3 new Denver restaurants win Michelin Stars

Three Denver restaurants that opened less than a year ago are the latest to win prized one-star designations from the Michelin Guide, the company announced Monday.

One Denver restaurant, The Wolf’s Tailor, at 4058 Tejon St., was awarded two stars by Michelin. It’s the first such rating for a Colorado restaurant since the guide’s inspectors arrived in the state in 2023.

Of its many designations, the Michelin Guide’s most recognizable is its star-rating system: One star is its mark of a great restaurant; three stars means it provides an unforgettable experience. The guide works with the tourism associations of, and limits its boundaries to, Denver, Boulder, Snowmass, Vail, Aspen and Beaver Creek.

The three new restaurants to receive a star in this year’s edition of the guide are Mezcaleria Alma, Kizaki and Margot.

Mezcaleria Alma is a Mexico City-inspired restaurant from chef Johnny Curiel that opened in November next to his first, Alma Fonda Fina, at 2550 15th St. Alma Fonda Fina retained the Michelin star it received last year.

“Evoking the vibrant creativity of Mexico City’s restaurant scene, the succinct menu is sprinkled with international flavors,” the guide’s entry read.

Kizaki is the latest concept from Sushi Den chef and co-founder Toshi Kizaki. Margot is the permanent home of a fine-dining pop-up conceived by chef Justin Fulton. Both are located in Denchu, a building at 1551 S. Pearl St. designed by Kizaki and serving as his part-time quarters. Both opened this year.

At Kizaki, the chef quietly reigns over a 20-plus course and sends customers home with a signed copy of the night’s menu. He’s called the omakase counter “my vision of retirement.”

“In a culmination of his long career, [Kizaki] now raises the stakes with this luxurious counter, bringing a new echelon of omakase to the Mile High City,” Michelin’s inspectors wrote.

Margot, which is located in the front of the building and inside a separate chef’s counter, specializes in shared dishes.

“Offered as a contemporary multicourse tasting that follows the seasons, [Fulton’s] signature cuisine is both global and distinctly Coloradan, taking inspiration from local ingredients while weaving together wide-ranging influences,” the guide entry read.

The Michelin Guide has played a key role in surging Curiel’s acclaim and prominence in Colorado. (As has The New York Times, which this month named Mezcaleria Alma one of the 50 best places to eat in the U.S.)

His newest Denver restaurant, Alteño, earned a recommendation from Michelin, while Cozobi Fonda Fina, at 909 Walnut St. in Boulder, earned its “Bib Gourmand” nod for quality and value.

Denver restaurants Ukiyo and Wildflower were included on the recommended list for the first time, while the once-recommended Wyld, in Vail, is no longer listed. Two recommended restaurants, Fruition and Noisette, closed this year. A third, Q House, just announced its pending closure.

The Wolf’s Tailor is owned by chef Kelly Whitaker and received a star in the inaugural edition of the Michelin Guide. Taylor Stark is its chef de cuisine.