Starr Restaurants has been recognized as "one of the largest multiconcept operators in the country, with restaurants up and down the Eastern Seaboard, from New York to Miami" by the magazine Restaurant Hospitality. The restaurants have been noted as having an emphasis on "theatrical details, like music, lighting and backdrops." The magazine Travel + Leisure noted that "Starr creates complete environments with an artistic, almost cerebral approach". The majority of Starr Restaurants are distinct concepts, but some restaurants are reproduced in different cities, such as Buddakan, Morimoto, El Vez, and Upland.
History
In 1995, Stephen Starr founded Starr Restaurants, and the company opened its first restaurant, "Continental Restaurant & Martini Bar" in September of that year in Center City, Philadelphia. Mayor Ed Rendell said, "It was like a shock of electricity for the development of Old City and led the way for the restaurant revolution down there." In the following years, Starr opened several more restaurants in Philadelphia. In 2006, Starr Restaurants expanded to New York and Atlantic City. By 2009, there were 18 restaurants in the Starr portfolio, including one in Florida. In 2013, Starr expanded to Washington, D.C., growing to 30 restaurants. In 2016, Starr opened their first restaurant outside the United States, Chez La Vieille in Paris.
Notable sales
Starr's catering operation, Starr Events, was sold to TrustHouse Services in August 2015 for $40 million.
Awards
The head of Starr Restaurants, Stephen Starr, has been named "Restaurateur of the Year" by both Bon Appétit and Zagat." Starr was named the Richard Melman Innovator of the Year by Restaurant Hospitality in 2013. In 2017, Starr won the James Beard Award for "Outstanding Restaurateur." The Starr Restaurant Le Coucou with chef Daniel Rose was named 2017 "Best New Restaurant" by the James Beard Foundation. Le Coucou was also one of Food & Wine magazine's 2017 Restaurants of the Year. The Clocktower with Jason Atherton received the first star for the Starr Restaurant group in the 2018 Michelin Guide.
Restaurants
As of 2019, there are twenty Starr Restaurants in Philadelphia; seven in New York City; five in South Florida; two in Atlantic City, New Jersey; two in Washington, D.C.; and one in Paris, France.
Philadelphia
The majority of Starr Restaurants, twenty, are located in Philadelphia. These restaurants include:
