Boston’s first year of the new Michelin Guide comes with two storylines: a cocktail award for a Brookline Thai restaurant and the city’s first-ever star for a South End omakase counter.
The drinks spotlight lands on Chompon “Boong” Boonnak of Mahaniyom (236 Washington Street, Brookline), who received Michelin’s Exceptional Cocktails Award. In the guide, Mahaniyom is also listed as a Bib Gourmand, making it Boston’s first Michelin-recognized bar and value pick in one location. The Brookline Village restaurant opened in 2020 with hard-to-find dishes like its pomelo salad, the nom prik patter, crab curry, and variations on larb. Boonnak’s drinks are built to pair with small plates. Boonnak landed at Mahaniyom from Boston’s Shojo.
The first Michelin star for Boston goes to Japanese restaurant, 311 Omakase (605 Tremont Street, South End). Wei Fa Chen, a Masa alum, leads the 10-seat counter and runs an 18-course, roughly $250 Edomae-style menu. Hidden in a brownstone basement, 311 opened in 2023 and became one of the city’s hardest reservations; Michelin describes the omakase as “impressive nigiri showcasing high-quality product.”
Six Bib Gourmands round out the value side of the selection. They include:
The arrival of Michelin in Boston has been years in the making. In 2023, Eater Boston fielded reader questions about why the city still didn’t have a guide, noting that tourism boards typically underwrite the guide’s entry into a market. By May 2025, Eater reported that Meet Boston and the Cambridge tourism board struck a deal to bring the guide to the region as part of the new Northeast Cities edition.
According to the guide, a one-star restaurant offers “high-quality cooking, worth a stop;” two stars provide “excellent cooking, worth a detour;” and three stars signify “exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey.” A Bib Gourmand reflects “good food at a moderate price.”
Now, with one star, six Bib Gourmands, and a cocktail award in the first year, Boston’s restaurant scene is officially on the Michelin map — and facing the questions as to how fast that list grows, and who joins 311 Omakase and Mahaniyom in the next round.
AloJapan.com