The Michelin Guide is coming to St. Petersburg and Clearwater

The biggest point of confusion surrounding the Michelin Guide’s presence in Tampa has been about why restaurants in Pinellas County are not represented in the revered, 125-year-old dining publication.

The reality is that in 2022, local tourism bureaus in Tampa, Orlando, and south Florida pitched in money to bring Michelin’s storied inspectors to their part of the woods in the hopes of seeing local restaurants earn coveted stars, Bib Gourmands, and recommendations in the guide. Michelin stars, after all, translate to tourist dollars.

At the time, a spokesperson for Visit St. Pete Clearwater (VSPC) told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that they would be happy to have inspectors visit restaurants in the region if the opportunity came around.

That time has finally come.

In a press release, the Michelin Guide said it has arrived in St. Petersburg and Clearwater, adding that its inspectors are already in the field marking reservations and looking for “culinary gems.” Other parts of Florida that have been added to the guide include Greater Fort Lauderdale and The Palm Beaches.

St. Petersburg and Clearwater’s first chance to get into the guide happens this year when Michelin does another update to its publication.

Reports say that that Visit Florida, Visit Orlando, Visit Tampa Bay and Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau collectively paid $1.5 million to initially bring the guide to the Sunshine State.

Criteria considered by inspectors include quality of ingredients, harmony of flavor, technique, personality of the chef expressed in the food, and consistency.

The highest honor a restaurant can get in the guide is three Michelin stars, reserved for what publishers describe as “superlative cooking of chefs at the peak of their profession; their cooking is elevated to an art form and some of their dishes are destined to become classics.” Two stars are awarded “when the personality and talent of the chef are evident in their expertly crafted dishes,” and a single star is given “to restaurants using top quality ingredients, where dishes with distinct flavours are prepared to a consistently high standard.”

Bib Gourmands are awarded for restaurants that offer a great venue while highlighting “simple yet skilful cooking at an affordable price.”

There is only one restaurant in Florida with two stars (Miami French-contemporary spot L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon Miami), but Tampa is currently home to five restaurants with Michelin Stars (Ebba, Rocca, Koya, Lilac, Kōsen), four with Bib Gourmands (Rooster & the Till, Gorkhali Kitchen, Streetlight Taco, Psomi), and dozens of others that have been recommended by inspectors.

In his own press release, Brian Lowack, President/CEO of VSPC wrote, “This inclusion now gives us the chance to show off our award-winning beaches and award-worthy culinary experiences as we set out to change the perception of what beach cuisine can be. With this new designation St. Pete-Clearwater will reach a new audience of food-focused travelers who are in search of an extraordinary culinary experience & America’s Favorite Beaches in one incredible destination.”

Shortly after the announcement, Lowack stood outside the Museum of Fine Arts on St. Petersburg’s Beach Drive and told reporters that VSPC’s two-year contract with Michelin (stylized in all-caps) costs his organization $90,000 a year.

That money, he said, comes from the tourist development tax, also known as a “bed tax,” a 6% tax on accommodations like hotels and private homes rented for six months or less. Monies raised by the tax can be used to promote the region via advertising, marketing and projects that increase visitation. “I can’t think of a better way to spend it than this,” Lowack added.

Lowack was flanked by Pinellas County Commissioners Brian Scott and Kathleen Peters, plus Zach Feinstein, Vice President of Restaurants for the Pinellas Chapter of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association and owner of several concepts in Dunedin including The Black Pearl, Living Room and the recently-reopened Highland House.

Peters added that Michelin inspectors, who don’t share details on where they’ll dine, will explore the entirety of Pinellas County, from hole-in-the-wall fish shacks to the fine dining.

“We have talked about this day for 11 years since we opened our company here,” Feinstein—who operates his restaurants under The Feinstein Group along with his wife and co-founder Christina Feinstein—told reporters. “Finally, our great chefs in the county are going to get the recognition that they deserve.”

UPDATED 02/07/25 5:50 p.m. Updated with comments from a Feb. 4 press conference, to reflect the version of the story that appears in the Feb. 13 print issue of Creative Loafing Tampa Bay.

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This article appears in Jan 30 – Feb 5, 2025.