Emelina earns Palm Beach Michelin star

Emelina in West Palm Beach has become Palm Beach County’s only Michelin-starred restaurant in the 2026 Florida guide, capping a broader set of honors for 10 restaurants in the county. Michelin’s statewide Florida selection, released May 28, added Emelina and Miami’s Mutra as new one-star restaurants. Local broadcaster WPTV reported that Discover The Palm Beaches awarded 2026 Michelin plaques to 10 Palm Beach County restaurants on Aug. 3. Michelin’s official listing identifies Emelina as a one-star Cuban restaurant at 424 Park Place in West Palm Beach. ### How unusual is Emelina’s award in Palm Beach County? Palm Beach County had one starred restaurant in the 2026 Michelin Florida selection, and that was Emelina. WPTV said Emelina was the county’s only Michelin Star recipient this year, while other local restaurants were recognized through Bib Gourmand and recommendation designations. Michelin’s official West Palm Beach listings also show Emelina as the starred restaurant in the city. (thepalmbeaches.com) Michelin’s May 28 announcement said Emelina was one of only two new one-star additions statewide in 2026, alongside Mutra in Miami. The same release said the full Florida selection covered 200 restaurants across 41 cuisine types, the first time the guide expanded to the entire state. ### What did Michelin say it saw at Emelina? Michelin described Emelina as an intimate restaurant with counter seating and said chefs Osmel González and Camila Salazar ask what Cuban cuisine would look like with global inspiration applied to its foundation. (wptv.com) The guide highlighted South Florida sourcing and cited dishes including oysters with yucca foam, tomatoes with Cuban oregano chimichurri and macadamia milk foam, dry-aged beef with green mango mojo and black bean sauce, and a reworked rabo encendido. (thepalmbeaches.com) The Michelin listing labels Emelina “One Star: High quality cooking” and identifies it as a Cuban restaurant. WPTV reported that Discover The Palm Beaches said Emelina also became the first Cuban restaurant in the world to receive a Michelin Star. ### Which other Palm Beach County restaurants were recognized? Ten Palm Beach County restaurants received 2026 Michelin plaques from Discover The Palm Beaches on Aug. 3, according to WPTV. (thepalmbeaches.com) The station reported that Stage Kitchen & Bar and Ela Curry & Cocktails, both tied to chef Pushkar Marathe, received Michelin recommendations, while Coolinary and the Parched Pig, tied to chef Tim Lipman, also received recommendation status. Aioli in West Palm Beach earned a Bib Gourmand for the second straight year, WPTV said. (guide.michelin.com) WPTV’s report did not list all 10 restaurants in the excerpt available through search results, but it said the county’s honors included one star recipient, Bib Gourmand designations and recommended restaurants. Michelin’s statewide release separately said Florida added 10 new Bib Gourmands in 2026, though it did not break those out by county in the excerpt reviewed. (wptv.com) ### What do Michelin recommendations and Bib Gourmands mean here? Michelin inspectors evaluate restaurants on ingredient quality, flavor harmony, cooking techniques, consistency and the chef’s personality in the cuisine, WPTV reported. Chef Pushkar Marathe told WPTV that inspectors visit anonymously and said a recommendation means a restaurant has been considered for a star, though “there’s still some things you need to work on.” (wptv.com) Chef Tim Lipman told WPTV that the recognition helps restaurants stand out in a crowded market. Michael Hackman of Aioli told the station the bakery’s scratch sourdough program was a key part of why Michelin noticed it. ### What happens next for the honored restaurants? Michelin said restaurant plaques will be provided by destination partners in the coming months after the May 28 Florida selection. (wptv.com) Discover The Palm Beaches has already staged one local presentation, with 10 Palm Beach County restaurants receiving 2026 Michelin plaques on Aug. 3, according to WPTV. (thepalmbeaches.com)