Michelin's First Florida Guide Features A Variety Of Cuisines

Disney World, alligators, oranges, and bizarre crimes committed by the most bizarre people, such as the legendary "Florida Man." These are just some of things that come to mind when you think of Florida.

Florida, despite being known for its vast orange fields and the House of Mouse, actually has an impressive culinary scene much like New York and San Francisco. The Spruce Eats describes Floridian cuisine as " one of the most unique and diverse in the world." Indeed, with Cuban influences in the Little Havana district and an impressive seafood selection, Florida has a wide selection of dishes to choose from. You can sample everything from key lime pies to stone crabs to a variety of alligator dishes (via Broward-Palm Beach New Times). It's hard to pick one single restaurant that stands out from the rest, as any travel guide you find online tells you that there's almost always some stiff competition. Thrillist, for example, has a different opinion on the number one place for a Cuban sandwich than Eater Miami does. It's all a matter of opinion in the end.

According to Michelin, however, there are a few select restaurants that stand out from the usual tourist-friendly dining spots or upper-class Miami nightclubs. 

On June 9, Michelin revealed their "inaugural Florida section" (via iCrowdNewswire). This list of Florida-based restaurants was exhaustive, compiling 118 restaurants — 15 of which had earned one to two Michelin Stars — with a combined total of 35 different types of cuisine. These include contemporary cuisines such as Miami's Boia De or Ariete, French cuisine like the two Michelin Star-rated L'Atelier de JoËl Robuchon, Colombian cuisine from Elcielo Miami, and American-styled seafood from The Surf Club Restaurant. Out of those 118 restaurants, Michelin has also awarded 29 select restaurants with the "Bib Gourmand" title, which signifies "great food at a great value." 

But are Michelin stars as great an honor as one would think? Orlando Weekly ran an article that cast some doubt on whether or not Michelin stars were even worth anything at all. In a world of influencers and websites such as Eater that offer their opinions and guidance, Michelin Stars might be somewhat redundant. Michelin has also been accused of "playing favorites," and that what matters most is the amount of money they're offered to give the restaurant a star rather than the food or service itself.

No matter how you feel about Michelin stars, however, it certainly wouldn't hurt to give these restaurants a shot the next time you're down in Florida.