Established in France in 1900, the Michelin Guide, produced by the tire manufacturer of the same name, is a guidebook first intended as a reference for hotels and restaurants along major driving routes. Today, they're most famous for awarding the Michelin Stars, designations of fine dining. A single star is awarded to a commendable restaurant, which Michelin calls "very good restaurant in its category, worth a stop." Two stars represent "excellent cooking, worth a detour," whereas three stars are awarded to only a very few restaurants in the world, which the guide calls "exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey."

Even a single Michelin star is considered a profound honor, while two or three are said to indicate the best restaurants in the world. Any note by the Guide can put a restaurant on the map. That said, it's often said that the Michelin inspectors aren't the best arbiters of the best food out there: they have a distinctly French bias, they don't necessarily understand the dining culture of the cities they're in, or they tend to take the trappings of service and decor more seriously than the food.

Controversial ratings this year include, say, Eleven Madison Park, widely considered one of the best restaurants in New York City, but with only a single star, the same rating as Danny Brown Wine Bar & Kitchen in Forest Hills.

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