At the MICHELIN Guide California ceremony in San Diego, California on June 24, 2026, Chef Val Cantú's Californios was awarded Three MICHELIN Stars, making history as the first Mexican restaurant in the world to earn the accolade.
The restaurant — which Cantú opened with his now-wife Carolyn, who designed the space — debuted in January 2015 in San Francisco’s Mission District. It soon won accolades. Californios earned its first MICHELIN star in October 2015, four stars from the San Francisco Chronicle in 2017, and its second MICHELIN star in 2018.
The restaurant closed in 2020, before reopening as the 36-seat eatery on 11th Street in San Francisco’s SoMa district, where it remains today.
“Californios embodies precisely what a Three-Star restaurant should be, offering expertly crafted dishes made with top-quality ingredients and distinct flavors and personalities,” MICHELIN Guide explained. “This is cooking that is refined and inspired, and Chef Cantú’s unique expression of Mexican flavors made with Californian flair is an art form.”
Several of the Guide’s inspectors highlighted the elements that helped Californios earn coveted Three Star status.
“Chef Cantú has always been at the helm. Even from the early days, it was clear that this team was doing something special. Mexican flavors and Mexican ingredients have crept into fine dining over the years, but we saw here such a clear and confident Mexican DNA through a fine-dining lens,” one inspector noted. “The one dish that I remember vividly was tres frijoles, a play on a three-bean dip with three different textures of beans, one of which was a whipped puree akin to refried beans. I remember thinking, ‘Why has no one done this before?’”
Other dishes the inspectors mentioned include “back-to-back fish tacos and tortillas, which are otherworldly,” and pork cheek carnitas, “a dish that really stood out and signaled to me that Three MICHELIN Stars could be on the horizon for this restaurant.”
Inspectors also praised the quality of ingredients and the creativity used in building the menu.
“One of the fundamentals that makes Californios the greatest Mexican restaurant in the world is the sheer quality of ingredients. The chiles and corn are mostly coming from Mexico, but when it comes to fresh produce and proteins, California is hard to beat,” one inspector said.
Added another: “I’d add that the willingness to fold other flavors and techniques into this Mexican framework is one of the things that has always made Californios so special and unique. It really is aptly named: the flavor profiles and culinary style are Mexican but they’re also very Californian, and the team isn’t afraid to cross borders and be multifaceted.”
For Cantú, the accolades are a result of the hard work and dedication of the entire Californios’ team.
“We are so honored to share that Californios has been awarded Three Michelin Stars!!! We are so thankful for our amazing teams, past and present, that helped us reach this height,” his Instagram message announcing the award said. “Grateful for our amazing farmers, ranchers, and fishermen that have shared their life’s works with us. We are so thankful for our guests, for our friends and families that believed in us and motivated us along this journey. We are thrilled to see Mexican cuisine elevated to this great height!!!”
So, what does the future hold now that Californios has reached that great height?
“From here, the restaurant’s focus will be on continuing to evolve with the seasons and offering guests a singular experience,” Cantú told San Francisco-based news website SFGATE. “I don’t like to be static. We’re not finished by any means.”