For the first time, the Sunshine State was aglow in Michelin stars in 2022.
The esteemed Michelin Guide last year awarded 11 stars to 10 Miami/Miami Beach restaurants and four to Orlando.
Why should you care where a French tire company thinks you should spend your lunch money? Maybe you don’t, but Michelin and Visit Florida can answer that. A 2019 Ernst & Young study cited by Michelin says that 57 percent of frequent travelers would stay longer in a city if it had Michelin-starred eateries compared with one that didn’t, while 71 percent would be willing to increase their spending in the city.
So which restaurants emerged with the lofty distinction? As the most respected international restaurant rating system in the world, Michelin came here in partnership with Visit Florida, the state tourism arm, and local tourism agencies in Miami, Orlando and Tampa, which agreed to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to rate Florida eateries and produce a printed guide, Gwendal Poullennec, international director of Michelin Guides, told the Orlando Sentinel. (It should be noted that Tampa did not receive any stars.)
“Miami, Orlando and Tampa have very much to offer to international food and wine enthusiasts,” Poullennec said in a release. “These talented chefs and their committed teams create culinary experiences matched only by the amazing attractions of each city. Local foodies as well as travelers will enjoy exploring these mesmerizing and rich Florida culinary destinations.”
Before we plunge into the list of winners, here’s a quick primer on Michelin’s process.
How Michelin picks restaurants
First of all, know that it’s a notoriously secretive process, and Michelin inspectors visit each restaurant anonymously.
Judges use five criteria, regardless of the city, awarding either one (“high quality cooking, worth a stop,” in Michelin vernacular), two (“excellent cooking, worth a detour”) or three (“exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey”) stars.
The criteria include quality of product; harmony of flavors; mastery of flavor and cooking techniques; the chef’s personality “represented in the dining experience”; and consistency between visits. Michelin maintains that factors such as interior decor, service and table settings never factor into the rating equation.
Not one restaurant in Florida earned three Michelin stars. Those are the rarest of all, and only 13 U.S. restaurants have them: six in California, five in New York and one each in Washington, D.C., and Chicago.
Michelin also salutes restaurants without awarding stars. They gave 29 “Bib Gourmand” designations in Florida, handed to places promising “great values,” aka establishments where diners can have good meals (two courses, a glass of wine or dessert) for $49 or less. Other eateries considered deserving of inclusion in the guide but not fitting into these categories earn a “Plate” designation.
Here’s a list of every Florida restaurant that earned recognition from the prestigious guide.
Miami
The Magic City not only earned the most Michelin stars (11) and Bib Gourmands (19), but it has the distinction of being the only Florida city boasting a Michelin two-star. Below find the winners in alphabetical order.
Two stars
L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon
One star
Ariete
Boia De
Cote Miami
The Den at Sushi Azabu Miami
Elcielo Miami
Hiden
Le Jardinier Miami
Los Félix
Stubborn Seed
The Surf Club Restaurant
Bib Gourmands
Bachour
Chug’s Diner
DOYA
El Turco
Ghee Indian Kitchen
Hometown Barbecue Miami
Itamae
Krüs Kitchen
La Natural
Lucali
Lung Yai Thai Tapas
Mandolin Aegean Bistro
Michael’s Genuine
Phuc Yea
Red Rooster Overtown
Sanguich De Miami
Tinta y Cafe
Zak The Baker
Zitz Sum
Orlando
The Central Florida tourism hotspot won four Michelin stars and seven Bib Gourmands.
One star
Capa
Soseki
Kadence
Knife & Spoon
Bib Gourmands
Bombay Street Kitchen
Papa Llama
Domu
Strand
Swine & Sons
The Ravenous Pig
Z Asian
Tampa
Just because Michelin stiffed the Gulf Coast in stars doesn’t mean Tampa Bay residents should start buying Firestone in protest. Nor should it deter Tampa-bound travelers: There were three restaurants that earned Bib Gourmands.
Bib Gourmands
Ichicoro Ramen
Rocca
Rooster and the Till
Another thing to note: Broward and Palm Beach counties weren’t included in this year’s Michelin Guide, but at least one Michelin-starred chef has a place here. Chef Jeremy Ford, whose Stubborn Seed restaurant in Miami Beach earned its first Michelin star, serves up high-end steakhouse dishes at The Butcher’s Club at PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens.
For the full Michelin Guide, go to Guide.Michelin.com.
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