The Michelin Guide announced Tuesday that it is expanding its coverage to include the entire state of California in a single 2019 guide — meaning that the San Francisco Bay Area, which has had a guide all to itself since 2007, will now have to share space with Southern California and everyone else.

As the Chronicle reports, "San Francisco, home to eight of the guide’s coveted three-star restaurants in the U.S., will continue to anchor the new California-wide edition."

How that "anchoring" will work, however, given the vastness of Los Angeles' food scene, let alone those around San Diego, Santa Barbara and elsewhere.

"San Francisco’s bragging rights as the city with the most three-star restaurants (it has eight, in case anyone’s counting) may no longer hold as much weight as its absorbed into a larger pool," as Eater SF suggests.

But as Los Angeles chef Josef Centeno tells the LA Times, "I just think Michelin is way late."

Los Angeles had a short-lived Michelin Guide of its own (shared with Las Vegas) that launched the same same year as the Bay Area Guide, in 2007. Michelin discontinued the guide just two years later, however, citing the "economic environment" — and word had it that Michelin inspectors were too hard-pressed at the time to find any restaurant worthy of three stars in the region.

That has certainly changed in recent years as food culture in Los Angeles — and everywhere, really — has grown more sophisticated. Michelin spokeswoman Gwendal Poullennec said in a statement, "Our inspectors have been impressed with the talent and innovation within the gastronomic community across the state."

Having edged out New York City as the country's culinary capital — at least in the eyes of Michelin — in recent years, with a whopping 8 three-star restaurants, San Francisco and the surrounding region may start feeling a little bitter about this change. Remember when all the three-star restaurants were outside of SF proper before Benu and Saison came up in the world in 2014?

Also, this marks the first time that the prestigious restaurant review org will have a guide devoted to an entire state — it currently only publishes guides to Chicago, D.C., and New York dining.

While derided by some as antiquated and snobbish in its tastes, Michelin stars nevertheless carry international weight among the foodinista set. First published over 100 years ago, the Michelin Guide began as a promotion for the tire company to help get the people of France out on the road and wearing out their tires, so they'd need to buy new ones.

The criteria for stars seem to vary a bit from region to region, and inspectors claim that they focus entirely on the food and not on service or atmosphere — though almost all three-star restaurants offer extremely high-end examples of both. Historically, the signifiers of each star level have stayed the same, however. One star signifies "a very good restaurant and worth a stop," two stars means "excellent cooking that is worth a detour," and three stars means "exceptional cuisine that is worth a special trip."

Below, SF's current stars, as of last fall. The California-wide guide is reportedly slated for release in June.

Three Stars
Atelier Crenn
Benu
The French Laundry
Manresa
Quince
The Restaurant at Meadowood
Saison
Single Thread Farm

Two Stars
Acquerello
Baume
Californios
Coi
Commis
Lazy Bear

One Star
Al’s Place
Aster
Auberge du Soleil
Bar Crenn
Birdsong
Bouchon
Campton Place
Chez TJ
Commonwealth
Farmhouse Inn & Restaurant
Gary Danko
Hashiri
In Situ
Ju-Ni
Keiko a Nob Hill
Kenzo
Kin Khao
Kinjo
La Toque
Lord Stanley
Luce
Madera
Madcap
Madrona Manor
Michael Mina
Mister Jiu’s
Mourad
Nico
Octavia
Omakase
Protegé
Plumed Horse
The Progress
Rasa
Rich Table
Sons & Daughters
SPQR
Spruce
State Bird Provisions
Sushi Yoshizumi
Terrapin Creek
The Village Pub
Wako
Wakuriya