December 09, 2025
Michaela Althouse/PhillyVoice
Philly restaurants that earned a Michelin star say they've seen a surge in reservation requests and email inquires. Above, Provenance chef Nicholas Bazik, center, poses during November's award ceremony.
After winning Michelin stars, Philly's acclaimed restaurants say they're seeing more reservation requests and email inquiries, but they don't plan to make any major changes.
Friday Saturday Sunday, Her Place Supper Club and Provenance won one star during the 2026 Michelin Northeast Cities Guide ceremony on Nov. 18. It was the first time Philadelphia was included in the annual international roundup from the tire company, which reviews restaurants based on quality, consistency and cooking techniques.
Receiving a star is one of the highest culinary distinctions, and it often leads to a surge in business, a phenomenon dubbed the Michelin bump. Chef's Pencil found that for every Michelin star, menu costs went up $100 per person, on average. And for chefs, the pressure is on, because they can gain or lose stars as time goes on.
Here is how the award has impacted Philly's three start-studded restaurants and how to score a reservation at them.
The French/Korean restaurant opened inside an old rowhome at 408 S. 2nd St. in 2024, and it quickly rose to prominence with its seafood-forward tasting menu. Chef and owner Nicholas Bazik said the Michelin star has led to a reservation bump, as the restaurant is fully booked through February. They had been fully booked in the earlier part of the year, too, but he said tariffs led to a drop in customers.
"Over the summer, fine-dining restaurants all across America were really struggling just because there's lack of tourism, which really drives fine-dining restaurants because you're not a neighborhood restaurant," Bazik said. "But once Michelin was announced, and the fact that we got a star, that definitely changes everything."
That honor comes with a certain amount of responsibility, Bazik says, but he isn't planning on making changes, including to menu prices.
"We always held ourselves to a certain standard, but now that standard — and the pressure to live up to it — is even greater," Bazik said. "Now that we're established in this realm, we want to just keep pushing and making it better for the people that come through the doors."
At noon on the first day of each month, reservations open for the following month. For example, February bookings start Jan. 1. People can also sign up for a waitlist, which Bazik said is typically about 50 people long.
Created by Amanda Shulman, Her Place started as a pop-up supper club before it became a permanent spot at 1740 Sansom St. The menu changes frequently, although it often pulls from French and Italian influences. After earning a Michelin star, Shulman said she and the staff have seen some increased attention.
"We're a small restaurant to begin with but we've definitely seen a jump in email inquiries that are keeping our reservationist/administrative queen Natalie busy," chef and owner Amanda Shulman said in a statement to PhillyVoice. "Truly a surreal experience and we’re just excited to welcome in more new faces."
Her Place, which is closed on weekends, releases reservations on the third Sunday of every month via OpenTable. Parties are limited to six people, and customers can choose between one of two seatings, 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., for Monday through Friday.
The contemporary American spot at 261 S. 21st St. in Center City is no stranger to accolades, having won a James Beard award in 2023. Its head bartender, Paul MacDonald, was also recently named one of Wine Enthusiast's Future 40 Tastemakers. Owners Chad and Hanna Williams did not immediately return a request for comment on how a Michelin star might have altered their day-to-day operations, but following the award recognition Chad Williams said he and the team planned to continue with "business as usual."
"We keep doing the work every day and that's all we really want to do," he said. "We're just happy to get the recognition, and it kind of puts a little more fire under us."
On the first of each month, reservations open for the following month. Bookings can be made on OpenTable.
