The vaunted Michelin Guide will add Florida to its list of rated restaurants in 2022, covering Miami, Orlando and Tampa. It will be the guide’s fifth U.S. destination after New York, Washington, D.C., Chicago and California.
The expansion was spearheaded by Visit Florida, which made the announcement Monday on behalf of its partners Visit Orlando, Visit Tampa Bay and the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau.
“Michelin Guide inspectors look forward to discovering the world-class culinary landscape in Miami, Orlando and Tampa,” Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guides, said in a statement. “From the excitement and glamour of Miami to Orlando’s iconic attractions and the rich culture of Tampa’s Gulf Coast, Florida’s gastronomy is unique, diverse and intriguing for locals and travelers across the globe.”
Unlike the James Beard Foundation Awards but similar to other restaurant guides that were started in the early days of automobiling, such as Mobil and AAA, Michelin uses dedicated inspectors who dine at the restaurants anonymously. The guide has a three-star rating system, with three being the ultimate. New York City currently has only five three-star restaurants. The guide also features notable restaurants that fall short of earning a star. The guide was started 120 years ago, in France, by the Michelin tire company to offer handy information to motorists.
A date for publication of the first Florida Michelin Guide has not been announced.
