What Do the Michelin Guide and Michelin Tires Have in Common? We Took a Road Trip To Find Out

When André and Édouard Michelin founded their tire company, there were few cars on the road and even less demand for tires. So, to increase demand for both tires and cars, they created the ultimate travel guide for their clients: the Michelin Guide, a small red handbook that included many handy tips, such as how to change a tire and the best restaurants along scenic routes. 

To maintain the integrity of the guide, the Michelin brothers began to send mystery diners to rate restaurants, leading to the creation of the Michelin star system, still reviewed by stealth critics and the most prestigious restaurant rating system in the world. Starting in the 1920’s Michelin began also listing hotels and just last year added “Key” ratings to denote excellence. 

The idea of taking a road trip with great restaurants and fine hotels as your destination has become increasingly popular. But often the on-road experience can be uneven compared to the culinary and hospitality experience. Does it have to be?

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It’s been 125 years since the Michelin brothers produced their first guide, and while the popularity of driving has exploded, so has Michelin’s influence on culinary and hospitality trends. But we wondered, do the principles of one translate to the other?

We tested the theory by taking a road trip on a fresh set of tires as we toured some Michelin Key hotels and had dinner at Michelin-starred restaurants in New York City and Washington D.C.

Read: I Need New Tires. Should I Buy the Same Ones My Car Came With?

To prepare for the trip, my boyfriend and I had a set of Michelin CrossClimate 2 tires installed on his Hyundai Santa Fe. We didn’t think it really needed new tires; the car seemed to drive just fine.

But was really just the first step in our Michelin journey: starting out with confidence and convenience of having new tires installed. We took the car to 106th St. Tire & Wheel in Corona, Queens, a local shop where we knew the installation would be done properly. In this case we didn’t shop for tires with the shop, but if we had, the shop’s advice would have been a key point of distinction; trust in the advice you’re given matters greatly.

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Then we checked into The Mark Hotel, a Michelin Key sanctuary of luxury on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. The neighborhood is a privilege on its own, one filled with luxury boutiques and chicly dressed locals. Just off Central Park, The Mark is known as a destination for celebrities and moguls seeking intuitive and thoughtful hospitality in a modern setting.

A great hotel delivers more than just hospitality, though. It delivers confidence: of a great experience, no worries that things will go wrong, and if something isn’t right, someone will take care of it. The Michelin Key designation is the first signal that we could have confidence in our stay.

Yes, The Mark is a luxury hotel with excellent service and fine linens, but its luxury is more deeply woven into its DNA. Its design allows guests to suspend the stresses of the day and delve into The Mark experience. Housed in a landmark building of old New York architecture, its interiors and design motifs contrast heritage architecture with a modern graphic feel. Black and white stripes are the stage for chic objets d’art, deco furnishings and bold colors, designed by celebrated French architect Jacques Grange. The hotel’s public spaces and guest rooms bring the whimsy of art to life.

Even if you’re not a celebrity, you’ll feel like one.

Having a reservation at a Michelin-starred restaurant is enough to be nerve-racking: It’s more than a meal, it’s an experience. And Torrisi, which sits on the border of New York’s Little Italy and Chinatown, might be the biggest deal in NYC, America’s food capital. Reservations are not easy to get and the menu takes study; every dish has a story, in this case, a story from the fabric of New York and the cultural influences that have shaped the city.

Again turning to an expert for confidence that our journey would be memorable, we asked our waiter for guidance to what is a pretty complex menu. We began with Cucumbers New Yorkese, a dish created to celebrate the famed pickle trade of old New York. Then we tried the Italian and American Hams with Zeppole, shaved cured ham and prosciutto with Zeppole, fried Italian donuts found at street fairs like the famed Feast of San Gennaro.

For our main course we had cavatelli with Jamaican beef ragu—a classic Italian dish with a distinct New York spin: the Jamaican beef patty known to so many as street food and pizzeria fare. Together, they are a New York story. To end the meal of course, I had to have the Caffe Espresso martini. Every good New York meal should end with espresso.

Only later did I learn just how spot on our waiter’s advice was. Our meal was exactly what the New York Times food critic Sam Sifton recommends to experience the heritage of New York City on a plate.

The next leg of our journey took us through some of the toughest roads in the country: New York City, the New Jersey Turnpike, the parkways and traffic jams of of Washington, D.C. Then add rainy winter weather to the mix this drive becomes a white-knuckle experience.

Confidence is a must, but we felt good.

Having a solid set of tires capable of whisking away water from the road really helped; that’s just part of what the Michelin CrossClimate 2 tires are known for. The unique chevron-style tread spans to the sides of the tires without large grooves. This means the tires are also quiet on the road, transforming what can be a loud drive into one that is optimal for conversation. And with a freshly-realigned front end and nicely cushy tread-depth, the tires added quite a lot to the comfort of our ride, something we hadn’t even thought of but noticed immediately.

And, behind the wheel they gave me more ability. If you’ve ever driven in NYC or D.C., you know: Potholes, darting pedestrians and short stops are a part of the routine. A good set of tires mean you can do all that with confidence.

Like The Mark, the Pendry at the Wharf in Washington D.C. allowed us to walk through its doors and leave our stresses behind. The Pendry, a collection of nine boutique hotels, each uniquely designed from a Kate Spade-like dream to a neoclassic equestrian estate, is a hotel brand to collect and compare: Which are your your favorite rooms? Which has the best views, restaurants or most interesting neighborhoods? The Pendry at the Wharf is perhaps the brand’s most modern hotel, a faceted glass tower filled with elegant, minimalist details, architectural lighting and water and city views everywhere you look.

It wasn’t unlike the comfortable ride that removed jarring pothole bumps and the noise of pavement against rolling rubber; the effect is to isolate the things that create your experience: rippling water, twinkling city lights, the smile of your companion.

Our dinner journey took us to another Michelin Star restaurant, Reverie, nestled in D.C.’s historic Georgetown neighborhood, notable for its colonial architecture, cobblestone streets and cozy pubs. Reverie, which reopened in late 2023 after a devastating fire, is a contrarian in the neighborhood with it’s open, modern room framed in stone and wood for a zen feel. But it also provides a connection to the region with a menu composed of Eastern seafood, local vegetables and game.

The real magic at Reverie, though, is the confidence diners have in booking a reservation. Diners are served a fixed course meal and the menu changes daily. In fact, only after the meal are you presented with the menu so you can see what you ate.

The room, the open kitchen bustling with chefs moving through the space with speed and precision and the Michelin star created a sense of excitement.

As each course was presented, our chef appeared to explain it and break it down: The fundamental flavors that were deconstructed and reassembled to create an unexpected dish.

Even after understanding each dish, we were still in awe of Reverie’s creativity. Spiny lobster was not what you might expect; it was sliced thin, marinated in a citrusy ponzu and served with verbena, finger lime and elderflower vinegar, creating layers of flavors in a small, ice-chilled dish. Some dishes were served concealed under a layer of gel, others atop a delicate foam. Each was a surprising delight.

For each bite to be presented then savored was part of the experience, but so was the idea that we could arrive rested and relaxed and ready to take in each part of the journey. And it changed me as a traveler. Now I know to look for the confidence that clears the way for a memorable journey and comforts that will help me to soak it all in.