Dine at These MICHELIN-Recognized Restaurants

Inside the blush-colored Vinoy Resort & Golf Club, you'll find the newest MICHELIN-recommended restaurant on our list: Elliott Aster. This Italian-inspired steakhouse brings a touch of glamour to downtown St. Pete’s waterfront with its rich color palette, towering ceilings and custom fluted glass chandeliers.

Chef Lee Wolen is no stranger to culinary accolades, as he's led MICHELIN-starred Boka in Chicago since 2014 and was a James Beard semifinalist for Outstanding Chef in 2025.

In St. Pete, Wolen's influence helps elevate classic Italian dishes with polished techniques and exceptional ingredients. Start your meal with the restaurant's delectable focaccia pull-apart, showered in nutty pecorino cheese and drizzled with floral wildflower honey, or order the baby gem Caesar, which Tampa Bay Times restaurant critic Helen Freund proclaimed the best in Tampa Bay. 

For your entree, consider decadent entrees such as the rich beef cheek tortellini paired with aged balsamic and fresh shaved parmesan, or a sweet corn and ricotta cestini topped with earthy chanterelle mushrooms and a smooth, buttery sauce. If you're having trouble deciding, don't fret: All pasta is made from scratch, so you can't go wrong. 
 

As you step into Fortu inside the c.1885 Ponce de Leon Hotel on Central Avenue, you're drawn in by the rich mahogany wood and the warm glow of pendant lanterns. Large arched windows frame the dining room, while a sleek bar you'll want to post on your Instagram feed is tucked in the back. 

At the helm is Executive Chef Nathan Howey, who honed his skills at MICHELIN-level restaurants and brings expertise in everything from butchery to molecular gastronomy – all while keeping Fortu refreshingly approachable. The MICHELIN Guide notes that taste is never compromised for aesthetics, saying, "this Pan-Asian kitchen backs up all this style with proper substance." 

Fortu is a love letter to Japanese cuisine, with an array of tasty raw dishes such as delicate bluefin akami tartare. If you're craving something hot, Fortu has some of the best steaks in Tampa Bay. Try the koji-aged Japanese A5 wagyu ribeye, marbled with flavorful ribbons of fat and finished with a wonderfully garlicky shiso chimichurri. Seafood lovers will enjoy menu offerings like a flaky miso black cod that marinates for 72 hours before it graces your plate.
 

Located on Central Avenue in the heart of downtown St. Pete, Il Ritorno means "The Return" in Italian – and you'll certainly be returning after tasting its modern take on classic Italian dishes by owner and Executive Chef David Benstock, who is a St. Pete native. 

Benstock went head-to-head with Bobby Flay on Food Network’s Beat Bobby Flay in 2021 and emerged triumphant thanks to his short rib mezzaluna – half-moon-shaped, hand-folded pasta filled with melt-in-your-mouth braised short rib, a creamy charred shishito pepper sauce and a delicate dusting of Piave cheese. 

Benstock caters to discerning palates, striving to introduce novel flavor profiles to traditionally rustic Italian cuisine. Think dry-aged steak with brown butter truffle espuma and juicy bone marrow; duck tortellini with shaved foie gras; or pillowy Osetra Noir Caviar and crème fraîche doughnuts. 

Il Ritorno's high ceilings and exposed brick set the scene for a dining experience praised by the MICHELIN Guide for its "boldness and flavor in spades.” With a menu that's constantly changing to feature fresh seasonal offerings, Il Ritorno offers plenty of incentive to book your next reservation before you've even finished your dessert.

Your eyes, ears and taste buds might be fooled, but this moody Tokyo-style sake bar and vinyl house is indeed located in St. Peterburg, Florida, no matter how much the experience feels like you've been transported to Japan. 

Housed inside a charming 1925 Craftsman bungalow in the Grand Central District, this unique concept is the brainchild of St. Pete-Clearwater natives Zach Ashton, a recording artist-turned-restaurateur, and Elio Marini, a film producer and artist. In Between Days was born of years spent abroad and a shared obsession with Tokyo's "slow culture," which values savoring the moment. 

As you hear esoteric vinyl selections over the bar's two turntables, sip crisp sake and feast on raw French-style oysters, it's easy to see why the MICHELIN Guide Florida says that this is the kind of place you'll want to “settle into.” 

There is no formal menu, as selections change weekly to spotlight seasonal ingredients and special offerings from Japan. Previous diners have enjoyed dishes such as ramen with silky bone broth; enoki mushrooms and a perfectly runny soy egg; delightfully acidic hamachi; and crispy pan-fried gyoza served with a soy brown-butter glaze. Save room for dessert pastries and sweet treats from locally beloved bakery Cafe Clementine.

If you've ever craved an ultra-exclusive omakase experience – with an intimate sushi counter and a meticulously crafted prix fixe menu – Sushi Sho Rexley is here to exceed your expectations. In fact, Chef Rexley Kwok sources fish directly from Tokyo's legendary Toyosu Fish Market, which supplies Japan's finest sushi counters. 

Kwok was trained by master sushi chef Hiro Ida-san and has been at the helm of his own restaurant in downtown St. Petersburg since 2018. He utilizes an Edomae approach to sushi, a traditional Tokyo-style nigiri characterized by the use of salt or vinegar to cure the fish and enhance flavor. Pushing the boundaries of the typical "American night out for sushi," Kwok crafts standouts such as koji-fermented ora king salmon brushed with whiskey barrel-aged soy and pickled scallions; Hokkaido uni (sea urchin) with a touch of bright yuzu; or prawns with an umami flavor-bomb of oyster-fermented soy sauce. 

Come with an adventurous appetite, and be sure to reserve a seat in advance, as the omakase experience is uniquely personal, with only 10 people at a seating.

The Tides Market in charming downtown Safety Harbor proves great dining experiences can be found outside the bright lights of bigger cities. Owners Jon and Mary Kate Walker ensure quality by carefully sourcing and serving fish from their local market. As the MICHELIN Guide Florida notes, "from the sourcing to the execution, great care is taken with every step." 

The restaurant doesn't bother with flashy decor or trendy photo ops. Instead, the Walkers have perfected a down-to-earth, neighborly vibe where seafood is the true star. 

Savor the broiled oysters Bienville with house-made andouille sausage and buttery parmesan breadcrumbs, or try the fried green tomatoes with a bold Louisiana-inspired remoulade sauce. Stop by on the weekends for crab cake eggs Benedict with fluffy buttermilk biscuits and lemon Creole hollandaise, or satisfy your brunch-time sweet tooth with cinnamon and brown sugar-dusted challah French toast.