{"id":67640,"date":"2026-05-29T14:28:22","date_gmt":"2026-05-29T18:28:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/?p=67640"},"modified":"2026-05-29T14:28:30","modified_gmt":"2026-05-29T18:28:30","slug":"the-2026-florida-michelin-guide-results-just-dropped-and-nineteen61-officially-earned-its-place-on-the-prestigious-recommended-list","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/2026\/05\/29\/the-2026-florida-michelin-guide-results-just-dropped-and-nineteen61-officially-earned-its-place-on-the-prestigious-recommended-list\/","title":{"rendered":"The 2026 Florida Michelin Guide results just dropped, and Nineteen61 officially earned its place on the prestigious &#8220;Recommended&#8221; list."},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img data-dominant-color=\"a90b2b\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"363\" height=\"420\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 363px) 100vw, 363px\" src=\"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/40cdc14d012f4e4a87a914fc7b38b0ed_-michelin-guide-nara-2026-kv_363-415.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-67642 not-transparent\" style=\"--dominant-color: #a90b2b; aspect-ratio:0.8643128208944117;width:259px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/40cdc14d012f4e4a87a914fc7b38b0ed_-michelin-guide-nara-2026-kv_363-415.webp 363w, https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/40cdc14d012f4e4a87a914fc7b38b0ed_-michelin-guide-nara-2026-kv_363-415-259x300.webp 259w\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is a massive win for the local dining scene. The 2026 Florida Michelin Guide results just dropped, and <strong>Nineteen61<\/strong> officially earned its place on the prestigious &#8220;Recommended&#8221; list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is a huge nod to Executive Chef and owner Marcos Fernandez, who has successfully put downtown Lakeland on the map as a legitimate culinary destination.<sup><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img data-dominant-color=\"dddddd\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"478\" height=\"105\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 478px) 100vw, 478px\" src=\"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/download-22.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-67643 not-transparent\" style=\"--dominant-color: #dddddd; aspect-ratio:4.553587377195594;width:396px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/download-22.webp 478w, https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/download-22-300x66.webp 300w\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Michelin Noticed<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img data-dominant-color=\"787878\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #787878;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"225\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" src=\"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/download-1-14.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-67644 not-transparent\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/download-1-14.webp 225w, https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/download-1-14-150x150.webp 150w\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Executive Chef and owner Marcos Fernandez<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What sets Nineteen61 apart is its highly sophisticated, modern twist on Latin American cuisine.<sup><\/sup> The restaurant&#8217;s name honors a deeply personal history\u20141961 was the year Chef Fernandez\u2019s parents left Cuba. That heritage anchors a menu that seamlessly weaves together Cuban roots, modern Spanish techniques, and vibrant Peruvian touches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A few standout elements that consistently impress both inspectors and locals include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Ceviche:<\/strong> Fresh, bright, and perfectly balanced, heavily inspired by pioneering Peruvian culinary styles.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Elevated Comfort Classics:<\/strong> High-end, technically precise executions of dishes like <em>vaca frita<\/em>, <em>ropa vieja<\/em>, and oxtail.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The Atmosphere:<\/strong> Located right on East Main Street facing Munn Park, it delivers high-end elegance and top-tier service without a rigid, big-city pretense.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Earning a Michelin recommendation means the anonymous inspectors recognized their high-quality ingredients, mastery of flavor, and distinct culinary personality. It is a well-deserved spotlight on Polk County&#8217;s evolving food culture.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This is a massive win for the local dining scene. The 2026 Florida Michelin Guide results just dropped, and Nineteen61 officially earned its place on the prestigious &#8220;Recommended&#8221; list. It&hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":67642,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"wpai_generated_summary":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"dois","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":true,"token":"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._YOk7FCPXCsj913ISzfFWoMM_ImejdTBKpwAhVEpwkkMQ"},"version":2,"media_source":"sig","attached_media":[{"id":0,"url":"https:\/\/jetpack.com\/redirect\/?source=sigenerate&query=t%3DeyJpbWciOiJodHRwczpcL1wvbGFrZWxhbmRnYXpldHRlLmluZm9cL25ld3NcL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcL3VwbG9hZHNcLzIwMjZcLzA1XC80MGNkYzE0ZDAxMmY0ZTRhODdhOTE0ZmM3YjM4YjBlZF8tbWljaGVsaW4tZ3VpZGUtbmFyYS0yMDI2LWt2XzM2My00MTUud2VicCIsInR4dCI6IlRoZSAyMDI2IEZsb3JpZGEgTWljaGVsaW4gR3VpZGUgcmVzdWx0cyBqdXN0IGRyb3BwZWQsIGFuZCBOaW5ldGVlbjYxIG9mZmljaWFsbHkgZWFybmVkIGl0cyBwbGFjZSBvbiB0aGUgcHJlc3RpZ2lvdXMgXCJSZWNvbW1lbmRlZFwiIGxpc3QuIiwidGVtcGxhdGUiOiJkb2lzIiwiZm9udCI6IiIsImJsb2dfaWQiOjE2MzA0MDY2MX0.0Z8Pd6iwjT9Aloy-KnKv-DOoxwvvf1ndydo7B4bqZrEMQ","type":"image\/jpeg"}]},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false},"categories":[12,14],"tags":[14721,14720],"class_list":["post-67640","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-local","category-news","tag-and-nineteen61-officially-earned-its-place-on-the-prestigious-recommended-list","tag-the-2026-florida-michelin-guide-results-just-dropped"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67640","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=67640"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67640\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":67646,"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67640\/revisions\/67646"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/67642"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=67640"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=67640"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=67640"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}