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Fiola
Photograph: Courtesy Fiola

The 41 best restaurants in Miami to book right now

Eat your way through Miami’s top dining destinations.

Written by
Virginia Gil
,
Falyn Wood
&
Eric Barton
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March 2024: Miami's in its peak season, so good luck scoring a table anywhere decent without a reservation. Still, March is a delicious month in the Magic City. Stone crabs and oysters are still very much in season and the weather is just begging for you to sit outside, so consider a waterfront restaurant or rooftop bar for your next amazing meal out in Miami.

Our top places to eat in the city are a true mix of flavors and feels, from white tablecloth fine dining—like some of Miami’s best steakhouses— to tried-and-tested cheap eats in Miami that never, ever disappoint. And where there’s a solid cocktail there’s likely to be an epic dish that follows, so expect to run into some of Miami’s best bars on this list.

Just as we've always done, Time Out’s local experts scour the city daily for great eats, great value and insider info. We emphasize fun, flavor and freshness at every price point, and update this list monthly with standout finds. If it’s on the list, whether it's a short-lived pop-up or a mega clubstaurant, we think it’s awesome and hope you will, too.

Best restaurants in Miami

  • Restaurants
  • Contemporary American
  • West Coconut Grove
  • price 2 of 4

What is it? At Ariete in Coconut Grove, Michael Beltran flourishes at the intersection of homestyle Cuban cooking and contemporary fine dining. He takes familiar dishes up a notch with high-low ingredient pairings that never feel too forced: From grilled oysters with bone marrow and uni butter to a "pan con bistec"-style A5 ribeye with caramelized onion and papitas, it all kind of makes sense. 

Why we love it: Few restaurants can prepare a duck in as many ways or with the same level of precision. But then again, few offer a tableside pressed duck experience like Ariete.

  • Restaurants
  • Italian
  • Buena Vista
  • price 2 of 4

What is it? A cross between an L.A. strip mall gem and a cozy Brooklyn dive, Boia De sits on the edge of Buena Vista and Little Haiti, where it serves modern, Italian-inspired dishes and low-ABV cocktails that taste not a drop less celebratory.

Why we love it: Chefs Luciana Giangrandi and Alex Meyer pour themselves into this place, constantly reinventing the classics. The beef tartare, for example, is topped with a crunchy shallot-garlic concoction as well as capers, which are fried for a burst of briny flavor, and then the whole thing is smothered in a yummy tonnato sauce, a tuna-based Italian condiment that holds everything together like some kind of fancy picnic salad. The pasta is fresh and the wine list is superb, offering a few skin-contact options to coax you out of your comfort zone.

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  • Restaurants
  • American
  • Surfside
  • price 4 of 4

What is it? Thomas Keller’s restaurant inside the Four Seasons Surf Club is a shining example of the quality and elegance the chef is known for.

Why we love it: From the tightly edited classic American menu to the midcentury stylings to the special moments afforded by the numerous tableside preparations available, it’s all class, baby. Go in knowing you’re going to spend a small fortune—but it’ll all be worth it for shareable dishes like the flaky beef Wellington that’s baked and carved to order.

What is it? Zitz Sum is a modern, Asian-inspired restaurant in Coral Gables.

Why go? Chef and owner Pablo Zitzmann started his solo dumpling business during lockdown, and we couldn’t be happier for his success. Zitz Sum is now a brick-and-mortar in Coral Gables, which means we can pop in at any time for his hand-rolled dumplings, scallion pancakes and other Asian-influenced dishes. Zitzmann, who’s of German-Mexican heritage, lets his creativity run free with unexpected pairings like charred cabbage with habanero butter and wonton in brodo with chicken and foie gras. 

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  • Restaurants
  • American creative
  • South of Fifth
  • price 4 of 4

What is it? Top Chef winner Jeremy Ford’s edgy neighborhood restaurant doles inspired new American cuisine you’ll be craving long after your meal.

Why we love it: Besides earning a Michelin star, Stubborn Seed has the kind of wow factor you don’t see often in these parts of South Beach, where it’s all sparklers and velvet ropes (yes, even at restaurants). There’s a thoughtful subtleness to Ford’s cooking, which we find at once unconventional and familiar. 

  • Restaurants
  • Vietnamese
  • Downtown
  • price 2 of 4

What is it? Tâm Tâm began as a pandemic project, then a series of special collab dinners and now, finally, a brick-and-mortar restaurant serving creative and highly shareable Vietnamese dishes in a nostalgic Downtown Miami dining room.

Why go? Unlike other pop-ups that haven’t managed to figure out much beyond the food, Tâm Tâm nails every aspect: vibe, service and its dishes, which you’ll find yourself craving over and over again.

Order this: The crazy-crispy wings in caramel fish sauce

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Eric Barton
Contributor
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  • Restaurants
  • Peruvian
  • Brickell Key
  • price 4 of 4

What is it? Gastón Acurio’s renowned Peruvian restaurant inside the Mandarin Oriental, Miami, where the supremely talented Diego Oka runs the show.

Why we love it: It takes serious talent to skillfully execute the complicated raw dishes La Mar puts out daily, and chef Oka’s got it in droves. His precision and technique are on display in every ceviche and tiradito adorned by foams and edible flowers. La Mar’s waterfront patio is another sight for sore eyes, offering diners a 360-degree vista of Downtown and Brickell. Swoon.

Time Out tip: La Mar's epic weekend is one of the best values in town as far as high-end experiences go. Diners get their choice of entreé in addition to the sprawling buffet, featuring individually portioned ceviche and other raw-bar favorites. There's also an anticucho station and a build-your-own sancocho bar sure to cure even the most hungover souls. 

  • Restaurants
  • Korean
  • Design District

What is it? The Miami outpost of this Michelin-starred Korean steakhouse from New York City is every bit worth the splurge—and splurge you will.

Why we love it? Cote brings a new level of dining experience to Miami, one that’s upscale but approachable and with a high-end menu that’s still got plenty of heart. The tables are equipped with smokeless charcoal grills, where servers cook your dry-aged beef for you. Lest you forget the caliber of the restaurant, there’s no chance you’re going home smelling like you’ve been on the ‘cue yourself. (We can’t say the same about other Korean barbecue joints we’ve frequented.)

Time Out tip: First time? The Butcher’s Feast tasting experience is a great way to sample the restaurant’s heavy hitters for an accessible $74 per person. It’ll leave plenty of room in the budget to savor one of the excellent craft cocktails, such as the Esteban, a super smooth mezcal negroni.

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  • Restaurants
  • French
  • Brickell
  • price 4 of 4

What is it? This enchanting import from London draws on the Mediterranean for inspiration, serving a medley of seafood plates alongside a smattering of Provençal dishes you might find on the French Riviera.

Why we love it? Try the escargot, the whole sea bream baked en papillote and the french fries, which are made with as much care as the entrées. The spuds cook for hours, going from boiling pot to fryer to oven. 

Time Out tip: The fresh tomato and bread service will catch you off guard if it’s your first time dining at LPM, but don’t be afraid to grab a knife and slice right in.

  • Restaurants
  • Contemporary American
  • Design District
  • price 3 of 4

What is it? James Beard Award-winning chef Michael Schwartz’s premier restaurant in the Design District is one of those iconic Miami institutions that you’re supposed to like, and you invariably will.

Why we love it: Even putting buzz, accolades, celebrity sightings and longevity aside, the Design District staple still wows us after 16 years. It's even more impressive now following a renovation that saw it expand its footprint, widen its bar seating and grow its menu to reflect seasonal dining trends—think a wild mushroom pot pie and wood-roasted grouper served with clams and tomato broth.

Time Out tip: The food and atmosphere walk the line between casual and showy, making it the perfect standby for a quick happy-hour cocktail, a business lunch or a date-night dinner of oysters, duck confit and pour upon pour of wine.

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  • Bars
  • Cocktail bars
  • Downtown
  • price 3 of 4

What is it? This cozy (and boozy) Downtown bar and restaurant earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand award for its delicious handmade pasta and delicate crudos served in a hip, familial setting.

Why we love it: Synergetic owners Chef Carey Hynes and bar director Will Thompson manage to complement each other each step of the way. There’s no fino martini without an order of the market crudo, no Madame Butterfly without the Parker house rolls and no Very Strong Baby without a heaping bowl of spicy rigatoni to make sure you’re not a Very Drunk Diner.

Time Out tip: There are three parts to the perfect meal at Jaguar Sun: a martini, a pasta and an ice cream sandwich. Everything else is the cherry on top.

  • Restaurants
  • Greek
  • Buena Vista
  • price 2 of 4

What is it? Styled after the striking white-and-blue paint seen in Cycladic landscapes, Mandolin is a dreamy outdoor eatery serving traditional Greek food.

Why we love it: There’s no better date spot. The menu of shareable dishes—think mezzes, baskets of freshly baked pita bread and a fresh whole grilled fish for two—helps play up the romantic atmosphere. Mandolin’s satisfying homemade sangria really evokes the feeling of an island vacation, but don’t take too many sips: You might just confuse its whitewashed exterior for Santorini.

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  • Restaurants
  • Mexican
  • Coconut Grove
  • price 2 of 4

What is it? This regional Mexican restaurant in Coconut Grove takes its tortillas, and just about everything else it does, very seriously.

Why we love it: For starters, the tortillas here are made from imported Mexican corn ground by a volcano rock in a molino. Then there's the blooming carpaccio of beets that resembles a springtime flower and the blue corn quesadilla with multi-colored squash blossoms fanning out from the opening. Be it vegan, vegetarian or meaty pibil, every single dish shows immense attention to detail.  

Time Out tip: On Saturdays, enjoy your dinner as a DJ spins vinyl records.

  • Restaurants
  • Indian
  • Dadeland

What is it? At Ghee, acclaimed chef Niven Patel doles out farm-to-table Southeast Asian food good enough to get folks to the ’burbs for dinner.

Why we love it: Patel grows about a quarter of his ingredients at his Rancho Patel in Homestead. And the whole operation is a family affair: His mother and mother-in-law can be seen whipping up smoked lamb neck, crispy cauliflower and steamed green millet, and other specialties in the open kitchen. The dishes are seasonal, the curries are made fresh, and the naan is so flavorful, it should really be savored on its own.

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  • Restaurants
  • Bakeries
  • Little Haiti / Lemon City
  • price 1 of 4

What is it? Its smash-hit food truck was a favorite among those whose preferred Saturday morning activity was waiting in line for food. Then, El Bagel’s MiMo brick-and-mortar became the chosen breakfast pilgrimage of people with incredible patience. Now, find a second (possibly even busier) outpost in Coconut Grove.

Why we love it: Takeout at this small shop can take up to two hours but no one craving a fresh, NYC-style hand-rolled bagel can resist. 

Order this: The B.E.C. with Proper Sausages bacon, egg, and cheese and the avo smash with a mound of fresh sprouts are day-one favorites you can still get at the shop. 

  • Restaurants
  • Peruvian
  • Midtown
  • price 3 of 4

What is it? Maty’s is an homage to chef Valerie Chang’s Peruvian roots and her grandmother, Maty, who inspired her to cook. 

Why we love it: Previously at the helm of the lauded Nikkei concept Itamae alongside her brother Nando, here, Chang takes simple dishes and imbues them with familiar yet complex Peruvian flavors. Oysters arrive in a tangy leche de tigre and dots of herby oil. The roasted sweet corn gets treated to a luscious huancaína sauce. It all plays out in a modern, airy dining room in bustling Midtown.

Order this: The star of the show is the whole Dorado. Splayed open with the skin side up, it’s a brilliant preparation, retaining the fish’s unbelievably soft texture.

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Eric Barton
Contributor
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  • Restaurants
  • Downtown
  • price 3 of 4

What is it? NIU Kitchen chef Deme Lomas and wine director Karina Iglesias’s Catalonian gem is located deep in Downtown Miami. The compact restaurant outgrew its original location (which they've converted into a lovely hole-in-the-wall wine bar dubbed NIU Wine) and has since expanded to a roomier setting next door.

Why we love it: There’s a seasonal lineup of bold tapas and flame-grilled mains, like the delicate branzino tartare served with a white garlic soup. While delicious pa amb tomàquet (the traditional rustic bread with vine-ripened tomatoes, olive oil and salt), bottles of natural wines and something starring a running yolk like the ous—a creamy bowl of poached eggs, truffled potato foam, jamón ibérico and black truffle—are always a given.

What is it? Luca is Giorgio Rapicavoli’s delicious salute to his home country, serving up modern interpretations of Italian classics.

Why we love it: We know this is a restaurant list, but we’re going to lead with cocktails. Luca’s impressive list of Italian standards and reinvented classics deserves serious praise. We can never decide between the banana espresso martini or the Portofino, which is his take on a dirty with a delicate drizzle of super high-quality olive oil. Naturally, we get them both. The same goes for the pasta—from the tangy al limone and the cheesy cacio e pepe to the rich short rib bolognese, you’ll want to order several when you dine here.

Order this: The patate fritte from the antipasti menu. These delicate, crispy-skinned potato pearls explode in your mouth to combine with black truffle, creamy Parmigiano fonduta and egg yolk. It's seriously unmissable. 

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  • Restaurants
  • Sandwich shops
  • East Little Havana
  • price 1 of 4

What is it? A modern take on a Cuban cafeteria, this Little Havana counter sells pressed sandwiches, croquetas and a handful of hearty, quick bites.

Why we love it: Sanguich infuses the proud Cubano with house-made ingredients, such as cured ham, brined pork, fresh pickles and artisanal mustard. (Hell, even the doughy bread is made to Sanguich’s strict specifications.) Obviously, the best Cubano in Miami resides here. Plus, its Cuban version of nachos—with fried plantain strips and garlic aioli sauce—is utterly out of this world.

  • Restaurants
  • South Beach
  • price 3 of 4

What is it? Chef Michael Pirolo’s South Beach trattoria with a newly minted garden patio.

Why we love it: It’s the familiar rustic Italian dishes that do us in here. Get handmade pasta served with lamb ragú, tossed with clams or served simply with garlic and olive oil to enjoy outdoors or at home now that the restaurant introduced delivery.

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  • Restaurants
  • Italian
  • Coral Gables
  • price 3 of 4

What is it? This destination Italian restaurant deep in Coral Gables is sister to award-winning spots of the same name in D.C. and Venice, Italy. Like its other locations, Fiola Miami is designed to wow, including with its ultra-attentive service, ornately plated dishes—and the final bill. The menu encourages eating as the Italians do, so expect small-ish servings of pasta in delicate sauces to precede a protein, like the outstanding Australian wagyu petite filet with truffle ossobuco sauce.

Why we love it: The brainchild of Fabio Trabocchi, local co-owner Thomas Angelo tapped Miami native Danny Ganem to lead the kitchen. Gorgeous plates like the caviar “carbonara” and pesto burrata look like they require a whole team of tweezer-wielding sous chefs to create.

Time Out tip: For the CFOs out there who like to keep things tight, there’s an aperitivo hour from 4 to 7pm Tuesday through Friday featuring $10 cocktails and reasonably priced bites, like a $12 cacio e pepe.

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Eric Barton
Contributor
  • Restaurants
  • Spanish
  • Allapattah
  • price 3 of 4

What is it? The Rubell Museum’s onsite restaurant offers a delightful journey through Spain’s Basque country, from the wines and the dishes to the signature burnt cheesecake.

Why we love it: Miami has quite a few Spanish restaurants but few with a focus on Basque cooking, which is pretty special based on our experiences at Leku. Their take on the cuisine is refined, ingredient-driven and occasionally playful—think short rib sliders on milk buns and 5 Jotas Iberico ham on an airy bread you crack with the back of a spoon to enjoy. 

Time Out tip: Leku became the first restaurant in South Florida to boast an outdoor double Josper grill. The high-powered contraption doles out a chateaubriand for two, double lamb chops, picanha and other prime cuts of meat. Carnivores, prepare to feast.

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  • Restaurants
  • Eating

What is it? A popular Overtown pop-up restaurant owned by husband and wife Akino and Jamila West whose latest iteration is a temporary indoor space in Little River (162 NW 73rd St) as they prepare to move into their permanent home nearby. The all-day menu includes standouts such as deviled eggs topped with crispy chicharrones and chines; burrata topped with fresh mango from the Wests’ own backyard as well as wildflower honey; and a hangover-curing pastrami hash with sweet potato sformato, charred green onion gremolata and goat cheese.

Why we love it: Have you ever had a meal so memorable you countdown the days until you can have it again? It happened to us the day we tried Rosie’s wild mushroom polenta for the first time, and we’ve been looking forward to it ever since.

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Virginia Gil
USA Editor
  • Restaurants
  • South of Fifth
  • price 3 of 4

What is it? South Florida’s most famous restaurant, Joe’s (which turned 100 in 2013) is as much a Miami must-see as Ocean Drive.

Why go: It's no secret that Joe's serves the best stone crabs in Miami, but there's also the garlic creamed spinach, Lyonnaise potatoes, coleslaw and Joe's salad. If you don’t like seafood, try the insanely inexpensive fried chicken, or the liver and onions. Joe’s doesn’t take reservations, so be prepared for a horrendously long wait, first to register your name, then for a table. 

Time Out tip: Joe's finally takes reservations via Resy. Availability is limited but it beats staring down the hostess for hours while you wait.

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  • Restaurants
  • Pizza
  • Midtown
  • price 2 of 4

What is it? Old Greg’s was born out of the pandemic when chef Greg Tetzner and PR pro Jackie Richie started selling square pizzas out of their house made from a much-loved sourdough starter they named Old Greg. That transitioned first to a takeout pizza phenomenon in a shuttered Design District bar and then, finally, to its own brick-and-mortar shop.

Why we love it: Along with an expanded menu of salads and binge-worthy hoagies, Tetzner is still slinging the handsome, grandma-style pies that first blew up Instagram during lockdowns. These things are absolutely crammed with toppings like zucchini and burrata, lamb sausage with tahini and the O.G. Roni with hot honey and a whole lot of curled-up pepperoni cups.

  • Restaurants
  • Seafood
  • Omni
  • price 4 of 4

What is it? A surf-and-turf showstopper spanning three levels of the beautiful and historic Women's Club building in Edgewater.

Why we love it: The food is quite good at Klaw, yes. But walking up to the portico, it feels special, like heading into a rumrunner supper club with fellow flappers, a theme that continues with dapper servers offering up decadent trays of marbled meats and massive king crab claws, well into the dessert course. Plus, up on the sixth floor, the sunset views over Biscayne Bay and the downtown skyline are pretty hard to beat.

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Eric Barton
Contributor
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  • Restaurants
  • Cafés
  • East Little Havana
  • price 2 of 4

What is it? James Beard Award-winning chef Michelle Bernstein, her chef/restaurateur husband David Martinez, and internationally acclaimed cantinero Julio Cabrera partner up on this lively Cuban restaurant on Calle Ocho. 

Why go? A nostalgia-tinged aesthetic meets a modern-day Cuban menu, serving serrano ham croquetas, Cuban sandwich empanadas and skirt steak ropa vieja that gives Abuela's a run for its money. It's where you'll find Miami's best arroz con Pollo and Miami's best mojito—the only two reasons you need to venture out to Little Havana. Though if you needed a third, La Trova features live music nearly every night.

Time Out tip: The bar cantinero-led bar program here consistently ranks among the world's best, so definitely don't sleep on the cocktails. Ask your server for a recommendation—or, better yet, find a seat and get cozy at the bar.

  • Restaurants
  • Steakhouse
  • Aventura
  • price 4 of 4

What is it? A steakhouse for nonbelievers, Bourbon keeps things casual with a sleek wraparound bar and a lounge where snug booths and high-top tables are available sans reservations.

Why we love it: The menu sticks to tried-and-true standards: a crisp wedge salad, a tuna tartare that’s finished tableside, and myriad cuts of prime Angus beef and wagyu. Don’t overlook the burger, which pairs perfectly with the free (and unlimited!) duck-fat fries, served in lieu of the usual bread basket.

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  • Restaurants
  • Israeli
  • Aventura
  • price 2 of 4

What is it? Motek rivals the hip cafés of Tel Aviv with its bright, inviting indoor/outdoor space at Aventura Mall (plus locations in Downtown, Coral Gables, Brickell and soon, Miami Beach) and stacked menu of authentic Israeli delights.

Why we love it: From crispy falafel and juicy schnitzel to fresh salad and creamy house-made hummus, the fast-casual spot does street food with care, leaning into the spice-driven cuisine for simple, flavorful dishes you can enjoy at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Getting a late start to the day? Motek serves an all-day breakfast, including our favorite shakshuka—made with just enough heat to kickstart your day.

Time Out tip: The arayes burger can be found on many lists of Miami's best burgers. This brilliant cross-cultural dish combines a burger with Middle Eastern spices, stuffed in a pita and baked until the whole thing becomes a little burger package.

  • Restaurants
  • Seafood
  • Midtown
  • price 3 of 4

What is it? Converted from a 1930s gas station, this is a genuine oyster bar, with the marquee to prove it.

Why we love it: Find the day’s Atlantic and Pacific bivalves listed on a retro signboard that’s perched above the counter, where you can take a load off and watch all the shucking action. The casual space has a definite diner feel, but with much better food: Overflowing with chunks of buttery claw meat, the Connecticut-style lobster roll comes complete with house-made potato chips.

Time Out tip: Mignonette's sister restaurant, the long-running Blue Collar in MiMo, will expand and relocate to a much larger location this spring.

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  • Restaurants
  • Contemporary American
  • Coral Gables
  • price 2 of 4

What is it? The second location of Vinya Wine & Market, a relaxed wine shop and bistro that quickly became a favorite of Key Biscayners after it opened there in 2021. The Coral Gables location is decidedly more restaurant than shop, with a highly romantic dining room and instant-classic dishes like smoked burrata with rainbow beet carpaccio and bacon-wrapped dates with cantimpalo chorizo and goat cheese.

Why we love it: There are plenty of bottles and by-the-glass options from the expensive stuff, but it’s also totally approachable and helpfully labeled for the wine novices, with affordable picks like an orange wine from Sardinia that’s “not super orangey” and a red blend that demands “shut up and drink me!”

Time Out tip: If the spirited resident somm Allegra Angelo is around, ask for her recommendations. Either way, peruse the shop shelves for something to take home on your way out. Unlike some shops, prices and tasting notes are displayed among the shop's curated bottles, snacks and wares.

  • Restaurants
  • Seafood
  • South Beach
  • price 2 of 4

What is it? This Cajun-themed South Beach bistro channels the oak tree-lined Garden District of New Orleans, where the city's restaurant scene has long plated up fresh, local ingredients and potent cocktails for decadent meals intended to go all night.

Why we love it: For cocktails, expect updated classics like a cognac-spiked sazerac, along with new creations like the delightfully refreshing Orozco, made with mezcal, gin, heirloom carrot juice, chile vinegar and lemon juice. The food menu doesn’t overdo the New Orleans theme: You will find the expected gumbo and jambalaya alongside inspired dishes like BBQ prawns and the French onion burger.

Time Out tip: Plan to order at least one side of butter-soaked cornbread per couple for the table, and don't be surprised if you order another for dessert—they're that good.

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  • Restaurants
  • Caribbean
  • Coral Gables
  • price 2 of 4

What is it? James Beard Award-nominated chef Niven Patel (of Ghee Indian Kitchen) takes us on an island tour with a smattering of dishes inspired by his travels through French Polynesia, Asia and the Caribbean.

Why we love it: Getting to experience Patel’s range in the kitchen is a real treat. He ventures far away from the flavors we’re used to yet the food is still undeniably his. He stuffs the menu with as many locally grown ingredients as he can, most of which hs sources from his very own farm in Homestead. Dishes don’t skimp on spices but everything is well-balanced so you’ll never feel like you’ve been hit in the face by sofrito. If there’s one thing you must order, it’s the Ghee roasted plantains. We won’t spoil the surprise, so that’s all we’ll say.

Time Out tip: Mamey on 3rd is the restaurant’s third-floor rooftop bar, where you can order bites and drinks and watch the sunset. It’s a dreamy introduction to the cuisine if it’s your first time.

  • Restaurants
  • Japanese
  • Bal Harbour
  • price 4 of 4

What is it? Stephen Starr’s fancy pants Japanese restaurant inside the luxurious Bal Harbour Shops.

Why we love it: Hello, freshness! Makoto dishes out top-quality seafood, from its sashimi platter and its sushi to its heaping crab salad. With the verdant corridors of the Bal Harbour Shops as the backdrop for its patio and a spicy tuna crispy rice that trumps all other versions of the trendy sushi starter, Makoto wins for its mix of crave-worthy dishes and relaxed, tropical atmosphere.

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  • Bars
  • Gastropubs
  • Downtown
  • price 1 of 4

What is it? Brace for full Florida kitsch at this irreverent Downtown bar and restaurant steeped in all the things that make our great state weird and amusing.

Why we love it: Over Under is home to one of the best cheeseburgers in Miami, plus a few more things that chef James McNeal does very well. The thoroughly Floridian menu touts local ingredients, such as gulf oysters served on the half-shell and a wahoo smoked fish dip. Keep an eye on the restaurant's Instagram, where they announce can't-miss food specials and limited-time collaborations.

  • Restaurants
  • Delis
  • Wynwood
  • price 2 of 4

What is it? Zak Stern’s eponymous bakery and certified-Kosher sandwich shop in Wynwood is ground zero for all things sourdough.

Why we love it: Stern’s bread is a well-known team player in sandwiches and toasts at countless other restaurants. But his own intricate breakfast sammies are in a class of their own, with ingredients like alfalfa sprouts and heirloom tomatoes. We’re also big fans of the spectacular bagel platters, classic deli-style food and the rotating vegan soup. Delivery and takeout are available as is dine-in service at its recently expanded patio.

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  • Restaurants
  • South Beach
  • price 3 of 4

What is it? Second only to Pizza Rustica for late-night bingeing, South Beach’s original gourmet sandwich bar caters to a fabulous mix of clubbers, drinkers, limo drivers and tattoo artists, along with anyone else who appreciates a well-made prosciutto and mozzarella, ham and turkey, or veggie sandwich on a fresh baguette.

Why we love it: La Sandwicherie is a Miami institution, helmed by founders Franz and Elise since 1988. Though the French sandwich shop and its addictive vinaigrette have expanded to throughout Miami, its original location remains on Miami Beach, as well as its second-oldest location in Brickell.

  • Restaurants
  • Thai
  • East Little Havana
  • price 2 of 4

What is it? Chef Bas’s compact restaurant in Little Havana is a delicious ode to his native Thailand. 

Why we love it: You will most definitely have to stand in line for the curries, but trust us: Every single one of them is worth it. Part of the schtick here is that you’re only allowed to order your food once, so make sure the pad see ew with beef (a stir-fry with thick rice noodles) and the khao soi gai (a golden curry) find their way to your table. You’ll want to slurp up the latter like a soup to get every last drop.

Time Out tip: Don't let the line discourage you. Put your name down and grab a beer or glass of wine from inside to enjoy on the sidewalk while you wait.

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  • Restaurants
  • Mexican
  • North Beach
  • price 2 of 4

What is it? Dubbed the “Casa de Masa,” this beachfront Mexican spot is known for its signature blue masa tortillas and pared-down, street-style tacos.

Why we love it: Taquiza keeps it simple, with a high-quality base that doesn't need much to help it shine. In fact, it might shock some people that the tacos here are really only stuffed with meat—think al pastor and carne asada—and topped with a sprinkling of fresh onions and cilantro, with ample sauces on the side. The main attraction, though, are the totopos, a style of corn tortilla chips that originates in Mexico’s Oaxaca region. Crispy yet chewy, salty and fresh from the fryer, they pair perfectly with a side of guac and a refreshing michelada.

Time Out tip: Taquiza has a second outpost in South Beach, on 13th Street and Collins Avenue.

  • Restaurants
  • American
  • Overtown

What is it? Chef Marcus Samuelsson’s first Miami restaurant continues the Southern stylings of its Harlem flagship but with more Caribbean-flare thanks, in no small part, to the city’s flourishing Haitian community. For diners, that means a menu peppered with light and bright local veggies, seafood native to South Florida and a number of Caribbean specialties—think a jerk-spiced, rum-glazed whole chicken—served alongside Southern classics such as a spicy honey fried yardbird and a jambalaya and grits that’s too good to pass up.

Why we love it: Formerly Clyde Killen’s Pool Hall, the restaurant’s upstairs lounge area also functions as a cultural space showcasing exhibitions, performances and weekly, thematic celebrations. The curation is conducted by co-owner Derek Fleming, who is intentional about taking stock of Overtown’s rich history and using it to inform Red Rooster’s cultural programming.

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  • Restaurants
  • Cuban
  • West Little Havana
  • price 2 of 4

What is it? Versailles in Little Havana bills itself as Miami’s most famous Cuban restaurant—and they’re not lying.

Why we love it: This place is slammed at all hours of the day (now outdoors under a widespread tent). If you’re visiting, tick off every Cuban thing from your Miami bucket list—coffee, sandwich and pastelito. If you live here, you’re probably well acquainted with the ventanita dispensing thimbles of addictive cafecito. 

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