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All the Tampa restaurants featured in the 2023 Florida Michelin Guide

By CL Staff on Fri, May 12, 2023 at 2:00 pm

Three Tampa restaurants earned the city's first ever Michelin stars this week at the unveiling of the 2023 Florida Michelin Guide in Miami.

Tampa’s Koya, Lilac and Rocca all scored the top honor of earning a star for the first time, along with Tambourine Room by Tristan Brandt in Miami Beach. In total, 19 Florida restaurants earned stars during a ceremony at LoanDepot Park.

Although controversial, a star is considered one of, if not thee, highest award in the culinary world. Chefs who earn a star see an immediate boost in their reputation, with their restaurant (and staff) benefiting from the boost in business and prestige.

While not everyone pulled in a star at this week's unveiling, quite a few Tampa restaurants however did receive "Bib Gourmands" deeming them a "great value," and "Recommend" restaurant status.

Here are all the restaurants included in the this years guide.

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Steelbach

1902 N Ola Ave, Tampa, 813- 693-5478
Michelin ranking: Recommended
"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. Composed plates, like a brick chicken served with hominy, tasso ham and green tomato chowchow, have their merit, but most diners direct their attention to an assortment of exceptional steaks. The meat's provenance is what sets the offerings apart: a partnership with a local rancher provides grass-fed, grain-finished cattle specifically for the restaurant's use, minimizing waste and maximizing flavor—and few would dispute the caliber of the end product."
Photo via Google Maps

Timpano Hyde Park

1610 W Swann Ave., Tampa, 813-254-5870
Michelin ranking: Recommended
”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. A well-appointed bar pours enticing quaffs like a frozen blood orange negroni, which also makes for a winning aperitivo. Red-sauce staples, like sausage-stuffed mushrooms and fried calamari are deftly prepared, and tailed by house pastas given their proper due. A raviolo filled with spinach, ricotta and molten egg yolk is dressed with frisée and a bit of balsamic; and, forgiving the pun, a “parm to table” bucatini al pesto prepared tableside in a wheel of Parmigiano is sure to please."
Photo via Google Maps

Ulele

1810 N Highland Ave., Tampa, 813-999-4952
Michelin ranking: Recommended
"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. A bounty of seafood is featured, much of it sourced from local waters, with conventional delicacies like oysters and scallops alongside the less commonplace alligator (flash-fried or incorporated into hush puppies). Diners can soak up views of Hillsborough River amid an outdoor sculpture garden while sipping suds from the restaurant’s own brewery."
Photo via Google Maps

Yummy House China Bistro/Facebook

Yummy House

2620 E Hillsborough Ave., Tampa, 813-237-3838
Michelin ranking: Recommended
"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). However, dishes like clay pot-braised fish have their own unique, earthy appeal. During lunch hours you’d be well-advised to select from the separate dim sum menu, which features typical bites like dumplings and turnip cakes, as well as sweet regional specialties like pineapple buns and Hong Kong-style egg tarts. Thanks to the popularity of the original, a number of offshoots can be found throughout southern Florida, including a more upscale one in South Tampa."
Photo via Yummy House

On Swann

1501 W Swann Ave, Tampa, 813-251-0110
Michelin ranking: Recommended
"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. Combinations of sweet and savory seem to be a specialty, as in a tomato-date sauce paired with lamb meatballs, or a fig tart with gorgonzola and caramelized onions. Brunch is particularly popular, owing, no doubt, to the airy, well-lit room and ample list of tempting seasonal cocktails."
Photo via On Swann