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Downtown | Coconut Grove | Coral Gables | Key Biscayne | Wynwood | Midtown | Design District | Little Haiti | Little Havana | South Beach | Mid-Beach | North Beach
Miami’s restaurant scene has exploded in the past few years, with new restaurants springing up left and right every month. The melting pot of residents and visitors has brought an array of sophisticated, tasty cuisine. Little Havana is still king for Cuban fare, and Miami Beach is swept up in a trend of fusion cuisine, which combines Asian, French, American, and Latin cooking with sumptuous—and pricey—results. Locals spend the most time in Downtown Miami, Wynwood, Midtown, and the Design District, where the city’s ongoing foodie and cocktail revolution is most pronounced. Since Miami dining is a part of the trendy nightlife scene, most dinners don’t start until 8 or 9 pm, and may go well into the night. To avoid a long wait among the late-night partiers at hot spots, come before 7 pm or make reservations. Attire is usually casual-chic, but patrons like to dress to impress. Don’t be surprised to see large tables of women in skimpy dresses—this is common in Miami. Prices tend to stay high in hot spots like Lincoln Road, but if you venture off the beaten path you can find delicious food for reasonable prices. When you get your bill, check whether a gratuity is already included; most restaurants add between 15% and 20% (ostensibly for the convenience of, and protection from, the many Latin American and European tourists who are used to this practice in their homelands), but supplement it depending on your opinion of the service.
Downtown
Area 31.
$$$$ | SEAFOOD | High atop the 16th floor of downtown Miami’s Epic Hotel, Area 31 serves up memorable and sustainable ocean-to-table cuisine, caught daily from the eponymous oceanic region (the Food and Agriculture Organization demarcated Area 31 region spans the Atlantic Ocean from South Carolina to Northern Brazil). In the bustling, beautiful open kitchen, Executive Chef Wolfgang Birk prepares a wealth of “crudo” or raw dishes—all delicately dressed and exquisitely presented—as well as a fresh catch of the day prepared one of four ways, with lemon/sea salt/chili, red pepper sabayon, tomato/olive/caper, or salsa verde. A Master Sommelier augments the experience. Pop outdoors to the “Terrace Lounge” to enjoy the Miami skyline and the bay-side views. | Average main: $31 | Epic Hotel, 270 Biscayne Blvd. Way, 16th fl., Downtown | Miami, Florida, United States | 305/424–5234 | www.area31restaurant.com.
Azul.
$$$$ | ECLECTIC | A restaurant known for producing celebrity chefs and delivering dining fantasies of Food Network proportions, Azul is a Miami foodie institution. With its Forbes five-star, award-winning team, Azul offers a haute-cuisine experience on par with a two- or three-Michelin-star restaurant. Chefs fuse disparate ingredients, merging as decadent, gastronomic art. Headliners include dishes that pay homage to the Mandarin’s Asian roots like the salmon tom ka gai with bok choy and a chicken-coconut panade and other global favorites like tuna poke with white soy, scallion, and macadamia nuts. Dine here, and you’ll undoubtedly experience bold new taste sensations while enjoying one of the finest wine lists in the city and an incomparable skyline view. | Average main: $48 | Mandarin Oriental, Miami, 500 Brickell Key Dr. | 305/913–8358 | www.mandarinoriental.com/miami | Reservations essential | Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch.
City Hall.
$$$ | MODERN AMERICAN | This snazzy, double-decker, 6,000-square-foot eatery channels a bright-lights big-city vibe and delivers a modern twist on Southern cooking. The brasserie-style restaurant is the brainchild of Steve Haas, a legend in Miami’s hospitality and tourism industry. The kitchen produces decadent delights such as the confit duck and wild mushroom pizza, shrimp n’ grits with tasso cream sauce, and house-blend meat loaf with chorizo-maple mac-and-cheese and crispy onions. Given its proximity to the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts and the AmericanAirlines Arena, City Hall is a great choice for pretheater and pregame dining. | Average main: $25 | 2004 Biscayne Blvd., Downtown | Miami, Florida, United States | 305/764–3130 | www.cityhalltherestaurant.com.
db Bistro Moderne Miami.
$$$$ | FRENCH | One of America’s most celebrated French chefs, Daniel Boulud brings his renowned cooking to the Miami scene. The menu of Boulud’s Miami outpost pays homage to Mediterranean cuisines and the specialties of his homeland. Begin with a cold plate from the fabulous raw bar or the signature house-smoked sturgeon; then feast on escargots persillade (wild burgundy snails simmered in parsley, garlic, salted butter with yellow tomatoes and wild mushrooms). For the main course, try the authentic coq au vin, which is sure to stir up memories of France through its robust taste and smell. There’s a great $26 prix-fixe lunch during the workweek for Miami’s business-lunch crowd. | Average main: $31 | JW Marriott Marquis Miami, 255 Biscayne Blvd. Way | 305/421–8800 | www.dbbistro.com/miami.
Fodor’s Choice | Edge, Steak & Bar.
$$$ | STEAKHOUSE | It’s farm-to-table surf-and-turf at this elegantly understated restaurant in the Four Seasons Hotel Miami, where hefty portions of the finest cuts and freshest seafood headline the menu, prepared by renowned chef Aaron Brooks. The innovative tartares are a surefire way to start the night right—try the corvina with baby cucumber, green apple, and a young celery-leaf, yellow-pepper sauce, or the ahi tuna with pickled shallots, watermelon, and mint. For the main event, Edge offers a variety of small, medium, and large cuts from the infrared grill, the most popular being the Black Angus filet mignon. For a more casual experience, enjoy your meal and the restaurant’s artisan cocktails under the skies in the alfresco terrace, where you can also enjoy complimentary s’mores around the fire pits. Sunday brunch is also excellent with a well-stocked raw bar (including stone crabs in season), make-your-own taco station, and unlimited à la carte offerings that vary each week. | Average main: $30 | Four Seasons Miami, 1435 Brickell Ave | 305/381–3190 | www.edgerestaurantmiami.com.
Fodor’s Choice | 15th & Vine.
$$$ | ECLECTIC | The signature restaurant of the überposh Viceroy Miami wows with a trifecta of sleek decor, delicious food, and a breathtaking backdrop from the property’s famed terrace and deck hovering 15 stories above Brickell Avenue and Biscayne Bay. Seasonal menus tout contemporary American cuisine under global influences, all presented tapas-style. Dishes that stay on the menu year-round include bacon-wrapped dates; grilled flatbreads; Spanish pulpo (octopus) salad, and whole roasted snapper with Caribbean stir-fry. Socialization is easy from the high-top communal tables and alfresco seating around fire pits, while intimate tables fronting floor-to-ceiling windows or tucked outside among lush foliage promote further engagement. TIP In the evening, stroll across the massive pool terrace to the infinity stair observation deck for continued conversation over the views and under the stars. | Average main: $27 | Viceroy Miami, 485 Brickell Ave. | 305/307–5413 | www.15thandvine.com.
Fodor’s Choice | La Mar by Gaston Acurio.
$$$$ | PERUVIAN | Don’t have time to make a foodie pilgrimage to Lima, Peru? Not to worry; the next best thing beckons in downtown Miami. Peruvian celebrity chef Gaston Acurio has marked his U.S. debut at the dazzling Mandarin Oriental, Miami, offering a sublime menu and atmospheric, bay-side setting to match. Tour the far corners of Peru through La Mar’s signature cebiches and tiraditos, freshly grilled street-style anticuchos, causa dishes (mashed potato topped with meat and vegetable toppings) and national libations, like the pisco sour. Eat inside the funky, contemporary, design-driven restaurant, replete with a living garden wall and an open anticucho kitchen and live cebiche bar, or bask in the Miami sun alfresco on the expansive terrace. | Average main: $34 | Mandarin Oriental, Miami, 500 Brickell Key Dr. | www.mandarinoriental.com/miami.
Moyé.
$$ | SOUTHERN ITALIAN | Gaining credibility as an excellent Italian restaurant within Italy is not easy, but Moyé, which translates to “this is the time” in the Bari dialect, has done exactly that. After six successful incarnations in the cradle of carb civilization, the first U.S. outpost of this back-to-basics Italian restaurant concept instantly transports diners from the bustle of downtown Miami to nonna’s kitchen in the Italian countryside. The restaurant hails from Italy’s Puglia region (the “heel” of Italy’s boot), and the menu focuses on authenticity and execution of classics perfected like the house-made burrata with white anchovies and oranges; zuppa di pesce (seafood stew in Puglia style); lasagna with homemade with meat ragu; and zucchini flan with scamorza cheese. Indeed, Moyé’s time as a restaurant superstar is now! | Average main: $20 | 829 S.W. 1st Ave. | 305/372–5168 | www.moyemiami.com.
NAOE.
$$$$ | JAPANESE | By virtue of its petite size (eight patrons max) and strict seating times (at 6 and 9:30 nightly), the Japanese gem will forever remain intimate and original. And by virtue of its considerable price, it will inevitably require deep pockets; but this place is well worth the credit card debt. The all-inclusive menu changes daily, based on the day’s best and freshest seafood, but always includes a bento box, soup, nigiri sushi, and dessert. Every visit ushers in a new exploration of the senses. Chef Kevin Cory prepares the gastronomic adventure a few feet from his patrons, using only the best ingredients and showcasing family treasures, like the renowned products of his centuries-old family shoyu (soy sauce) and sake brewery. From start to finish, you’ll be transported to Japan through the stellar service, the tastes of bizarre sea creatures, and the smoothness of spectacular sakes. | Average main: $236 | 661 Brickell Key Dr. | 305/947–6263 | www.naoemiami.com | Reservations essential | Closed Sun. No lunch.
Novecento Brickell.
$$$ | ARGENTINE | This famed Argentine eatery is the Financial District’s answer to Ocean Drive: the people are still beautiful, but now they’re wearing suits or stilettos. Known for its empanadas (tender chicken or spinach and cheese), simple grilled meats (luscious grilled skirt steak with chimichurri sauce), and the innovative Ensalada Novecento (grilled skirt steak, french fries, and baby mixed greens), it’s no wonder Novecento is Brickell Avenue’s best weekday power-lunch and happy-hour spot (2-for-1 drinks everyday 4–7 pm). It’s also a really popular place for late-night dining and people-watching. Come for Sunday brunch and enjoy the signature parillada, a small grill with an assortment of steaks, sausages, and sweetbreads. You’ll also find several pasta dishes on the menu, a nod to Argentina’s strong Italian influence. | Average main: $24 | 1414 Brickell Ave., Downtown | Miami, Florida, United States | 305/403–0900 | www.novecento.com.
Perricone’s Marketplace and Café.
$$$ | ITALIAN | Brickell Avenue south of the Miami River is a haven for Italian restaurants, and this lunch place for local bigwigs is among the biggest and most popular. It’s housed partially outdoors and partially indoors in an 1880s Vermont barn. Recipes were handed down from generation to generation, and the cooking is simple and good. Buy your wine from the on-premises deli, and enjoy it (for a small corking fee) with homemade minestrone; a generous antipasto; linguine with a sauté of jumbo shrimp, scallops, and calamari; or gnocchi with four cheeses. The homemade tiramisu and cannoli are top-notch. | Average main: $22 | Mary Brickell Village, 15 S.E. 10th St., Downtown | Miami, Florida, United States | 305/374–9449 | www.perricones.com.
FAMILY | Tutto Pasta.
$$ | ITALIAN | Locals love Tutto Pasta, where for less than $20 per entrée, they feast on delicious homemade Italian pasta with a Brazilian twist. Start with bruschetta or salmon carpaccio. Then try the famous lobster agnolotti garnished with plantain chips, or the tilapia sautéed with shrimp, calamari, scallops, and tomato sauce (served with a side of the famous lobster agnolotti). Hop over to reconceptualized Tutto Pizza Beer House next door to enjoy burger paninis and innovative Brazilian-inspired thin pizzas like the Portuguesa, topped with ham, mozzarella, black olives, eggs, and onions. Finish with Tutto chocolate cake or creamy Brazilian pave (not unlike an English trifle but made with cachaça). What’s more? This is one of the few restaurants in Miami that delivers and offers online ordering (through www.tuttopizza.com). | Average main: $20 | 1751 S.W. 3rd Ave., at S.W. 18th Rd., Downtown | Miami, Florida, United States | 305/857–0709 | www.tuttopasta.com | Closed Sun.
Fodor’s Choice | Verde.
$ | ECLECTIC | As if the high-design Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) weren’t cool enough, its waterfront restaurant is also making major waves across Biscayne Bay. The slick, contemporary Stephen Starr restaurant offers seating both indoors and out, with design-savvy decor and accessories true to its “green” name that blend seamlessly with the living walls and hanging gardens strewn across the museum’s exterior. The exceptionally affordable, one-page menu features eclectic epicurean lunch plates that include a squash blossoms pizza, bigeye tuna tartare, a house chopped salad (with green goddess dressing), and gourmet cheeseburgers with applewood-smoked bacon and fries. TIP Museum admission is not required to eat here, but the restaurant is open only during museum hours, meaning lunch only, except on Thursday, when the museum remains open until 9. | Average main: $14 | Pérez Art Museum Miami, 1103 Biscayne Blvd. | 305/375–3000 | www.pamm.org/dining | Closed Mon. No dinner Fri.–Wed.
Coconut Grove
Green Street Cafe.
$$ | MEDITERRANEAN | A tried-and-true locals hangout since it was founded in the early 1990s—with regulars including athletes, politicians, entrepreneurs, artists, and other prominent area names—this cozy café serves up simple French-Mediterranean delights. Despite the restaurant’s see-and-be-seen reputation, diners are encouraged to sit back and simply enjoy the experience with relaxed decor, good food, and friendly service. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late-night menus offer a range of tasty options throughout the day, while the refreshing cocktail menu is tempting no matter the hour (strawberry basil lemonade anyone?). By night, grab a seat at the alfresco bar and sofa lounge area to take advantage of the rotating daily specials. | Average main: $17 | 3468 Main Hwy., Coconut Grove | Miami, Florida, United States | 305/444–0244 | www.greenstreetcafe.net.
Jaguar Ceviche Spoon Bar & Latam Grill.
$$$ | PERUVIAN | A fabulous fusion of Peruvian and Mexican flavors, Jaguar is a gastronomic tour of Latin America in a single restaurant. As the name implies, there is a heavy emphasis on ceviches. The best option for experiencing this delicacy is the spoon sampler, which includes six distinct Peruvian and Mexican ceviches served in oversized spoons. Larger dishes, such the Mexican Tortilla Lasagna (chicken, poblano peppers, corn, tomato sauce, and cream, topped with melted cheese), are also colorful, flavorful, and innovative. | Average main: $24 | 3067 Grand Ave., Coconut Grove | Miami, Florida, United States | 305/444–0216 | www.jaguarhg.com/jaguarspot.
Le Bouchon du Grove.
$$$ | FRENCH | This petite French bistro with a supercharged atmosphere is a great spot in the heart of the Grove. Waiters tend to lean on chairs while taking orders, and managers and owners freely mix with the clientele, making Le Bouchon one of the last remaining vestige of the Grove’s bohemian days. The result is one big happy family, all enjoying traditional French pâtés, gratins, quiches, chicken fricassee, mussels, duck-leg confit, and steak frites. The lively mood inside is matched by the throngs that parade outside the French doors. Breakfast is served daily. | Average main: $24 | 3430 Main Hwy., Coconut Grove | Miami, Florida, United States | 305/448–6060 | www.lebouchondugrove.com.
Lulu In the Grove.
$$ | ECLECTIC | At this eclectic sister to Green Street Cafe, red sofas and industrial communal tables commingle with ample bistro seating, while wraparound windows seamlessly merge the indoor and outdoor spaces. The menu is equally diverse, featuring classic American dishes with a twist (the fried green tomatoes with jalapeño ranch are a must-try) flecked with a few unexpected, yet soon-to-be-your-favorites, like the horizontally stacked fish tacos. The real highlight, however, is the red sangria, best enjoyed on a weekend afternoon while watching exotic and muscle cars purr along the picturesque street. The tapas-style presentations and ambience are best suited for social group outings versus solo or couple’s dining. | Average main: $20 | 3105 Commodore Plaza | 305/447–5858 | www.luluinthegrove.com.
FAMILY | Monty’s.
$$$ | SEAFOOD | Connected to the Bayshore Landing Marina, Monty’s has a Caribbean flair, thanks especially to live calypso and island music on the outdoor terrace. Though it has lost the luster it had back in the 1990s, it’s still a fun, chill, kid-friendly place where Mom and Dad can kick back in the early evening and enjoy a beer and the raw bar while the kids dance to live music. The extensive menu offers a bit of everything, but the oysters on the half shell and the conch chowder are the best items. | Average main: $25 | Bayshore Landing Marina, 2550 S. Bayshore Dr., at Aviation Ave. | 305/856–3992.
FAMILY | Peacock Garden Café.
$$ | AMERICAN | Reinstating the artsy and exciting vibe of Coconut Grove circa once-upon-a-time, this lovely spot offers an indoor-outdoor, tea-time setting for light bites. By day, it’s one of Miami’s most serene lunch spots. The lushly landscaped courtyard is lined with alfresco seating, drawing some of Miami’s most fabulous ladies who lunch. Come evening, the café buzzes with a multigenerational crowd, enjoying the South Florida zephyrs and the delicious flatbreads, salads, homemade soups, and entrées. TIP Breakfast is also excellent. | Average main: $19 | 2889 McFarlane Rd. | 305/774–3332 | www.jaguarhg.com/peacockspot.
Spartico.
$$ | ITALIAN | This restaurant at Coconut Grove’s iconic Mayfair Hotel & Spa serves up excellent Italian eats in a casual, unpretentious setting. For lunch or dinner, feast on thin-crust pizzas from the wood-fired oven, ranging from the traditional to the more creative (“La Famiglia” pizza with local mozzarella, roasted figs, prosciutto, and organic honey is both a crowd and mouth pleaser). Heartier pasta, steak, and seafood plates are also available. On select weekend evenings, the restaurant showcases live entertainment, including Saturday-night saxophone sessions. At all times, service here is fantastic, a rarity in the Magic City. | Average main: $20 | Mayfair Hotel & Spa, 3000 Florida Ave., Coconut Grove | Miami, Florida, United States | 305/779–5100 | www.mayfairhotelandspa.com/dining.
Coral Gables
Fodor’s Choice | eating house.
$$$ | ECLECTIC | Check your calorie counter at the door when you enter the hippest eatery in Coral Gables. This micro-restaurant sports long wait times, but you’ll be talking about your meal here for months to come. The ever-changing small-plates menu teems with extreme culinary innovation and unexpected flavor combinations. Think: first fried cauliflower with lime cream, cotija cheese, and topped with layers of frito dust, followed by chicken “foie-ffles”—fried chicken, foie gras, and waffles smothered with candied bacon, maple syrup, and ranch dressing. Desserts are equally amazing. The famous “dirt cup” indeed resembles a soil-filled flowerpot. However, these roots are made of pretzels, hazelnuts, and tierra nueva chocolate ice cream; the “soil” is a mountain of crushed Oreos, and yes, that is a gummy worm in the “soil,” adding a wonderfully campy touch to the dish’s creativity. | Average main: $23 | 804 Ponce De Leon Blvd. | 305/448–6524 | www.eatinghousemiami.com | No lunch weekends.
FAMILY | El Palacio de los Jugos.
$ | CUBAN | To the northwest of Coral Gables proper, this joint is one of the easiest and truest ways to see Miami’s local Latin life in action. It’s also one of the best fruit-shake shacks you’ll ever come across (ask for a tropical juice of mamey or guanabana). Besides the rows of fresh tropical fruits and vegetables, and the shakes you can make with any of them, this boisterous indoor-outdoor market has numerous food counters where you can get just about any Cuban food—tamales, rice and beans, a pan con lechón (roast pork on Cuban bread), fried pork rinds, or a coconut split before you and served with a straw. Order your food at a counter, and eat it along with local families at rows of outdoor picnic-style tables next to the parking lot. It’s disorganized, chaotic, and not for those cutting calories, but it’s delicious and undeniably the real thing. | Average main: $6 | 5721 W. Flagler St., Flagami | 305/264–8662 | www.elpalaciodelosjugos.com/en | No credit cards.
FAMILY | Graziano’s Market.
$ | ARGENTINE | South Florida is packed with much to do and see, making this quickie Argentine-style market/restaurant an ideal dining layover. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and all bites in between are covered with fresh produce and Argentine groceries, a bakery of homemade breads and pastries, and counter displays packed with a variety of salads, pastas, tartes, cooked entrées, sandwiches, and famed empanadas. Bottles of wine and craft beers are also available for the taking—this is a South American–inspired establishment after all. For those who choose to linger, the café offers sports television viewing indoors and people-watching outdoors. | Average main: $12 | 2301 Galiano St. | Coral Gables | 305/460–0001 | www.grazianosgroup.com/markets/coral-gables.
FAMILY | Havana Harry’s.
$ | CUBAN | When Cuban families want an affordable home-cooked meal with a twist but don’t want to cook it themselves or go supercheap at the popular Cuban fast-food joint, Pollo Tropical, they come to this big, unassuming restaurant. In fact, you’re likely to see whole families here representing multiple generations. The fare is traditional Cuban: long thin steaks known as bistec palomilla (a panfried steak), roast chicken with citrus marinade, and fried pork chunks; contemporary flourishes—mango sauce and guava-painted pork roast—are kept to a minimum. Most dishes come with white rice, black beans, and a choice of ripe or green plantains. The sweet ripe ones offer a good contrast to the savory dishes. Start with the $5.95 mariquitas (plantain chips) with mojo. Finish with the acclaimed flan. | Average main: $15 | 4612 Le Jeune Rd. | Coral Gables, Florida, United States | 305/661–2622 | www.havanaharrys.net.
Ortanique on the Mile.
$$$$ | CARIBBEAN | Cascading ortaniques, a Jamaican hybrid orange, are hand-painted on columns in this warm, welcoming yellow dining room. Food is vibrant in taste and color, as delicious as it is beautiful. Though there is no denying that the strong, full flavors are imbued with island breezes, chef-partner Cindy Hutson’s personal “cuisine of the sun” goes beyond Caribbean refinements. The menu centers on fish, since Hutson has a special way with it, and the West Indian Style Bouillabaisse is not to be missed. Ceviches and soups change nightly. The mojitos here—and the cocktails in general—are amazing. | Average main: $33 | 278 Miracle Mile | 305/446–7710 | www.ortaniquerestaurants.com | No lunch weekends.
Pascal’s on Ponce.
$$$$ | FRENCH | This French gem amid the Coral Gables restaurant district is always full, thanks to chef-proprietor Pascal Oudin’s assured and consistent cuisine. Oudin forgoes the glitz and fussiness often associated with French cuisine, and instead opts for a simple, small, refined dining room that won’t overwhelm patrons. The equally sensible menu includes a creamy lobster bisque starter. The main course is a tough choice between oven-roasted duck with poached pears and diver sea scallops with beef short rib. Ask your expert waiter to pair dishes with a selection from Pascal’s impressive wine list, and, for dessert, order the bittersweet-chocolate soufflé with chocolate ganache. | Average main: $34 | 2611 Ponce de León Blvd. | 305/444–2024 | www.pascalmiami.com | Reservations essential | Closed Sun. No lunch Sat.
SushiSamba Coral Gables.
$$$$ | JAPANESE FUSION | A flavor explosion of East-meets-South, SushiSamba beautifully mingles Japanese, Peruvian, and Brazilian cuisines to create an off-the-grid small-plates experience in the heart of Miracle Mile. The sleek 6,500-square-foot restaurant is at once modernist and welcoming. The colorful menu is divided into small hot plates, Samba Rolls, raw dishes, large plates, and skewers from the robata. Don’t miss the divine chicharrón de calamar, a deliciously creative incarnation of fried calamari topped with tamarind sauce. Indulge in the crispy taquitos, stuffed with Maine lobster and hearts of palm. Feast on the specialty sushi roll unique to this location, the spicy Samba Coral Gables, which is loaded with steamed lobster, avocado, jalapeno, rice cracker, sweet chili, and key lime mayo. TIP Save room for dessert. The Samba Split—a tower of dulce de leche ice cream, caramelized bananas, coconut flan, coconut mochi, and caramel popcorn—is even better than it sounds! | Average main: $36 | The Westin Colonnade Hotel, 180 Aragon Ave. | 305/448–4990 | www.sushisamba.com.
Key Biscayne
Cantina Beach.
$$$ | MEXICAN | Leave it to Ritz-Carlton to bring a small, sumptuous piece of coastal Mexico to Florida’s fabulous beaches. The pool- and ocean-side Cantina Beach showcases authentic and divine Mexican cuisine, including fresh guacamole made table-side. The restaurant also employs the region’s only tequilier, mixing and matching 110 high-end tequilas. It’s no surprise then that Cantina Beach has phenomenal margaritas. And the best part is that you can enjoy them with your feet in the sand, gazing at the ocean. | Average main: $21 | The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne, Miami, 455 Grand Bay Dr. | 305/365–4500 | www.ritzcarlton.com/keybiscayne.
Cioppino.
$$$$ | ITALIAN | Few visitors think to venture out to the far end of Key Biscayne for dinner, but making the journey to the soothing grounds of this quiet Ritz-Carlton property on the beach is well worth it. Choose your view: the ornate dining room near the exhibition kitchen or the alfresco area with views of landscaped gardens or breeze-brushed beaches. Choosing your dishes may be more difficult, given the many rich, luscious Italian options, including imported cheeses, olive oils, risottos, and fresh fish flown in daily. Items range from the creamy burrata mozzarella and authentic pasta dishes to tantalizing risottos, all expertly matched with fine, vintage, rare, and boutique wines. An after-dinner drink and live music at the old-Havana-style Rumbar inside the hotel is another treat. | Average main: $36 | The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne, Miami, 455 Grand Bay Dr. | 305/365–4500 | www.ritzcarlton.com/keybiscayne.
Fodor’s Choice | Rusty Pelican.
$$$ | MODERN AMERICAN | Whether you’re visiting Miami for the first or 15th time, a meal at the Rusty Pelican is a memorable experience. The legendary Key Biscayne restaurant underwent a major reinvention in 2012 and swapped rustic, nautical coziness for modern seaside elegance. Vistas of the bay and Miami skyline are sensational—whether you admire them through the floor-to-ceiling windows or from the expansive outdoor seating area, lined with alluring fire pits. The menu is split between tropically inspired small plates, ideal for sharing, and heartier entrées from land and sea. Standouts include corvina ceviche; baked crab cakes; and the crispy fried, whole local red snapper. | Average main: $26 | 3201 Rickenbacker Causeway | 305/361–3818 | www.therustypelican.com.
Wynwood
Joey’s.
$$ | ITALIAN | Veneto-native chef Ivo Mazzon pays homage to fresh ingredients prepared simply in his small, modern Italian café, which offers a full line of flatbread pizzas, including the legendary dolce e piccante with figs, Gorgonzola, honey, and hot pepper—it’s sweet-and-spicy goodness through and through. Joey’s also serves the full gamut of Italian favorites. One of the first nongallery tenants and the first restaurant in the Wynwood Art District, it remains a favorite in the neighborhood despite an onslaught of fancy newcomers. The wine list is small but carefully chosen. | Average main: $19 | 2506 N.W. 2nd Ave. | 305/438–0488 | www.joeyswynwood.com | No dinner Mon.
Fodor’s Choice | Panther Coffee.
$ | CAFÉ | Star-what? The eclectic coffee shop has made a triumphant return to Miami, and it goes by the name of Panther Coffee. The original location of the Miami-based specialty coffee roaster is smack in the center of the Wynwood Arts District (it has now expanded into Miami Beach and other South Florida neighborhoods), attracting a who’s who of hipsters, artists, and even suburbanites to indulge in small-batch cups of joe and supermoist muffins and fresh-baked pastries. Baristas gingerly prepare every order, so prepare to wait a little for your macchiato. There are a few tables inside, but most prefer to multitask in the communal area outdoors (sipping, texting, talking, and people-watching all at once). It’s open daily until 9. | Average main: $5 | 2390 N.W. 2nd Ave. | 305/677–3952 | www.panthercoffee.com.
Fodor’s Choice | Wynwood Kitchen & Bar.
$$$ | ECLECTIC | At the center of Miami’s artsy gallery-driven neighborhood, Wynwood Kitchen & Bar offers an experience that includes both cultural excitement and gastronomic fantasia. While you enjoy Latin-inspired small plates, you can marvel at the powerful, hand-painted murals characterizing the interiors and exteriors, which also spill out onto the captivating Wynwood Walls. Designed for sharing, tapas-style dishes include wood-grilled baby octopus skewers, lemon-pepper calamari, roasted beets, bacon-wrapped dates, and ropa vieja empanadas. It’s best to allot a good chunk of time to thoroughly enjoy the creative food, the artist-inspired cocktails, and the cool crowd, and to venerate the sensational works of art all around you. | Average main: $22 | 2550 N.W. 2nd Ave. | 305/722–8959 | www.wynwoodkitchenandbar.com.
Midtown
Bocce.
$$$ | MODERN ITALIAN | A splendid slice of the Italian countryside thrives in Miami’s trendy Midtown area, and the impressive 3,200-square-foot enclave houses a beautifully appointed rustic Italian restaurant, Miami’s first official bocce court, and a throwback-style Italian market. Mosaic-tiled floors, antique mirrors, and exposed wood beams set the scene indoors while towering cypress trees, a traditional bocce court, and alfresco seating aplenty define the front patio. Spectacular design notwithstanding, it’s the food that headlines the overall Bocce Bar experience. The small-plates sharing menu is a gastronomic tour through Italy with a modern twist. Dishes are beautifully presented, often accented by edible flowers, and never fall below a caliber of blow-your-mind deliciousness. | Average main: $26 | 3252 N.E. 1st Ave., No. 107 | 786/245–6211 | www.bocce-bar.com.
Fodor’s Choice | Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill.
$$$$ | JAPANESE FUSION | Midtown’s most popular restaurant rages seven nights (and days) a week; and it’s not hard to see why. The vibrant, supersexy, high-design restaurant perfectly captures Miami’s Latin vibe while serving eclectic Latin American tapas and modern Japanese delights from three separate kitchens (robata, raw bar, and hot kitchen). Miami’s easy-on-the-eyes crowd often begins the Sugarcane experience in the alfresco lounge, engaging in a fabulous mix of standing, posing, flirting, and sipping on delicious cocktails. Indoors, the trio of kitchens engineers some 60 small bites that include everything from ceviche to sushi to bacon-wrapped dates and grilled maple-glazed sweet potatoes. Sugarcane has its fair share of out-of-the-ordinary dishes (think: barbecue spice pig’s ear and oxtail paella) but it’s the specialty sushi rolls—like the Night Crab Roll, filled with snow crab, shrimp tempura, and caper mustard—and the crudos—like the spicy local catch—that are most popular. | Average main: $38 | 3252 N.E. 1st Ave. | 786/369–0353 | sugarcanerawbargrill.com | Reservations essential.
Design District
FAMILY | Fodor’s Choice | Harry’s Pizzeria.
$$ | PIZZA | Harry’s is a neighborhood spot with some seriously good pizza, as one would expect as the second restaurant under Miami culinary darling Michael Schwartz and his team. The casual, friendly-yet-funky, ambience is inviting for all diner matchups: old chums, new dates, family members young and old. Seasonally inspired pizzas highlight locally sourced ingredients in unexpected, yet delicious, combinations as toppings for wood-fired, thin crusts. Fresh salads, snacks, and rotating daily dinner specials round out the menu. Also down the hatch are beverage options including craft beers, including Michael’s Genuine Home Brew, great wines, Teamaker teas, and coffees in collaboration with fellow neighbor Panther Coffee. Simply sweet desserts like a chocolate chunk cookie or traditional zeppole with honey-whipped organic ricotta are crowd pleasers. | Average main: $16 | 3918 N. Miami Ave. | 786/275–4963 | www.harryspizzeria.tumblr.com.
Fodor’s Choice | Mandolin Aegean Bistro.
$$$ | MODERN GREEK | A step inside this 1940s house-turned-bistro transports you to ya-ya’s home along the Aegean Sea. The food is fresh and the service warm, matching its charming dining garden enveloped by a canopy of trees, a rustic wooden canopy, and traditional village furnishings. The menu of Greek and Turkish dishes sound simple enough, yet the raw flavors of excellent ingredients are memorable well beyond your meal. The food dazzles from beginning to end, commencing with flights of hummus, tzatziki, eggplant purees, and other authentic dipping sauces. Other noteworthy items include the signature Greek salad, grilled beef and lamb meatballs, a grilled Halloumi cheese sandwich, chicken kabobs, and fresh daily fish specials. Many of the herbs and produce used are picked right from the restaurant’s organic garden next door. | Average main: $24 | 4312 N.E. 2nd Ave. | 305/576–6066 | www.mandolinmiami.com.
Fodor’s Choice | Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink.
$$$ | AMERICAN | Michael’s is often cited as Miami’s top restaurant, and it’s not hard to see why. This indoor-outdoor bistro in Miami’s Design District is an evergreen oasis Miami dining sophisticates. Owner and chef Michael Schwartz aims for sophisticated American cuisine with an emphasis on local and organic ingredients. He gets it right. Portions are divided into small, medium, and large plates, and the smaller plates are more inventive, so you can order several and explore. Beautifully arranged combinations like crispy, sweet-and-spicy pork belly with kimchi explode with unlikely but satisfying flavor. Reserve two weeks in advance for weekend tables; also, consider brunch, but still make those reservations far in advance. | Average main: $24 | 130 N.E. 40th St. | 305/573–5550 | www.michaelsgenuine.com | Reservations essential.
Little Haiti
Chez Le Bebe.
$ | CARIBBEAN | Chez Le Bebe offers a short menu of Haitian home cooking—it’s been going strong for 30 years and has been featured on shows like the Travel Channel’s Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern and The Layover with Anthony Bourdain. If you want to try stewed goat, this is the place to do it! Other dishes include tender and flavorful chicken, fish, oxtail, and fried pork; each plate comes with rice, beans, plantains, and salad, for around $15. | Average main: $15 | 114 N.E. 54th St. | 305/751–7639 | No credit cards.
Little Havana
FAMILY | Azucar Ice Cream Company.
$ | CAFÉ | Balmy weather and sweet-tooth cravings are tempered at this ice cream shop specializing in homemade Cuban-style scoops. More crafty than churning, flavors are inspired and derived from ingredients at nearby fruit stands, international grocery shops, and farmers’ markets. A daily rotating menu fuses classics with innovative options (honey, pinot noir, lemon basil, Champagne grapefruit, rose, etc.), as well as creations that nod to its culturally rich location (café con leche, flan, and the signature Abuela Maria—made with Maria cookies, cream cheese, and guava). | Average main: $6 | 1503 S.W. 8th St. | 305/381–0369 | www.azucaricecream.com.
Casa Juancho.
$$$$ | SPANISH | This meeting place for the movers and shakers of the Cuban exilio community is also a haven for lovers of fine Spanish regional cuisine. Strolling balladeers serenade amid brown brick, rough-hewn dark timbers, hanging smoked meats, ceramic plates, and oil still lifes: a bit of old España dropped on Calle Ocho. Try the dorada a la sal (sea bream baked in a crust of sea salt), langostinos al vega Sicilia (jumbo shrimp sautéed with butter and shallots), or one of the many paellas. The house features one of the largest lists of reserve Spanish wines in the United States. In the evening, there’s live Latin music in the dining room and in the lounge. | Average main: $34 | 2436 S.W. 8th St., Little Havana | Miami, Florida, United States | 305/642–2452 | www.casajuancho.com | Reservations essential.
El Exquisito Restaurant.
$ | LATIN AMERICAN | For a true locals’ spot and some substantial Cuban eats in the heart of Little Havana, pop into Exquisito Restaurant, a local institution since the 1970s. The unassuming Cuban café serves up delectable, authentic Cuban favorites, including a great cubano (a grilled Cuban sandwich layered with ham, garlic-citrus-marinated slow-roasted pork, Swiss cheese, and pickles) and succulent yuca with garlic sauce. There’s a quick-serve café on one side; next door is a full-service restaurant. A Cuban coffee is a whopping 75¢. | Average main: $14 | 1510 S.W. 8th St. | 305/643–0227 | www.elexquisitomiami.com | No credit cards.
Fodor’s Choice | Hy-Vong Vietnamese Cuisine.
$$ | VIETNAMESE | Florida’s best Vietnamese food in the heart of Little Havana? It may sound bizarre, but Hy-Vong will have you rethinking your drive to Calle Ocho for Cuban cuisine. In fact, people are willing to wait on the sidewalk for hours to sample the delights at this tiny restaurant, like cha gio (Vietnamese spring rolls), fish panfried with mango or with nuoc man (a garlic-lime fish sauce), not to mention the pork thit kho (caramelized braised pork) stewed in coconut milk. Beer-savvy proprietors Kathy Manning and Tung Nguyen serve a half dozen top brews (Double Grimbergen, Peroni, and Spaten, among them) to further inoculate the experience from the ordinary—well, as ordinary as a Vietnamese restaurant on Calle Ocho can be. Arrive early to avoid long waits. | Average main: $17 | 3458 S.W. 8th St. | 305/446–3674 | www.hyvong.com | Closed Mon. and Tues. No lunch.
Las Pinareños Fruteria y Floreria.
$ | CUBAN | In the mood for something refreshing or a high-octane jolt? Try Las Pinareños, a fruteria (fruit stand) that serves coco frio (fresh, cold coconut juice served in a whole coconut), mango juice, and other jugos (juices), as well as Cuban coffees and Cuban finger foods. You can order your sweet, hot cortadito (coffee with milk) or a cafecito (no milk) from the walk-up window and enjoy it at one of the stools in front of the shop or sit at one of the tables inside the fruit-and-flower market. | Average main: $7 | 1334 S.W. 8th St. | 305/285–1135.
FAMILY | Fodor’s Choice | Versailles.
$ | CUBAN | ¡Bienvenido a Miami! To the area’s Cuban population, Miami without Versailles is like rice without black beans. First-timer Miami visitors looking for that “Cuban food on Calle Ocho” experience, look no further. The storied eatery, where old émigrés opine daily about all things Cuban, is a stop on every political candidate’s campaign trail, and it should be a stop for you as well. Order a heaping platter of lechon asado (roasted pork loin), ropa vieja (shredded beef), or picadillo (spicy ground beef), all served with rice, beans, and fried plantains. It’s not quite as good as true homemade Cuban food, but it’s a requisite stop in Little Havana. After overeating, battle the oncoming food coma with a cup of the city’s strongest cafecito, which comes in the tiniest of cups but packs a lot of punch. Versailles operates a bakery next door as well—take some pastelitos home. | Average main: $15 | 3555 S.W. 8th St. | 305/444–0240 | www.versaillesrestaurant.com.
South Beach
Bianca.
$$$$ | ITALIAN | In a hotel where style reigns supreme, this high-profile restaurant provides both glamour and solid cuisine. The main attraction of dining here is to see and be seen, but you may leave talking about the food just as much as the outfits, hairdos, and celebrity appearances. This Italian restaurant doles out some pretty amazing fare, including a shaved baby-artichoke salad and truffle tagliatelle—perfection in every bite. The dessert menu may seem a bit back-to-basics, with tiramisu and cheesecake among the favorites, but these sweet classics are done right. For something a bit more casual at the Delano, try sushi from the Philippe Starck countertop sushi bar, Umi, at the front of the hotel. | Average main: $50 | Delano Hotel, 1685 Collins Ave. | 305/674–5752 | www.delano-hotel.com | Reservations essential.
Big Pink.
$ | AMERICAN | The decor in this innovative, superpopular diner may remind you of a roller-skating rink—everything is pink Lucite, stainless steel, and campy (think sports lockers as decorative touches)—and the menu is 3 feet tall, complete with a table of contents. Food is solidly all-American, with dozens of tasty sandwiches, pizzas, turkey or beef burgers, and side dishes, each and every one composed with gourmet flair. Big Pink also makes a great spot for brunch and late-night cravings (it’s open until 2 am on Thursday and 5 am weekends). | Average main: $14 | 157 Collins Ave., South Beach | Miami Beach, Florida, United States | 305/532–4700 | www.mylesrestaurantgroup.com.
BLT Steak.
$$$$ | STEAKHOUSE | This Ocean Drive favorite, renowned for seriously divine Gruyère cheese popovers and succulent steak and fish dishes, illuminates the vibrant, open lobby of the snazzy Betsy Hotel. It has the distinction among all of Miami’s steak houses of serving breakfast daily and consistently impressing even the most finicky eaters. You can count on the highest-quality cuts of USDA prime, certified Black Angus, and American Wagyu beef, in addition to blackboard specials, and sushi and raw-bar selections. Though the name may say steak, the fresh fish is arguably the highlight of the entire menu—the sautéed Dover sole with soy-caper brown butter is legendary. | Average main: $42 | The Betsy Hotel, 1440 Ocean Dr. | 305/673–0044 | www.e2hospitality.com/restaurants/.
Casa Tua Restaurant.
$$$$ | ITALIAN | To accommodate the demanding clientele of its exclusive boutique hotel as well as anyone willing to wait two weeks for a reservation, Casa Tua provides a charming restaurant with both indoor and outdoor dining. The food is northern Italian; sophisticated yet simple dishes include truffle risotto and seared diver scallops with an artichoke puree. The service is seamless and relaxed. And the elegant experience at this mostly alfresco restaurant with a Mediterranean-beach-house feel is a peaceful respite from Miami Beach’s dizzying energy. | Average main: $42 | Casa Tua Hotel, 1700 James Ave., South Beach | Miami Beach, Florida, United States | 305/673–1010 | www.casatualifestyle.com | Reservations essential | No lunch weekends.
Fodor’s Choice | Dolce Italian.
$$$ | MODERN ITALIAN | Best known as a top contender on the Bravo TV show Best New Restaurant, Dolce Italian buzzes in the center of the South Beach action, doling out an irresistible menage à trois: great food, great ambience, and an easy-on-the-eyes crowd. Tucked into the first floors of the renovated Gale South Beach hotel, Miami’s “it” crowd clamors for a table to see and be seen feasting on Dolce’s spaghetti al pomodoro, tartufata pizza (with speck, spicy salami, and truffle oil), house-made mozzarella, roasted branzino, and meats from the Tuscan grill. Indeed, Italian-born chef Paolo Dorigato’s menu is packed with modern incarnations of Italian classics that would make nonna proud. | Average main: $24 | Gale South Beach, 1690 Collins Ave. | 786/975–2550 | www.dolceitalianrestaurant.com.
The Dutch Miami.
$$$$ | MODERN AMERICAN | Loft meets cozy-kitchen at the Miami outpost of Chef Andrew Carmellini’s NYC foodie hot spot. Located in the swank W South Beach Hotel, the Dutch takes on a personality all its own, adorned with cute tchotchkes and ornamental objects set along white bookshelves. There’s a bit of everything on the “roots-inspired American menu,” from local line-caught fish to homemade pastas and 28-day dry-aged steaks. “Supper” begins with a twist on a Southern classic—a corn-bread loaf with a hint of jalapeño. Menu highlights include sheep’s milk ricotta atop grilled bread, yellowtail crudo over watermelon, and the root beer–braised short rib. | Average main: $36 | W. South Beach, 2201 Collins Ave., South Beach | Miami Beach, Florida, United States | 305/938–3111 | www.thedutchmiami.com.
Florida Cookery.
$$$ | AMERICAN | Originally the brainchild of award-winning Miami chef Kris Wessel (of Chopped fame), the Florida Cookery redefined Florida cuisine when it opened. Now that Wessel is gone, it lacks the wow factor it once had but it still delivers taste sensations crafted from just about all things Florida—local fish, spiny lobster, alligator, locally grown tomatoes, Indian River County citrus, and more. Start with the empanadas trio (curry chicken, ropa vieja, and alligator) or the corvina tiradito (a Peruvian-style ceviche-like dish without the onions) Splurge on the Florida Cookery Jambalaya for your main—a massive skillet of Florida fresh seafood, house-smoked chicken, and house andouille sausage. | Average main: $29 | The James Royal Palm, 1545 Collins Ave., South Beach | Miami Beach, Florida, United States | 786/276–0333.
Icebox Cafe.
$$ | MODERN AMERICAN | This unassuming café, formerly off a Lincoln Road side street, was propelled into superstardom after Oprah Winfrey called the café’s sweets the “greatest cakes in America” back in her daytime days. Now, in a larger space on South Beach’s West End, Icebox continues to dish out its much buzzed-about cakes, as well as an ever-changing menu of breakfast, lunch, and dinner best described as pan-American fusion. Other than the calorie-rich desserts, most of the food at Icebox errs on the side of healthful, with fabulous salads like the avocado-and-seed salad, and savory mains like the organic rotisserie chicken in a sherry-vinegar reduction. The restaurant has become a local institution, packed day and night with Miami’s glitterati, trendsetters, and tourists. | Average main: $18 | 1855 Purdy Ave., South Beach | Miami Beach, Florida, United States | 305/538–8448 | www.iceboxcafe.com.
Il Mulino New York - South Beach.
$$$$ | ITALIAN | For more than two decades, Il Mulino New York has ranked among the top Italian restaurants in Gotham, so it’s no surprise that the two Miami outposts (South Beach and Sunny Isles) are similarly venerable. The South Beach outpost is petite and always packed, reflecting its location with a white-on-white Philippe Starck–inspired motif and a chicly dressed crowd. Even before the antipasti arrive, you may find yourself in a phenomenal carb coma from the fresh breads, bruschetta, and fried zucchini. Everything that touches your palate is prepared to perfection, from simply prepared fried calamari and gnocchi pomodoro to the more complex scampi oregenata and ever-changing risottos. | Average main: $52 | 840 1st St., South Beach | Miami Beach, Florida, United States | 305/372–1221 | www.ilmulino.com/south-beach | Reservations essential.
Il Sole.
$$$$ | ITALIAN | Behind the iron gates of the iconic Versace mansion, the designer’s former dining room—now transformed into an intimate, 30-seat restaurant—wows with bejeweled, mosaic walls, over-the-top opulence, and refined Mediterranean cuisine. Add the spice of the mansion’s current owner (restaurateur and provocateur Barton G.), and Il Sole delivers dining in haute style. Expect stellar service, bedazzling dishes (including beautifully presented, massive seafood towers, artichoke raviolo, and whole Dover sole) and a gold-and-diamond-encrusted atmosphere. Hours are short: dinner is served from 7 pm Wednesday through Sunday and lunch between noone and 2 Tuesday through Sunday. | Average main: $40 | The Villa by Barton G., 1116 Ocean Dr., South Beach | Miami Beach, Florida, United States | 305/576–8003 | Reservations essential | Closed Mon. No dinner Tues.
Fodor’s Choice | Joe’s Stone Crab Restaurant.
$$$$ | SEAFOOD | In South Beach’s decidedly new-money scene, the stately Joe’s Stone Crab is an old-school testament to good food and good service. South Beach’s most storied restaurant started as a turn-of-the-20th-century eating house when Joseph Weiss discovered succulent stone crabs off the Florida coast. A century later, the restaurant stretches a city block and serves 2,000 dinners a day to local politicians and moneyed patriarchs. Stone crabs, served with legendary mustard sauce, crispy hash browned potatoes, and creamed spinach, remain the staple. Though stone-crab season runs from October 15 to May 15, Joe’s remains open year-round (albeit with a limited schedule) serving other phenomenal seafood dishes. Finish your meal with tart key lime pie, baked fresh daily. TIP Joe’s famously refuses reservations, and weekend waits can be three hours long—yes, you read that correctly—so come early or order from Joe’s Take Away next door. | Average main: $45 | 11 Washington Ave. | 305/673–0365, 305/673–4611 for takeout | www.joesstonecrab.com | Reservations not accepted | No lunch Sun. and Mon. and mid-May–mid-Oct.
Fodor’s Choice | Juvia.
$$$$ | JAPANESE FUSION | High atop South Beach’s design-driven 1111 Lincoln Road parking garage, Juvia commingles urban sophistication with South Beach seduction. Towering over the beach’s art deco district, the restaurant rises as a bold amalgamation of steel, glass, hanging gardens, and purple accents—a true work of art high in the sky. Three renowned chefs unite to deliver an amazing eating experience that screams Japanese, Peruvian, and French all in the same breath, focusing largely on raw fish and seafood dishes. The see-and-be-seen crowd can’t get enough; neither can we! | Average main: $42 | 1111 Lincoln Rd. | 305/763–8272 | www.juviamiami.com | Reservations essential.
Katsuya by Starck.
$$$$ | JAPANESE FUSION | Forgoing a traditional lobby, design impresario Philippe Starck opted to fill the entry of the smoking-hot SLS Hotel South Beach with a duo of see-and-be-seen eateries (the other being The Bazaar by José Andrés). At this popular Japanese restaurant, Master Sushi Chef Katsuya Uechi employs four separate kitchens to serve up awesome eats like his legendary miso-marinated black cod, succulent lobster Dynamite (in a creamy mushroom sauce), baked crab handrolls, and amazing sushi rolls. The craft cocktails offer mixology at its peak, with fab libations like the oh-so-Miami “Watermelon Cucumber Mojito” and the spicy-and-sweet “Burning Mandarin” (with serrano chili and mandarin vodka). TIP If you want a quieter evening, ask to sit in the unpublicized second-floor dining room. | Average main: $38 | SLS Hotel South Beach, 1701 Collins Ave., South Beach | www.katsuyarestaurant.com/southbeach | Reservations essential.
La Gloutonnerie.
$$$ | MODERN FRENCH | Far removed from South Beach’s mass-market deco drive strip, this intimate “vintage kitchen” brings the best of French old-school cuisine to the beach’s more refined SoFi (South of Fifth) neighborhood. Executive Chef Christian Testa presents everything you’d desire from a renowned French kitchen from Escargots Bourgogne to Chateubriand while adding new-world flavors and fusions to the mix with dishes such as the tuna carpaccio and an assortment of fresh pasta entrées. Within the restaurant, a retro mini-market offers cheese, cold cuts, and imported French products. Add stylish black-and-white decor, stellar service, and a hip crowd, and you have the perfect recipe for keeping history in style. | Average main: $29 | 81 Washington Ave., South Beach | Miami Beach, Florida, United States | 305/503–3811 | www.lagloutonnerie.com.
Fodor’s Choice | La Savina.
$$$ | MEDITERRANEAN | In an ultratrendy hotel like the Mondrian, it’s refreshing to find a restaurant as timeless as La Savina. The Spanish Mediterranean–inspired fare includes grilled seafood and meats, “crudo” appetizers, charcuterie and cheese boards, and plenty of delectable salads and vegetables. Start with the shrimp crudo, poached in a vinaigrette of olives and tomatoes, followed by the sublime carrot salad, an exquisitely presented blend of raw and cooked carrots, pistachios, and feta cheese. Grilled fish and meat, such as the day-caught mahimahi and rib eye are cooked to perfection, basted in a salsa verde. While beach-appropriate lighter fare prevails on the menu, the vegetable sides are anything but. Gorge on the squash—grilled and candied then topped with marscapone cheese—or feast on the decadent, flash-fried cauliflower, dressed in yogurt and lemon. | Average main: $29 | Mondrian South Beach Hotel, 1100 West Ave. | 305/514–1940 | www.morganshotelgroup.com.
Macchialina Taverna Rustica.
$$$ | ITALIAN | Framed by exposed brick walls, decorated with daily specials chalkboards, and packed with gregarious patrons, this local foodie hangout feels like a cozy, neighborhoody, New England tavern. And with a gorgeous menu showcasing the prowess of chef Michael Pirolo, Macchialina Taverna Rustica nails the concept of modern Italian cuisine. Combining such great ambience and amazing eats, expect one helluva night. Start with some Italian-imported salumi, local burrata, or creamy polenta with sausage ragu and cipollini onions. Then, move on to the house-made pastas, perhaps the beet-filled mezzaluna, the tagliolini al funghi, or the spaghetti con vongole, before feasting on a lavish chicken or fish entrée. Save room for the house panna cotta, smothered in candied pistachios and balsamic-reduced strawberries. | Average main: $26 | 820 Alton Rd. | 305/534–2124 | www.macchialina.com | No lunch Mon.–Sat.
Cheap Dining on South Beach
Miami Beach is notorious for overpriced eateries, but locals know that you don’t always have to spend $30 for lunch or $45 for a dinner entree to have a good meal, even in overpriced South Beach. Pizza Rustica (8th St. and Washington Ave. and 667 Lincoln Rd.) serves up humongous slices overflowing with mozzarella, steak, olives, and barbecue chicken until 4 am. La Sandwicherie (14th St. between Collins and Washington Aves.) is a South Beach classic that’s been here since 1988, serving gourmet French sandwiches, a delicious prosciutto salad, and healthful smoothies from a walk-up bar. Lime Fresh Mexican Grill (1439 Alton Rd., at 14th St.) serves fresh and tangy fish tacos and homemade guacamole.
Meat Market.
$$$$ | STEAKHOUSE | On Lincoln Road, where most of the restaurants emphasize people-watching over good food, this is one spot where you can find the best of both. Indeed, this is a meat market in every sense of the phrase, with great cuts of meat and plenty of sexy people passing by in skimpy clothes and enjoying fruity libations at the bar. Hard-core carnivores go wild over the 14-ounce center-cut prime New York steak as well as the “mixed-grill special,” a creative trio of meats and seafood that changes nightly. There are plenty of excellent seafood options, as well. Try the cedar-paper salmon, topped with a spicy orange glaze, or the wood-grilled blackened local snapper, served atop celery root puree. | Average main: $40 | 915 Lincoln Rd. | 305/532–0088 | www.meatmarket.net.
News Café.
$$ | AMERICAN | No trip to Miami is complete without a stop at this Ocean Drive landmark, though the food is nothing special. The 24-hour café attracts a crowd with snacks, light meals, drinks, periodicals, and the people parade on the sidewalk out front. Most prefer sitting outside, where they can feel the salt breeze and gawk at the human scenery. Sea-grape trees shade a patio where you can watch from a quiet distance. Offering a little of this and a little of that—bagels, pâtés, chocolate fondue, sandwiches, and a terrific wine list—this joint has something for everyone. Although service can be indifferent to the point of laissez-faire and the food is mediocre at best, News Café is just one of those places visitors love. | Average main: $19 | 800 Ocean Dr. | 305/538–6397 | www.newscafe.com | Reservations not accepted.
Osteria del Teatro.
$$$ | ITALIAN | Thanks to word of mouth, this northern Italian restaurant is constantly full of the most refined clink and clatter along often-seedy Washington Avenue. Because of inventive and fresh dishes you might stray from the printed menu, and order one of the many daily specials. A representative appetizer is poached asparagus served over polenta triangles with a Gorgonzola sauce. Stuffed pastas, including spinach crepes overflowing with ricotta, can seem heavy but taste light; fish dishes yield a rosemary-marinated tuna or salmon in a rosemary-shiitake-lemon sauce. | Average main: $27 | 1443 Washington Ave., South Beach | Miami Beach, Florida, United States | 305/538–7850 | www.osteriadelteatromiami.com | Reservations essential | Closed Sun. No lunch.
Pied à Terre.
$$$$ | MODERN FRENCH | This cozy, 36-seat French Contemporary restaurant with Mediterranean influence resides in the heart of South Beach, but it’s everything the beach is not. Quiet, classic, and elegant, this hidden gastro-sanctuary within the historic Cadet Hotel forgoes glitz and gimmicks for taste and sophistication. The restaurant recalls the ambience of a bona fide, intimate Parisian eatery—the kind you’d randomly discover on a side street in the City of Light’s 5th or 6th arrondissement—and doles out succulent French contemporary cuisine enhanced by an excellent and reasonably priced wine list. | Average main: $42 | Cadet Hotel, 1701 James Ave. | 305/531–4533 | www.cadethotel.com | Reservations essential | Closed Mon. No lunch.
Prime 112.
$$$$ | STEAKHOUSE | This wildly busy steak house is particularly renowned for its highly marbleized prime beef, creamed corn, truffle macaroni and cheese, and buzzing scene: while you stand at the bar awaiting your table (everyone has to wait—at least a little bit), you’ll clamor for a drink with all facets of Miami’s high society, from the city’s top real estate developers and philanthropists to striking models and celebrities (Lenny Kravitz, Jay-Z, and Matt Damon are among a big list of celebrity regulars). | Average main: $46 | 112 Ocean Dr. | 305/532–8112 | www.mylesrestaurantgroup.com | Reservations not accepted | No lunch weekends.
Fodor’s Choice | Pubbelly.
$$$ | ECLECTIC | This petite eatery, on a residential street in SoBe’s western reaches, still attracts the who’s-who of beach socialites, hipsters, and the occasional tourist coming to chow down on inventive Asian-Latin small plates, dumplings, charcuterie, and seasonal large plates by executive chef/owner Jose Mendin. From bay scallops bourguignon to short-rib tartare to huitlacoche (corn truffle) dumplings in squid ink black butter, Pubbelly constantly pushes the envelope on inventive cuisine, and locals simply can’t get enough. Expect deservedly long wait times, especially on weekends. But not to worry, after a few rounds of craft beers, sake cocktails, and eclectic wines from the awesome drink menu, your table will be ready in no time! | Average main: $28 | 1418 20th St. | 305/532–7555 | www.pubbelly.com.
Pubbelly Sushi.
$$$$ | JAPANESE | The team behind South Beach’s wildly popular Pubbelly gastropub has teamed up with sushi chef Yuki Ieto to create the Pubbelly Sushi, a 40-seat canteen doling out contemporary, Japanese-inspired sharing plates. Of course, you go light with the grade-A sashimi or meats from the robata (Japanese charcoal) grill, but the real fun lies in the flavor-rich “Snacks,” “Pubbelly Rolls,” and “New England Style Rolls.” Start with Rock Shrimp Tempura “buffalo style” and graduate to the Bigeye Tuna Roll (spicy tuna over squares of crispy rice) and Navarro (salmon, crab, melted mozzarella, and fried onions). Wash it all down with the house “vodkasake” cocktails. They’re all deliciously addicting, but the Basil Berry (basil, strawberries, yuzu, sake) and Spicy Pina (jalapeño, pineapple, sake) go best with a steamy Miami evening. | Average main: $38 | 1424 20th St. | 305/531–9282 | www.pubbellysushi.com.
Quattro Gastronomia Italiana.
$$$$ | ITALIAN | Helmed by twin chefs Nicola and Fabrizio Carro, this sleek northern Italian restaurant has been a favorite with Miami’s “in” crowd since it opened in 2006. The beautiful interior is adorned with Murano glass chandeliers and strking floor-to-ceiling wine towers. However, it’s the alfresco dining area on busy Lincoln Road where most of the action happens. Be sure to try the parmigiana di melanzane in forma (baked organic eggplant), one of the homemade ravioli, or the Mediterranean sea bass while enjoying a selection from the astounding wine collection. | Average main: $39 | 1014 Lincoln Rd., South Beach | Miami Beach, Florida, United States | 305/531–4833 | www.quattromiami.com.
Red, the Steakhouse.
$$$$ | STEAKHOUSE | The carnivore glamour den seduces with its red-and-black dominatrix color scheme and overloads the senses with the divine smells and tastes of the extensive menu. Red boasts an equal number of seafood and traditional more meat offerings, each delicately prepared, meticulously presented, and gleefully consumed. Start with the tuna tartare, the mussels diavolo, or crisp chili calamari, and then continue with fresh lobster or the many variations of Angus beef prime. And don’t forget about the dozen or so sides, often the most exciting part of any steak house experience. | Average main: $50 | 119 Washington Ave. | 305/534–3688 | www.redthesteakhouse.com | Reservations essential.
The Restaurant at The Setai.
$$$$ | ASIAN | It’s a daily celebration of haute Mediterranean cuisine in the open-theater kitchen helmed by Chef Mathias Gervais, whose dishes reflect the divine and prolific flavors of Europe—from Spain to Italy to the chef’s roots in France. With its harmonious courtyard reflecting pool and polished-stone interiors, the setting of The Setai is so dramatically beautiful that a less than heavenly dining experience at its signature restaurant would be a blow. Even with this lofty goal, the restaurant exceeds all expectations. Dishes—such as Mediterranean branzino, chicken paillard, and steak frites are perfectly prepared a la plancha. TIP Considering this is one of Miami’s priciest restaurants for dinner, the four-course “Le Quicker Express Lunch” at $25, inclusive of a glass of wine, is an incredible deal. | Average main: $50 | The Setai, 2001 Collins Ave., South Beach | 855/923–7899 | www.thesetaihotel.com | Reservations essential.
The Setai Grill.
$$$$ | STEAKHOUSE | Haute steak house meets Asian inspiration at The Setai Grill. Executive Chef Mathias Gervais reinterprets American classics using the Rolls Royces of the food industry (think: Pat LaFrieda beef, Cinco Jotas’s jamón Ibérico, and Marky’s caviar) and adding a French-Asian, contemporary twist. While the LaFrieda prime cuts and the braised meats are predictably superb, Gervais goes more avante-garde than his steaks with the first and second courses. The crab cannelloni, for example, is a sensational taste explosion, as the flavors of Florida stone crab, avocado, mango, rice pearls, salmon roe, and coconut air unite on a single plate. | Average main: $75 | The Setai, 2001 Collins Ave., South Beach | Miami Beach, Florida, United States | 305/520–6800 | www.thesetaihotel.com | Reservations essential | Closed Mon. and Tues.
SushiSamba Miami Beach.
$$$$ | JAPANESE | Though SushiSamba branched out from NYC to Miami Beach back in 2001, it remains as trendy as ever, with the long wait times to prove it. Like its six sister locations, SushiSamba Miami Beach doles out flavor explosions of East-meets-South, fusing Japanese, Peruvian, and Brazilian cuisines to create an off-the-grid small-plates experience, this time in the heart of pedestrian-friendly Lincoln Road. The results are succulent and superb: skewers of miso-marinated sea bass over roasted corn, crunchy hamachi taquitos (yellowtail tartare with spicy aji panca sauce), mocqueca mista (Brazilian seafood stew), and South Beach–inspired sushi rolls, including the signature Samba Dromo, filled with lobster, mango, and peanut curry. Always packed with customers, both indoors and out, the blaring beats, great eats, and amazing cocktails are a fabulous rare find of timeless trendiness on South Beach. | Average main: $34 | 600 Lincoln Rd., South Beach | Miami Beach, Florida, United States | 305/673–5337 | www.sushisamba.com.
Tap Tap Haitian Restaurant.
$ | CARIBBEAN | Tap Tap is anything but SoBe glitz and glam, but this Haitian restaurant will instantly immerse you in Haiti’s cuisine and culture. An extensive collection of Haitian folk art is displayed throughout this house-turned-restaurant . so much so that every wall, table, and chair doubles as a piece of colorful art. Menu highlights include soup joumou (pumpkin soup), spagheti kreyol (pasta, shrimp or herring, and a creole tomato sauce), kabrit nan sos (Bolinas goat stew in a mildly spicy tomato-based sauce), and grilled conch (when available). They also have an extensive vegetarian menu, including several vegan dishes. | Average main: $14 | 819 5th St. | 305/672–2898.
Villa Azur.
$$$$ | MEDITERRANEAN | St. Tropez invades South Beach at this sceney resto-lounge where dinner doesn’t usually begin until late (which is normal for the Miami crowd) and the Champagne-sipping continues until the wee hours of the morning (to sounds of awesome DJs).The restaurant fuses indoors and outdoors, merging prolific alfresco seating in a spacious, tree-lined courtyard with open-aired contemporary interior dining and relaxation areas (swaying chandeliers, white tufted couches, and whimsically accessorized library shelves). While Vueve Cliquot is a staple among patrons, the tropical-inspired cocktails and the selection from the in-house wine cellar, La Cave d’Azur, also impress. The exquisitely executed, French-Mediterranean cuisine is seafood-centric, beginning with colossal towers from the raw bar, then moving onto to light greens like the shaved artichoke and parmiagiano salad, and finishing with dishes such as dover sole a la meunière. | Average main: $45 | 309 23rd St. | 305/763–8688 | www.villaazurmiami.com | Reservations essential | No lunch.
Yardbird Southern Table & Bar.
$$$ | SOUTHERN | There’s a helluva lot of Southern lovin’ from the Lowcountry at this lively and funky South Beach spot. Miami’s A-list puts calorie-counting aside for decadent nights filled with comfort foods and innovative drinks. The family-style menu is divided between “quick bites,” “the bird,” “plates,” and “fixins,” but have no doubt the “the bird” takes center stage (or plate) here. You’ll rave about Mama’s chicken biscuits, the chicken ’n’ watermelon ’n’ waffles, and Llewellyn’s fine fried chicken, which requires a 27-hour marination and slow-cooking process. Oh, and then there are the sides, like house-cut fries with a buttermilk dipping sauce and bacon salt or the supercreamy macaroni and cheese. Don’t plan on hitting the beach in a bikini the next day. | Average main: $28 | 1600 Lenox Ave. | 305/538–5220 | www.runchickenrun.com | Reservations essential.
Fodor’s Choice | Zen Sai.
$$$ | ASIAN FUSION | In Miami’s vortex of the fake and fabulous, it’s rare to find a venue that’s effortlessly cool, but Zen Sai is exactly that. The petite Asian eatery encompasses a small bar area and a small art deco–steeped dining veranda, enjoying a low profile among its larger-than-life neighbors. Dishes reflect a gastronomic tour of north Asia, largely focused on Japanese items for the American palate like robata-grilled meats, sushi rolls, and the heavenly 12-hour sweet yuzu and miso-marinated black cod. There’s an extensive sake list to match, but don’t forgo an opportunity to sample some of the beach’s best cocktails. Zen Sai’s artisanal libations remain true to the craft of cocktail making, using fresh and exotic ingredients for stellar results (lychee martinis with Kumosabe Nigori sake, Finlandia vodka, house-infused lychee syrup, and fresh lemon juice). | Average main: $23 | Essex House Hotel, 1001 Collins Ave. | 786/276–5339 | www.zensaisobe.com | No lunch.
Mid-Beach
Café Prima Pasta.
$$ | ITALIAN | If Tony Soprano lived in Miami, this is where you’d find him. This famous, bustling Italian restaurant is infused with the energy of the Argentine Cea family, whose clan cooks, serves, and operates this place, while somehow finding the time to pose for photos with the hundreds of celebrities who have eaten here over the years (see them in the photos on the walls). Everything is made in-house—from the fragrant rosemary butter to the pasta, which tastes best as crab-stuffed raviolotti or as homemade squid-ink linguine, served with seafood in a lobster sauce. | Average main: $20 | 414 71st St., North Beach | Miami Beach, Florida, United States | 305/867–0106 | www.primapasta.com | No lunch.
Cecconi’s Miami Beach.
$$$ | ITALIAN | The wait for a table at this outpost of the iconic Italian restaurant is just as long as its counterparts in West Hollywood and London, and the dining experience just as fabulous. The food is great, but atmosphere here is everything. It’s a real scene of who’s who and who’s eating what, cast in a seductive, vintage-chic setting across the courtyard of the Soho Beach House Miami. Without a doubt, the black-truffle-and-goat-cheese pizza, with huge hunks of black truffle, is the restaurant’s most talked about dish. The fish carpaccios are light and succulent, while the classically hearty pastas and risottos provide authentic Italian fare. | Average main: $27 | Soho Beach House Miami, 4385 Collins Ave. | 786/507–7902 | www.cecconismiamibeach.com | Reservations essential.
The Forge.
$$$$ | STEAKHOUSE | Legendary for its opulence, this restaurant has been wowing patrons since 1968. After a face-lift in 2010, antiques, gilt-framed paintings, a chandelier from the Paris Opera House, and Tiffany stained-glass windows from New York’s Trinity Church are the fitting background for some of Miami’s best cuts. The tried-and-true menu also includes prime rib, bone-in fillet, lobster gratinée, chocolate soufflé, and sinful side dishes like creamed spinach and black truffle mac-and-cheese potpie. For its walk-in humidor alone, the over-the-top Forge is worth visiting. Automated wine machines span the perimeter of the restaurant and allow you to pick your own pour and sample several wines throughout your meal. | Average main: $43 | 432 Arthur Godfrey Rd. | 305/538–8533 | www.theforge.com | No lunch.
Hakkasan Miami.
$$$$ | CANTONESE | This stateside sibling of the Michelin-star London restaurant brings the haute-Chinese-food movement to South Florida, adding Pan-Asian flair to even quite simple and authentic Cantonese recipes, and producing an entire menu that can be classified as blow-your-mind delicious. Seafood and vegetarian dishes outnumber meat options, with the scallop-and-shrimp dim sum, Szechuan-style braised eggplant, and charcoal-grilled silver cod with Champagne and Chinese honey reaching new heights of excellence. TIP It’s dinner only here, except on weekends when the restaurant hosts a dim sum lunch. Superb eats notwithstanding, another reason to experience Hakkasan is that it’s arguably the sexiest, best-looking restaurant on Miami Beach. Intricately carved, lacquered-black-wood Chinois panels divide seating sections, creating a deceptively cozy dining experience for such a large restaurant. Dress to impress. | Average main: $52 | Fontainebleau Miami Beach, 4441 Collins Ave., 4th fl. | 786/276–1388 after 4 pm, 877/326–7412 before 4 pm | www.hakkasan.com/locations/hakkasan-miami/ | Reservations essential | No lunch weekdays.
La Côte.
$$$ | FRENCH | With clean white lines, colorful bursts of aqua-blue cushions, and elegant umbrellas, La Côte at the Fontainebleau whisks you away to the coast of southern France. The two-level, predominantly alfresco restaurant snuggled between the beach and the Fontainebleau’s pools opens its arms in a generous embrace while flirting with your taste buds, and maybe your man: the female waitstaff wear bikinis and flip-flops. Depending on your tastes, this may or may not foster a relaxed atmosphere that complements the simple elegant menu. Try the popular fruits de mer (chilled seafood platter) or order a variety of oysters on the half shell. Eating lunch here is a great way to sneak a peek at the Fontainebleau without staying. | Average main: $28 | Fontainebleau Hotel, 4441 Collins Ave., Mid-Beach | Miami Beach, Florida, United States | 305/674–4710 | No dinner Sun.–Wed.
Las Vacas Gordas.
$$$$ | ARGENTINE | Since 1996 this Argentinean steak house has welcomed the who’s who of Latin high society, fulfilling their wildest carnivore cravings. Expanded and reinvented in 2011 as a glamorous enclave where the Pampas meets contemporary Miami, Vacas’s grill sizzles day and nights to the troves of patrons who patiently wait to feast on mounds of fresh meat from the Argentinean lowlands. The reasonably priced house Malbecs complemented the high-end selections showcased in the floor-to-ceiling, glass-enclosed wine cellar. Those less enthused about massive meat slabs can opt for the berecava (eggplant with tomato sauce and cheese), homemade pastas, grilled peppers, fish and shrimp, or fill up on homemade rolls with spicy chimmichurri. | Average main: $34 | 933 Normandy Dr., Mid-Beach | Miami Beach, Florida, United States | 305/867–1717 | www.lasvacasgordas.com | No lunch weekdays.
Fodor’s Choice | Matador Room.
$$ | SPANISH | In one Miami’s most captivating and seductive settings, the latest headling restaurant by celebrity Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten fuses Spanish, Caribbean, and Latin American gastronomy, presenting the result in a diverse (and surprisingly affordable) collection of small and large plates. Though the venue plays into a sexy matador theme, the name stems from the space’s former incarnation—the eponymous, superglam supper club of yesteryear. Paying homage to its history by keeping the name, the space has now been thoroughly reinvented as well as augmented by the hanging gardens and braided lights of the alfresco Matador Terrace. Indulge on tropically inspired plates like peekytoe crab and corn fritters; wild gulf shrimp with sizzling garlic and chili oil; and charred Florida octopus with crispy potatoes and paprika emulsion. Pair the bites with equally superb libations like the epic pineapple elixir cocktail served in a massive copper pineapple. | Average main: $20 | The Miami Beach Edition, 2901 Collins Ave. | 786/257–4600 | www.matadorroom.com.
Fodor’s Choice | Michael Mina 74.
$$$$ | ECLECTIC | Celebrity Chef Michael Mina’s sleek, tavern-style subterranean restaurant at the Fontainebleau is a daily celebration of gastronomic creativity, bold flavors, and Florida seafood. Dishes are served as shared plates, small and large, and include the likes of “Michael’s Tuna Tartare,” dressed and tossed tableside with Asian pear, pine nut, scotch bonnets, and sesame oil; and the Florida Snapper served atop succulent shrimp fried rice cakes and accented by thin slices of caramelized pineapple. Eye-catching food carts make rounds through the restaurant, offering rotating selections of daily appetizers and fresh shellfish. As hard as it may be to resist ordering a half dozen of Mina’s savory selections, be sure to save room for dessert. The “Milk and Cookies” (tempura-fried cookie dough alongside a cup of malted milk foam) are not to be missed! | Average main: $38 | Fontainebleau Miami Beach, 4441 Collins Ave. | 305/674–4636 | www.michaelmina.net | Reservations essential | No lunch.
FAMILY | Roasters’ n Toasters.
$ | DELI | Formerly the longtime family establishment Arnie and Richie’s, this great casual haunt has preserved an intimate, Jewish deli feel that would make Arnie and Richie proud. The prices are slightly higher than back in the day, but the faithful still come for the onion rolls and smoked whitefish salad, as well as the new “Famous Zaftig Sandwich,” a deliciously juicy skirt steak served on twin challah rolls with a side of applesauce and mini potato pancackes. Service can be brusque, but it sure is quick. There are other locations in Pinecrest and Aventura. | Average main: $14 | 525 Arthur Goddrey Rd., Mid-Beach | Miami Beach, Florida, United States | 305/531–7691 | www.roastersntoasters.com | No dinner.
Seagrape.
$$$$ | ECLECTIC | Miami’s homegrown celebrity chef and television personality Michelle Bernstein has returned to her Florida roots—literally and figuratively—for her latest buzzworthy eatery. In a vintage- chic, old Florida setting accessed through the breezeway of the snazzy Thompson Miami Beach hotel in the growing Mid-Beach district, Bernstein presents the best of the sunshine states’s seafood, produce, and proteins, prepared simply yet skillfully such that each dish makes a statement. Popular dishes include the local fish ceviche, the coriander roasted beet salad, and the Thai-style whole crispy Florida snapper. | Average main: $36 | Thompson Miami Beach, 4041 Collins Ave. | 786/605–1043 | www.seagrapemiamibeach.com.
North Beach
Bal Harbour
Carpaccio Bal Harbour.
$$$ | MODERN ITALIAN | As expected for its ritzy location, this upscale restaurant matches its high-fashion neighbors, albeit in a refreshing manner. There’s no funky furniture nor slick decor, just simple white-clothed tables and charming Italian touches. Waiters don bow ties and coattails, even for lunch hours, yet are approachable in their knowledge and attentiveness. Made with the freshest ingredients, practically everything on the menu jumps out, though the handmade mozzarella antipasti, clam linguine, and namesake beef carpaccio are signature dishes. An extensive list of wines from Italy, California, and other worldly regions will perfectly complement your meal and offer a fitting end to a successful shopping excursion. TIP You won’t be alone appreciating the good service and food—Carpaccio is known for long lines wrapping around the restaurant, so it’s best to try and snag a table early. | Average main: $25 | Bal Harbour Shops, 9700 Collins Ave. | 305/867–7777 | www.carpaccioatbalharbour.com | Reservations not accepted.
J & G Grill.
$$$$ | MODERN FRENCH | In the ultraglamorous St. Regis Bal Harbour, celebrity Chef Jean-Gorges Vongerichten brings haute French fusion cuisine to the stunning Miami waterfront. The restaurant interiors flaunt a design sophistication that blends seamlessly with its host hotel. From beginning to end, a meal here is a true gastronomic tour de force, where dishes like the lobster bisque with butternut squash espuma and the porcini risotto with truffle brioche nary fall below the level of mind-blowing. While menu items change seasonally, there are always a number of can’t-miss JG signatures such as the Crispy Poached Egg Caviar with vodka crème fraîche. Save room for the decadent desserts from pastry chef Antonio Bachour; his French-inspired delights are pure foodie fantasia. | Average main: $46 | St. Regis Bal Harbour, 9703 Collins Ave. | Bal Harbour, Florida, United States | 305/993–3300 | www.jggrillmiami.com.
Fodor’s Choice | Makoto.
$$$$ | JAPANESE | Stephen Starr’s Japanese headliner, executed by celebrity Chef Makoto Okuwa, is one of the most popular restaurants in all of South Florida (and in this swanky shopping center, too). The ambience, service, and food all impress; and given its location in haute-couture central, the patrons definitely dress to impress. There are two menus, one devoted solely to sushi, sashimi, and maki; the other to Japanese cold and hot dishes like tempuras, meats, and vegetables grilled over Japanese charcoal (robata), rice and noodle dishes, and steaks and fish inspired by the Land of the Rising Sun. | Average main: $34 | Bal Harbour Shops, 9700 Collins Ave. | 305/864–8600 | www.makoto-restaurant.com.
Sunny Isles Beach
FAMILY | IKRA Restaurant & Lounge.
$$$$ | RUSSIAN | Catering predominantly to a flashy Russian clientele, Ikra (Russian for “caviar”) is a surprisingly good restaurant with abundant live entertainment in Sunny Isles, sure to please all nationalities. Don’t let the stripmall location fool you. Once you step inside, each of the three rooms is decorated in true South Beach style, with long, flowing white curtains, whitewashed wood floors, and tiered mirrors that make a statement. The kitchen serves up taste sensations by three specialized chefs, who can handily produce both Ukranian and Mediterranean cuisine. As expected, the caviar list is rather incredible, but the standard menu items like the artichoke carpaccio with shaved truffle and the tuna tartare also impress. There are always a number of nightly specials, often one that involves fresh lobster, so be sure to inquire. And like most Russian entertainment venues, IKRA is very kid friendly. Live entertainment is on tap in the main room, where exceptionally talented singers belt out jazz, blues, and Top 40; and DJs spin sets between the live sessions. | Average main: $31 | 16850 Collins Ave., No. 106 | 305/974–0081 | www.ikramiami.com | Reservations essential | No lunch.
Il Mulino New York - Sunny Isles Beach.
$$$$ | ITALIAN | For more than two decades, Il Mulino New York has ranked among the top Italian restaurants in Gotham, so it’s no surprise that the Miami outposts (one in Sunny Isles, one in South Beach) are similarly good. Even before the antipasti arrive, you may find yourself in a phenomenal carb coma from the complimentary fresh breads, the bruschetta, and fried zucchini. Everything that touches your palate is prepared to perfection, from simply prepared fried calamari and gnocchi pomodoro to the more complex scampi oregenata and ever-changing risottos. The Sunny Isle outpost is seductive, quiet, and intimate, and a favorite hangout of A-list celebs seeking a refined spot where crowds won’t gawk over their presence. | Average main: $52 | Acqualina Resort, 17875 Collins Ave. | 305/466–9191 | www.ilmulino.com/miami | Reservations essential.
Timó.
$$$ | ITALIAN | In a glorified strip mall, Timó (Italian for “thyme”) is worth the trip from anywhere in South Florida. It’s a kind of locals’ secret. The handsome bistro, owned and operated by Chef Tim Andriola, has dark-wood walls, Chicago brick, and a stone-encased wood-burning stove. Andriola has an affinity for robust Mediterranean flavors: sweetbreads with bacon, honey, and aged balsamic vinegar; inexpensive, artisanal pizzas; and homemade pastas. Wood-roasted meats and Parmesan dumplings in a truffle broth are not to be missed. Every bite of every dish attests to the care given, and the service is terrific. | Average main: $28 | 17624 Collins Ave. | Sunny Isles Beach | 305/936–1008 | www.timorestaurant.com | No lunch weekends.
Aventura
Bourbon Steak.
$$$$ | STEAKHOUSE | Michael Mina’s long-standing South Florida steak house has never gone out of style. The restaurant design is seductive, the clientele sophisticated, the wine list outstanding, the service phenomenal, and the food exceptional. Dinner begins with a skillet of fresh potato focaccia and chive butter. Mina then presents a bonus starter—his trio of famous fries (fried in duck fat) with three robust sauces. Appetizers are mainly seafood. The raw bar impresses and classic appetizers like the ahi tuna tartare are delightful and superfresh. Entrées like the Maine lobster potpie (with truffle cream) and any of the dozen varieties of butter-poached, wood-grilled steaks (from prime cuts to American Wagyu) are cooked to perfection. | Average main: $57 | Turnberry Isle Miami, 19999 W. Country Club Dr. | 786/279–6600 | www.michaelmina.net | Reservations essential.
Fodor’s Choice | Corsair.
$$$ | MEDITERRANEAN | At Corsair, Chopped judge Scott Conant doles out experiential, seasonally inspired farm-to-table fare prepared in Mediterranean style. From start to finish, each course serves as testimony to his deserved win on Chopped All-Stars, where he competed against other celebrity chefs to prove himself best-of-the-best. Even simple dishes like gnocchi pomodoro with basil and the roasted eggplant with burrata and tomato burst with complex flavors, ignited by use of fresh ingredients and skillful preparation. Larger plates, such as the decadent short rib beef of “lasagna” immersed in taleggio fonduta and the roasted diver scallops served over sunchoke puree and charred scallion salsa verde, also exemplify this caliber of blow-your-mind delectability. | Average main: $28 | Turnberry Isle Miami, 19999 W. Country Club Dr. | 786/279–6800 | www.turnberryislemiami.com.
Novecento Aventura.
$$$ | MODERN ARGENTINE | Miami can’t get enough of this lively Argentine bistro, where empanadas, picadas (sharing platters of small bites), sizzling steaks (including a grilled beef tenderloin in a Malbec demi-glace), and homemade pastas (a nod to Argentina’s Italian heritage) headline the menu. Following Novecento’s long-term success in Downtown Miami, NYC, and, of course, Buenos Aires, the restaurant has recently expanded across Miami and into Mexico and Uruguay, upping its outposts to a lucky 13. Like all Novecentos, the Aventura is a scene of who’s who in Miami’s Latin American society. The dim lighting, seductive ambience, and early-19th-century black-and-white imagery recall a bona fide Buenos Aires bistro, helping patrons forget that they are, in fact, in suburban Aventura. Besides the hearty eats, the wine list is excellent and surprisingly affordable. | Average main: $24 | Town Center Aventura, 18831 N. Biscayne Blvd. | Aventura | 305/466–0900 | www.novecento.com.