MICHELIN Guide Expands Into Northeast Florida

Posted by Tim Cotroneo
on June 1, 2026

St. Augustine, Fla. (June 1, 2026) – Florida’s Historic Coast is making history with four restaurants earning recognition in the MICHELIN Florida Guide 2026, putting the region on the MICHELIN map for the first time. Asado Life, Lotus Noodle Bar, Bar Citra, and Sunday Gathering Table are joined by four additional restaurants located in the region. This marks the first time the acclaimed MICHELIN inspectors have expanded their recommendations into Northeast Florida.

“This achievement is a tremendous milestone for Florida’s Historic Coast and Northeast Florida and further validates the strength, creativity, and growing national reputation of our culinary community,” said Susan Phillips, President and CEO of The St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra and The Beaches Visitor and Convention Center. “Congratulations to all of the chefs, owners, managers, and teams whose hard work and talent helped earn this well-deserved recognition.”

First published in France at the turn of the 20^th century, the MICHELIN Guide highlights the most distinctive and exciting places to dine around the world. Its inspectors visit restaurants anonymously, applying the same criteria and selection methods as the Guide’s earliest inspectors. A restaurant’s quality is assessed using five criteria: mastery of cooking techniques, harmony of flavors, the chef’s personality as reflected in the cuisine, and consistency over time and across the entire menu. The inclusion of Florida’s Historic Coast in the newest MICHELIN Guide reinforces what locals and visitors have long known – Northeast Florida is a culinary destination like no other.

Lotus Noodle Bar and Asado Life earned a place on the MICHELIN Guide Florida 2026 Recommended Restaurants list, which denotes establishments that MICHELIN Guide inspectors wish to highlight.

An alumnus of Chef Eric Ripert’s 3-Star MICHELIN restaurant Le Bernardin, where he served as sous chef, Chef Barry Honan learned the art of ramen by moonlighting at noodle shops in New York City in his off-time. Lotus Noodle Bar began as a pop-up in May 2021, with locals vying for a seat at Chef Honan’s table. After two years of creating dishes in pop-up kitchens, he opened Lotus Noodle Bar, located at 56 Grove Ave., tucked beneath live oaks in historic Uptown St. Augustine. From the start, Chef Honan’s approach as a chef-storyteller earned him a reputation for excellence. Selecting from a seasonal menu of curated dishes and accompanying beverages, diners can watch the Lotus Noodle Bar culinary team prepare their meals in the open kitchen.

Asado Life began in 2014 when owners Nick and Christie Carrera launched their grill company, Urban Asado, in a retired shrimp packing house in St. Augustine’s historic Lincolnville neighborhood. Their mission was simple: to share the sights, sounds, and aromas of Argentinian asado, or cooking over a live fire. They soon began hosting Sunday pop-ups, where guests gathered to experience food prepared on their traditional grills. In 2017, Executive Chef Matthew Brown joined the Carreras, helping to shape the culinary program that has become a hallmark of the restaurant. Today, 12 years later, Asado Life offers chef-driven lunches and dinners cooked on two large asados, hand-built by Nick Carrera, at its riverfront restaurant located at 173 Shipyard Way in St. Augustine.

Florida’s Historic Coast is also home to two restaurants awarded MICHELIN’s Bib Gourmand distinction: Bar Citra and Sunday Gathering Table. The Bib Gourmand list identifies eateries that offer great food at an equally great value. Bar Citra serves carefully sourced coffee and tea, fresh-baked breads and pastries, simple seasonal plates, and natural wines in an artfully composed space in northern St. Augustine. Sunday Gathering Table specializes in breakfast and lunch, with a menu inspired by their flagship creation – freshly baked sourdough bread. They serve a selection of toasts, egg specialties, salads, sandwiches, and homey sides.

Four restaurants on the First Coast, just a short drive north of Florida’s Historic Coast, received mentions in MICHELIN’s 2026 Florida Guide. Jacksonville’s Bearded Pig and Rue Saint Marc, Amelia Island’s Salt at the Ritz Carlton, and Atlantic Beach’s Eggboy were all included on the 2026 Recommended Restaurants list. Salt at the Ritz Carlton’s restaurant manager, Christopher Tegreeny, received the prestigious Outstanding Service Award.

Located midway between Daytona Beach and Jacksonville, Florida’s Historic Coast includes historic St. Augustine, the outstanding golf and seaside elegance of Ponte Vedra, the rural beauty of Hastings, Elkton, St. Johns, and 42 miles of pristine Atlantic beaches. Visitor Information Centers are located at 10 Castillo Drive, St. Augustine; 200 Solana Rd. Suite B, Ponte Vedra Beach; and at the St. Johns County Beach Pier Park, 350 A1A Beach Blvd., St. Augustine Beach. For advance travel information, call 1-800-653-2489 or go to the Visitors and Convention Bureau website at www.FloridasHistoricCoast.com. Check us out on social media Instagram @FloridasHistoricCoast; Facebook.com/OfficialStAugustine; and Threads @floridashistoriccoast