Two new three-star restaurants in California

Published at: 06/28/2025 USA, Guide, Michelin

Providence and Somni receive top marks

89 restaurants receive stars in California

(28 June 2025) - This year's edition of the Michelin Guide California raises the bar with two new three-star restaurants: Providence in Hollywood has been upgraded from two stars and Somni in West Hollywood joins the selection of the best restaurants in the US state with three stars.

Enclos in Sonoma was awarded two stars for the first time, while Kiln in San Francisco rose from one to two stars. In 2025, five new restaurants were also awarded one star, bringing the total number of restaurants in the state to 65. In addition, Enclos and Sons & Daughters in San Francisco were awarded two new green stars for their commitment to sustainable dining. The total selection, including Bib Gourmands and recommended restaurants, totals 548 restaurants with 55 different cuisines.

"Tonight was a momentous day for California and its culinary community," said Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the Michelin Guide. "Our anonymous reviewers have discovered exceptional culinary highlights, including two new three-star restaurants, Providence and Somni. Congratulations to all the chefs and restaurant teams who have been recognised tonight. We are proud to welcome you all to the Michelin family."

Three stars

Providence (Hollywood; seafood cuisine): As it has been since it opened in 2005, purity and precision are the foundations of chef Michael Cimarusti's Californian cuisine; and his cooking has become even more impressive over the years. The tasting menu combines classic technique with modern sensibilities, global inspiration and utilises the freshest and most sustainable seafood, often wild-caught in American waters. At no point during the meal will you be in doubt of the impeccable quality, especially when savouring dishes such as a tart of lobster mousse and coffin crab in crab beurre-blanc or roasted monkfish with cauliflower and shaved black truffle. Long-standing specialities such as the soft poached egg with uni and breadcrumbs or salt-baked Santa Barbara spot prawns make for luxurious additions.

Somni (West Hollywood; contemporary cuisine): Chef Aitor Zabala and his dedicated team have awakened Somni, the "dream", from its slumber and created this new version into a very personal and unique culinary experience. Tucked away near Santa Monica Avenue, the dining room is decorated in a calming, creamy colour palette with light wood and glass, and is marked by a colourful bull's head from the original location, reminiscent of Spanish-inspired cuisine. A range of small bites are carefully arranged and endlessly creative. They indulge diners with an abundance of rich flavours and a play of textures (think mussel escabeche, gazpacho or the legendary shiso tartare tempura). Meanwhile, the kitchen and service teams work closely together to create and serve these mesmerising dishes.

Two stars

Enclos (Sonoma; Contemporary Cuisine): Tucked away in an 1880s Victorian building on the grounds of Stone Edge Farm Winery, guests enter an exquisite world in this glittering workshop. An opulent tasting menu combines flavours from around the world, refined culinary artistry and exceptional ingredients, including produce from the winery's own two farms, and is infused with subtle nods to chef Brian Limoges' New England roots. For example, a sophisticated "Lobster Roll" croustade of lobster tartare in a crispy shell or a mussel chawanmushi that subtly recalls the flavour of chowder. The fireworks continue through to dessert, where a stunning sorrel ice cream is decorated with edible leaves flavoured with makrut lime and pomegranate. Diners will always find the staff effortlessly charming, making the experience even more magical.

Kiln (San Francisco; contemporary cuisine): industry veterans Chef John Wesley and General Manager Julianna Yang have pooled their talents at Kiln. The storeroom is made cosy by personal service and the kitchen delivers artful creations. The tasting menu is Nordic-inspired and focuses on preservation techniques such as curing, drying and fermenting in dishes whose simplicity is belied by complex techniques and compelling flavour combinations. The creative energy runs throughout the menu, with plenty to impress diners. Snacks to start, such as a crispy squiggle of puffed beef tendon, reflect this ethos, while others, such as a burnt honey glazed pigeon breast with truffle jus, show a classic flavour.

A star

Lilo (Carlsbad; Californian cuisine): Small but fine dishes are not everything. This is especially true at Lilo, where guests are welcomed to a mobile feast that begins on the heated terrace with a selection of small bites before moving on to the small dining room. Head chef Eric Bost and his team clearly pride themselves on taking special care with their dishes. This is evident in dishes such as dry-aged Japanese kinmedai with a ragout of giant clam and bone marrow or 40-day dry-aged beef ribeye with pickled gurumelo mushrooms, seaweed and bordelaise. Halfway through, the dishes switch from savoury to sweet, with a unique orgeat ice cream with celery root bushi and ossetra caviar, and finish with a variety of desserts such as sweet cream gelato with hoja santa and finger lime.

Mori Nozomi (Los Angeles; sushi/Japanese cuisine): Chef Nozomi Mori's sushi counter stands out from the crowd, both for its excellent sushi and its welcoming front and back staff. Plan your visit in advance to this special place, where there are only eight seats at the wooden counter. While the fish is flown in from Japan several times a week, local, seasonal produce is used in almost every dish. Even the smallest details are important here, as evidenced by the Japanese ice cream imported for the five-course tea menu. Start with a variety of dishes, such as chawanmushi with ginkgo nuts, before savouring the successful nigiri. Mochi with matcha, prepared by the chef herself, is an elegant finale.

Restaurant Ki (Los Angelese; Korean contemporary cuisine): You will need to read the instructions you receive in advance to find the entrance to chef Ki Kim's restaurant, but any orientation problems are quickly resolved as soon as you enter this ten-seat venue. The modern Korean tasting menu features international influences, and meals start with a few appetisers such as shirako gimbap, a clam stuffed with truffle rice and diced kimchi, or crispy, tender octopus in a cream sauce with octopus head and gochujang. Fried sugar snap peas with trout roe and tuna or creamy pasta made from perilla seeds, garnished with fresh winter truffle, demonstrate creative flair. The main courses include grilled pigeon with foie gras sauce and 45-day dry-aged dairy cow meat with golden beetroot jus and Korean bone broth. A mushroom ice cream sandwich rounds off the menu.

Silvers Omakase (Santa Barbara; sushi/Japanese cuisine): With only a handful of seats and a small staff, this omakase from chef Lennon Silvers Lee is in constant flux. Some things change daily, others weekly, but one thing you can always expect: well-prepared dishes made with house-milled rice from Japan and dry-aged local and Japanese fish. Arrive early and enjoy a glass of champagne before you are called, as all guests are seated and served at the same time. Enjoy a small dish or two before a nigiri parade, which may include hamachi, shima aji or even bluefin tuna. Your uni rice is deliciously mixed with wasabi and garnished with masago arare for some crunch. This finishes off the savoury dishes before a homemade sorbet for dessert.

Sun Moon Studio (Oakland; Californian cuisine): There is still a slightly mysterious atmosphere outside this unassuming little place, but the secret is out: the few seats inside are in high demand. Chefs Alan Hsu and Sarah Cooper have both worked in some of the country's most famous kitchens, but here they bring their talents to a more personal setting. Their shared vision is reflected in a varied, seasonal tasting menu that skilfully celebrates the bounty of Californian ingredients, ranging from pigeon to rock bass and from wild mushrooms to citrus. The style is pared down and technically precise, allowing the products to shine while adding a personal touch, as with the Dungeness crab with yuzu kosho butter on silken tofu. Highlights include baked goods such as savoury pancakes with salmon roe or steamed brioche buns with Taiwanese sausage.

Green star

Enclos (Sonoma; Contemporary Cuisine): Initiatives: locally sourced organic produce via nearby kitchen gardens; sustainable/regenerative gardening practices; carbon-negative and energy-independent operation; fallen trees are repurposed into chopsticks and serving trays; waste is minimised through preservation and fermentation.

Sons & Daughters (San Francisco; contemporary cuisine): initiatives: food sourced from environmentally conscious local farmers, fishermen and ranchers; an in-house dairy programme with its own butter, crème fraîche, cream cheese and yoghurt; aprons, plates and woodwork sourced from local ceramicists and artisans.

Bib Gourmand

The inspectors awarded 123 restaurants the Bib Gourmand award, which recognises excellent cuisine at a good price-performance ratio. The full list can be found below.