The Michelin man is most famously known for promoting Michelin tires, but it’s his side job of reviewing hotels and restaurants that has New York’s attention. It all began in 1900 when the Michelin brothers created a guide book to promote motoring and thus, tires. The guide grew to set the standard for hotels and restaurants in Europe, and in 2006, it made the big leap to America. The “inspectors” are completely anonymous and all their meals and expenses are never paid by the restaurant being reviewed. Unlike most guides, the Michelin rating is based solely off of the cuisine without taking into account décor, location, table setting or service. A plus for true foodies. There are only guides for New York, San Francisco, and Chicago, and the ratings are on a scale of one to three stars – one being for amazing eats in a less fancy atmosphere and three being for the crème de la crème of the restaurant world.