The world-renowned Michelin Guide has announced their inaugural restaurant selections for the American South and four Chattanooga restaurants have made the prestigious list.
Local husband and wife restauranteurs, Erik and Amanda Niel earned recognition for all three of their restaurants - Easy Bistro, Main Street Meats, and Little Coyote, while Ryan Smith and Chloe Wright's The Rosecomb were among the restaurants that received Michelin Guide recommendations.
The full selection, including Bib Gourmand restaurants and recommended eateries, totals 228 restaurants spanning 44 cuisine types.
Little Coyote received the Bib Gourmand award. It is awarded to establishments that provide a high-quality, three-course meal at a reasonable price. This award highlights unique restaurants that focus on simpler, more recognizable styles of cooking, offering a great dining experience that doesn't require a lot of money.
"To have all three of our restaurants included in the very first Michelin Guide to the American South is truly incredible,” Erik said in a statement. “While the James Beard Awards spotlights individual talent, the Michelin Guide is a powerful acknowledgment of the entire restaurant — and the countless people whose hard work makes it what it is. I’m so proud of everyone who's part of our story, past and present. This recognition reflects years of dedication, heart, resilience, and passion.”
"We’re incredibly honored to have all of our restaurants recommended in the Michelin Guide,” Amanda added. “To me, this recognition is truly about our whole team and the level of hospitality we’ve worked toward since day one. Michelin inspectors visit anonymously — not just once, but multiple times — so everything has to line up: the food, the service, the warmth and guest experience. As an owner, that consistency in hospitality makes me immensely proud of both our kitchen and front-of-house teams.”
Ryan Smith and Chloe Wright said they were ecstatic to learn The Rosecomb was among the recommendations.
“My mind is still reeling from receiving this news,” Chloe said. “I've always been so proud of Rosecomb and our team here, but to be included alongside industry professionals like Amanda & Erik Niel is really wild for me. Their projects have been a standard of excellence in Chattanooga for longer than I've actually been working in the industry, so this is just absolute mind blowing to me and such an enormous honor.”
“We are beyond shocked to even have been nominated amongst all of the great restaurants in Chattanooga,” Ryan added. “Chloe & I just wanted to open a cute little neighborhood bar that served great drinks and great food, and most importantly, ensure that people had a good time while they were in our house. We are thrilled to be recognized alongside the likes of Erik & Amanda, and we're very excited for what this means for Chattanooga.”
The Neils were equally proud of their fellow restauranteurs.
“We're also honored to be in the company of Rosecomb,” said Erik. “For Chattanooga to have four spots included in this inaugural guide speaks volumes about how far the city has come, and how much exciting potential is still ahead for our food scene."
“Chattanooga is an exciting place to be right now,” Amanda said. “We're also thrilled for our friends at Rosecomb — Chloe Wright and Ryan Smith are incredibly talented and part of what makes this city so special. With this kind of energy and talent here, it feels well-deserved to see Chattanooga recognized as a true culinary destination by Michelin."
“The cuisine of the American South is a rich blend of cultural influences, brought to life by skilled chefs who have crafted some of the region’s most iconic dishes,” said Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the Michelin Guide. “Our anonymous Inspectors were deeply impressed by the region’s culinary prowess, and this inaugural selection reflects their findings — from Southern staples like barbecue, Creole and seafood, to international flavors. We welcome these restaurants to the Michelin Guide family and toast to all the chef and restaurant teams.”
According to a press release from Michelin, the Guide was first published in France at the turn of the 20th century to encourage the development of car mobility as well as tire sales by giving practical advice to motorists. Progressively, the Guide specialized in restaurant and hotel recommendations.
All restaurants in the Guide are recommended by Michelin’s anonymous inspectors, who are trained to apply the same time-tested methods used by Michelin inspectors for many decades throughout the world. This ensures a uniform, international standard of excellence. As a further guarantee of complete objectivity, Michelin inspectors pay all their bills in full, and only the quality of the cuisine is evaluated.