Emelina, a 16-seat imaginative tasting-menu restaurant in West Palm Beach, made history May 28 as the first strictly Cuban restaurant to earn a Michelin star, bringing global recognition to a cuisine rarely associated with next-level fine dining.
Open since early February, the intimate concept quickly became one of the guide’s most closely watched newcomers, offering an exquisitely reimagined take on Cuban cuisine shaped by global technique and local sourcing.
Like most tasting-menu experiences, the restaurant operates at a luxury price point, with menus starting at $275 per person for 10 courses, with optional beverage pairings for an additional $150.
At its core, the restaurant explores a central question: what Cuban food might look like if it had evolved with the same access, exchange and creative freedom as other global cuisines.
For chef-partners Osmel Gonzalez and Camila Salazar, the honor builds on momentum established in Miami, where their previous concept, EntreNos, earned both a Michelin star and a Green Star for sustainability. Their collaborator, restaurateur Álvaro Perez Miranda, also operates the Michelin-starred omakase counter Ogawa.
Together, the team applied those principles at Emelina, creating a tightly focused tasting experience that reframes Cuban cuisine through technique and place.
Details: 424 Park Place, West Palm Beach, 561-247-5473, emelinawpb.com
Diana Biederman is the Palm Beach Post’s food and dining reporter. Connect via dbiederman@pbpost.com. Subscribe today and sign up for our free At the Table weekly newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: First Cuban restaurant earns Michelin star in West Palm Beach
Reporting by Diana Biederman, Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post
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