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Restaurants in Miami
In Miami, there's a world of cuisine, from Asian fusion to classic all-American diners. Expensive establishments cluster around South Beach's Collins Avenue, including seafood restaurant Area 31. In Little Havana, you can find affordable Cuban coffee, late-night cocktails and ethnic menus from Cuban to Haitian. The up-and-coming Design District brims with laid-back restaurant-lounges. Most Miami restaurants close surprisingly early but there are late-opening bars along South Beach. Around 15% tip is expected.
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- Asian Food Hall
1-800-LUCKY
A 10,000-square-foot Asian food hall, smack in the middle of pricey Wynwood, is the spot for fast, casual, and kitschy, with seven different Asian restaurants to choose from serving everything from bubble tea and chunky ube cream cheese chewies, to dim sum, sushi, Thai food, ceviche,…$Wynwood - American
11th Street Diner
If this diner looks authentic it’s because it is. It was uprooted from its 1948 Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, foundation, dismantled, and rebuilt on this busy and colorful corner of Washington Avenue (a gay bar is right next door, so be on the lookout for flamboyant drag queens). Some…$South Beach - Mediterranean
aba
A Chicago import, aba’s gorgeous space is meant to evoke summer in the Med, with trees and lush greenery and a great menu to match. Smoky garlic hummus, Shawarma-spiced skirt steak, crispy chicken thigh with piquillo pepper and an assortment of kebabs, meze and raw stuff like an…$$$Miami Beach - Pizzeria
Andiamo Brick Oven Pizza
One of Miami's best pizza joints is a tire shop. Well, was. This stretch of Biscayne Boulevard is known for its MiMo (Miami Modern, from the 1950s and early [‘]60s) architecture, so it made sense to transform this retro-style 1960s tire shop into an indoor/ outdoor pizza pit stop. It…$Upper East Side - Guatemalan
Antigua Guatemala Cafetería
Most people still think of Little Havana as Cuban, but these days they’re actually outnumbered by Central Americans, and of this region’s cuisine, I’ve found Guatemalan the tastiest. Appointed in yellow adobe inside and out, this cozy, family-oriented spot in Little Havana is Miami’s…$Little Havana - New American
Ariete
Cuban American chef Michael Beltran grew up in Little Havana on his Cuban exile family’s cuisine—his grandparents worked at a bakery called Ariete—and honed his skills in the kitchens of the Floribbean pioneers who put the Miami food scene on the map: namely Chefs Norman van Aken and…$$$Coconut Grove - Mediterranean/French
Bâoli Miami
Cannes and South Beach are birds of a chichi feather, so when Le Bâoli made the grand jeté from Boulevard de la Croisette to Collins Avenue over a decade ago, it struck a chord with elite local partyati, celebs included (the publicists aren’t shy about name-dropping Beyoncé, Clooney,…$$$South Beach - American
Barton G. The Restaurant
Set on the quieter west side of South Beach, Barton G.—named after its owner, one of Miami’s most famous, over-the-top event-planners—is a place where presentation is paramount and made for social media posts. A popcorn-shrimp appetizer is served on a plateful of, yes, popcorn and…$$$South Beach - Global
Beaker & Gray
This brick-walled, dimly lit den of deliciousness attracts everyone from creatively mustachioed artists to tech titans to food fanatics. It’s warm, it’s inviting and it’s definitely at home in Wynwood, especially on Fridays for the Nigiri Happy Hour (4:30-7:30), when three kinds of…$$Wynwood - American
Big Pink
“Real Food for Real People” is their motto and its appropriate. Set on what used to be a gritty corner of Collins Avenue, Big Pink—owned by the folks at Prime 112—is the closest thing to a diner Miami gets, with the exception of the 11th Street Diner nearby. We’re talking: comforting…$South Beach - Sushi
Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill
Located in a restored Art Deco hotel on the northern end of South Beach, this New York City import has breezy outdoor seating and a bustling bar scene. But it’s the sushi the crowds come for. Blue Ribbon has all the classics, plus their own craveable signature rolls, like the…$$South Beach - Italian
Boia de
If you drive too fast out of the Design District and through residential Buena Vista, you’ll miss this strip mall with laundromat and supermarket in it, and you’d think, so? Well, behind that pink neon exclamation point is this marvel, a tiny, dimly lit, cute 30-seat space where…$$Upper Eastside - French
Bouchon
The grand poobah of California cuisine, Thomas Keller, has his place in the Four Seasons Surfside, but when he opened a branch of his west coast bistro in Coral Gables, the food fanatics were beside themselves with excitement. Housed in a gorgeous historic 1924 building, Bouchon…$$$Coral Gables - Mediterranean
Boulud Sud Miami
Star chef Daniel Boulud takes a trip across the Med at this NYC-import, with a menu drawing from France’s Côte d’Azur, Spain, Italy, Greece, Morocco, Tunisia, Lebanon, Israel, and Turkey. Start with octopus a la plancha with Marcona almonds, arugula and Valencia oranges and then…$$$Downtown - Spanish
Bulla Gastrobar
The kind of place where you can speak with a Catalonian lisp and fit right in, Bulla is the quintessential Spanish gastrobar, with small plates of chorizo, olives, Manchego cheese, shrimps in garlic and brandy, croquettas, gazpacho, patatas bravas, and so much more. Large plates of…$$Coral Gables - Argentinian
Bunbury
Located in the edgy Edgewater area of downtown Miami, this utterly charming Argentinian wine bar is housed in a converted tire shop and has mismatched furniture, bookcases filled with books, a terrace with twinkly lights and, oh yeah, owners who happen to be sommeliers too. It’s a…$$Edgewater - Cuban
Café La Trova
What started out as an homage to the fabulous supper clubs, music, and cocktail culture of pre-Castro Cuba by master mixologist Julio Cabrera, became an even more fabulous spot when Cabrera’s bestie, James Beard award-winning Miami chef Michelle Bernstein brought her modern Cuban…$$$Little Havana - Italian
Caffe Abbracci
★★ ITALIAN[em]As newcomers to the Coral Gables culinary scene come and go, this venerable Italian classic stays put, and for good reason. Though its affable owner passed away in 2022, his legacy lives on through his two daughters, who would make their dad proud with their polished…$$$Coral Gables Casa Tua
The stunning Casa Tua is a sleek and chic, country Italian-style establishment set in a refurbished 1925 Mediterranean-style house-cum-hotel. It has several dining areas, including a resplendent outdoor garden, comfy Ralph Lauren–esque living room, and a communal eat-in kitchen. If…$$$South Beach- Peruvian
Chalán on the Beach
I’m finding the cuisine of Peru seems to be the flavor of the decade in Miami, which has of course spawned lots of overpriced nouvel treatment. But this beige-tiled longtime stalwart (founded by Mario Abanto in 1997) is the real, honest Inca deal, with its classic takes on ceviche,…$$South Beach - Steakhouse
Christy’s
Old school Coral Gables is alive and well at this clubby steakhouse in all its red-hued and woodsy glory, in biz since 1978. The scene of many power lunches and dinners, Cristy’s is an upper crusty classic that exudes old Coral Gables, but yet somehow feels new in that what’s old is…$$$Coral Gables - Cuban American
Chug’s Diner
Michelin man Michael Beltran of Ariete fame decided to experiment a little with the greasy spoon concept, but when a chef as talented as Beltran plays mad scientist, his creation is genius, and never greasy. This retro-modern riff on a Cuban American diner featuring booths, counter…$$Coconut Grove - Fast Food
Dogma Grill
A little bit of L.A. comes to a gritty stretch of Biscayne Boulevard in the form of this very tongue-in-cheeky hot dog stand. The brainchild of a former MTV executive, Dogma is a great option when you want something grilled fast, but not yellow arches fast, offering a plethora of…$Upper Eastside - Modern American
Eating House
When then rising Chef Giorgio Rapicavoli won Food Network’s “Chopped” he parlayed his win not into TV or brand activations, but into a pop-up restaurant that was so widely acclaimed it became one of Miami’s most in demand brick & mortar reservations for an impressive ten-year…$$$Coral Gables - Cuban
El Palacio de los Jugos
Although the original is on West Flagler Street, this Little Havana outpost of the Cuban culinary landmark is just as good, if not better, serving fresh squeezed juices (guava, papaya, sugar cane, mango), tropical shakes, and some of the most authentic Cuban fare this side of Havana…$Little Havana - Cuban
El Rey de las Fritas
One of the town’s best fritas, the tasty Cuban take on the hamburger, is given extra zing by pork, savory chorizo sausage, spices such as paprika, a secret-ingredient dressing, and a serving of fried julienned potatoes. This brightly-lit, diner-ish-feeling Little Havana joint on…$Little Havana - Comfort Food
Enriquetta’s Sandwich Shop
Before this area was filled with pricey condos, shops, restaurants and hipsters, Enriquetta’s was—and still is—a magnet for area workers looking for a fast and filling combo of Cafecito, Cuban sandwich and croquettas—cheap (everything is under $10)! Even erstwhile resident David…$Midtown - Italian
Fiola
This Michelin-starred Washington, D.C. Italian import is as fancy as it gets, featuring Fabio Trabocchi’s feastworthy cuisine, perfect for special occasions. Dinner is an experience here, with tasting menus and all kinds of rare and pricey caviars, plus a bison steak tartare as rare…$$$Coral Gables - French
Frenchie’s Diner
The cutest little French bistro in town, this isn’t really a diner, it’s more of a Left Bank lingering spot that looks like someone smuggled it in their luggage straight from Montmartre. The indoor/outdoor café has all the classics—French onion soup, escargot, foie gras, charcuterie,…$$$Coral Gables - Seafood
Garcia’s Seafood Grille & Fish
In 1976, the Cuban refugee García brothers added a restaurant side to the seafood market and wholesaler they’d founded a decade earlier, and today it’s a cherished institution for locals with a hankering for edibles from the ocean. Its location very much off the beaten path—along the…$$Downtown - Indian
Ghee Indian Kitchen
Oh. Em. Ghee. Yep, we had to do that, but it’s totally appropriate, because this Indian spot put sleepy South Miami suburb Kendall (or as it’s now known as, “Downtown Dadeland”) on the map for culinary excellence. Here, Chef Nivel Patel, former chef de cuisine at the Design…$$Kendall - International
Glass & Vine
Housed in the former Coconut Grove Library, this massive, mostly outdoor, 200-seat restaurant highlights the natural beauty of the Grove, with sprawling garden seating beneath the twinkly-lit trees dotting Peacock Park. As gorgeous as it is at night, daytime doesn’t disappoint, with…$$Coconut Grove - Nicaraguan
Guayacán
A Little Havana stalwart since 1987, this restaurant, named for the ironwood tree, showcases the tasty specialties of the single-largest nationality of Little Havana’s now majority Central American population in the kind of cozy, woody setting I recall from small towns in Nicaragua.…$Little Havana - Chinese
Hakkasan
Tucked away on the fourth floor of the labyrinthine Fontainebleau, Hakkasan exudes a nightclubby, Vegas vibe with thumping music, and scantily clad diners. Although we’re of the hole-in-the-wall school of Chinese, we can’t deny the fact that this is some seriously good, gourmet food,…$$$Miami Beach - Japanese
Hiyakawa
Straight out of a design magazine, the dining room here is framed by wood panels arranged in organically undulating concentric rings. It’s a mesmerizing, minimalistic look and the minimalism is intentional, so that diners focus on their meals. Those consist of modern Japanese cuisine…$$$Midtown - Pan-Latin
Jaguar Ceviche Spoon Bar & LatAm Grill
PAN-LATIN Way too wordily named, but never mind. To me, Jaguar presents the perfect Miami mix of contemporary Latino feel, flavor, and accessible prices. This colorful, cheerful dining room with sidewalk seating right in downtown Coconut Grove obviously gives pride of place to its…$$Coconut Grove - Diner
Jimmy’s Eastside Diner
The only thing wrong with this quintessential greasy-spoon diner is that it’s not open 24 hours. Other than that, for the cheapest breakfasts in town, not to mention lunches and early dinners, Jimmy’s is a dream come true. Try the banana pancakes, corned-beef hash, roasted chicken,…$Upper East Side - Seafood
Joe’s Stone Crab
From humble origins in Joe Weiss’ lunch counter in 1913, this now enormous, retro-feeling classic in southernmost South Beach, run by his descendants like a well-oiled machine, may no longer be the last word in seafood hereabouts. But attention must be paid, as Mrs. Loman would say.…$$$South Beach - International
Joey Aventura
This massive Canadian import is a stunner—a two-level, indoor-outdoor space with 241 seats, floor to ceiling windows (a nice touch after a day of shopping in what feels like a Vegas casino), stone, greenery and artwork from contemporary artists Elsbeth Shaw and Valerie Capewell. Its…$$$North Miami Beach - Food Hall
Julia & Henry’s
This food hall, named after Miami pioneers Julia Tuttle and Henry Flagler, is spectacular, housed in an Art Deco landmark on the National Register of Historic Places, with neon-lit glass elevator from which you’d almost expect Willy Wonka and his golden ticketed to emerge. It has…$$Downtown - French
L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon
Master French chef Robuchon passed away in 2018, but not before opening a branch of his lauded homage to haute cuisine in a gorgeous Miami Design District setting. Guests ascend a spiral staircase to the second floor and sit at a 34-seat counter where they watch a team of Robuchon…$$$Midtown - Seafood
La Camaronera Seafood Joint
A casual spot with open kitchen and constant crowds, this is the place to go for fried seafood in various incarnations—sandwiches, platters, and even burritos. The most famous dish here is the pan con minuta, a whole, lightly fried snapper filet (tail included) on a Cuban bun with…$Little Havana - Asian Peruvian Fusion
La Mar by Gaston Acurio
The Emeril of Peru, star chef Gaston Acurio has over 45 restaurants around the world, including this one, with magnificent waterfront and skyline views and an expert executive chef, Diego Oka, who churns out a phenomenal fusion of Asian and Peruvian cuisine. This chilihead uses a lot…$$$Downtown - Sandwiches
La Sandwicherie
This gourmet sandwich bar, open until the crack of dawn, caters to ravenous club kids, biker types, and the body artists who work in the tattoo parlor next door. For many people, in fact, no night of clubbing is complete without capping it off with a delish sub (hoagie, sandwich,…$South Beach - French
Le Bouchon du Grove
This very authentic bistro is French right down to the waitstaff, who may speak only French to you, forgetting they’re in the heart of Coconut Grove, U.S.A. But it matters not. The food, prepared by an animated French (what else?) chef, is good, sometimes very good, sometimes great.…$$Coconut Grove - Patagonian
Los Fuegos by Francois Mallmann
Mallmann, Argentina’s most famous chef, is known for live fire cooking, a Patagonian method of barbecue. He’s bringing the heat to Miami Beach with this exquisitely elegant (even with the leopard print booths), culinarily theatrical, Michelin-anointed restaurant. So what does live…$$$Miami Beach - Bar Food
Lost Boy Dry Goods
Mismatched couches, brick walls, Elvis pictures, Madonna music: there’s no mistaking you’re in a neighborhood bar when you’re here. But the food is cheap, and solidly tasty, like the $15 “Midnight Special” Cuban sandwich, and the $13 Chicago dog. Best bargain of all is the $10…$Downtown - French
LPM
The French Riviera-inspired LMP (Le Petit Maison) comes to Brickell in all its froufrou fanfare: harlequin mirrors, fine linens, fresh flowers, zinc bar and a bossa nova soundtrack. Their Niçoise-style cuisine is a tasty trip to places where yachties dock for the summer: escargots de…$$$Downtown - Pizza
Lucali
When people around here crave NY-style pizza, they head to this Sunset Harbor neighborhood mainstay, a Brooklyn import that’s the closest Miami comes. Not a slice joint, it’s a fancy pizza place with pies crafted from hand-thrown dough. There are not many toppings you can add, but…$South Beach - Thai
Lung Yai Thai Tapas
However this Thai spot ended up in Little Havana doesn’t matter. What matters is that you find it, you wait (no reservations accepted) and you enjoy every bit of Bangkok-born Chef/owner Veenuthri Trisransri’s Thai street food, served tapas-style and, for those of us who love…$$Little Havana - Italian
Macchialina
This 70-seat, rustic Italian neighborhood fave has garnered major accolades, from James Beard to Wine Spectator, thanks to chef/owner Michael Pirolo’s pasta precision and soulful Italian cooking, and his sister Jacqueline's sommelier savvy. The menu starts with appetizers like a…$$South Beach - Japanese
Makoto
Do not call Makoto Okuwa a sushi chef. First of all, he’s an Iron Chef, former sous to fellow Iron Chef Morimoto, and second of all and possibly most importantly, he’s an Edomae Sushi Chef, meaning his kind of sushi is of an old-world Japanese tradition that is now considered haute…$$$Miami Beach - Pizza
Miami Slice
Pizza places serving just a slice in Miami are as rare as a snowstorm, but this downtown spot near the performing arts center allows you to order just that: order a SLICE. And this is a slice you will probably want more than one of. Choose margherita or go a little fancier with…$Downtown - New American
Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink
Since it opened in 2007, local foodies (and a few savvy visitors) have embraced this little Design District bistro wedged into a breezeway amid chichi showrooms and art galleries, because of its unassuming owner-chef Michael Schwartz and its mission to be Miami’s locavore ground zero…$$Design District - Seafood
Mignonette
★★ SEAFOOD[em]A pioneer in the now bustling Edgewater neighborhood, this seafood bistro is an ideal spot for bivalves and bubby before or after a show at the nearby performing arts center or arena. Informal, yet stylish, the diminutive downtown spot serves some of the freshest…$$$Edgewater - American
Morgans
In 2024, Wynwood’s breakfast and lunch go-to left the lavender house where it spent 14 years for a bigger location six blocks away. And though it’s not nearly as homey as it was—the new location is much more chic and entirely indoors, with full bar, banquettes and lounge—Morgans is…$$Wynwood - Mediterranean
Motek
Named for the word “sweetheart” in Hebrew, Motek has six locations in Miami—Brickell, Coral Gables, Downtown, South Beach and Miami Beach—but the one at the Aventura mall is its flagship. While the food here is called “Kosher style”, it’s not certified Kosher because they serve…$$North Miami Beach - Japanese
NAOE Miami
Simply put, NAOE is Japanese for “OMG omakase.” Okay, not really, but chef Kevin Cory sure makes you think so with his exquisitely prepared, hyperfresh sushi and Japanese fare. Their motto: “It’s not fresh, it’s alive.” This may be the closest Miami gets to Tokyo. NAOE only serves…$$$Downtown - Cafe
Neverland Coffee Bar
If you can find this place you will love it. A hideaway across the Brightline tracks and the hustle and bustle of Aventura, Neverland is a charmer, inspired by European coffeehouses where people come to work, watch people and actually—we swear—talk to other people over cups of…$North Miami Beach - Spanish
NIU Kitchen
★★★ SPANISH [em] The MO in this cool, cozy (ok, fine, tiny) Catalonian tapas spot is “plates to share, glasses to clink,” as Barcelona native, Chef Deme Lomas, throws down some damned good dishes, from charbroiled oysters and Branzino tartare with white garlic cold soup to Lomas’s…$$Downtown - Asian Fusion
Pao by Paul Qui
Paul Qui won season 9 of “Top Chef” but became a headline name, sadly, when he was accused of assaulting his girlfriend. Eventually, charges were dropped, Qui went into rehab, and moved from Texas to Florida to open this restaurant. If you believe in second chances, you owe it to…$$$Miami Beach - French
Pastis Miami
A clone of the NYC Meatpacking District brasserie, Pastis brings a little of that neighborhood and Paris to Wynwood with its tobacco-stained sexiness, curved zinc bar, and signature banquettes. What’s unique to this location is the gorgeous outdoor garden and courtyard under a black…$$Midtown - Steakhouse
Prime One Twelve
Consistently one of the highest-grossing restaurants in the country, and a favorite among athletes, celebs and rappers, its clubby ambience and bustling bar (complete with dried strips of bacon in lieu of nuts) play second fiddle to the beef, which is arguably the best in the entire…$$$South Beach - Cuban
Puerto Sagua
Surrounded these days by chichi shops, this blast-from-the-past Latin dive—with wood paneling, fluorescent lighting, a drop ceiling, and stick-to-your-ribs Cuban fare—has been and remains popular with generations of old-timers, late-night partiers, and a motley mélange of locals and…$South Beach - Japanese
Queen Miami Beach
Some $40 million dollars were poured into this jaw droppingly stunning Art Deco landmark (the Henry Hohauser-designed Paris Theater) to turn it into this temple of fine Japanese dining. I know you can’t eat the decor but it certainly is delicious: an old Hollywood meets modern day…$$$South Beach - Soul Food
Red Rooster Overtown
Established by Black workers who built Miami’s railroads and hotels, Overtown was the Harlem of the South, where, in the 50s and 60s, the likes of Ella Fitzerald and Louis Armstrong stayed when performing across the causeway on Miami Beach. Overtown was decimated when I-95 was built…$$$Downtown - Steakhouse
RED South Beach
When this high-styled, clubby/contemporary meatery from Cleveland opened 2 blocks away from Prime One Twelve in 2008, many laughed, assuming it would be gone soon. But it held its own in the glitzy shadow of its neighbor thanks to spectacularly seasoned steaks that don’t taste like…$$$South Beach - Outdoor Food Court
Regatta Grove
An outdoor version of a food hall, Regatta Grove has what the aforementioned doesn’t: waterfront views. It also has four restaurants by Michelin-starred and James Beard Award-nominated chefs. Top Chef” season 13 winner Jeremy Ford’s JJ’s (Guilty Pleasures)” slings fancy burgers and…$Coconut Grove - International
Reunion Kitchn Bar
Even though we scream, “Vanna, we’d like to buy a vowel” every time we see this restaurant’s name, we ignore the obvious because the food is really xcellent—heh—at this buzzy neighborhood strip mall spot. The industrial chic, hip, cozy, reclaimed wood-sy vibe immediately makes you…$$North Miami Beach - International
Rusty Pelican
A landmark Key Biscayne waterfront restaurant since 1972, Rusty Pelican has gone through many incarnations but has survived and outlasted so much—hurricanes, overdevelopment, the city’s many growth spurts and more. While some consider it a, well, rusty tourist trap, its view-rich…$$$Key Biscayne - Sandwiches
Sanguich
After wowing crowds with its Cuban sandwiches crafted inside a shipping container, Sanguich transformed into a walk-up window and tiny (and cute) Little Havana luncheonette with counter seating and a few tables, turning out some of the best sandwiches you will ever eat. The big draw…$Little Havana - Colombian
Sanpocho
For the best Colombian food, this strip mall sensation is it, with only 14 tables and takeout, with long lines especially at lunch. Come with an empty stomach because they don’t skimp here: the national dish, bandeja paisa, is a massive plate of beans, rice, arepa, chorizo, plantain,…$Little Havana - Italian
Sardinia
A quiet sensation in South Beach terms, low key Sunset Harbor neighborhood standby Sardinia doesn’t need celebrity sightings and publicists to boost its business. And it’s not your typical caprese salad and fusilli pasta factory, either. For starters, the cheese and salumi plates…$$South Beach - Asian
Sexy Fish
The London-imported Sexy Fish is worthy of its name for its over-the-top opulent, glamorous décor, which features art by contemporary masters Damien Hirst, Frank Gehry, and Michael Roberts. The cuisine is meant to evoke an “underwater world inspired with creative menus [and]…$$$Downtown - Seafood
Shucker’s Waterfront Bar & Grill
One of the few rustic waterfront restaurants in the entire city, Shucker’s has been bringing in the beer and boat crowd for nearly three decades. It’s the kind of place you can feel comfortable wearing a bathing suit. But its casual vibe, good bar fare—chicken wings, beer steamed…$Miami Beach - Steakhouse
STK
STK once boasted it was “not your daddy’s steakhouse”. It may not be such a youngster on the meat scene anymore, but it’s still highly recommendable. It’s also still sexy in its older age, featuring a second-floor catwalk perfect for being seen. Because that’s just what you want to…$$$South Beach - American
Stubborn Seed
Chef Jeremy Ford, season 13 winner of “Top Chef” and star of TruTv’s whacky “Fast Foodies”, is a whimsical guy, but when it comes to cuisine, he’s as serious as it gets. This understatedly chic 70-seat hot spot, named for, as Ford says, “Our stubborn approach to what we do and what…$$$South Beach - American
Sweet Liberty Drinks & Supply Company
An off the beaten path cocktail mecca that’s industrial-chic-with-a-twist-of- country in looks, Sweet Liberty was put on the map by its creative boozy concoctions. But it also has a menu that impresses—and seesaws between high end fare, and reimagined comfort food faves. On the…$$South Beach - French/Lebanese
Tablé by Bachour
This Design District darling is owned by master baker Antonio Bachour, a man known for known pastries worthy of a place in an art gallery. So it goes without saying that the breads and desserts are superb (camembert cheesecake: OMG). But what’s a surprise at this sherbert colored,…$$Design District - Vietnamese
Tam Tam
Inspired by “quán nhậu”—a Vietnamese term for “drinking places”—Tam Tam is owned by a husband and husband team, one of whom spent two years teaching in Vietnam, the other a native of Saigon. They were underwhelmed by Miami’s Vietnamese options so created this friendly place, which…$$Downtown - Mexican
Taquiza Tacos
This off-the-beaten path Mexican taquería serves up seriously good tacos and street fare thanks to their signature blue masa, stone ground daily with corn from the Midwest and hand pressed into homemade tortillas and totopos (hand-pressed blue corn masa chips, yum). There are only…$Miami Beach - Latin American
Terras
Little Havana’s only rooftop bar and restaurant, Terras, located on the fourth floor of the Life House Hotel, which also features gardens from which the fruits, vegetables and herbs in many of the cocktails and dishes are sourced. It has a small menu of South American-, Caribbean-…$Little Havana - Cafe
The Café at Books & Books
There’s nothing like the smell of a just cracked new book along with your grilled cheese or tuna melt, which is why this indie bookstore café is one of our favorites. Grab a book, a magazine (they still have those!), and a seat in the alfresco courtyard and sit as long as you want…$Coral Gables - Seafood
The River Oyster Bar
Open since 2003, this remains a buzzy and unpretentious spot for some of the best oysters in town, shipped in fresh daily from all over the world. Other hits on the menu include mushroom crusted black grouper, gnocchi and jumbo lump blue crab, and for the landlubber, Brasstown Ranch,…$$Downtown - Continental
The Surf Club Restaurant
Thomas Keller is the OG of destination dining. His Napa Valley Restaurant, the French Laundry—named “Best Restaurant on the Planet” umpteen times, by umpteen different publications—draws visitors from around the world, people who travel all the way to Northern California just to…$$$Miami Beach - Chinese
Tropical Chinese
What’s particularly “Miami” about a Chinese restaurant, you might wonder? Ordinarily not much, but over the years this attractively decorated space tucked into the unprepossessing Tropical Park Plaza strip mall west of Coral Gables has become a beloved institution for residents of a…$$Westchester - Fusion
twenty seven
It’s so very Miami for one of the city’s best restaurants to be located in a hostel. Ok, it’s the Freehand hostel so it’s a bit elevated, but still. The juxtaposition is almost as delicious as the food. There’s a tuna crudo that I could eat daily, but I would also need a daily…$$Miami Beach - Cuban
Versailles
Calle Ocho’s most famous mainstay as well as Miami’s best known Cuban icon, Versailles (pronounced “ver-SIGH-yes”) is something of a marvel not just for longevity (est. 1971) but also its prices and look. We don’t know if its kitschy mirrors and chandeliers were meant to evoke the…$Little Havana - Nouvel Cuban
YUCA
To happen across it today, you’d think this is just another fancy Lincoln Road Latin restaurant-cum-nightspot. It’s got that whole Deco-meets-sleek-white-chic thing going on; floor-to-ceiling windows; live música cubana every Thursday and Saturday evening. But YUCA (Spanish for…$$$South Beach - Bakery/Cafe
Zak the Baker
An independent, artisan bakery from which many local restaurants source their breads, Zak the Baker is a Kosher carb lovers’ dream come true, with a full-service café and onsite bakery. Of the breads—oh, those breads—the Jewish rye sourdough, is a crunchy, crusty mashup of two two…$Midtown - Asian Fusion
Zitz Sum
Chef Pablo Zitzmann beat Bobby Flay in his own kitchen, and you’ll see why at this sexy, dark and windowless Michelin-starred spot. Zitzmann, who grew up in a German/Mexican immigrant household in Bogota, Colombia says that Asian flavors were “The Ramones” of food for him, and you’ll…$$$Coral Gables
