s a small — call it elite — number of folks operating inside the boundaries of what could excite and warm the cockles of a Michelin critic’s heart. Which of course we perceive to be as frosty and sour as a citrusy sorbetto served as an intermezzo at froofy meal.
I’m not going to prognosticate here and share my full mental list of worthy candidates, such that I can either be validated come September or embarrassed. I’m reluctant to name names, but let me offer you a few crumbs for now.
Working just from Michelin experiences I’ve had in the past couple of years, I’ve dined at an overwrought and over-priced ($600 for two) place in Portugal, and a totally impressive (at around half the cost) destination-spot in Spain. Then we undertook an effort to try several approachable spots in Denver that have earned Bib Gourmand status. My goal was to weigh modern interpretations of old-world stuffy with new-world, Instagram-era places that often lean as heavy on design and atmosphere as what’s being served.
In-part, we learned that service points, such as being greeted and seated in an overly formal versus casual manner, don’t matter too much. Location and signage and menu presentations and such can be goofy, but easily overlooked if the food and drink impress. Something bordering on mom-and-pop or dive-bar vibes is just as likely to win as an opulent place if the goods are really good.
The fact that Michelin awards street stalls and food trucks now means the proverbial bar has been lowered to everyday food instead of just fine dining for the 1 Percent. As Michelin has broadened its scope to modernize and remain viable (now that less people purchase tangible guides in the internet era), the legacy travel brand is meeting the people where they’re at.
Now that’s us, right here in humble Smallorado Springs. Look at the current Colorado Michelin list. Is it too hard to fathom we have spots that could hang in that crowd?
I don’t think so. Neither does Top Chef Brother Luck. Or Visit COS. Their decision to say no in 2023 was about fiscal responsibility, not a down-vote of confidence in the best our scene has to offer.
So finally they’re answering the Colorado Tourism Office’s call to get involved —making an unprecedented investment in our culinary scene. Whether that’s overdue, right on time, or jumping the gun, it’s happening. Olympic City USA can no longer say it hasn’t gotten the chance to prove itself, and shine.
Michelin is coming. Be ready.
Quick hits at the Moon Market
I ducked into the Downtown Winter Fest last weekend for a moment on my way to the Moon Market where SideDishSideKick Lauren Hug’s daughter was among the vendors. Outside, in the food truck Lot at the Meanwhile Block, I found Pizza Paul’s Perfect Pies.
The truck was on my list already, as I’d just met owner Paul Di Diego the week prior as part of the latest Exponential Impact Survive & Thrive cohort. (I’ll be co-presenting to the group later this month.) Paul began serving in 2024 and keeps a pretty packed schedule around town weekly.
When I ask about his pie method, he says he serves Neapolitan in New York-style slices, which is to say big wedges that overhang my paper plate. He ferments 00 Italian flour overnight for his chewy crust, crisped at the edges by an Ooni gas pizza oven deck mounted on the rear of his trailer.
I order slices of his Taste of Italy (a flagship) and Three Little Pigs (a special for the day). The first sports an olive oil and garlic base and gets roasted bell peppers, spinach and goat cheese with a balsamic glaze. The second starts with a raspberry-chipotle sauce and receives sausage, ham and bacon. Both are delightful, poppin’ with flavor, respectively zesty and sweet-heat rich. If my stamp of approval fails to speak loudly enough, just know that Lauren’s daughter loved the pizza, having already eaten a slice earlier in the day before I arrived; she asked me to get more.
Next up, inside the market space I met Samuel McCarville from State 38 Coffee, named in honor of Colorado being the 38th state in the Union. He tells me he became a barista at Garden of the Gods Market and Cafe downtown before working in banquets at the Broadmoor.
Around a year and a half ago he launched this mobile coffee cart, available for private event bookings. It sports an eye-catching yellow La Marzocco espresso machine, very capable of making legit craft coffee drinks.
I learn that he sources a craft dark roast from Building Three Coffee, as he’s not a personal fan of medium-roast’s acidity, he says. Plus, he believes his beans to pair better with the Monin syrup flavors.
Next to a standard menu of traditional coffee drinks he’s offering four daily specials, from which I choose the Honeycomb delight, a honey-vanilla-cinnamon latte. I ask for it iced, with oat milk and less syrup than he might typically use, as my go-to “not too sweet” request whenever I’m wanting a little flavor without too much sugar.
McCarville nails the drink, which goes down too fast because it’s damn good, laced with discernible flavors from each syrup that balance each other well and don’t overpower the inherent coffee flavor. I’m usually a medium-roast drinker, but he proves his point with the dark roast. Well made, sir.
Bites & Bits
• Josh & John’s — who now counts 40 years in business, and with whom I’ve done multiple recent flavor collaborations — has announced plans for a seventh location. It’s tentatively opening mid-April in the former Dutch Bros Coffee kiosk at 870 Garden of the Gods Road, which is just a scoop’s throw away from J&J’s Churn Barn, where all the yummy cold stuff is made. (In other words, it’s their production facility.) What makes this new location most notable is the drive-thru aspect, a first for the company. It will also host a walk-up window. A new line of specialty shakes — including a Polar Vortex, Nuclear Freeze and Bomb Cyclone (whatever those are; we don’t know yet) — will also be exclusive to this location. The full company-wide menu, including pints, cookie sandwiches and ice cream cakes, will also be available.
I ask J&J’s owner John Krakauer why a drive-thru and why now, and he firstly says “We have been looking for a second-generation kiosk to convert into a Josh & John’s Drive-thru concept for a couple of years… I am intrigued by the challenge of offering super-premium ice cream in a format that typically isn't done… Our Scoop Buses and Grab & Go kiosks have been very successful, so this felt like the next logical step.”
• And while we’re on the topic of expanding legacy ice cream businesses, The Gazette reported this week that BJ’s Velvet Freez, originally opened in 1954, plans on opening a second location in late March. It will be at 2900 E. Platte Ave., next to another legacy outfit, Fargo’s Pizza. Read the article for further details.
• Rusty Crab Daddy soft opened Feb. 6 at 1430 Harrison Rd., which is off of I-25 and S. Circle Drive in a former Village Inn space. The outfit specializes in seafood boils. I noticed another location online in a small town named St. George, Utah, near the Arizona and Nevada border in the far Southwest of the state. I called to ask if there’s a connection and a staffer told me yes, the business is beginning to franchise outward, and that we could see more locations around here if this one does well.
• A blip I saw on the ever lively local resource that is Nextdoor: “Just wanna let everybody know I just tried that heavenly tacos truck food truck on 19th and uintah it was fantastic and reasonably priced.” (Editor’s note: I inserted the link; they spelled the formal names lowercase.)
• KUNC reported that Colorado lawmakers want to charge new fees on beer, wine and spirits to fund addiction services. “The bill, which is expected to be officially introduced in the Colorado House this week, would apply the fees to beer, wine and spirits manufacturers and wholesale distributors, charging $0.26 per bottle of spirits, $0.05 per bottle of wine and about $0.03 per six-pack of beer. Small breweries would be exempt,” explains the article, which is well worth a read for all the details. The Colorado Brewers Guild expressed concerns to reporter Lucas Brady Woods, saying new fees would “continue to harm Colorado's craft breweries at a time when they are already struggling with rising costs and softening demand.”
• “Imports aren’t ‘filling a gap.’ They’re replacing what American ranchers used to raise here at home. It’s time to protect the U.S. market, rebuild our herd, and restore truth in labeling.” That’s what Montana-based R-CALF USA, “the largest cattle producer-only trade association dedicated to ensuring the continued profitability and viability of the U.S. cattle and sheep industries” said back in October 2025 on X. On Friday, President Trump signed an executive order quadrupling beef imports from Argentina — who received a $20B loan from the U.S. in November 2025.
• Here’s 6 new Denver-area restaurants & bars you should know about via New Denizen. One is a “glamorous Spanish escape” and another is an “immersive, rotating themed cocktail bar.” (Hmmm, wonder if they’re aware of Allusion Speakeasy here in the Springs?)
Hoppenings of the week
Beer Events
Hoppenings × Underline Internet Speed Dating at OCC Brewing. Feb. 13, 5:30–8:30 p.m.; free. Looking for love before Valentine’s Day? Or just want to grab a beer and meet new people? Join us for a relaxed, interactive speed dating night.
Date With Your Dog at Pub Dog Colorado. Feb. 13, 11 a.m. onward; free. Enjoy a charcuterie board for you and a barkuterie board for your pup.
Anti-Valentine’s Day Party at Nano 108 Brewing. Feb. 14, 5 p.m.; free. Not into Valentine’s Day? Perfect. Nano 108 is hosting a no-pressure night focused on good beer and good company.
Beer Releases
White Chocolate Blonde at Storybook Brewing: Smooth and creamy blonde ale brewed with white chocolate for soft sweetness and a clean, approachable finish.
Thin Mint Stout at Red Leg Brewing Company: A fan-favorite stout with notes of chocolate and mint, reminiscent of a classic Thin Mint cookie.
Curated by Brandon Heid and Gerry Reyes. For full listings of beer-related events and releases download the free Hoppenings app on Apple on Google.
Side Dish Dozen happenings
Edelweiss: We’re running our Valentine’s Day specials Feb. 13-15, 3 p.m. to close, to spread out the love. Check out our special four-course menu here. $60/person or $105/couple.
Goat Patch Brewing: Stay in the know and download our new app! Galentine’s Day Hat Bar at Northgate, 5-8 p.m., Feb. 13. Grazing Goat Kitchen is now on Uber Eats; new pizza specials every Thursday. Brushes & Brews at Monument, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Feb 13. Trivia nights: Tuesday/Monument and Wednesday/Lincoln Center and Northgate.
Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar: Savor our four-course Love & Fishes journey at Jax on Valentine’s Day. The indulgent menu ($90/person) includes dishes like caviar-topped blinis, lobster bisque, squid ink bucatini with scallops, and a chocolate budino for two. And save the date to join us for Mardi Gras, with NOLA-inspired specials all day Feb. 17.
Allusion Speakeasy: Whether your journey leads to Bikini Bottom or Middle-earth, Allusion has you covered. Choose your adventure wisely. (Or, you know, hit both!)
Stellina Pizza Cafe: Date Night at Stellina is here all month long. Cozy up, slow down, and share a meal for two, made with love, and really good food! $65 per couple, four customizable courses, dine-in only. Pick between two salads, two apps, four pizzas or three pastas, and two dessert options. Add a carafe of housemade red sangria for $25.
Kangaroo Coffee: Visit each of our locations to discover delightful drinks of the week, created by our staff. Order online for in-store pickup, or if you don’t wish to go out, have a drink delivered through Uber Eats or DoorDash.
Upcoming events
Feb. 12: Shima Navajo Fusion popup at Seven’s Gate. 7-11 p.m., first come first serve. Serving two savory and one sweet frybread dish.
Feb. 15: A Celebration for Bar Mom Sally Wood at Lulu’s Downtown. 4-8 p.m. With after party at Rebel Rebel, 8 p.m. to close.
Feb. 21: Haute Chocolate Hop. 2-5 p.m. A self-paced, progressive dessert tasting at 13 downtown venues.
Feb. 22: National Margarita Day Sip with Schnip at T-Byrd’s. Noon to 3 p.m. All day happy hours with $6 Tommy-style and frozen margaritas, and a full food menu that includes $4 HH nachos, wings, burnt ends and $3.95 tacos.
Feb. 24: Passport to Italy Wine Dinner at Pizzeria Rustica. 6 p.m.; $89, five courses, partly benefits the Colorado Springs Therapeutic Riding Center.
Feb. 26-28: Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy at The Loft Music Venue. Storytelling performances and cocktail sipping.
Feb. 27: Polaris Pour — A Night with Chopin at The Aviator at Hotel Polaris. An intimate, guided tasting of Chopin Vodka with sushi pairings and à la carte entrées.
March 4-7: 34th annual Wine Festival of Colorado Springs. Benefitting the Colorado Springs Conservatory. Tastings, educational seminars, winemaker experiences, the iconic Grand Tasting with live music, and an elegant Gala Dinner & Live Auction.
March 14: Equinox, A Culinary Scholarship Fundraiser at The Broadmoor’s Cheyenne Lodge. 5-8 p.m.; $100 early bird tickets through Feb. 14; $125-$150 GA later. Event benefits Pikes Peak State College’s culinary program. Eight tasting stations will revolve culinarily around phases of the day, like dawn, dusk and midnight. Enjoy a lavish dessert bar and open drink stations.