Michelin, in partnership with the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, Visit Orlando, and Visit Tampa Bay, will release the Guide, which will cover the cities of Miami, Orlando, and Tampa.
In the United States, only New York, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and California have their own Michelin Guide. Each is arranged according to a rating scale of one to three stars. According to Michelin, "A Michelin Star is awarded for outstanding cooking. We take into account the quality of the ingredients, the harmony of flavours, the mastery of techniques, the personality of the chef as expressed in their cuisine and, just as importantly, consistency both over time and across the entire menu."
According to the guide, ambiance, décor, and service play no part in the selection process, which is undertaken exclusively by full-time employees of Michelin.
In addition to its star system, Michelin's "Bib Gourmand" category lists restaurants that serve outstanding food at a good value — generally, places where you can get a two-course dinner and wine or dessert for under $40. This is where most restaurants in the Florida Guide are likely to fall. A third category, "Plate," serves as a catchall, akin to an honorable mention.
The culinary world in Miami (as I'm sure Tampa and Orlando) is abuzz with speculation as to who will be included in the guide, with chefs and restaurateurs calling around to see who received a coveted invite to the festivities at the Ritz-Carlton.
Miami is still a relatively young food city, so it's possible the first Michelin Guide will lack "star" power, as it were. Still, for a guide to be published puts Miami, Tampa, and Orlando on the culinary map — and that's a good position to be in.
With that in mind, here, in alphabetical order, is a list of ten restaurants likely to be included in the first Miami Michelin Guide.
Ariete
3540 Main Hwy., Coconut Grove786-615-3747
arietecoconutgrove.comChef Michael Beltran has merged his formal culinary training with his Cuban-American roots to create a menu at his Coconut Grove restaurant that is truly unique to Miami. Michelin looks for restaurants where the chef has stamped his mark, and Beltran has done just that. Examples include a foie gras and plantain dish, a pastramied Wagyu short rib, and a loamy flan.
Carbone
49 Collins Ave., Miami Beachcarbonemiami.comChef Mario Carbone set out to save the classic red sauce Italian restaurant from extinction with his eponymous Carbone. In doing so, he created a restaurant that's also a viral social media sensation. The question on the table is whether the food is worth the hype. The answer is a resounding yes. Carbone hits all the right flavor notes, making this a rare restaurant that embraces both the past and the future of dining.
Ghee Indian Kitchen
8965 SW 72nd Pl., Miami305-968-1850
gheemiami.comNiven Patel has worked in some of Miami's finest dining rooms. With Ghee, he and his wife Shivani have brought the flavors of India to life with local ingredients grown straight from their Homestead farm, Rancho Patel. Though Patel has since opened some other excellent establishments, Ghee is the one that's most straightforward about food, telling the story of the Patels with every bite.
Itamae
140 NE 39th St., MiamiItamae.comAnother family-focused restaurant. Fernando Chang and his children, Nando and Valerie Chang, turn out some of Miami's best ceviche and tiraditos from this tiny Design District Nikkei restaurant that offers outdoor seating only. The Chang family first entranced Miamians with their culinary skills at Itame at MIA Market, before moving across the way to their own dedicated space. There, they serve a precise menu of ceviche, tiraditos, and nigiri. The menu changes often — reflecting the drive to only serve the freshest seafood. Whatever is in style that day will be fresh and bursting with bright citrus, maybe a touch of heat, and a lot of precision.
Joe's Stone Crab
11 Washington Ave., Miami Beach305-673-0365
joesstonecrab.comHow on earth can you not pay homage to a city's most iconic restaurant? For over 100 years, Joe's Stone Crab has served celebrities, Presidents, and locals who come for its stone crabs and famous mustard sauce. Many forget, however, that under the care of chef Andre Bienvenu, Joe's also offers a full menu of classic dishes ranging from a filet mignon to some of the best fried chicken around.
Macchialina
820 Alton Rd., Miami Beach305-534-2124
macchialina.comAt the end of the day, after all the literal smoke from molecular gastronomy clears, you simply want a great plate of pasta and a glass of fine wine — and that's exactly what Macchialina delivers. Chef Michael Pirolo's no-nonsense approach to food is simple: use quality ingredients and freshly made pasta. The menu is brief - maybe a half dozen pastas, a branzino, veal parmigiana, a half roasted chicken — but it's all the food you actually want to eat so you'll still stare at the menu for far too long, deciding between the lasagna and the cavetelli. The only thing to do? Come back often.
Michael's Genuine Food & Drink
130 NE 40th St., Miami305-676-0894
michaelsgenuine.comNot too long ago, Miami dining consisted of chain restaurants and hotel dining. Michael Schwartz is one of the chefs to break that mold with his Design District restaurant, Michael's Genuine Food & Drink. The restaurant, which has just been refreshed with an extended outdoor seating area, continues to make top-notch food that allows the quality ingredients, carefully sourced, to shine.
Abalone at Naoe
Photo by T.Tseng/Flickr
Naoe
661 Brickell Key Dr., Miami305-947-6263
naoemiami.comWinner of the Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star award, Naoe is an exquisite restaurant tucked away on Brickell Key. Each evening, at 5 and 9 p.m. chef Kevin Cory serves his omakase dinner for an intimate gathering of four people. The $280 per person meal takes two to three hours and comes with a laundry list of restrictions (no children, no substitutions, and food allergies be damned). But those few who allow themselves to be placed in the hands of the chef will experience as close to culinary nirvana as can be achieved in Miami.
Stubborn Seed
101 Washington Ave., Miami Beach786-322-5211
stubbornseed.comTop Chef winner Jeremy Ford's Stubborn Seed takes diners on a culinary journey that's rare in Miami. Ford, who worked at restaurants like L'Orangerie in Paris and Jean-George Vongerichten's Matador Room, has taken his classical training and, at Stubborn Seed, created the culinary equivalent of a Jazz concert. Though there is a weeknight a la carte menu, opt for Ford's eight-course tasting menu ($150) to really benefit from the chef's talents.
The Surf Club Restaurant
9011 Collins Ave., Surfside305-768-9440
surfclubrestaurant.comThomas Keller's Surf Club Restaurant is a masterpiece. Elegant, resplendent, and stylish without ever being stuffy, Keller's dishes are simply perfection. The chef manages to take old classics like lobster thermidor, beef Wellington, and Cesar salad and make them exciting again. At the Surf Club, you'll remember why these dishes were so loved in their heyday. The Surf Club Restaurant is truly the finest representation of white-tablecloth dining in Miami.
