The best but hardest reservation to get in town. Chef Brad Kilgore is an alum of Alinea, which tells you right away the food he’s serving at his industrial-chic, Wynwood hotspot ain’t your typical Florida cuisine.
223 N.W. 23rd St.
Miami, FL 33127
+1-305-573-5996
The first American offshoot of this Toronto-based eatery brings vegan and vegetarian food the whole family will love to South Beach. Everything from the dehydrated watermelon sushi to the coconut-based ceviche tastes as good as it makes you feel.
850 Commerce St.
Miami Beach, FL 33139
+1-305-397-8513
You won’t know whether to focus more on the food in front of you or the decor around you — both elaborate, thoughtful, and just a little over the top. The seafood menu has strong Spanish influences, seen in everything from beet gazpacho and lobster fritters to Asian tacos with jamón Ibérico.
1300 S. Miami Ave.
Miami, FL 33130
+1-305-615-5859
One of NYC’s favorite eateries flew south for the winter, bringing with it chef Justin Smillie’s new California, Italian-influenced pastas, pizzas, and roast meats. Miami Beach is all the better for it.
49 Collins Ave.
Miami Beach, FL 33139
+1-305-602-9998
The place to come for a soul-warming bowl of pasta and a glass of wine in a charming, brick-walled setting that recalls an Italian taverna in NYC. Make a reservation on Thursday nights, when all the pastas on the menu are $10.
820 Alton Rd., 5506
Miami Beach, FL 33139
+1-305-534-2124
The first full-service restaurant from the folks behind Broken Shaker serves a global menu spotlighting South American, Caribbean, and Middle Eastern cuisine in a Roman & Williams-redesigned historic house within Freehand Miami.
2727 Indian Creek Dr.
Miami Beach, FL 33140
+1-786-476-7020
Blink and you’ll miss it, but for the lines and the crowd. They’re there for good reason, because this open-air taqueria serves compulsive Mexican tacos and street food. The tortillas are gluten-free, made fresh, and totally non-GMO. Leave room for the Mexican beers, and prepare to get back in line for another round of everything.
1351 Collins Ave.
Miami Beach, FL 33139
The only outpost of the legendary Amalfi Coast hotel is located at the Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club in north North Miami. But it’s worth the drive if you’re looking to experience the Italian vibe through the lush greenery, Neapolitan specialties, staff straight out of central casting, and an elegant, clubby atmosphere that makes you very happy you’re there.
9011 Collins Ave.
Surfside, FL 33154
+1-786-482-2280
Jean-Georges Vongerichten's 24-hour, 21st-century food bazaar inspired by the old markets of Madrid and Barcelona. Pass through enter through the Edition hotel’s jungle-like Lobby Bar to get in; buy indie magazines and handmade sunglasses from Berlin at the gift shop on the way out.
2901 Collins Ave.
Miami Beach, FL 33140
+1-786-257-4600
Top Chef winner Jeremy Ford’s solo debut dishes out seriously elevated cuisine. The wagyu loin fermented for ten days in koji will make you rethink what steak should be.
101 Washington Ave.
Miami Beach, FL 33139
+1-786-322-5211
On a rainy day (or after a long night), a bowl of delicious beef pho from this St. Rosh Market Vietnamese spot makes everything right.
140 NE 39th St., Suite 241
Miami, FL 33137
+1-916-915-8726
This seasonal South Miami spot sports a mouthwatering menu of updated Chinese classics. Don’t miss the turnip cake. It’s out of this world.
7400 S.W. 57th Ct.
South Miami, FL 33143
+1-786-577-0734
No, the Italian cuisine isn't nearly as good as everyone says it is. And, yes, it's way overpriced even for Miami. But Casa Tua is a restaurant institution in this city, so you can't fight it and you shouldn't try. Go along for the scene and the setting, which is undeniably lovely and romantic, in a charming house with a great garden.
1700 James Ave.
Miami, FL 33139
+1-305-673-1010
The juice bar and café is a local favorite. Everyone's ordering açai bowls and cold-pressed green juices. There are a few locations around Miami.
1935 W. Ave., Suite 102
Miami Beach, FL 33139
+1-786-472-2552
Miami's local roaster's Wynwood location is a hub for creative types, gallery owners, neighborhood people, and visitors. It's always bustling.
2390 NW 2nd Ave.
Miami, FL 33127
+1-305-677-3952
There will be lines out the door for the freshest tacos in town. But LA native and Doc Caminos former exec chef Scott Linquist makes it all worthwhile. Be sure to order: grilled cactus, quinoa tacos, potent margaritas.
2300 NW 2nd Ave., #3
Miami, FL 33127
+1-786-773-3337
The neighborhood restaurant where you are bound to find local foodies and people in the biz hanging out. They serve a variety of small plates from the robata grill, the sushi bar, and the bustling kitchen. Try the roasted bone marrow. So tasty.
3252 NE 1st Ave.
Miami, FL 33137
+1-786-369-0353
Before Downtown Miami's Wynwood became an open-air gallery filled with shops, cafes, and restaurants, there was Enriqueta's. Owned by Jose Luis Pla and his daughters, one look into their all-female galley-style kitchen makes it clear who is running the ship. They also have the best pan con bistec and possibly the best flan in all of Miami.
2830 NE 2nd Ave.
Miami, FL 33137
+1-305-573-4681
Step over the brightly colored Cuban titles of the sun-drenched Calle Ocho ice-cream shop and get comfortable on the guayabera-lined banquettes. Local favorites include Abuela Maria (vanilla blended with cream cheese, guava, and Maria crackers), guarapiña (sugar cane and pineapple juice), and egg-rich mantecado (Cuban vanilla), but there's always something new to try.
1503 SW 8th St.
Miami, FL 33135
+1-305-381-0369
Grab a seat outside, order some ceviche, and take in the spectacular views of downtown Miami and the bay. The fresh seafood and the great spin on tropical ingredients are what keep locals coming back.
EPIC Hotel, 16th Fl., 270 Biscayne Blvd. Way
Miami, FL 33131
+1-305-424-5234
Daniel Boulud’s Miami bistro outpost continues to serve up inventive takes on French and American fare five years in. It's easy-going, lively, and always delicious. If it's your first time, the Thursday prix-fixe menu of db Bistro Moderne's favorites makes for an excellent introduction.
255 Biscayne Blvd. Way
Miami, FL 33131
+1-305-421-8800
Midway through appetizers, the Design District restaurant will become your absolute favorite restaurant in Miami — the garden setting, the flickering lights overhead, the fresh fish, the impossibly delicious spreads.
4312 NE 2nd Ave.
Miami, FL 33137
+1-305-749-9140
Chef/owner Michael Schwartz brings fresh, unpretentious, and hearty small plates to Miami’s design district. Try to score a courtyard table for an alfresco Sunday brunch (get the lemon ricotta pancakes), or have a really late lunch at the bar (3 p.m. to 5.30 p.m.) For something more high-brow and intimate, Schwartz's nearby Cypress Tavern serves up great ingredient-driven and inventive food.
130 NE 40th St.
Miami, FL 33137
+1-305-573-5550
The most beautiful dining room in town is in the courtyard of Soho House. Sit under fairy lights and silver buttonwood trees as handmade pasta and seafood from Northern Italy is set before you. Plan ahead and get reservations for their popular Sunday brunch buffet.
4385 Collins Ave.
Miami Beach, FL 33140
+1-786-507-7902
It's sleek, it's cool, and it's so comfortable. There's a great outdoor patio covered with grape vines where you can indulge in homemade pastas and big glasses of wine.
2201 Collins Ave.
Miami Beach, FL 33139
+1-309-938-3111
Asian meets Spanish at this cozy space, with a novel plates of shortrib tartare on goat butter toast or mofongo in a shoyu broth. They now serve a dim sum brunch on Sundays, and if you want more raw fish, head over to Pubbelly Sushi next door. It's a tight space, but the good news is that they finally started taking reservations.
1418 20th St.
Miami Beach, FL 33139
+1-305-532-7555
Open since 1913, the SoBe institution continues to lure beach goers and revelers with stone crab claws and the beloved key lime pie. If you’re not in the mood for an old-school sit-down dinner, drop by the more casual version next door at Joe’s Take Away.
11 Washington Ave.
Miami Beach, FL 33139
+1-305-673-0365
One word: CHICKEN! Everything involving chicken at this Southern restaurant is a home run. Chicken and waffles, chicken biscuits, chicken under a brick, and, obviously, the famous Llewellyn's fried chicken. It's all deliciously Southern and unlike anything else in Miami.
1600 Lenox Ave.
Miami Beach, FL 33139
+1-305-538-5220
Go for the super fresh and inexpensive baguette sandwiches with incredible homemade mustard sauce. The French salami and camembert pairing is a favorite. Don't forget the vinaigrette.
229 14th St.
Miami Beach, FL 33139
+1-305-532-8934