(This article was revised to clarify that Visit Florida is the tourism agency that has been working with Michelin to expand its recommendations in the state.)
A popular Lakeland restaurant has earned a Michelin Guide recommendation, even if its quality is no surprise to locals.
Marcos Fernandez, owner and executive chef of Nineteen61, said he found out May 28 that the restaurant had earned a Michelin Guide recommendation. Fernandez said he received a call from a former chef who offered him congratulations. “It’s a little overwhelming,” the chef said. “It’s great. I’ve been a chef for almost 30 years, a long time, and it was revered as a great notch to have on your collar. I gave up on it. I said I don’t care about it, I care about what I do in the restaurant. I’ve always cared more about the community than the accolades.”
Michelin Guide held its 2026 Restaurant Ceremony for Florida online May 28, revealing the newest Michelin star restaurants, livestreamed via YouTube. It is the first year the dining guide has covered the entire state, including Polk County.
Kris Keprios, senior tourism and sports marketing manager for Visit Central Florida, said Visit Florida, the state tourism agency has been working with the Michelin Guide closely in recent years to help promote Central Florida restaurants, as the guide started with larger cities like Orlando and Tampa.
Fernandez said he never expected the Michelin Guide and its reviewers to come to Lakeland. He started Nineteen61 in 2015, leaving his post as former executive chef of Lakeland Yacht & Country Club. Fernandez named the eatery for the year his parents fled from Cuba.
In 2019, the restaurant left its original space in Dixieland to move downtown, renovating a space previously occupied by Posto 9.
The restaurant serves up Latin American-inspired cuisine reflecting a mix of his cultural heritage and culinary experience.
The Michelin Guide awards honor the restaurant as a whole, rather than the chef individually. The most prized of its awards are Michelin Stars, with an individual restaurant capable of earning up to three stars. Michelin also issues three other recognitions:
Nineteen61 and vast majority of the guide’s listings fall under “Michelin Recommended,” as this category features restaurants and cafes with “good cooking.”
“It’s fitting that this stylish, contemporary restaurant is located in the heart of Lakeland’s downtown, as it’s a hive of activity,” reads the Michelin Guide’s entry on Nineteen61. “Maybe it’s the rooftop bar or maybe it’s the Latin American-inspired menu, but Nineteen61 specializes in a good time.”
Fernandez said one of his first reactions was to reach out to his chefs and partners to thank them for their hard work.
“It’s definitely gratifying,” he said. ” It’s one more reason to step up and keep working hard.”
Nineteen61 is believed to the first Polk restaurant to be officially recognized by the Michelin Guide, Keprios said. It was the only Polk restaurant listed in the online guide as of May 28.
He said Visit Central Florida has been promoting Polk County heavily for its food for about three years.
“Now with this huge honor for Nineteen61, it bolsters our claim as a great a culinary destination,” he said.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Lakeland eatery earns Michelin Guide recommendation, a first for Polk
Reporting by Sara-Megan Walsh, Lakeland Ledger / The Ledger
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