NEW YORK, Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- In the latest edition of the highly anticipated MICHELIN Guide New York City 2013, a record 66 restaurants have been awarded Michelin stars.

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All seven restaurants who achieved Michelin's three star distinction in 2012 maintained top honors. Three Michelin stars is considered the utmost international recognition in the culinary world. One restaurant joined the ranks of the two-starred establishments, atera in Tribeca, for a total of seven in this category.  Fifty-two restaurants earned one Michelin star, including nine newcomers. 

Inclusion in the MICHELIN Guide is an acknowledgment of culinary excellence and quality. In fact, 896 restaurants across the five boroughs of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island were included in the selection this year, compared to 805 in 2012. Among them, MICHELIN Guide inspectors included 61 different cuisines, a testament to the culinary diversity found in New York City.  

The release of the MICHELIN Guide New York City 2013 comes one week after Michelin announced the 126 restaurants who earned the distinction of Bib Gourmand.  These restaurants offer two courses plus a glass of wine or dessert for $40 or less (excluding tax and gratuity) and are known as the Michelin inspector's favorites for good value. 

In the U.S., New York is one of three cities where Michelin publishes an annual guide. The seventh edition of the MICHELIN Guide San Francisco Bay Area & Wine Country 2013 will be introduced October 24, and the MICHELIN Guide Chicago 2013 will be announced on November 13.

The eighth edition of the MICHELIN Guide New York City 2013 goes on sale Wednesday, October 3, at $18.99.

Michelin has done as much to enhance mobility as any company in the world. The company patented the pneumatic, or air-filled, tire in the late 1800s.  This was a milestone moment in mobility, permitting automobile owners to travel at great length in a single journey. Then, in an effort to prompt travelers to enjoy their newfound mobility, the company created guides and detailed maps to steer travelers on their way. The most famous publication that developed from this is the internationally recognized MICHELIN Guide.

Thanks to the rigorous MICHELIN Guide selection process that is applied independently and consistently around 23 countries, the MICHELIN Guide has become an international benchmark in fine dining. The selections of all restaurants in the guide are made by Michelin's famously anonymous inspectors who dine across New York City regularly. These local inspectors are trained to scrupulously apply the same time-tested methods used by Michelin inspectors for many decades throughout the world. This ensures a uniform, international standard of excellence.  As a further guarantee of complete objectivity, Michelin inspectors pay all their bills in full.

For more information about the new MICHELIN Guide apps, and to find out more about the MICHELIN Guide inspectors and the history of the MICHELIN Guide, visit www.michelinguide.com.

Here is a full list of the MICHELIN Guide New York City 2013 stars.

3 Star restaurants 
Exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey

2 Star restaurants
Excellent cuisine, worth a detour

1 Star restaurants
A very good restaurant in its category

SOURCE Michelin