Five Chattanooga restaurants have been recognized among the best Southern eateries in the newest Michelin Guide for the American South, highlighting what tourism leaders say is a growing culinary reputation for Chattanooga.
For the second consecutive year, Little Coyote in St. Elmo was awarded the Bib Gourmand distinction, which Michelin Guide inspectors give each year to eateries offering great food at a great value.
Little Coyote, the Mexican-style barbeque restaurant which opened nearly three years ago featuring smoked meats and fresh tortillas, is the newest spot opened by Erik and Amanda Niel.
The Niels also gained Michelin recommendations again this year for their two other Chattanooga restaurants — Easy Bistro and Main Street Meats.
The Rosecomb, a North Chattanooga restaurant opened five years ago by Chloe Wright that specializes in updated versions of classic Southern dishes, was also recognized in the Michelin Guide for the second consecutive year.
The 2nd American restaurant, which veteran chef Daniel Lindley opened two years ago on Chattanooga’s Southside, was added this year to the Michelin recommended list.
Across the South, 269 restaurants from seven states were included in the Michelin Guide for the American South, announced Wednesday night at a gala in Nashville.
Amanda Niel, who has worked with her husband in Chattanooga’s restaurant scene for more than 25 years, said having five restaurants from Chattanooga on the Michelin Guide is extraordinary.
Michelin recommends 5 Chattanooga restaurants among best in the South
“With this kind of energy and talent here, it feels well-deserved to see Chattanooga recognized as a true culinary destination,” Amanda Niel said in a statement Thursday.
The Michelin Guide was first published in France at the turn of the 20th century to encourage car travel by giving advice to travelers about hotels and restaurants across Europe. Over time, the guide has been recognized around the world for selecting world-class hotels and restaurants based upon anonymous inspectors who review thousands of establishments every year.
The American South version for the Michelin Guide debuted last year, after inspectors reviewed restaurants in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina and South Carolina.
Three restaurants in the South earned the top “One Michelin Star” honor — the Dakar NOLA in New Orleans, So. Fox in Atlanta and the Uberto Restaurant in Gay, Georgia.
But Susan Harris, chief executive of the Chattanooga Tourism Co., said having five local eateries in the well-known Michelin Guide “gives us an opportunity to share Chattanooga’s culinary scene with visitors from around the world.”
Two restaurants in Sewanee, Tennessee — Judith and Lunch — were also recommended again this year in the Southern guide.
Erik Niel said the Michelin Guide recommendations last year boosted business at all three of his restaurants, and he expects similar gains this year.
“As the Michelin Guide has been introduced more and more in the U.S. and particularly the American South, it has become a great tool to travel with, and we’re seeing more visitors as a result,” Niel said by phone Thursday after returning from the awards program in Nashville.
Niel was a semifinalist in both 2016 and 2017 for the James Beard Award for the best chef in the Southeast. The Michelin Guide nod recognizes the entire restaurant team and experience, which Niel said he and his wife have worked hard to build at all three of their restaurants.
“While the James Beard Awards often spotlight 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,” Niel said. “To have all three of our restaurants included in the Michelin Guide American South for the second consecutive year is truly incredible.”
The Niels’ restaurant journey in Chattanooga started after the two met working at a restaurant when Erik moved to Chattanooga in 2000.
Easy Bistro was the Niels’ first business venture, which opened in May 2005 as a classic Southern-inspired French bistro. The couple launched Main Street Meats in August 2015 as a butcher shop and charcuterie spot. Little Coyote opened in St. Elmo three years ago, and Niel said the couple is considering other restaurant concepts for the future.
“Chattanooga is our home, and at this point I think whatever we do will be here,” Niel said. “The formula we have is very neighborhood-driven and we’re continually tweaking our menu and operations for each location.”
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly half of all restaurants go out of business within their first five years. But the Niels have so far been successful in sustaining all of their restaurants, including more than two decades with Easy Bistro.
“My wife and I are ridiculously stubborn and we don’t take ‘no’ for an answer very well, but I think we’re also able to continue to look critically at what we’re doing and make changes as we need to do,” Niel said. “We also are very fortunate to have come to Chattanooga at a time of great growth and to be able to match our growth path with that of the city’s overall growth.”
Contact correspondent Dave Flessner at flessner@timesfreepress.com.