Colombian Restaurant Elcielo Miami Awarded Michelin Star for Second Straight Year

The Miami location of Colombian restaurant Elcielo was awarded with a prestigious Michelin Star this month for the 2023 edition of the high-profile guide that recognized the world’s top restaurants.

It is the second straight year that the Miami fine-dining establishment has received the honor, which Elcielo and chef Juan Manuel Barrientos Valencia first received in April 2021 for its Washington location. According to Elcielo, that was the first time a Colombian restaurant had been awarded a Michelin Star.

“For us, it is very valuable to have ratified this Michelin star at Elcielo Miami, in addition to the ones we obtained in Washington DC in 2021 and 2022,” said Barrientos. “It is a recognition of our corporate culture and the excellence in the experiences we provide in each of our restaurants in the United States and Colombia.”

The restaurant was founded in Medellín in 2007 and in 2011 expanded to open a Bogotá location that has been featured regularly on the highly regarded regional 50 Best Latin American restaurants list.

It is known for offering patrons a dining “experience,” which in Miami features “an inventive 20-course menu featuring surprising sensory moments throughout the evening” for $259 per person, according to Elcielo.

Standout plates include the bisonte al trapo, Kampachi ceviche, Colombian cape gooseberries, la tapioca with foie and chontaduro, and two dishes with gulupa fruit from the Orinoquia region of Colombia.

“This is a huge deal and honor not only for our restaurant group but the city of Miami, as Michelin typically only reviews dining rooms in cities like Paris, New York, and Singapore, which are renowned for their refined culinary scene,” said Barrientos, who opened the Miami location in 2015. “But, now, Miami is finally getting recognized as an important food scene as the city continues to flourish with international tourists and residents alike.”