The best Coconut Grove restaurants to book right now

Chef Michael Beltran’s experiments with Cuban food earned him a Michelin star, combining all sorts of flavor profiles and cooking methods to yield an innovative, ever-changing menu that’s always exciting to navigate.

Time Out tip: Those willing to try something entirely new will be rewarded, especially with the pressed duck that’s both a tableside show and one of the best dishes in Miami.

Portuguese chef Henrique Sá Pessoa earned a pair of Michelin stars before coming to Coconut Grove with the hope of earning at least one more here too. He brought on Miguel Massens to manage the kitchen, putting out a menu inspired by Spanish and Portuguese classics. Sereia exists to display the talents of very good chefs worthy of all those stars, and the work of servers who nail every step of a meal. 

Time Out tip: Don’t let the phrase “salt cod” scare you away from the bacalao, which arrives looking like a spring flower before being mixed tableside into a light and delicate dish. 

These folks take Mexican food seriously, so much so that they have their own grinder to create corn masa that’s then pressed into flaky, light and durable tortillas best used to contain heritage pork braised with chiles and oranges. Upstairs, you’ll find Krüs Kitchen, a chill, light-filled space with curated market shelves, natural wines and a breezy menu that changes with the seasons. In 2024, Los Félix and Krüs Kitchen were both awarded Michelin Green stars for their sustainability efforts, and Los Felix is one of only 12 restaurants in the U.S. to have both a Michelin Star and Green star. 

Time Out tip: If you're into the natty stuff, Krüs has its own wine club (local pickup only) starting at $100 for four bottles a month. Expect a focus on up-and-coming vintners producing natural, organic and biodynamic wines.

This dimly lit, 10-seat sushi counter feels like a tiny playhouse where actors are just about to take the stage. That's pretty much exactly what happens, as a trio of chefs and a mixologist work their magic via a multi-course sushi experience that’s more about experimentation than sticking to tradition. Maybe you won’t enjoy the slice of fish brushed with a sauce that tastes like Fruity Pebbles, and perhaps, like us, you’ll leave hungry enough to split a burger next door at Taurus. But courses like the just-seared A5 Wagyu or the decadent hunk of bone marrow atop sushi rice are testaments to why this is dinner theater worthy of the hefty admission price.

After the expat New Yorkers behind the Major Food Group opened Carbone and ZZ’s Club in Miami, they turned to Coconut Grove and dropped another lively brunch spot in a neighborhood that was already awash with brunch spots. This one, though, quickly rose to the top of the list of folks who somehow look fabulous first thing in the morning, and they’ve filled the cushy booths and leafy outdoor area to take photos of the Eiffel-tower-tall French toast.

Order this: Sadelle’s famous/infamous bagel tower. It arrives at the table with six bagels on a spear and a gleaming three-tiered tray that looks like it could be part of a royal tea service. 

This quaint neighborhood restaurant with a shabby exterior and a cozy dining room bursts with Italian charm. Mediterranean seafood is the focus of Sapore’s traditional menu but there’s plenty of cheese, fresh pasta and dessert to go around.

Order this: The pasta served inside a wheel of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, which makes for a fun tableside presentation.

This upscale diner pays homage to the dishes that define Miami, with Cuban roots that run deep, with Abuela favorites like lechón asado and camarones enchilados. They’re served alongside diner staples, including an excellent meatloaf and, for breakfast, an oozy egg sandwich with yuca fries. With an excellent cocktail list and a fun vibe, Chug’s makes for a good start to the day or a fine way to end it.

We love Omakai's super-fresh sushi and refreshingly fair prices, including chef's choice omakase menus starting as low as $20 and generous happy hours Monday through Saturday from 3 to 6:30pm featuring $3 beer, $5 wine, $7 sake and $6 hand rolls, among other unheard-of-in-Miami deals. 

Order this: The OMA Deluxe, a 10-course omakase menu that will actually leave you full, which goes for $40 during lunch and $50 for dinner. 3304 Mary Street

The formula at Amal and its sister restaurant on the beach, Byblos, is simple: serve up flavorful Middle Eastern dishes in spots that are simply stunning to behold. Designers took inspiration from Lebanon’s shoreline to create a stunning, nearly entirely white and terracotta space, with servers dressed in matching white shirts and beige aprons. The dishes here are small, tapas-sized versions of Middle Eastern classics, with fluffy pita and well-charred kebabs.

Time Out tip: Start out upstairs at Level 6 with Spanish tapas before heading downstairs for kebabs.

The folks who brought us Miami’s now-shuttered The Wharf upped their game a bit with this party-centric culinary spot in the Coconut Grove Marina. Here, the vibe is more upscale and the food vendors sport menus designed by some of the city’s best chefs—think Jeremy Ford making burgers and Janine Booth doing Aussie food. It’s a scene, in all the best ways.

Longtime South Beach favorite among vegetarians, Planta expanded into Coconut Grove with this Asian-themed version. Just like on South Beach, the space here has a stylish vibe and a happening bar, along with dishes that’ll help anyone forget about meat, like the ahi watermelon atop a dragon roll and bang bang broccoli that just might be your new addiction.

Level 6, appropriately named at six floors above Coconut Grove, boasts gorgeous views and a style worthy of your next profile pic setting. The concept is Spanish tapas along with a few larger plates, though the crowds are here mostly for sunsets and after-work drinks. (Don't be surprised to find a swarm three people deep around the bar and even spilling into the VIP section.) Prices here are steep, with cocktails starting at $18, but the views and happening scene will ease the hit to your bank account.

Like its sister restaurant Wabi Sabi in Miami's Upper Eastside, Midorie is tucked away in a quiet, off-the-beaten-path Coconut Grove complex you probably didn’t know existed. With just 22 seats and a goal to simply serve very good sushi, the place is all fairly simple and tidy (except for the pretty art piece of rainbow fish on the wall), as are the dishes. Omakase is a solid choice here and priced well: $50 for 12 pieces of some of the most meticulously sourced and prepared fish anywhere. 

Fourth-generation Cipriani brothers Maggio and Ignazio follow in their family’s footsteps with this upscale Italian restaurant perched atop Coconut Grove’s modern boutique hotel, Mr C. In keeping with the luxurious waterfront space, the cuisine is rustic Italian with a modern twist. Expect to see lighter versions of traditional pasta dishes such as the spaghetti with sea urchin and the standout bucatini cacio e pepe, plus Italian staples like polenta and branzino.

Time Out tip: Whether you regularly drink them or not, there’s no leaving Bellini without trying the namesake cocktail, which Giuseppe Cipriani, founder of Harry’s Bar in Venice, Italy, invented in the late 1930s. 

James Beard Award-winning chef Michael Schwartz’s neighborhood pizza joint puts out gourmet-style wood oven pies in a laid-back, family-friendly environment. Harry’s meatballs with ricotta and polenta fries served with house-made ketchup will be the reason you don’t finish your pizza. Make a valiant effort and order them all, plus a spicy pepperoni to go.

Like its sister restaurant in Wynwood, Bakan, Koko is an indoor-outdoor stunner of a space with 170 seats and 400 varieties of mezcals (that’s two-plus bottles a person). Tacos and tostadas are an excellent choice here, as are the grilled meats that come in a giant molcajete, in large part because of the fluffy and/or crispy organic blue corn tortillas made in sight. 2856 Tigertail Ave

This casual burger joint takes its food very seriously, sourcing locally grown ingredients for its fresh salads and sandwiches, and partnering with homegrown breweries and small-batch distributors for its thoughtful beer selection. LoKal’s selection of grass-fed beef burgers includes one between glazed doughnuts, another blended with chorizo and a not-even-slightly traditional frita smeared with guava jam.

Even with all the newcomers arriving to Coconut Grove, Green Street remains sidewalk dining central. Weather notwithstanding, it’s the Grove’s prime spot for people-watching, drinking Bloody Marys al fresco and tucking into an extra-large omelet after a run. An interesting cast of characters breaks bread here, from college students and families to bachelor parties and pet-toting locals.

Everything about this bistro screams "France"—except for the warm service. The cozy room, the closely packed tables and the convivial buzz are all très Paree.

Time Out tip: The home-made foie gras terrine and the onion soup are especially good.

A restaurant where toddlers are as happy as their parents to go out to dinner, Glass & Vine subs a kids’ menu for a playground, where children can explore a playground steps away from where the adults sip craft cocktails and snack on grilled fish and fresh salads. At brunch especially, nab a table in the courtyard and dig into sensational egg dishes with foams and truffle oil that pair delightfully well with the restaurant’s selection of boozy, fizzy drinks.

Meraki offers a menu of traditional Mediterranean fare and the kind of fresh seafood you’d expect at a spot on the Aegean. The decor is decidedly more upscale than your average Greek bistro, full of colorful tile, matching throw pillows and big windows with flowy curtains, making it all feel like an escape to Crete.

Culinary crazy man/visionary Matt Kuscher typically fills his restaurants full of kitsch, including VHS tapes and things you haven’t seen since childhood. But here it’s all clean lines and bright light streaming in from the arched windows. The menu stayed decidedly more seafood-centric, though, like the grouper Reuben, Baja fish tacos and crab cakes in either traditional or vegan style.

Located next to a marina, this casual Grove hangout is a go-to for drinks and seafood. Thatch-roofed huts surround a stage from which reggae and calypso bands do their damnedest to persuade the diners and drinkers to dance.

Time Out tip: Those who believe young kids and alcohol don’t mix should avoid it on Friday afternoons—when the happy hour crowd (heavy with thirsty UM kids) are eagerly slurping up strong frozen drinks. But on weekends, feel free to bring the whole family. Order a basket of fried seafood and a pitcher of beer for yourself, and send the kids off to dance to the live music.

With its unexpectedly modern decor—it’s a cross between banquet hall and velvet regal, with a heavy air of curry—and a constant flood of crowds, the buzzy Coconut Grove restaurant’s popularity goes beyond its ranking among local Indian cuisine. It may be one of the few, but it’s also one of the best. Bombay specializes in northern Indian fare, like Goan dishes, and kills in the chutney department.