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Michelin Star-Based Travel for Adventurous Foodies

Michelin guide destinations far and near.

One of the best ways to travel is to let your stomach take the lead. Culinary tourism is the stuff of the gods, and thanks to countless cultures and cuisine styles, one can go in any number of directions. One route we really like is by way of the Michelin ratings , which reward the best restaurants all over the globe.

Sao Paulo, Brazil

Rimini, italy, dubai, united arab emirates, los angeles, california, lyon, france, madrid, spain, miami, florida.

Dining like a local is a joyous and enlightening part of getting out and about, and the late Anthony Bourdain and many others have taught us as much. It’s a chance to treat all of your senses to something new, or perhaps a dish you’ve missed dearly. When you visit a Michelin Star-awarded restaurant, you’re more than likely going to enjoy some stuff you simply can’t whip up at home. It’s best to just book a table, get comfortable, and enjoy the culinary ride.

Now that we’re into summer and we’ve got the hankering to travel, keep these foodie-friendly destinations in mind. From the northern reaches of Italy to the bustling streets of Miami, these are some of the best places to visit if you’re traveling by way of Michelin stars.

Remember to check in with your destinations beforehand to stay up to speed on all COVID-related protocols and health procedures. It can still differ dramatically from country to country, state to state, and business to business.

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Brazil’s giant metropolis of more than 12 million people is home to some serious food culture. Visitors can book private tours of the city’s legendary markets or dine out at highly rated restaurants like the neoclassical D.O.M. You’ll never want to leave this magical nation, especially if you’re staying at a five-star hotel like Fasano .

Of course, Italy is on the list. In fact, we could probably put three or four more Italian cities in this piece. Why Rimini? It’s on the Adriatic coast, nestled in the food- and wine-friendly region of Emilia-Romagna, and has some serious street food, ideal for al fresco dining. Sure, check out the many cafes and trattorias that line the walkways, but be sure to get to Abocar Due Cucine for an elegant meal deeply inspired by the region itself.

Dubai has been a compelling destination for several years now, and presently it has the foodie chops to back it all up. For tremendous views of the busy marina and incredible bites, including an impressive vegan menu, check out Marina Social . Amazing Indian cuisine is the theme at Indego by Vineet , which also touts one of the most dazzling decors in restaurant land. It’s probably going to be hot, so take in some water parks by day and save your energy for the vibrant nightlife.

The Michelin Guide lists nearly 100 restaurants in the City of Angels, so you may want to extend your stay. For a truly contemporary experience, head over to Phenakite  in Hollywood. Animal has become an L.A. standby, with an amazing wine list to back up the cuisine. Get lost in Koreatown and be sure to take in the moles and other house-made goodness at Guelaguetza .

Hong Kong is a galaxy of gastronomical goodness, with discoveries around every corner. Your to-do list will likely be too long, but make sure the dim sum at TimHoWan is on there, along with T’ang Court at the beautiful Langham Hotel. The Cantonese here is so good it earned a coveted three-star Michelin rating.

Ah, France, the birthplace of so many culinary traditions. Lyon is responsible for many staple dishes, just ask Coq au Vin. We suggest getting a table at Mère Brazier , where locals and visitors alike convene for authentic and award-winning Lyonnaise grub. Be sure to wander freely through town and check out the city’s many famous confectionaries.

Some of the most avant-garde food is coming out of Madrid. That’s certainly the case at DiverXO , a restaurant not like anything else out there. It’s innovative, artistic, and all kinds of memorable, with a thoughtful wine pairing menu to boot. While you’re in the Spanish capital, take in the stellar Mexican-inspired menu at Iztac or go intimate and local-minded with Fismuler .

Miami continues to draw a wealth of culinary talent, with 10 area restaurants earning at least one Michelin star in 2022. We’re particularly fond of Korean steakhouse Cote , as well as Hiden , the omakase eatery in the energetic Wynwood neighborhood. Also, take in the deserved hype from the sharp culinary minds at Stubborn Seed .

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There is no better summertime indulgence than that of homemade ice cream. Once you've made (and then, by no fault of your own, devoured) this special treat, it will be hard to ever go back to the boxed grocery store brand. It's like returning to premade refrigerated cookie dough after making your mother's scratch-made recipe. You just can't. It feels wrong somehow. When you know something can be so delicious, you know what a disservice you're doing yourself by not having the most authentic, best version possible. Ice cream is very much that way. And the wonderful thing is that homemade ice cream is a breeze to make, unlike so many other decadent desserts. The one issue can be finding the perfect homemade ice cream recipe. And that all starts with the ice cream base.

What is an ice cream base? Made with just a few simple ingredients, an ice cream base is the foundation upon which all other flavors are built. And if you have a great one, you can build your layers of flavor in absolutely any way that tickles your fancy. Ice cream can take on flavor and texture with just about anything you please — extracts, fruits, candies, syrups, nut butters, and chocolate chips are just a few ideas to get you started. Just be sure to allow the ice cream base to cool before adding your own touches of creativity. Once you've added your flavorings to the ice cream base, simply churn and enjoy. The incredibly delicious ice cream base recipe below is from the always amazing Salt and Straw. This popular ice cream brand has, in our opinion, some of the best ice cream on the planet, so we were ecstatic to learn how to create their fantastic ice cream base at home.

Travel season is in full swing, so we're often thinking about things like the best airport bars and new cities to explore. Because so many of us will be frequenting airports this summer, we thought we'd share the results of a useful new study that breaks down the best airports on the planet based on their food options.

Researchers looked at the 100 most popular airports on earth and tried out the eateries along the way. Of main concern were consumer reviews, food options for those with dietary restrictions, cost, and, of course, the number of food options available.

Summer's sunshine, fresh air, and blue skies have one undeniable effect on everyone: it brings us outside. Summer is, after all, a season of the great al fresco. When dining and drinking outdoors, a sophisticated brand of canned wine is almost essential. Besa mi Vino, a Santa Monica-based company founded by brothers Michael and Roddy Radnia, brings more than a dash of fun to the world of environmentally conscious organic wine. Grab a can and come with us as we explore the Besa mi Vino-verse. Sustainability Canned wine is one of those products that has undergone a complete makeover in the last twenty years. Nowadays, it's easy to see that the benefits of canned wine over glass bottles are enormous. It's fairly obvious that cans are lighter, more compact, and simpler to open than a traditional glass bottle. They're also easier to drink out of than bottles, but what happens in Vegas...

These factors all come into play for those taking their drinks outside, but there are environmental benefits to staying home with them too. Single-serve cans have a smaller carbon footprint than glass bottles and are easier to recycle. Besa mi Vino wines are Sustainable in practice and "SIP" certified, in addition to skipping animal by-products, gluten, added sugar, and pesticides. Besa mi Vino is also low in sulfites and crafted sustainably in Paso Robles, California.

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Disney World Just Won Its First-ever Michelin Star for This Swanky Restaurant

Victoria & Albert’s just made history for Disney.

Kent Phillips/Courtesy of Disney

Celebrations are in order for Orlando’s burgeoning dining scene, as Disney announced it earned its first Michelin star for the property’s contemporary fine dining hot spot Victoria & Albert’s. In doing so it has become the first and only restaurant owned and operated by a U.S. theme park to receive such a designation, according to Disney Parks' blog .

Known as the “culinary crown jewel” of the mouse’s central Florida property, the coveted restauranthelmed by chef Matthew Sowers is just steps from Magic Kingdom, located inside Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.

“It’s an incredible honor to be recognized by Michelin for the innovative dining experience our team brings to life here at Victoria & Albert’s,” Sowers, who has been with the restaurant for nearly 20 years, said in the announcement. “Everybody on our team earned this Star, from our stewards to our culinarians to our pastry chefs, and we hope to inspire future generations of culinary professionals to follow their dreams.”

As a bona fide culinary destination, Victoria & Albert’s has welcomed guests for over two decades and recently underwent royal renovations . The multi-course, multi-hour experience is hosted in an intimate dining room that takes inspiration from Queen Victoria’s Jubilee Celebration and has subtle Disney touches, like a brass pumpkin from "Cinderella."

While you won’t find any grey stuff, the ever-evolving tasting menu reflects seasonal bounties and offers “extraordinary flavors and the highest quality of ingredients from across the world.” A plant-based menu is available for those with dietary restrictions. 

Its elevated eats are complemented by drink pairings, including a zero-proof menu and a robust selection of globally sourced waters . Victoria & Albert’s has an award-winning wine program with over 500 different selections, spanning 35 global regions. For the ultimate splurge, a tucked-away chef’s table can accommodate six guests and offers a front-row seat to the kitchen.

It takes a remarkable team to earn such a high honor. Sowers is joined by a team that includes executive chef Kevin Chong, pastry chef Ally Rogers, culinary director chef Scott Hunnel, and maître d’hotel Sommelier Israel Perez. “Just like a dance, there are many tiny steps that come naturally after years of dedication,” Perez said in a statement obtained by Travel + Leisure . “Everything is done with purpose, and it is beautiful when the tempo is perfect.”

The applauded restaurant is not new to such accolades: it was previously awarded the Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence and Florida Trend Golden Spoon Hall of Fame – American Regional.

The Michelin Guide began honoring central and southern Florida restaurants in 2022. Victoria & Albert’s joins 26 other Michelin-star restaurants in Tampa, Orlando, and Miami. Reservations are limited at Victoria & Albert’s and must be made in advance. Pricing begins at $295 per guest and children are not permitted. 

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The MICHELIN Guide: Explore with passion

THE MICHELIN GUIDE & ITS COMMUNITIES

The appealing MICHELIN Guide print version is now supplemented by a digital ecosystem, to enable gourmets and travelers worldwide to keep abreast of all the Guide’s latest news and to discuss live with over 5 million passionate foodies.  

Interviews, portraits, videos… the MICHELIN Guide provides many ways of sharing with chefs and professionals via its digital platforms and social media outlets. For professionals, this is a wonderful opportunity to gain international visibility, as well as a chance to encounter peers from overseas and to interact with them. 

Curious travelers or enlightened gourmets, we offer consumers handy digital tools to keep up-to-date with all the MICHELIN Guide’s news, and also to facilitate their own discovery experience. On our website and free mobile app, you’ll find all our hotel and restaurant selections available to book. For an absolutely unique and memorable gastronomic and/or accommodation experience in just a few clicks.  

The MICHELIN Guide continues to forge its own path and to grow alongside partners who share the same values of excellence, passion and authenticity. Destination promotion organizations, major players from the gastronomy and restaurant industry… all of these partners work by our side to promote and showcase the most talented professionals from the international culinary landscape, without compromising on our unique methodology and independence.   

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What Are Michelin Stars?

Restaurants all around the world compete for Michelin stars. But what exactly are Michelin stars, and why are they so important?

I’d heard the phrase “Michelin-starred restaurant” so many times during my tenure in the hospitality industry that it had become ingrained in my memory and I believed I knew what it meant.

It wasn’t until much later that I took the time to fully comprehend the merit behind those words, and in this article, I’ll share with you what I have learned.

Let’s have a look into Michelin’s history, how the guide came to be what it is today, and what we know about the process for restaurants to earn Michelin stars.

History of Michelin Stars

While the Michelin brand is best recognized for its tires, it’s also famed for its annual Michelin Guide.

The Michelin Guide was first printed in 1900 and was initially given away for free until 1922, before Michelin started charging 7 francs for it. It contained maps, instructions on how to replace tires, and information on where to locate gas stations, mechanics, hotels and restaurants.

With less than 3,000 automobiles on the road at the time, the Michelin brothers André and Édouard thought that by exhibiting all of the destinations that an automobile might take you, they might entice more people to buy a car, and thereby increase the demand for their tires.

Over time, the Michelin Guide has grown from a humble roadside guide to the forefront resource for locating culinary excellence, and has been referenced as the “Red Bible” in the fine dining world.

While other guides had come and gone during the 1900s, it was Michelin’s prominence as a tire manufacturer that allowed them to hire more restaurant inspectors and publish a guide that was far superior than the competition.

The guide quickly gained popularity across France, and guides in various other European countries were published shortly after. Today, the Michelin Guide is published in over 25 countries.

How Do Michelin Stars Work?

The Michelin star didn’t appear in the guide until 1926, and it wasn’t until 1931 that a three-star system was introduced. Since then, Michelin stars have quickly gained the reputation of being the greatest accolade of the fine dining industry.

Earning the title of “Michelin-starred restaurant” is typically seen as the golden ticket in the restaurant industry, and has influenced the careers of chefs and restaurants all across the world.

But this is no easy feat: earning Michelin stars is very difficult, and the stars are only awarded to restaurants that Michelin considers the very best. To make matters even more difficult, Michelin remains secretive about the specific criteria and review process used to award stars.

So, what do the stars mean? Michelin has labelled its ratings as follows:

• One star: High quality cooking, worth a stop
• Two stars: Excellent cooking, worth a detour
• Three stars: Exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey

According to Michelin, the inspectors do not take into account the restaurant’s decor or the quality of service that is provided by the restaurant. Instead, they judge the quality of the food on five criteria:

• Quality of ingredients
• A chef’s mastery of flavour and cooking techniques
• The chef’s ability to imbue the cuisine with his or her culinary “personality”
• Value for money
• Consistency between visits

I do find it odd that the chef’s personality is one of the five criteria, as Michelin has publicly stated that the stars are awarded to the restaurant, and not the chef – but more on this later in the article.

Meanwhile, service is instead graded using a five-tier spoon and fork system, with one spoon and fork being “quite comfortable”, and five spoon and forks being “luxury in the traditional [French] style”.

Michelin also gives out the “Bib Gourmand” award , which was created in 1955, as a way to recognize restaurants that serve good food at moderate prices.

This is a great resource to use while travelling, as it can direct you to high-quality restaurants that offer great value for more modest price points compared to your typical Michelin-starred venue.

Michelin Inspectors

Michelin has done a very impressive job in keeping not only their evaluation process a secret, but the identities of their inspectors as well.

I couldn’t find much information from official sources other than Pascal Remy’s tell-all book, L’inspecteur se met à table , which he was fired for publishing after 16 years as an inspector.

Inspectors must be experts in their field, have a high degree of attention to detail, and a love and passion for a wide variety of foods. The job also comes with a fair bit of travel involved, with up to three out of four weeks per month on the road and eating over 250 meals out per year.

Inspectors are prohibited from speaking to journalists, and are encouraged to keep their line of work secret, even from family members.

The secrecy around the Michelin inspectors is to ensure that restaurants are not able to manipulate the judges through preferential treatment, which could affect one’s ability to fairly judge a restaurant entirely on its merits.

Michelin Restaurants

As of 2021, there are 2,817 Michelin-starred restaurants, with only 132 possessing three stars. I myself have visited a three-Michelin-starred restaurant, Atelier Crenn in San Francisco, which I reviewed late last year . 

The countries with the most three-Michelin-starred restaurants are France and Japan, each boasting 29 venues. The United States is in third place with 14, followed by Spain and Italy, who are tied with 11 each.

Given the guide’s French origins, it’s no surprise that France has the most Michelin stars overall, holding 628.

Michelin-starred chefs are often known to cater for some of the world’s leading airlines. I know many of us are looking forward to travelling to Japan this year, and you can enjoy a meal by a Michelin-starred chef Jun Mishina at 35,000 feet with Japan Airlines in business class or First Class . 

Meanwhile, three-Michelin-starred Chef Alain Ducasse designs the menu in the Air France La Première Lounge Paris .

While many Michelin-starred restaurants are what I would consider to be expensive, it’s worth noting that a hawker’s stand in Singapore was awarded one Michelin star in 2016. That star has since been lost, but at the time it was the world’s least expensive Michelin-starred meal, at just $3.

It’s unfortunate that Michelin stars have not yet made it to Canada. Do you know of any noteworthy Canadian restaurants that should make the cut? Let me know in the comments below, I’d be interested to hear your thoughts.

Critics of the Michelin Guide

“I don’t need Michelin and they don’t need me. They sell tires, I sell food.” —Marco Pierre White

Not everything is sunshine and rainbows in Michelin’s world, and they have faced heavy criticism from the restaurant industry over the years. Chefs have chastised the rating system, to which many feel they have become captive, as undue levels of pressure are felt by both the restaurant and their patrons to deliver and receive a “Michelin-starred” experience.

In 1996, the late Joel Robuchon denounced his three Michelin stars for his restaurant in Paris, claiming he was concerned about his health and attempting to meet the guide’s requirements.

When Sebastien Bras and Marc Veyrat asked for their restaurants to be removed from the guide, the guide’s international director told them that they weren’t theirs to return, because stars are given to the restaurant, not the chef.

Well-known French chef Bernard Loiseau tragically committed suicide amid rumours in the press that his restaurant was about to lose its three-star status, while Chef Gordon Ramsay says he wept when his New York restaurant lost its two-star status.

Michelin stars can make a restaurant, but they can also break a restaurant. I suppose this is an unavoidable byproduct when the world’s best restaurants are competing for top spot in a field as universal as gastronomy.

It’s undeniable that Michelin has cemented itself as the go-to resource when looking for dining options around the world. What started out as a promotional guide published by a tire company has become the definitive guide to fine dining for food-oriented travellers from around the world. 

I look forward to continued exploration of the world’s cuisine – whether that’s my next Michelin-starred restaurant, at an eatery with the more modest Bib Gourmand award, or anywhere in between.

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Nine Florida restaurants in Miami, Orlando and Tampa win Michelin stars. Here’s a list

Nine Florida restaurants have just earned Michelin stars for 2024.

On Thursday night at the Tampa Edition hotel, the internationally famous guide added three restaurants in Miami , four restaurants in Orlando and two in Tampa to lofty starred status, bringing the total in the state to 26 starred restaurants. All of the newly starred restaurants earned one star: Florida’s only two-star restaurant remains the luxurious French spot L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon in Miami.

Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin guides, said that for the past three years, Florida’s dining scene has exploded.

“Since the arrival of the Michelin Guide to Florida in 2022, there has been significant growth in the state’s local culinary scene, proving Florida is a leading gastronomic destination for travelers near and far,” he said in a statement.

Two Florida restaurants, however, did not retain their stars this year: The Den at Azabu in Miami Beach and Knife & Fork in Orlando. The restaurants will remain in the guide as recommended restaurants.

There are 149 Florida restaurants in the guide, covering 38 types of cuisine. Once again, Michelin shows its affection for omakase-style dining: Each Florida city had at least one restaurant with an omakase menu that earned a star.

EntreNos: This dinner-only restaurant with a tiny menu sources almost 80 percent of its menu from Florida, a harder task than you might think. “High-quality ingredients meet serious skill here,” the guide writes, recommending the dry-aged cobia as an example.

Ogawa: At this elegant omakase spot in Miami’s Little River neighborhood, Michelin praises baby sea eels with a soy-cured quail egg and lotus root, wild yam and langoustine tempura.

Shingo: Chef Shingo Akikuni, who presided over Miami’s starred sushi den Hiden, opened his own restaurant last year in Coral Gables, serving an omakase menu on a stunning bar made from rare Hinoki wood. The 14-seat restaurant is located in the historic La Palma building.

Camille: Formerly a pop-up, this Vietnamese spot just off Lake Baldwin offers a 10-course French-Vietnamese tasting menu. Michelin applauds the Dungeness crab curry and salmon over king trumpet noodles in a tamarind and pineapple sauce.

Natsu: There are only two seatings a night at this 10-seat omakase counter, which serves chawanmushi (Japanese egg custard) and truffle kampachi served with potato straws and a yuzu truffle vinaigrette as well as “impressive” sushi.

Papa Llama: This Peruvian spot run by a husband-and-wife team offers a nod to Japanese fusion but also serves up a chicken thigh roulade with aji amarillo aioli that is “spectacular,” according to the guide.

Victoria & Albert’s: Getting a reservation at this famous spot at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort may be tough, but the wait is worth it, with Chef Matthew Sowers using influences “from Asia to the Nordics.”

Ebbe: In Swedish chef Ebbe Vollmer’s cuisine, you’ll find Scandinavian elements — and fine food, according to Michelin, which praised the beet roulade with a brown butter and black cheer sauce and braised oxtail with seared foie gras.

Kosen: This omakase restaurant, part of a two-concept spot that includes Ko, a space for kaiseki dining, offers dishes like sea bream wrapped around sprouts with shaved black truffle as well as unfussy nigiri.

Other awards

The guide also awarded Green Stars — which indicate a restaurant upholds outstanding sustainable and eco-friendly practices — for the first time in Florida, honoring the Filipino restaurant Kaya in Orlando and Los Felix/Krus Kitchen in Miami.

Four special industry awards were also given for exceptional work in the industry. Justin Levaughn of Otto’s High Dive in Orlando won the Michelin Exceptional Cocktails Award, while Miami’s Gabriela Ospina of Boia De won the Michelin Sommelier Award. The Outstanding Service Award went to Israel Perez of Victoria & Albert’s in Orlando, and Tam Pham of Tam Tam in Miami earned the Young Chef Award.

Bib Gourmands

Florida also has 33 restaurants dubbed Bib Gourmands, a designation that pays tribute to restaurants with good quality cuisine at a good value. Here are Florida’s:

Miami: Bachour, Chug’s Diner, Doya, El Turco, Ghee Indian Kitchen, Hometown Barbecue, Jaguar Sun, La Natural, Lucali, Mandolin Aegean Bistro, Michael’s Genuine, Phuc Yea, Rosie’s, Sanguich de Miami, Tam Tam, Tinta y Cafe, Zak the Baker and Zitz Sum.

Orlando: Bombay Street Kitchen, Domu, Isan Zaap, Norigami, Otto’s High Dive, Strand, Sushi Saint, Taste of Chengdu, The Ravenous Pig, Z Asian and Zaru.

Tampa: Gorkhali Kitchen, Psomi, Rooster and the Till, Streetlight Taco

This is the third year Michelin has evaluated Florida restaurants. State tourism and marketing agency Visit Florida and tourism agencies in Miami, Orlando and Tampa paid the guide an estimated $1.5 million for Michelin to highlight restaurants in the cities from 2022-2024.

In a statement, Michelin said the partnership could continue.

“Michelin cannot discuss the terms of its relationships for competitive reasons, although Michelin respects that partners might have disclosure agreements,” the statement said. “It’s worth mentioning that once the Guide arrives in a destination the intent is for it to remain there. Supported by partnerships, the inspectors will continue to evaluate restaurants in the current coverage areas while keeping an eye on other locales as possible culinary hot spots for inclusion.”

©2024 Miami Herald. Visit miamiherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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How the Prestigious Michelin Star System Really Works

We reveal how restaurants achieve three-star status, as well as who decides to award them.

By Kim Ayling

The way we hear about restaurants is always changing: whether it’s from the pages of magazines or an online article, a social media suggestion or even the long faithful word-of-mouth recommendation. Yet no matter how we discover them, the standard of how we measure them has remained the same for more than a century. Enter the Michelin Guide . 

Since it was first launched in 1900, the Michelin Guide has remained the benchmark for evaluating culinary excellence. The surprising story of its unlikely origin has bounded around the internet and dinner party tables for some time, going as so: the Michelin tire company launched a ranking of French restaurants to encourage people to drive more, and ergo, go through tires at a faster rate. 

Yet despite its importance within the industry, the guide remains shrouded in mystery. Who decides which regions are covered? What are inspectors looking for? And most importantly, how does a restaurant get one or more of those all-so-coveted Michelin stars? 

[See also: Rising Stars: Next-gen Chefs in the Michelin Guide]

Despite its global expansion to become the industry staple that it is today, there are still a large number of culinary-rich countries and cities not covered – a fact often hailed as the guide’s biggest downfall. New York and Tokyo , both of which have long been considered fine dining capitals, only achieved inclusion in 2005 and 2007 respectively.  It may go without saying, but if your restaurant is not in the covered region, it doesn’t matter how good the food is, you won’t be getting that star.  

It’s important to clarify that restaurants are awarded Michelin stars, not chefs . There is no such thing as a ‘Michelin-starred chef’; if the head chef leaves a restaurant, the star does not go with them. That being said, the success of many of the world’s leading restaurants is synonymous with the chef at the helm, and it’s increasingly common for a star to be reminded the next time the inspectors come knocking following a big-name departure. For example, it is universally agreed that California’s The French Laundry ‘s three-star status is thanks to the talent of chef/owner Thomas Keller.

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[See also: See Elite Traveler’s Top Restaurants Ranking Here]

How are Michelin stars awarded?

The Michelin Guide still uses similar methods to rate restaurants as it did when it launched. To allocate its coveted stars, the Michelin Guide employs thousands of inspectors, who will travel around the world to sample the finest cuisine on offer. The highly trained inspectors will visit hundreds of restaurants a year in order to identify the best of the best.

Michelin inspectors are always anonymous to ensure they don’t receive any preferential treatment during their meals. Inspectors book, dine and pay for their meals in the same way as the average guest; if their experience was different from that of anyone else the integrity of the guide would be undermined. The inspectors’ anonymity is valued so highly that they are advised to not even tell their closest friends and family about their role.

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Once each restaurant in consideration has been inspected, the Michelin guide director meets with the worldwide teams for what is called ‘star sessions’ where the rating of each restaurant is debated. These sessions often last days, with each establishment considered one by one until a unanimous decision is reached. The results are then published in a country-specific guide.

What do Michelin stars mean?

Restaurants can earn a maximum of three stars (as well as some additional awards, but more on that later). Michelin quantifies one star as being “high-quality cooking, worth a stop”; two stars are awarded for “excellent cooking, worth a detour”; and finally, the prestigious three stars represent “exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey”.

[See also: A Guide to All Three-Michelin-Star Restaurants in the USA]

Reportedly, what elevates a restaurant from two stars to three is emotion, with inspectors seeking completely unique dining experiences that last in the memory long after the meal has finished. Demonstration of a chef’s distinct style or personality in their cooking is another key criterion.

The final rating is never decided based on just one visitor or inspector. Instead, a collective of inspectors will individually visit restaurants on multiple occasions in order to ensure the quality is consistent. The rating will then be reassessed based on yearly visits, with some decisions factoring in several meals.

Although the exact criteria are kept low-key in order to avoid chefs embarking on a tick boxing exercise, it is widely known that inspectors base their selections on the quality of ingredients, culinary techniques, taste, consistency and value for money.

Crucially, the anonymous judges are instructed to take no notice of a restaurant’s décor or the service they receive when deciding the star rating. A restaurant may be stunningly fitted and the wait staff meticulously trained, but if the food isn’t up to scratch it won’t be receiving a star. Likewise, a restaurant with understated settings but exceptional food may still be eligible for the full trio of stars.

[See also: A Guide to All Three-Michelin-Star Restaurants in the UK]

Alternative Michelin awards

While the Michelin stars are its most famous awards, they are not the guide’s only recognition. In addition to star ratings, Michelin has also awarded the Bib Gourmand since 1957, the Michelin Plate since 2016 and most recently, the Green Star, which was first revealed in 2020.

Not to be confused as a lesser award than the star ratings, the Bib Gourmand is a separate category that recognizes excellent cooking at more pocket-friendly prices. While a price limit on starred restaurants is non-existent (despite value for money being among the deciding criteria) Bib Gourmand restaurants must offer a three-course meal for less than a certain price, which is set by local averages.

The Michelin Plate recognizes good food that is not quite of the same caliber as that served in Michelin-starred or Bib Gourmand restaurants but is still worthy of recognition. The title is awarded using the same criteria by the same judges; establishments will often enter the guide at this level before moving up based on a later inspection.

[See also: A Guide to All Green Michelin Star Restaurants in the US]

How to get a Green Michelin star

The Green Michelin star is separate from all of the guide’s other distinctions and is awarded only to those restaurants going above and beyond to operate in a way that is both ethical and environmentally friendly. Only those restaurants already in receipt of another Michelin award can receive a Green star, be it Michelin star, Bib Gourmand or Michelin Plate.

With the launch of the Green star the Michelin guide revealed that its inspectors do not follow specific criteria in awarding the title, given that each restaurant and region have unique conditions. However, the inspectors are likely to consider several factors including whether a restaurant uses local and seasonal ingredients, food waste levels and waste management, environmental footprint and supplier credentials.

See the full US Michelin guide here.

[See also: The Chefs with the Most Michelin Starred Restaurants]

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Turkey’s melting pot: a foodie break in Istanbul

The best way to understand the city is through its food, and the best guide is a Michelin-star chef who knows where to find succulent doners, crisp calamari and rich taramasalata

S aturday morning, 10am, and I’m sitting at a café table on a cobbled street in the Beşiktaş neighbourhood of Istanbul, sipping a glass of çay (Turkish tea) and waiting for breakfast. By the café entrance, a plump, grey-haired man in a crisp white apron is sharpening a knife, before slicing through what is generally acknowledged to be the largest doner kebab in Turkey. The kebab weighs 100kg, a meaty monster slowly cooking from the outside in. Our guide, Sinan, tells us that Black Sea (Karadeniz) doners from this area are always the best – all of it will be gone by mid-afternoon.

Istanbul is a city that runs on its stomach. It may be steeped in history, but the best way to understand this multi-layered melting pot of east and west, Ottoman and Byzantine, is undoubtedly through its food. I’m lucky enough to be spending a couple of days with Cenk Debensason, recently awarded a Michelin star for his restaurant, Arkestra . The chance to discover the city through his eyes – and taste buds – promises a different version of Istanbul.

After breakfast, instead of following the well-trodden tourist trail to the historic district of Sultanahmet, we head north to Bebek, a leafy suburb where the streets are dotted with boutiques and small-batch coffee shops. I feel rather like I’m in the Turkish equivalent of Hampstead. Like London, Istanbul shares a similar sense of being a collection of villages, stitched together over the centuries, and getting away from the centre offers the chance to experience it more like a local than a visitor. We dip into Midnight , where the artfully arranged shelves and racks are filled with jewellery, ceramics and clothes by the city’s hottest designers, and head on to the Petra Roasting Company , where sofas are shared with snoozing cats and the nuttily rich Ethiopian coffee fires us up.

From Bebek, we go further north to Tarabya, a waterfront neighbourhood that has attracted tourists since it began life as a health resort in the 18th century. As we drive alongside the Bosphorus, it reminds me of the winding roads that flank Lake Como: restaurants and hotels on one side, the water on the other – and on the opposite side, opulent mansions built decades, even centuries before, for the city’s wealthy elite.

We’ve come for lunch at Kiyi , an Istanbul institution that has been serving the same fish-rich menu since it opened in the 1960s. The meal is exquisite: plump mussels stuffed with mint, crisp calamari, rose-tinted octopus and taramasalata thick with roe. The vast turbot that appears as our shared main course, buttery soft, slipping off the bone like silk, ruins me for all other fish for ever.

After lunch, we drive back to Beyoglu to explore the cobbled streets of the Çukurcuma district, where the elegant, European-style mansions house antique shops selling everything from ancient statuary to art deco lamps and retro 1960s furniture that could have come straight from the set of Austin Powers. One of the most famous is A La Turca , owned by the ebullient Erkal Aksoy, who shows us around his extraordinary emporium before settling us in on slouchy leather sofas with tea, biscuits and glasses of his homemade cherry brandy.

The following day we set out on the ferry to Kadiköy, on the Asian side – one of the city’s foodiest neighbourhoods. Next to me, a man produces a bread roll from his pocket and tears off chunks, throwing them up to the gaggle of gulls flying alongside the boat. To my surprise, instead of swooping down to gobble the crumbs from the water, they dive and dart to catch the bread in mid-air – an impressive display of aeronautics that shows the gulls are as obsessed with food as everyone else in this city.

In Kadiköy, we dip into pickle shops, with their glass jars stacked from floor to ceiling, and cubby-hole stalls with great gold samovars of olive oil and soft mounds of spices – scarlet chilli, golden saffron, the brittle woody flowers of star anise. It’s warm enough to sit outside for lunch at Çiya Sofras , which specialises in traditional Anatolian dishes. The table groans with unctuous aubergine and yoghurt dips, crispy lahmacun (flatbread with spicy meat) and succulent kebabs.

The ferry ride back is a blissful hit of sunshine before we walk through the city’s Dickensian meatpacking district to one of its newest treasures – the Zeyrek Çinili Hamam – a spectacularly beautiful Turkish bath, dating back to the 16th century. Opening its doors this spring after a 13-year restoration project, it offers bathing spaces that are pristine white and freckled with stars cut into the domed ceiling, and there’s a fascinating museum charting the cultural importance and history of hamams in both Ottoman and modern-day Turkish life.

On our final night, we take a taxi through the city’s labyrinthine roads to Arkestra , Debensason’s restaurant, tucked away in the quiet Etiler neighbourhood in Beşiktaş. Stepping through the door feels like walking into the coolest kind of house party. Upstairs, cocktails are flowing in the Listening Room bar, while the main dining room feels like a buzzy, upmarket bistro. The food is modern and creative, a confident mix of classical French technique and vibrant Asian flavours. Tuna sashimi comes with sushi rice ice-cream and a ginger ponzu vinaigrette, panko fried beef with sweetly sour tonkatsu sauce. Everything looks beautiful, tastes delicious and leaves you wanting just a little bit more – the perfect metaphor for Istanbul itself.

Soho House Istanbul has double rooms from £256 room-only ( sohohouse.com )

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Michelin Guide announces the BEST restaurants in Moscow

Twins Garden brother chefs Ivan and Sergei Berezutsky receive two Michelin stars and a Michelin green star during a ceremony held at the Zaryadye Concert Hall to award Michelin stars to Moscow restaurants and chefs.

“Moscow has many stars, but no Michelin stars yet,” joked Sergei Sobyanin, the city’s mayor, at the opening ceremony of the Michelin edition of Moscow. The capital has great historical gastronomic roots. Merchants and noblemen laid down their last ruble to treat guests with dignity. In Soviet times, many traditions were lost and first-class restaurants turned into Soviet canteens. In the 1990s, Russia and Moscow began to catch up and hundreds of good restaurants appeared which surprised guests with the sophistication of their dishes. 

Moscow became the first city in the CIS with restaurants and cafes awarded with stars and other Michelin trophies, while Russia became the 33rd country in the world to join. 

Why is the guide coming to Russia now?   

According to Gwendal Poullennec, international director of Michelin guides, work on the Moscow guide started five years ago. Experts of the Guide visited restaurants anonymously and evaluated them according to international standards, analysing several criteria: quality of food, combination of flavors, chef’s skill, price and quality, regularity of restaurant’s work. The pandemic made a difference in the evaluation process and the announcement of the results. 

Gwendal Poullennec, international director of Michelin guides.

“This project was a challenge for all of us because of the pandemic, travel restrictions and event cancellations. But, we got it done in the end. We are happy to say that Moscow, as one of the cities for gastronomic tourism, has great prospects in terms of its development. The city certainly has its own culinary identity; many chefs work with local products, carefully preserving the culinary heritage of their region. The first Moscow edition will include 69 restaurants,” Gwendal Pullenek said at the guide’s presentation in Moscow on October 14. According to him, this is just the beginning, which should support the restaurant industry. 

Two Stars: The best of the best  

Two restaurants in Moscow have been awarded two Michelin stars. The award means that the restaurant is so good that it is worth visiting, even if it is not up your street (or fit your budget!). 

Ivan and Sergey Berezutsky, Twins Garden.

Two stars went to ‘Twins Garden’ restaurant, headed by brothers Ivan and Sergey Berezutsky. Twins Garden has won a number of international awards and in October it was ranked 30th on The World’s Best 50 Restaurants list. The brothers promote the symbiosis of science and nature and most of the products in the restaurant come from their farm. 

Fresh farm vegetable salad, Twins Garden.

The second restaurant in this category was ‘ARTEST - Chef’s Table’, a new (open since February 2021) fine dining restaurant by chef Artem Yestafiev and restaurateur Arkady Novikov.

Artem Yestafiev, Artest.

Estafiev recently moved to Moscow from St. Petersburg, but has already managed to win over the Moscow public with his approach to gastronomy. The chef pays special attention to local products, uses wild and rare mushrooms. Before joining ARTEST, he trained at the restaurant of French chef Alain Ducasse, whose establishments have been awarded Michelin stars more than once.  

One Star: It’s worth visiting!

Seven restaurants in the capital have been awarded one Michelin star. 

Among them: 

- ‘Selfie’, a restaurant of auteur cuisine headed by chef Anatoly Kazakov (one of the top 100 chefs in the international ‘The Best Chef Awards 2021’ ranking);

- ‘Beluga’ restaurant of Russian delicacies, where you can taste two dozen kinds of caviar, enjoy the stunning view of Red Square and indulge in the explosive menu by Chef Evgeny Vikentyev;

Evgeny Vikentyev, Beluga.

Beluga with black caviar of Siberian sturgeon, beets and rose, Beluga.

- ‘Grand Cru’ restaurant and winery by Patriarch’s Ponds with David Emmerle at the helm;

- ‘White Rabbit’ restaurant in the center of Moscow with chef Vladimir Mukhin and his innovative approach to Russian cuisine (No. 25 on ‘The World’s Best 50 Restaurants’ ranking);

Vladimir Mukhin, White Rabbit.

White Rabbit.

- ‘Biologie’ gastro bistro with its careful attitude to nature and Ekaterina Alekhina at the head of the kitchen;

Ekaterina Alekhina, Biologie.

- ‘Sakhalin’ restaurant, with its amazing variety of seafood and run by chef Alexey Kogai;

- ‘Savva’ restaurant in the historic building of the ‘Metropol’ hotel in the center of Moscow (run by Andrey Shmakov ). 

Andrey Shmakov, Savva restaurant.

Savva restaurant.

Green Stars  

The Michelin Guide gives this award to the restaurants that care about conscious consumption, the reduction of food waste and take into account seasonality. The restaurants Biologie (chef - Ekaterina Alekhina), Twins Garden (Berezutsky brothers) and the northern cuisine restaurant ‘Bjorn’ (Nikita Poderyagin) in Moscow all received a Michelin Green Star. 

Good food for reasonable money  

Fifteen restaurants made the BIB Gourmand list, where you can have a delicious meal for 2,000 rubles (approx. $28). Among them are ‘Sevicheria’, ‘Delicatessen’, ‘Bjorn’, ‘Eva’, ‘Erwin.RekaMoreOkean’, ‘Flor’, ‘Geraldine’, ‘Hibiki’, ‘Kazbek’, ‘Lucky Izakaya bar’, ‘Rybtorg’, ‘Tilda’, ‘Ugolek’, ‘Vani’ and ‘Uilliams’. 

Another 45 restaurants also made the Michelin Guide’s list of recommendations. 

READ MORE: Just how good is Russian food? Our readers answer

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Michelin Star Restaurants in Seattle: 12 Incredible Restaurants that Could Make the Cut

Let’s get this out of the way, there are zero Michelin Star restaurants in Seattle. But, there’s a simple reason for that: Michelin doesn’t rate any restaurants in Seattle!

In fact, as of 2022 Michelin only awarded Stars to restaurants in California (mostly Los Angeles and San Francisco), Washington DC, Chicago, Florida, and New York.

Cities like Boston, Philadelphia, New Orleans, Las Vegas, and yes Seattle are not currently awarded Michelin Stars.

Bur Michelin continues expanding the cities covered in their guides. For example, Florida was just added in 2022. And there have been rumblings that Seattle would be near the top of the list in terms of cities that Michelin could cover next. So, let’s dive into the top 12 restaurants that could prove Michelin-worthy in Seattle!

12 Seattle Restaurants Worthy of a Michelin Star

Here’s our list of 12 restaurants in the Seattle area that are Michelin Star-worthy.

• Sushi Kashiba
• Cafe Juanita
• The Herbfarm
• The Walrus and the Carpenter
• Art of the Table
• The Corson Building

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Canlis (@canlisrestaurant)

Any list of restaurants with Michelin Star potential in Seattle has to begin with Canlis. The restaurant opened in 1950 and overlooks the city of Seattle from its Queen Anne perch. Over the years, Canlis has become synonymous with high-end dining in the Seattle area. It’s one of the very few restaurants that could even force Anthony Bourdain to wear a suit jacket to dinner.

While Canlis screams luxury, it’s worth noting that the restaurant isn’t stuffy. There’s a piano lounge if you’re looking for a more relaxed setting and the service is top-notch. In recent years, the restaurant has revamped its menu and today serves three-course meals. While the food isn’t as artsy or eclectic as some entries on this list, it’s well-prepared and memorable nonetheless.

One final note, Canlis has won numerous James Beard Awards in recent years, one of which was for its excellent wine program. So if you’re planning a big night out, we recommend pairing your meal with something from their extensive wine list.

2. Sushi Kashiba

The strongest “brand” in Seattle sushi is Shiro Kashiba. Mr. Kashiba learned his craft from Jiro Ono (from the documentary Jiro Loves Sushi ) and opened his iconic sushi restaurant – Shiro’s Sushi – in Belltown in 1994.

In 2015 Shiro passed Shiro’s on to a protege as he looked for a new project. That project is Sushi Kashiba, a sushi restaurant in Pike Place Market.

It’s important to note, if you want to eat at the sushi counter at Sushi Kashiba, you’re going to need to line up. There are no reservations for the chef’s counter omakase experience. If you have the time though, our recommendation is to line up more than a couple hours before opening and enjoy the chef counter experience.

The actual experience at Sushi Kashiba is similar to other high-end sushi restaurants you might have experienced ( it reminds me of Sushi Nakazawa, another restaurant from a Jiro protege ). Fish are expertly selected and prepared. There will be no need to add any soy sauce or wasabi to sashimi, trust me that every bite will be flavored perfectly. Best of all, the omakase menu selects seasonal ingredients that highlight flavors from the Pacific Northwest.

3. Eden Hill

Eden Hill is a restaurant that simply makes beautiful food. This Queen Anne shop is small, featuring only 24 seats. That means that you’ll need to make a reservation well in advance, especially during the summer months.

( But, we should note… You should expect to make reservations in advance for just about every restaurant on this list! )

What’s to love about Eden Hill? For starters, Eden Hill works well with seasonal ingredients. That means your main course will not just be artfully placed on your dish but adorned with fresh vegetables. Whether dining on roasted beets with satsumas and cashew puree or cod in a carrot curry, the menu features balanced and local flavors.

Whatever is on the menu, it will likely be ambitious and creative. If the crispy pig head “candy bar” is still on the menu when you dine, we recommend you take the “risk.” It’s delightful.

Let’s just get this out of the way, Il Nido is a controversial restaurant. Its tucked away in a log cabin off Alki and looks fantastic. In fact, it could compete with Canlis for the title of the coolest-looking restaurant in Seattle.

Il Nido opened shortly before the pandemic – which was a lousy time to open a restaurant – but nonetheless, it managed to create plenty of buzz within Seattle as it was named a semifinalist for ‘Best New Restaurant’ by the James Beard Foundation in 2020.

Yet, in recent years there have been some mixed reviews. Il Nido came from the same chef who created Il Corvo, a Pioneer Square restaurant that was beloved for its delicious homemade pasta and reasonable prices. In that regard, Il Nino is in the unenviable position of following in the footsteps of a cult favorite.

Yet, while Il Nido is more expensive, its pastas are still exceptional. Add on wonderful service and the incredible ambiance that comes from being in a log cabin off Alki, and you can see why a dinner at Il Nido is so memorable.

5. Cafe Juanita

Cafe Juanita is the star of the show when it comes to Eastside dining . Sure, Bellevue has some high-end experiences like Ascend Steakhouse and fantastic Asian cuisine, but nothing on the Eastside reaches the heights of Cafe Juanita.

The cuisine is mostly northern Italian, but you will find some other influences, such as Hokkaido sea urchin. The restaurant serves a variety of tasting menus and is accommodating to a number of diets. Whether you’re pescatarian, vegetarian, or vegan, Cafe Juanita will prepare an exceptional dinner.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Altura Restaurant (@alturarestaurant)

It’s a fierce battle for the best Italian food in Capitol Hill. Our next two selections are both Italian restaurants in the neighborhood and would both be strong contenders for a Michelin star.

First up is Altura, which opened in 2011 and has consistently ranked as one of Seattle’s top restaurants since. The dinners at Altura are beautiful . Flavors, textures, and the colors of each plating are carefully considered. The restaurant serves a tasting menu ( currently at $175 per person ) that specializes in Northwest ingredients.

What you’ll find at Altura changes by the season, but you can expect dishes heavy in local seafood and foraged ingredients. The tasting menu begins with smaller bites before moving onto plated dishes, and finishes with a larger entree and dessert. In addition to its food lineup, Altura also features an excellent wine menu.

7. Spinasse

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Cascina Spinasse 🍝 (@spinasseseattle)

While Altura focuses on tasting menus, Spinasse allows you to build the dinner of your dreams from its selection of starters, pastas, and main courses.

Spinasse has attracted quite the following – and you’ll find a healthy debate around what’s the best dish they serve. My personal opinion is that you need to focus on their pasta. Try one of their tajarin dishes, which is a thin pasta that’s a house specialty. Beyond tajarin, Spinasse offers incredibly rich risotta and gnocchi. Entrees include standards like duck, fish, and beef check ( make sure to check their current menu as options change ) which are also delicious.

8. The Herbfarm

View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Herbfarm Restaurant (@theherbfarmrestaurant)

The Herbfarm offers another Michelin-worthy restaurant outside the city of Seattle. Located in the suburb of Woodinville, The Herbfarm is just a short drive from dozens of wine rooms .

The Herbfarm was founded in 1986 and serves multicourse menus that are exclusively composed of local ingredients. If you go to their menu page you’ll be able to see a lineup of their menus throughout the year.

For example, 2023 will feature:

• Solace of Winter: A menu specializing in truffles running through January and February
• Cascade to Coast: A seafood-heavy menu in March and April
• Revelry for Spring: An April through June menu full of produce and salmon
• Valley of Eden: Seasonal ingredients that highlight summer from late June to August

Dinners are expensive at $305 per person but include paired beverages. If you’re planning a trip to the Woodinville Wine District, The Herbfarm is a special occasion you’re sure to remember.

Joule takes our list of Michelin-worthy restaurants to the Fremont neighborhood. Joule isn’t as “artfully plated” as other options on this list and it’s on the cheaper side as well. Starters are generally less than $20 while entrees range from $20 to no more than $50 (for meat-heavy options like the ribeye).

What makes the restaurant so impressive is how it fuses Korean ingredients into unexpected dishes. The kombu cured mackerel takes a traditional Korean dish like mackerel and adds papaya and chimichurri to create unexpected flavors. Another favorite is the spicy rice cakes that incorporate chorizo with pickled mustard greens.

Beyond these “fusion” dishes, more straightforward options like short rib and ribeyes are also well executed. Joule is about as easygoing as it gets on this list, but we could see Michelin appreciating how well-executed dishes are at a price point that could even qualify it for Bib Gourmand status.

10. The Walrus and Carpenter

The Walrus and Carpenter joins Joule as a more affordable option that may even qualify for Michelin’s more budget-friendly Bib Gourmand category.

The star of the show at The Walrus and Carpenter is Northwest seafood. If you’re a longtime Seattleite, it should come as no surprise that Seattle has some of the best seafood in the world in nearby waters. Whether you’re looking for delicious ( and sometimes gigantic! ) oysters, delicious clams soaking in curry, or filets from seafood like halibut and salmon, The Walrus and Carpenter serves up some of the highest-quality seafood in the Seattle area.

One note: The Walrus and Carpenter does not accept reservations. Be prepared for a wait if looking for dinner on a Friday or Saturday.

11. Art of the Table

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Art of the Table (@artofthetable)

With a name like “Art of the Table,” you can probably guess what kind of a restaurant this is! Art of the Table features a 5-course Chef’s Tasting Menu (currently $138 per person with an optional $98 wine pairing).

Each dish is beautifully plated, as you’d expect. However, you might be surprised by how hearty many of the dishes are! While the menu changes, staples like the pork belly are surprisingly filling ( and accessible to a wide variety of palates ). You’ll also likely see a rotation of items like duck confit, panna cotta, foie gras, and tortellini. The menu changes roughly every two weeks though, so if you enjoy your meal odds are you’ll have a very different experience during a repeat visit.

12. The Corson Building

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Corson Building (@thecorsonbuilding)

Michelin-level dining in Georgetown? The Corson Building opened in 2008 and is a beautiful building. The restaurant is in what looks like a home, but has an outdoor patio that’s a lovely space for dining during the Seattle summer.

The focus of the food at The Corson Building is local ingredients. Entrees like halibut are accompanied by generous portions of braised celery, roasted mushrooms, and squash. Beyond their a la carte menu there’s also a prix fixe menu and even a ‘ Sunday Supper ‘ offering.

It might be hard to believe that the most ambient restaurant in Seattle is tucked away by freeway offramp in Georgetown, but The Corson Building is not to be missed!

Other Seattle Restaurants with Michelin Star Connections

• Sushi By Scratch: Opened in Seattle in 2022. Their Montecito location was awarded a Michelin star.
• Din Tai Fung: The Hong Kong location has been awarded a Michelin star. There are four Din Tai Fung restaurants in the greater Seattle area.

Hi, I'm Ashleigh! Welcome to Seattle Travel, my little piece of beautiful PNW. This is home and I'm here to share all my experiences so visitors and locals alike can find the best experiences this part of the country has to offer. I started Seattle Travel in 2012 as a way to journal my experiences and over the years have been encouraged by family and friends to open up my adventures to everyone. I actively seek out the best food, activities, and day trips and give you a local perspective.  The Pacific Northwest is one of the most beautiful areas in the world and my goal is to let you explore it to the fullest. 

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Restaurants, Food & Drink | Orlando’s Michelin galaxy expands with four new…

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Restaurants, Food & Drink

Things to do, restaurants, food & drink | orlando’s michelin galaxy expands with four new stars, however, one orlando restaurant loses a star.

Four new restaurants were added to Orlando’s expanding galaxy of Michelin-starred venues during Thursday night’s awards ceremony at Tampa’s Edition Hotel, bringing the Sunshine State’s total to 26.

Baldwin Park stunner Camille , led by chef Tung Phan, intimate newcomer Natsu , Disney’s famed Victoria & Albert’s and Kevin and Maria Ruiz’s Papa Llama , which has completed an evolution from locally lauded Peruvian pop-up to Bib Gourmand recipient to full-fledged culinary superstar, are the latest Orlando restaurants to hold the one-star distinction, joining Capa, Kadence and Soseki.

Knife & Spoon , which earned a Michelin star in Florida’s inaugural year and held it through 2023, was not retained as such in 2024. The anonymous chief inspector for North America confirmed that it will remain as a recommended restaurant for the 2024 selection.

“It’s so exciting to be here with such great chefs,” said Phan of Camille, which inspectors called out for both the comprehensive Vietnamese-French tasting menu available at the chef’s counter, as well as its abbreviated dining room version. “It takes things to another level … now we’re in a new level with top players and it is so exciting to be here.”

Orlando is a great dining destination all on its own, the Michelin Guide ‘s anonymous chief inspector for North America told the Orlando Sentinel.

DomuLab and Camille: Best New Restaurants in 2022 Orlando Sentinel Foodie Awards

“This year’s selection and increase in stars for Orlando shows there is a lot of local talent,” the inspector said. ” Additionally, Orlando diners are adventurous, and the diversity of cuisine in the selection is a truly interesting facet of the local dining landscape. Camille earning one Michelin Star for their Vietnamese cuisine is a first in the U.S., and Papa Llama earning one Michelin Star for their Peruvian cuisine is worth spotlighting.”

Papa Llama, noted the chief inspector, was a Bib Gourmand in the 2023 selection but recently introduced a tasting menu.

“[The restaurant] was on the inspection team’s radar, especially since they changed course,” the inspector said. “Over several visits the inspectors experienced meals that really showcased the talent and personality of the chef in the cuisine, indicative of a restaurant operating at the one-star level.”

Co-owners Kevin and Maria Ruiz weren’t able to make the ceremony, but the morning after, Maria told the Sentinel she was in shock.

“We are so profoundly grateful to everyone who supported us and to the Michelin inspectors who took the time to see and appreciate every detail we pour ourselves into,” said Maria Ruiz. “The journey has been challenging, but we’ve fought hard to put our best out there without compromise or wavering on our values in the face of adversity. It is especially meaningful and satisfying to be recognized in that light.”

Michelin in color

Additionally, Kaya — which landed among the Michelin-recommended at last year’s soiree in Miami — has been awarded the Green Star. Introduced in 2021, the Green Star recognizes restaurants with outstanding eco-friendly practices.

“We are thrilled to announce Green Star restaurants in the selection for the first time, showcasing these restaurants’ commitment to a more sustainable gastronomy,” said Gwendal Poullenec, the international director of the Michelin Guides, in a news release.

Prior to the announcements, Kaya chef Lordfer Lalicon, wasn’t sure where, if anywhere, they’d land, but his hope for a Green Star panned out.

Rooted in kapwa – connection, Kaya is Orlando Sentinel Restaurant of the Year

“It’s about sustainability, and that’s what we represent: recognizing the resources around Orlando,” Lalicon said. “It’s not just about good food, but about supporting local. It’s something I will continue to talk about, and being part of Michelin will allow us to do more.”

Kaya is currently a James Beard Award finalist in the Best New Restaurant category. The awards ceremony will be held in Chicago on June 10. 

Contemporary Mexican restaurant Los Félix Miami also received the Green Star distinction.

Special awards

The Disney contingent was elated not only by Victoria and Albert’s star award — a litany of locals were shocked when the venue was included in last year’s recommendation without one — but also by restaurant maître d’hôtel and sommelier Israel Perez’s Outstanding Service Award. Perez, an arguable food and beverage legend who has been with the company since 1988, was joined in the special award spotlight by Justin Levaughn, whose Michelin Exceptional Cocktails Award brings another nod home for Otto’s High Dive . The Milk District rum bar and restaurant received the Bib Gourmand Award in 2023.

“This just kind of blindsided me. I’m really excited that people are giving the cocktail scene and bartenders and bars the attention they need,” Levaughn said. “But I think the most important message here is if you are opening restaurants, put them in the hands of chefs, and if you’re opening bars, put them in the hands of bartenders. That’s it. Once you have bartenders that own places, you’re going to see the quality go up. Once you have chefs owning restaurants, you’re going to see things go to a whole new level.”

Orlando’s reach expanded beyond the city limits in a way, as Tampa’s two-concept Kosen , from James Beard-nominated restaurateurs Jimmy and Johnny Tung, is one of two restaurants to earn the city stars in 2024. It was a big night for the Tungs, whose Camille was another of the night’s star stories, new feathers in a Michelin-selected cap that also includes Orlando’s Domu, Doshi, Kaya, Norigami, Tori Tori and Zaru.

“This is the biggest night of my career,” said Johnny Tung. “I’m completely elated. The chefs and their teams have done an amazing job. Before this, we were trying to get Orlando ON the map. Now, Orlando IS the map.”

The 2024 selection brings Florida’s star total to 26, with L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon of Miami leading the pack as the only two-starred restaurant in the state. 149 venues representing 38 cuisines are now a part of the Guide’s Sunshine State edition. Orlando’s cut features seven stars, 11 Bib Gourmands and 39 recommended restaurants. Bib Gourmand newcomers Sushi Saint and Zaru were announced last week .

“Since the arrival of the Michelin Guide to Florida in 2022, there has been significant growth in the state’s local culinary scene, proving Florida is a leading gastronomic destination for travelers near and far,” said Poullenec.

For a complete list of the Michelin selection in Florida, visit guide.michelin.com/us/en/florida/restaurants .

Want to reach out? Find me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram  @amydroo  or on the OSFoodie Instagram account  @orlando.foodie . Email:  [email protected] . For more foodie fun, join the  Let’s Eat, Orlando Facebook group .

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New Greek Resorts, Golden Visa Countries And More Travel News

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5 New Greek Hotels For Summer

W ith summer fast approaching, there are recently opened hotels and resorts in Greece to consider. From popular escapes such as Mykonos and Santorini to the lesser-known islands across the Aegean chain, here are five new Greek hotels worth checking out —and into.

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For many years, the trend in cruise ship design has been that “bigger is better”—with vessels such as Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas setting new passenger records. But many cruise lines are also competing by offering innovative features to the high seas. From kart racing on multi-level courses to multiscreen movie theaters, here are some of the most incredible activities on cruise ships right now.

Disney World Earns Its First Michelin Star

Victoria and Albert’s at the Grand Floridian Resort—which has been a Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star restaurant since 2018—added a new star to its constellation this month: It became the first Disney restaurant to be awarded a Michelin star . Located at the Grand Floridian Resort at Walt Disney World, Victoria and Albert’s is known for its opulent Victorian era-inspired meals. A prix-fixe dinner is $295 per guest, with optional wine pairings starting at $155 per person. Unlike the rest of the theme park, a formal dress code is encouraged for all diners, who must be 10 years of age or older.

Golden visas—which grant residency and/or citizenship through an investment—may be disappearing from Europe, but many EU countries are now luring travelers with digital nomad visas, which grant travelers the legal right to work remotely for an extended period. Italy recently became the latest country to offer the visa and here are other EU countries with digital nomad visas .

America’s Best Airlines 2024

The personal-finance website WalletHub recently announced its annual ranking of the best U.S. airlines . The study evaluates the nine largest national airlines and one regional carrier across a range of criteria, including safety, on-time records and overall service. This year, Alaska Airlines was named the best airline in America, beating out Delta, which ranked first in 2022 and 2023. The survey also ranked U.S. carriers based on reliability and comfort.

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