West Palm Beach restaurant Emelina earns first Michelin Star

A look inside the dinning room at Emelina in West Palm Beach. [Photo by Alejandro Chavarria]

West Palm Beach restaurant Emelina has secured a landmark place on Florida’s culinary map, earning its first Michelin Star and making history as the first Cuban restaurant in the world to receive the prestigious honor.

This milestone marks a breakthrough moment, proving that traditional flavors rooted in heritage can stand alongside the world’s most celebrated fine dining experiences.

The 2026 guide is notable for another reason as well: for the first time, Michelin inspectors evaluated restaurants across the entire state of Florida. Previously, selections focused primarily on major metropolitan areas, but the expanded coverage allowed inspectors to explore dining destinations from the Panhandle to the Florida Keys.

Among the most notable additions this year were two new one-star restaurants, including Emelina in West Palm Beach and Mutra in Miami.

“What began just a few years ago has grown into something truly remarkable,” says Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guide. “Florida’s culinary landscape continues to evolve, which led our anonymous inspectors on a journey from the Panhandle to Key West to uncover the best dining experiences and hidden gems to make up this year’s selection.”

Located in West Palm Beach, Emelina is led by chefs Osmel González and Camila Salazar, whose approach reimagines traditional Cuban cuisine through a contemporary lens while drawing inspiration from global culinary influences.

Large dining table facing the open kitchen at Emelina. [Photo by Alejandro Chavarria}

According to Michelin inspectors, the restaurant’s intimate setting — featuring just 16 counter seats facing an open kitchen — allows diners to experience a highly personal and refined culinary journey.

Inspectors praised the chefs’ commitment to sourcing ingredients from South Florida and highlighted several standout dishes. Among them were poached Sebastian Silver oysters with yucca foam and mushroom powder, marinated Redland cherry tomatoes paired with Cuban oregano chimichurri and Florida macadamia milk foam, and a 45-day dry-aged Florida beef dish served with green mango mojo sauce and Cuban black bean sauce.

The restaurant’s reinterpretation of rabo encendido, the classic Cuban oxtail stew, was also singled out as a memorable offering.

Restaurants earning one star are recognized for serving “high-quality cooking that is worth a stop,” while two- and three-star distinctions represent increasingly exceptional levels of cuisine and dining experience.

This year’s Michelin Guide Florida selection includes 200 restaurants representing 41 different cuisine styles.

The guide also recognizes establishments through its Bib Gourmand designation, which highlights restaurants offering high-quality food at a good value, as well as recommended restaurants and special professional awards.

Photo by James Jackman

Since its beginnings in France more than a century ago, the Michelin Guide has become one of the most influential restaurant-rating systems in the world. Michelin’s anonymous inspectors evaluate restaurants using five criteria: quality of ingredients, mastery of cooking techniques, harmony of flavors, the chef’s personality as reflected in the cuisine, and consistency across the menu and over time.

The same standards are applied worldwide, ensuring that a Michelin Star carries the same significance whether awarded in Paris, New York, Tokyo or West Palm Beach.

As for the restaurant itself, Emelina didn’t just earn a star—it broke a barrier that no Cuban restaurant anywhere in the world had crossed before.

The complete 2026 Michelin Guide Florida selection, including Michelin Star, Bib Gourmand and recommended restaurants, is available through the Michelin Guide website and mobile app.