In a live ceremony on May 11, Michelin announced new additions to its Florida guide, for only the second time. Launched last year, the guide covers Miami, Orlando and Tampa, three of the most populous cities in the state, as well as top destinations for tourists from other states.
This year, four restaurants join the ranks of a guide star, including three in Tampa and one in Miami. No new restaurant joined the late French chef Joël Robuchon’s L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon in the two-star category. As with last year, no restaurant received the maximum three stars, leaving the highest and most coveted tier vacant.
The ceremony was marked by glitches and disorder, as the live feed audio was replaced by extended periods of white noise, and several awards were announced out of order, an indication of just how fresh the Florida guide (and the ceremony that accompanies it). However, the presenters bravely stepped forward. Along with the stars, the presenters announced the recipients of a handful of “special awards.” Among them was Miami’s “tropical-ish” cocktail bar and pasta restaurant, Jaguar Sun, winner of the Exceptional Cocktails award. Benjamin Coutts of Orlando’s omakase restaurant, Soseki, was named sommelier of the year.
There were a total of 15 starred restaurants in last year’s inaugural guide. L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, which has other locations that have appeared frequently in the guide, received two stars. Ten restaurants in Miami and four in Orlando received one star. Tampa, meanwhile, wasn’t represented on the list last year, making this year’s star reveal a big problem for the city. The total number of Michelin-starred restaurants in Florida now stands at 19.
Receiving a Michelin star is perhaps the most coveted achievement in the restaurant world. One star “worth a stop,” two stars “worth a detour,” and three stars (the most a restaurant can receive) “worth a special trip,” according to the guide. Michelin has faced some criticism over the years for favoring starred European, Japanese and Korean restaurants, while relegating other cuisines to its more affordable Bib Gourmand list. The guidance has also been criticized for disproportionately representing restaurants run by men. Still, chefs and diners alike view the guide as a revered measure of success.
Florida’s culturally diverse dining scene has drawn attention in recent years as new residents from places like New York and New Jersey flocked south during the pandemic and large restaurant groups leaned to expand in the state. Major Food Group’s Carbone opened a Miami outpost in 2021, the same year New York’s Cote Korean Steakhouse expanded into the city. The latter received a star in last year’s guide. Some welcome the entry of these big-name restaurants as beneficial to the city’s culinary profile, while other independent eateries have reported having to struggle to keep up with big-spending competition.
Along with the four new stars, eight restaurants received a Bib Gourmand on May 4, denoting a high-quality restaurant more affordable than its starred peers. In Miami, the southern spot Rosie’s and Jaguar Sun took the honor. In Orlando, Isan Zaap, Norigami and Otto’s High Dive restaurants received Bibs, serving Thai, Japanese and Cuban cuisine, respectively. Tampa’s Gorkhali Kitchen, a Nepali restaurant and Psomi Greek restaurant were also recognized.
Find the full list of Michelin-starred Florida restaurants below.
Entries are arranged alphabetically.
Two star restaurants
- L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, Miami
One star restaurants
- battering ram, miami
- Boia De, Miami
- Cape, Orlando
- coast, miami
- Elcielo Miami, Miami
- hiden, miami
- Kadence, Orlando
- Knife and Spoon, Orlando
- Koya, Tampa (new)
- Le Jardinier, Miami
- Lilac, Tampa (new)
- The Felixes, Miami
- Rock, Tampa (new)
- Soseki, Orlando
- Stubborn Seed, Miami
- the den, miami
- The Surf Club restaurant, Surfside, Miami
- Tambourine Room by Tristan Brandt, Miami (new)
