MICHELIN Guide Colorado gains new Star in year two

• One restaurant receives a MICHELIN Star, bringing total to six

• New Bib Gourmand added, plus four Special Awards

• 46 total restaurants, 15 cuisine types reflected in state Guide

One restaurant, Alma Fonda Fina, joined the exclusive list of MICHELIN-Starred restaurants in North America, as the 2024 MICHELIN Guide Colorado was revealed.

In addition to a new Starred restaurant, the state Guide boasts a new Bib Gourmand, MAKfam, bringing the selection’s total to nine. The full selection, including Green Stars and Recommended eateries, totals 46 restaurants with 15 cuisine types represented.

As we celebrate year two of the MICHELIN Guide in Colorado, we can see the passion and momentum continue to grow in this culinary community. We are very excited to welcome Alma Fonda Fina into the family of MICHELIN-Starred restaurants. The famously anonymous Inspectors were also eager to shine a light on the growing talent in the local community, with a handful of new restaurants added to the selection.”

Gwendal Poullennec International Director of the MICHELIN Guides

One MICHELIN StarAlma Fonda Fina (Denver; Mexican cuisine)

Chef Johnny Curiel started off in his family’s restaurant in Guadalajara, and after years of high-end culinary experience, he revisits dishes and flavors from his upbringing with creativity and finely honed technique delivering results that are both satisfying and delicious. Resist the temptation to fixate on any one item, as the menu is littered with treasures: perfectly crisped pork belly carnitas make for a brilliant taco on a sourdough flour tortilla, while agave-roasted sweet potato with nutty salsa matcha and luxuriously creamy whipped requesón is a revelation, and vibrant seafood crudos like thinly sliced Maine diver scallop with tomatillo and apple aguachile are downright electric. No desserts are offered for the time being, so there’s no reason to leave any extra room.

Bib Gourmand

The MICHELIN Guide Inspectors identified one new restaurant to award the Bib Gourmand designation, which recognizes eateries for great food at a great value.

MAKfam (Denver; Chinese cuisine)

What began as a pop-up back in NYC, where owners and married couple Doris Yuen and Kenneth Wan first met, and then became a stall in a Denver food hall, is now at last a full-service restaurant. The winsome, colorful space and the compact menu both celebrate the pair’s Chinese American roots, both having been raised by immigrant families who worked in restaurants. Fried crab and cheese wontons and hand-shaped chicken and chive potstickers are inspired by Chinatown favorites and takeout staples, made with particular care and big flavor. Chicken wings with a spicy, tingly málà seasoning are favorites with good reason, and larger dishes, like the familiar-yet-inventive corned beef fried rice or spicy garlic butter rice cakes, impress as well.

MICHELIN Special Awards

In addition to the Bib Gourmand and Stars, the Guide announced four Special Awards:

        Award                    -               Recipient             -         Establishment

Michelin Exceptional
Cocktails Award                      Jessenia Sanabria                  Sweet Basil

Michelin Sommelier Award         Chris Dunaway                    Element 47

Michelin Outstanding
Service Award                          Allison Anderson                      Beckon

Michelin Young Chef /

Culinary Professional Award      Johnny Curiel                  Alma Fonda Fina

Hotels

The restaurants join the MICHELIN Guide selection of hotels, which features the most exceptional places to stay in Colorado and throughout the world.

Each hotel in the selection has been chosen by MICHELIN Guide experts for its extraordinary style, service, and personality — with options for all budgets — and each can be booked directly through the MICHELIN Guide website and app. The selection for Colorado features the state’s most spectacular hotels, including upscale outdoor campsites like Collective Vail, standouts from our “Plus” collection like the Source Hotel and the Crawford Hotel in Denver, refurbished motels like Amigo Motor Lodge, rehabilitated wilderness ghost towns like Dunton Hot Springs., and of course, accommodations that have been awarded a MICHELIN Key, like Clayton Hotel & Members Club and The Little Nell.

The MICHELIN Guide is a benchmark in gastronomy. Now it’s setting a new standard for hotels. Visit the MICHELIN Guide website, or download the free app for iOS and Android, to discover every restaurant in the selection and book an unforgettable hotel.

About Michelin

Michelin is building a world-leading manufacturer of life-changing composites and experiences. Pioneering engineered materials for more than 130 years, Michelin is uniquely positioned to make decisive contributions to human progress and to a more sustainable world. Drawing on its deep know-how in polymer composites, Michelin is constantly innovating to manufacture high-quality tires and components for critical applications in demanding fields as varied as mobility, construction, aeronautics, low-carbon energies, and healthcare. The care placed in its products and deep customer knowledge inspire Michelin to offer the finest experiences. This spans from providing data- and AI-based connected solutions for professional fleets to recommending outstanding restaurants and hotels curated by the MICHELIN Guide. (www.michelin.com)