by Olivia Hill

Humor Editor

The Michelin Guide has announced that it is awarding Manresa a third Michelin star, elevating the Los Gatos eatery into the world’s top 100 restaurants. This prestigious honor comes less than eleven months after Manresa reopened from a devastating fire in July 2014 that destroyed the restaurant’s kitchen.

Michelin publishes a guide each year in which restaurants are given one, two, or three stars based on anonymous reviewers. One star indicates a restaurant, very good in its category, that prepares food to a consistently high standard. Two stars indicate a restaurant “worth a detour” that has displayed excellency. Three stars indicate restaurants “worthy of a special journey” that have exceptional cuisine.

courtesy City Foodsters via Flickr

This accolade has made Manresa the fifth Bay Area restaurant to receive a coveted third Michelin star, just one restaurant fewer than New York City. Many have started to question if the Bay Area is overtaking New York when it comes to high-end eateries. Manresa’s third star comes a year after two Bay Area restaurants, Benu and Saison, earned their third stars. New York has not received a three star promotion since 2012.

Manresa is a vegetable-based restaurant, founded in 2002 by David Kinch. After the fire forced the restaurant to shut down, Kinch fast tracked the reopening six months later. Manresa Bread was born out of Kinch’s restaurant and opened next door, baking for Manresa and selling bread and pastries to the public. Kinch also plans to open Bywater, a New Orleans themed restaurant and bar in Los Gatos, this fall in what was formerly Tommy’s Bar on North Santa Cruz Ave.

Sources: Mercury news, foodtravel.about.com