Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach Restaurants Make History with First Michelin Stars

For the first time, eateries in Broward and Palm Beach counties have been awarded Michelin stars.

The Michelin Guide,
Which reviews and ranks eateries globally announced in February that they were incorporating
three more Florida cities
For guidance this year: Fort Lauderdale, the Palm Beaches, and St. Petersburg-Clearwater.

It seems Fort Lauderdale and the Palm Beach area were prepared for this.

The Chef’s Counter at MAASS in Fort Lauderdale and
Konro in West Palm Beach
were unveiled as additions to the 2025 Michelin Guide during a ceremony held Thursday at the Four Seasons Resort Orlando located within the Walt Disney World Resort. Each of these eateries offers modern culinary dishes.

Gwendal Poullennec, who leads the Michelin Guides internationally, commended the expansion of Florida’s dining scene.

Florida has gained an additional two-star Michelin restaurant. Find out which establishment was recently included in the guide.

The small eatery in Miami helmed by a well-loved local chef has recently been awarded a Michelin star.

Florida has emerged as an international food lover’s paradise, with the addition of three new cities and five eateries joining the esteemed Michelin-starred establishments in this year’s list,” he stated. “Our secret reviewers have been consistently impressed by Florida’s vibrant dining scene.

Located within the Four Seasons Hotel and Residences, MAASS provides “a distinct culinary journey,” as recognized by the globally renowned guide. Under Executive Chef David Brito, who took over from Chef Ryan Ratino, the tasting menu stands out for its elegant blend of modern cuisine incorporating French methods, Japanese flavors, and select Floridian touches. Each dish showcases premium ingredients such as the perfectly seared diver scallop served atop a rich truffle purée.

The guide continued by applauding the restaurant’s sophisticated twist on chicken noodle soup and Koshihikari rice prepared in a traditional Japanese clay pot alongside maitake mushrooms, finished with a layer of Comté foam on top.

Led by Chef Jacob Bickelhaupt and his wife and sommelier Nadia Bickelhaupt, Konro embraces the counter dining approach. The guide notes that “bold cuisine takes the spotlight, with unexpectedly luxurious and savory dishes delighting patrons.”

The meal starts with appetizers; one standout dish is the foie gras mousse presented in a chicken skin cone. The chef showcases their innovation through creations such as barley risotto paired with enoki mushrooms, caramelized crispy fried onions, and shaved black truffles, all topped off with a golden egg.

The guide similarly commends Konro’s Binchotan-grilled Wagyu.

Other recently highlighted eateries in Florida

None of the eateries from the new additions to the guide, Clearwater/St Pete, received stars this time around, nor did those in Tampa. However, another location in South Florida did manage to earn them.
Itamae Ao
, a Nikkei-style Peruvian-Japanese restaurant in Miami, has been awarded its inaugural Michelin star. Chef Nando Chang is likewise nominated for an award.
2025 James Beard Award for the Top Chef: Southern Region
.

Two eateries in Orlando also received stars.
Sorekara Japanese
The restaurant became Florida’s second establishment to be awarded two stars (the first being).
L’Atelier du Joël Robuchon
, earning its stars in 2022). Ryan Ratino from MAASS received two stars for his establishment Jônt in Washington, D.C., and an additional star for Ômo by Jônt located in Winter Park. What a fantastic year he had!

In the 2025 Michelin guide, 31 Florida restaurants have stars. Miami leads the state with 15, while Orlando has nine. Tampa has earned five, and Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach have one apiece. No restaurants in the state lost a star.

Other locations include Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach honor

Fort Lauderdale also acquired its very first Bib Gourmand recognition, an honor bestowed upon eateries offering exceptional cuisine at affordable prices.
Heritage, crafted by head chef and owner Rino Cerbone
The eatery is famous for its pizzas and pasta dishes.

A few Palm Beach restaurants also made it onto the Bib Gourmand list:
aioli
and
Palm Beach Meats
, both hailing from West Palm Beach. Additionally, four eateries in Orlando were included as well:
Banh Mi Boy
,
Coro
,
Smokemade Meats + Eats
and
UniGirl
Florida boasts 36 Bib Gourmand-recognized eateries.

The two recently incorporated zones also witnessed an addition of various local eateries to Michelin’s Recommended list. The restaurants in Fort Lauderdale that received recommendations are
Daniel’s, A Florida Steakhouse
; the Mediterranean spot
Evelyn’s is located at the Four Seasons Hotel.
and Residences; and
Larb Thai-Isan
.

In Palm Beach County, the subsequent locations have been included in the recommended list:
1.
2.
3.
(Note: Since specific numbered items weren’t provided in your original sentence, I’ve left this format open for additional entries as per your request.)
Nicholson Muir Distinguished Meats
in Boynton Beach;
Buccan
, famous for its American cuisine in Palm Beach;
The Butcher’s Club
at PGA National Resort located in Palm Beach Gardens
Coolinary and the Thirsty Pig
, as well as in Palm Beach Gardens; and
Moody Tongue Sushi
and
Stage Kitchen & Bar
in West Palm Beach.