Tampa Bay is where history, culture, and incredible dining collide. Surrounded by blue skies, sparkling waterfronts and a melting pot of cultures, the cuisine in Tampa Bay is as rich as its history. The streets are paved with culinary delights, making it an ideal destination for the first-ever MICHELIN Guide to Florida.
ONE STAR MICHELIN STARS
EBBE
Chef Ebbe Vollmer’s eponymous Downtown Dweller isn’t your typical Tampa restaurant. Sleek and contemporary with a space dominated by a U-shaped marble bar, it’s hyper-focused with just one tasting menu.
KŌSEN
This elegant restaurant takes a minimalist approach to its design, employing a dark color palette instead of the typical blonde wood. Though a two-concept spot (Kō is a separate space for kaiseki), all eyes should be on the omakase, which Chef Wei Chen runs with skill and precision.
KOYA
There is a watchful eye over the experience at this intimate eight-seat counter, where a multicourse contemporary tasting menu shares a singular interpretation of Japanese cuisine.
LILAC
Situated in the sleek and oh-so-stylish Edition hotel, this concept from John Fraser is a popular spot with in-demand reservations. The small space has a sexy vibe, albeit not a stitch of lilac in sight.
ROCCA
Chef Bryce Bonsack blends his New York know-how with Italian training to great effect in this of-the-moment eatery. Naturally, there’s an assortment of pasta, skillfully made in-house and showcasing classic flavors and scrupulous technique, as in spaghetti al limone, tossed with knobs of blue crab and lemon, shaved garlic and zucchini.
TAMPA BIB GOURMANDS
Named after Bibendum, the friendly Michelin Man and the official company mascot for the Michelin Group – is a just-as-esteemed rating that recognizes friendly establishments that serve good food at moderate prices.
GORKHALI KITCHEN
Take the short drive from downtown for a taste of Himalayan cuisine at Gorkhali Kitchen. The mirrored glass exterior means the interior is kept a secret until you’re through the door but come inside to experience this place’s warm hospitality.
ROOSTER AND THE TILL
It’s a low-key spot with a contemporary feel. The bar is central and wraps around an open kitchen, so grab a seat at the counter for the best view. The mirrored glass exterior means the interior is kept a secret until you’re through the door but come inside to experience this place’s warm hospitality.
PSOMI
Owned and run by second-generation Greek-American, Christina Theofilos, this daytime eatery and bakery epitomizes warmth and comfort. Strangers become friends in no time, noshing on breakfast and lunch during the week and brunch on weekends.
STREETLIGHT TACOS
This South Tampa taqueria certainly ups the style quotient on the typical taqueria. From the black-painted, exposed ductwork to the tables lacquered with Mexican comics to the open kitchen, this fast casual spot delivers on contemporary flair, and the food isn’t pulling any punches, either.
MICHELIN PLATES
BERN’S STEAK HOUSE
For decades, this stately steakhouse has been a local favorite for special occasions of all stripes, and its popularity shows no signs of shrinking. Diners dress to impress amid the garish vintage opulence, which is matched by a slickly ceremonious suit-clad service team and colossal wine collection.
BISTRO BT
This casual yet charming outpost arrives on the scene courtesy of celebrated local restaurateur, BT Nguyen. It is friendly and atmospheric with gracious servers merely augmenting the inviting feel.
CENA
Nestled among retail spaces and luxury apartments, this unassuming spot is well-loved for its Italian—with an American perspective—food. Minimally dressed with exposed ductwork and mottled cement floors, the space oozes with warmth, thanks to soft lighting. The result is a happy union between neighborhood joint and hipster bar.
COLUMBIA RESTAURANT
For devotees of Cuban-American cuisine, a pilgrimage to this jewel of Historic Ybor City is practically obligatory. Adorned with gorgeous painted tiles, the striking edifice occupies an entire block. However, the opulence goes beyond the façade—founded in 1905, this original location is the oldest continually operating restaurant in all of Florida.
ÉLEVAGE
Don’t be fooled by the lofty name or upscale location (tucked inside the Epicurean Hotel, just past the lobby). The ambience here is relaxed and the cooking is down-to-earth, though happily not mundane.
FLAMING MOUNTAIN
Flaming Mountain’s strip mall environs may be less than exciting but they save their sizzle for the food. The owners, husband-and-wife Hongfeng Li and Ling Wu, are originally from Shenyang in China’s northeast, and the menu proudly displays their regional heritage alongside classic Sichuan cuisine and grilled skewers.
HAVEN
Noshers will rejoice at the prospect of this charming, quirky and convivial concept, whose menu of shareable plates makes snacking practically de rigueur. Front and center is a selection of artisanal cheeses and charcuterie, which deserves serious consideration.
MISE EN PLACE
Originally a small-scale catering business founded in 1986 by partners Maryann Ferenc and Chef Marty Blitz, this riverfront enclave has gone on to become a local culinary fixture. The sleek, comfortable space and assured service are as suitable for romantic duos as business groups—and either set would be well advised to sample from their list of carefully poured classic cocktails.
NOBLE RICE
Restaurants pack this area just off Channelside Drive, but Noble Rice deserves your attention, and not just because it’s a sister spot to Koya. Unlike most minimalist Japanese restaurants, this place has a lively, modern vibe.
OAK & OLA
Under the aegis of celebrated chef, Anne Kearny, this boisterous scene forms one of the keystone culinary destinations for the massive Armature Works development in which it is housed. The menu relies heavily on prominent wood-fired ovens and casts a wide net for European flavors, turning to Iberian ingredients—as in the roasted octopus with chorizo, white beans, and kale.
OLIVIA
Named after Chef/owner Chris Ponte’s daughter, it’s only appropriate that the cooking at this bustling, Italian-inspired venue should set itself apart thanks to extra care. That characteristic attention to detail includes efforts, like extruding all pastas in house before slowly drying them—but it’s the sort of work that pays off for diners.
ON SWANN
This lofty, stylish space draws in crowds, thanks to its relaxed, hip vibe and flavorful, unpretentious cooking. Chef and owner Chris Ponte, a heavy-hitter in the local dining scene, has assembled a menu that’s as charmingly eclectic as the restaurant’s design. You’ll find nods to Spain and France, but Italian and Southern flavors predominate, so you’re as likely to encounter ricotta salata as pimento cheese, and both grits and risotto find equal footing.
PREDALINA
Located in the Channelside District of downtown Tampa, siblings Blake Casper and Allison Casper Adams founded Predalina as an homage to their great-grandmother’s coastal heritage.
THE PEARL
Located in the Channelside district of downtown Tampa, The Pearl rests within a mixed-use building with plenty of outdoor seating for warm days and nights. Inside, the space is contemporary with maritime and nostalgic touches throughout.
PONTE
Chef Christopher Ponte oversees the very grand eponymous restaurant located in midtown Tampa where a cream-and-white palette sets an elegant tone. This is a linen tablecloth kind of place where a comprehensive menu lists dishes with a contemporary and creative American flair.
RESTAURANT BT
Both intimate and serene, this romantic retreat is restaurateur and Chef BT Nguyen’s flagship. Its motto “eat local, think global” accurately captures both her genre-defying, eclectic cuisine as well as her dedication to high quality, local ingredients. Although the presentation may lean a bit fussy and old-fashioned (think tomato roses and other such twee garnishes), there’s plenty of substance behind the fluff.
SUPERNATURAL FOOD & WINE
Located in downtown Tampa in a tiny space with some seating outside and a small counter inside, this casual concept is all about sandwiches—at breakfast and lunch—as well as a few sides and salads.
STEELBACH
Set in a space that once housed the Tampa Electrical Company’s main offices, the stripped-down, industrial-chic aesthetic mirrors an air of studied nonchalance. Essentially a steakhouse with a Southern drawl, the menu here focuses on meats cooked over a blazing grill fueled by mesquite and oak.
TIMPANO
After a chic redesign, this longtime Hyde Park Village staple stands out even in its stylish surrounds. The verdant space calls to mind the tropics and a clubby playlist adds an air of youthfulness, but this is solid cooking rooted in classic Italian American sensibilities.
ULELE
With a scenic location at the edge of a restored natural spring and a name that references a legendary Native American princess, there’s clearly no shortage of charm on offer here. Although the “Native-inspired” cooking has only a tenuous connection to Florida’s original inhabitants, the menu is a nod to Tampa’s history and draws upon the various influences that have shaped the city’s current culinary landscape.
YUMMY HOUSE
Crowds still clamber to fill the seats at this spacious, no-frills eatery, whose sizable menu presents ample options for a range of tastes. Diners can find contentment with familiar American-Chinese staples, like orange chicken and salt-and-pepper fried calamari (or tofu).
Enjoy all the amazing restaurants Tampa Bay has to offer.