465 square feet is small for any restaurant, but for a Michelin-starred eatery, it’s downright microscopic. New York City’s Semilla, the world’s smallest Michelin star restaurant, has defied the odds to achieve culinary greatness and international acclaim despite its diminutive size.
There are only 18 seats in the tasting menu restaurant, located in Brooklyn’s South Williamsburg neighborhood. In a space Zoolander would surely say is only fit for ants, necessity is the mother of invention. “Limited kitchen space, a small staff, and a dedication to minimizing food waste overlap to yield a creative, very fresh menu,” writes Eater, who recently spoke with Semilla chef José Ramírez-Ruiz and pastry chef Pam Yung.
The restaurant can only hold three chefs, a dish washer, and two servers, but its pared-down staff hasn’t held it back. Semilla was awarded its first Michelin star last year and continues to impress the New York dining scene. Check out Eater’s peek behind the kitchen curtain at Semilla above.