Florida's Food Scene Just Got A Major Boost With Michelin Stars For Five Restaurants Across The State

Florida's gentle, warm weather has made it one of the most important agricultural regions in the United States. Access to fresh produce merges with the state's impressive influx of immigrants from all over the world to create a delicious regional cuisine. The final ingredient for making this a culinary hotspot is the large number of tourists and locals who are willing to spend a good amount of money on an excellent gourmet meal. It's not surprising, then, to find that 31 Florida restaurants have a Michelin star, with five new spots joining the list in 2025.

Scattered around Tampa, Greater Orlando, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and Greater Miami, the state boasts 29 one-Michelin-starred restaurants and two establishments with two stars. Predictably, Miami is the city with the most overall stars, also boasting two new Green Star restaurants (a distinction given to kitchens with outstanding commitment to sustainability): EntreNos and Stubborn Seed. Diners who want delectable meals without the prices that starred restaurants command will find 36 Bib Gourmand spots around the state, like Ghee Indian Kitchen in Miami or Streetlight Taco in Tampa. These affordable eateries excel amongst the competition, even if they don't have any stars.

While all the restaurants included in the 2025 Florida Michelin Guide are worth visiting, if you're looking for the state's exciting newcomers, there are five new spots you should set your eyes on.

Sorekara may be getting the most buzz out of all of Florida's Michelin-starred restaurants because it achieved the rare feat of upgrading from one to two stars. It's one of only two places in the state to have received the honor, along with L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon Miami. Open a few times per week for a single seating, the Asian establishment bases its dishes on the 72 micro seasons that Japan experiences. You won't find a menu on the website, and pictures are mostly artistic portraits of ingredients and the people who grow, catch, or process them. By this simple act, Chef William Shen rebels against the conventions of an industry that can sometimes be overly showy. Because the chef owns the restaurant, he has a level of freedom many of his peers don't share, and this reflects on his playful and imaginative approach to dining.

It would be futile to provide a list of dishes, as the Sorekara experience is constantly changing to adapt to seasons and the chef's creative pursuits. That said, diners can expect a genuinely warm welcome that is only possible when seating is this limited, and a multi-room, multi-sensorial, multi-hour gastronomical adventure. If you're in Orlando, we'd recommend this tasting menu experience as one of the best things to do in the city, other than visiting Disney.

Miami may get most of the culinary attention, but the neighboring Fort Lauderdale, known as the "Venice of America," commands some respect. Housed inside the Four Seasons Fort Lauderdale's Maass dining room, Chef's Counter focuses on contemporary cuisine. Although the menu blends together influences from different culinary traditions, methods, and ingredients, it's clear that Japan and France have contributed the most to Chef Ryan Ratino's vision. The open kitchen only sits 14 guests, allowing for an intimate experience where seeing the food be masterfully prepared is (almost) as satisfying as savoring it.

Diners can choose between two tasting menu options: the Excursion and the Voyage. Some dishes are part of both menus, but the Voyage includes more courses and premium ingredients. At the time of this writing, a starter course in the shorter experience includes a potato pancake and tartar, while the longer one serves the same dish with wagyu tartar. Guests can expect inventive dishes like coconut and caviar, Wellfleet oyster with apple and celery, and foie gras macarons — a guest favorite. As with many restaurants in the state's coastal cities, Chef's Counter seems to have a preference for seafood dishes. 

Nikkei cuisine was born from the wonderful marriage of Peruvian and Japanese food. Although it originated in working class neighborhoods where Japanese immigrants lived after they arrived to the South American country, this cuisine is now enjoyed around the world and has become renowned in the fine dining industry. Itamae AO proves that Miami is particularly well suited for Nikkei food. The city has a significant Peruvian population and is well acquainted with seafood in all its forms. That said, Chef Nando Chang doesn't get most of the seafood served here from shores near Miami, as he often sources it straight from Japan — a strategy that differentiates his restaurant.

Like other places on this list, Itamae AO has limited seating. Only 10 guests are welcome to enjoy the chef's tasting menu at any given time. You won't know what you'll be eating until you arrive, but this is part of the fun in a world where diners are becoming too used to deciding exactly what they want to order before they even make a reservation. A variety of seafood in different preparations will certainly be served, though the details will be hard for anyone except the chef and staff to even guess. Itamae AO joins 14 other establishments in the Greater Miami area that have received this coveted distinction, including the Surf Club Restaurant, Cote Miami, and Elcielo, whose D.C. location also has a star.

West Palm Beach earned its first Michelin star with Konro, another 10-seat restaurant that only provides a tasting menu experience. Following a trend clear in this year's list, Konro takes inspiration from Japanese cuisine and offers diners a look into a Michelin-starred chef's creative process. The open kitchen allows guests to see Chef Jacob Bickelhaupt at work as he explains each dish while making it. 

During the 2.5-hour experience, you'll savor 10 to 14 courses in a velvet seat that contrasts the quartz counter. Despite being rooted in Japanese traditions and ingredients, the menu isn't afraid to play with other influences, creating a contemporary style that fits the restaurant's home city. Nadia Bickelhaupt — Bickelhaupt's wife and Konro's co-owner — is the sommelier in charge of choosing pairings for each course. This star is Jacob Bickelhaupt's second, after his two-Michelin-stared Chicago restaurant, 42 Grams, closed in 2017.

Winter Park is probably the least recognized out of all the cities listed in this year's guide, but this charming destination just north of Orlando offers a relaxed atmosphere and some of the state's best dining. The city earned its first Michelin star in 2022 with Soseki. Ômo by Jônt now joins it as the second Winter Park Japanese spot to receive a star. The experience here closely resembles that of the two-star D.C. establishment, Jônt, whose menu was designed by none other than Chef Ryan Ratino (yes, the same chef who brings magic to Maass). Ratino is one of the youngest chefs to ever helm multiple Michelin-starred restaurants. Ômo also received a 2025 James Beard Award nomination for Best New Restaurant. 

Two tasting menus allow a maximum of 16 guests to choose their own adventure. The Journey includes four smaller bites, four savory plates, one dessert course, and a magic box that includes goodies like vanilla madeleines, raspberries, and pistachios. The Jaunt is longer and more expensive, with 20 dishes and premium ingredients like caviar and wagyu meat. Those who choose this experience will be delighted with the chance to try the famous crown melon — a luxurious Japanese fruit that commands hefty prices because only one individual fruit is grown per tree and only a few hundred are sold each year.