The Whet Palette Productions Miami food

by The Whet Palette Productions: Blog & Podcast

Florida’s Culinary Scene Shines with 2025 MICHELIN Guide Expansion

In a short press release this morning, the MICHELIN Guide announced it will finally begin an expansion this year by including restaurants in Greater Fort Lauderdale (say hellooooo MAASS), The Palm Beaches (perhaps KONRO?), and St. Pete-Clearwater.

The more significant, unexpected, and thrilling news is that beginning in 2026, the Guide will become statewide. That’s right, from the Florida Keys and way north to where the sun still shines in Pensacola and Jacksonville, the star Gods might favor you too.

MICHELIN Guide Florida 2025 Additions: SNEAK PEEK

Ten new additions to the Miami (6) and Orlando (4) Florida list made headlines this morning as the MICHELIN Guide teased some of the upcoming entries. What does this mean? It’s too soon to tell. Last year, for example, three Miami restaurants from the eight on the teaser list received One Michelin Star. Others landed in the Bib Gourmand category or solely received […]

Mr. Whet Palette’s Favorite Restaurants of 2024

GUEST POST by Lawrence P. This is a list of my favorite Miami-Dade County restaurants for 2024. This is not a list of the county’s best restaurants. I am not The Whet Palette. I don’t have the necessary “street cred” to arrive at such conclusions. Because I love my vino, wine “service/prices/selection/corkage fee” will play a […]

TOP 50 BITES: MIAMI 2024

Serious Miami Foodporn Ahead The tradition continues. Now entering its ninth edition, this annual list is solely based on MY dining experience. You may have seen these bites posted on the blog, X, Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok at some point this year. Some bites remain on my list year after year, and others have made a return appearance. […]

by Brenda Popritkin

Top 24 Miami Restaurants of 2024: Palette Awards

The list highlights diverse Miami restaurants celebrated with Palette Awards, reflecting their exceptional food, service, and ambiance. This year’s changes discussed notable spots from Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Orlando. The comprehensive criteria included consistency, creativity, and attention to detail, ensuring a memorable dining experience for patrons seeking high-quality cuisine.

S3 E57 Miami Restaurant Reviews 112-123 PART 2

Picking up where we left off, the hubs and I review our personal experiences from the last 16 (new to us) Miami restaurants we visited. This is OUR opinion on OUR experience dining at each. We chose and paid for every restaurant featured. Receipts? Got ’em! There’s much to tell, so this will be a two-part episode. PART 2 […]

S3 E56 Miami Restaurant Reviews 104-111 PART 1

It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it. The hubs and I discuss our personal experiences from the last 16 (new to us) Miami restaurants we visited. This is OUR opinion on OUR experience dining at each. We chose and paid for every restaurant featured. Receipts? Got ’em! There’s much to tell, so this will be a […]

S3 E54 CHEF SPOTLIGHT: Featuring La Mar Miami’s Diego Oka

Born and raised in Lima, Peru, Chef Diego Oka decided to attend culinary school on a whim. A chance encounter in a supermarket with chef extraordinaire Gastón Acurio sparked the start of an incredible career. As South Floridians, we are fortunate to have Chef Diego Oka as one of our top talents. His passion for […]

by Brenda Popritkin

S3 E52 Exploring Chef Giorgio Rapicavoli’s Culinary Journey and Passion for Miami

Miami-born, Argentine-Italian, two-time James Beard Award semifinalist, Forbes’ “30 Under 30 List,” and first-ever Miami contestant to win Chopped…twice. No big deal. Giorgio Rapicavoli reflects on his culinary journey. From the early days of the wild startup pop-up days of Eating House, he has matured into the chef and owner of Eating House 2.0 and Luca Osteria in Coral Gables. […]

S3 E45 MICHELIN Guide Florida Ceremony: Behind the Scenes

Welcome to the behind-the-scenes episode of the MICHELIN Guide Florida Ceremony: Miami, Orlando & Tampa.

If this is your first time tuning in, here’s the scoop. I’ve been writing about the MICHELIN Guide’s Florida potential and eventual guide since 2014—initially on the blog and now also on the podcast. In this episode, I’ll be your guide through the latest ceremony. I’ll pull back the curtain, revealing how things unfolded, and offer you a sneak peek of the actual event (since I always receive questions about it). I’ll also share my personal take on the results and begin a first look ahead as to what 2025 could hold.