Of the more than 2,000 restaurants lauded with Michelin stars worldwide, including several in Tampa, roughly 200 are in the United States. Follow our lead to on your culinary quest for some of the finest culinary temples in the land, where exquisite meals are served with a true sense of place and rooted in the flavors of American terroir.
(Courtesy of Jason Jaacks)
SingleThread Healdsburg, California
About 70% of the dishes at this stellar three-Michelin-star bastion in California’s Sonoma County wine country are driven by products raised on the 24-acre SingleThread Farm by the restaurant’s head farmer and co-owner, Katina Connaughton. Her husband, Chef Kyle Connaughton, strives to showcase his wife’s work in the optimal light through the menu’s exquisite offerings. “When I think about the months and months that it takes to create an ingredient, it makes me feel an immense sense of responsibility,” he says. “I will only have that piece of produce in my hands for one day, sometimes it will never even touch the refrigerator. I’m very proud of that.”
Inn at Little Washington Washington, Virginia
Fly to the nation’s capital and drive 1.5 hours west into the rolling hills of Virginia’s Fauquier County for an exceptional experience at the Washington, D.C. area’s only restaurant with three Michelin stars. The Inn at Little Washington has served everyone from Queen Elizabeth II and other heads of state to culinary world rock stars like Julia Child, Jacques Pépin and Daniel Bouloud. Chef Patrick O’Connell’s menu is rooted in classical French cuisine and pulls from the bounty of produce and herbs tended to onsite by the restaurant’s farmer-in-residence. Courses roll out in extravagant preparations like Maine lobster with caviar beurre blanc and pepper-crusted duck breast with grilled figs. Things always end on a playful note as the inimitable house pear dessert draws oohs and ahs. Plan to overnight in one of the inn’s 24 luxuriously appointed rooms.
L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon Miami, Florida
Florida’s only two-Michelin-star restaurant is worth the quick flight and overnight stay in Miami. Named after the late chef Joël Robuchon — the legendary French chef and restaurateur who was awarded more Michelin stars than any other chef to date — this restaurant in Miami’s Design District is known for its signature dining counter where you can gaze right into the kitchen to admire the chefs at work. Come to try signature foie gras dishes and seasonal inspirations that might include tempura squash blossom or filet of bison in laminated pastry. A special seasonal three-course lunch menu is offered every Saturday.
Smyth Chicago, Illinois
Chicago boasts 21 Michelin-starred restaurants on its storied shores, making it tricky to narrow down the crème de la crème for a gastronomic foray. But this three-Michelin-star West Loop restaurant helmed by husband-and-wife chef team John Shields and Karen Urie Shields (he grew up in Clearwater) is a top contender. Smyth explores the far corners of the country’s terroir and taps the finest purveyors for a dining experience that’s truly exceptional. Meticulously sourced ingredients, like unagi from Maine and seaweed from the California coast, combine with other innovative elements in a symphony and celebration of North American cuisine. There are two prix fixe menu options to choose from, including one accompanied by chef servers who detail the courses.
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