Miami Herald names Michelin candidate May 28

Miami dining coverage narrowed in on one restaurant this weekend before Michelin’s next Florida announcement. Expreso and Primicias, two Ecuadorian news outlets citing the Miami Herald, reported on May 23 that Cotoa, the Miami restaurant from Ecuadorian chef Alejandra Espinoza, had been named among contenders for a new Michelin star in Florida. Michelin has not publicly confirmed any individual winners ahead of the ceremony. The guide has said only that its Florida 2026 restaurant guide ceremony will stream live on May 28 at 2 p.m. Eastern. ### Which restaurant is at the center of the reports? Cotoa is the restaurant named in the reports. (expreso.ec) Primicias said the Miami Herald placed Cotoa, run by Alejandra Espinoza, among the possible winners of a Michelin star in Florida. Expreso separately reported that the Herald included the restaurant among its favorites for a star. (guide.michelin.com) Alejandra Espinoza is an Ecuadorian chef whose Miami project opened a little more than a year ago, according to Expreso. A separate FIU Caplin News profile published last month described Cotoa as a North Miami restaurant and said Espinoza opened it last year after building her career around Ecuadorian ingredients and fine-dining technique. (primicias.ec) ### Is Cotoa already in the Michelin ecosystem? Michelin already lists Cotoa on its official site as a Miami restaurant in its selection. The restaurant page appears on Michelin’s Florida listings and includes booking information, hours and inspector notes, indicating it is already recognized by the guide even though it is not identified there as star-rated. Primicias reported that Cotoa entered the Florida Michelin Guide in January 2025 and is now viewed as a possible step-up candidate for a star. (expreso.ec) That characterization matches Michelin’s public listing, though Michelin itself has not previewed any award decisions. ### What has Michelin said about the May 28 event? (guide.michelin.com) Michelin said in a ceremony notice published this week that the Florida 2026 restaurant guide ceremony will be livestreamed on May 28 at 2 p.m. EST. The notice does not name contenders or preview which restaurants may gain, keep or lose stars. Michelin’s broader Florida coverage shows the guide has continued expanding and updating its state selection in recent years. (primicias.ec) In a prior Florida announcement, Michelin said anonymous inspectors were already in the field as the guide widened its reach in the state, while maintaining that selections remain independent of tourism partners. (guide.michelin.com) ### Why is Cotoa drawing attention now? Expreso said the attention is notable because Cotoa has put an Ecuadorian chef and Ecuadorian cuisine into a conversation usually dominated by more established fine-dining names in Florida. Primicias went further, saying the Herald’s mention put the restaurant among the favorites ahead of the May 28 reveal. (guide.michelin.com) Michelin’s own description of Cotoa highlights dishes that draw on Ecuadorian flavors, including ceviche, fish wrapped in banana leaf and a take on chicken stew. Those details help explain why the restaurant is being discussed as a candidate, though any link between that profile and a future star remains an inference until Michelin announces results. ### What can readers actually verify before the announcement? (expreso.ec) As of May 24, the verifiable facts are narrower than the speculation. Cotoa is a Michelin-listed Miami restaurant; Expreso and Primicias reported that the Miami Herald identified it as a contender; and Michelin has scheduled its Florida 2026 ceremony for May 28 at 2 p.m. Eastern. May 28 is the next fixed date in the story. (guide.michelin.com) Michelin said the Florida 2026 Restaurant Guide Ceremony will be livestreamed that afternoon, when any new stars in Miami and the rest of Florida are set to be made public. (guide.michelin.com 1) (guide.michelin.com 2)