Guide to dining out on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in Miami

Expect truffles and seafood galore at Matador Room’s Christmas Eve celebration, curated by Michelin-starred Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. The four-course meal includes elevated dishes like Yellowfin tuna tartare and winter vegetable posole with black truffle. For dessert, enjoy a festive Christmas yule log made with chocolate cake, toasted marshmallow meringue and almond bark. Dec 24; $165, children $55

The unspoken inspiration behind David Grutman's American restaurant is Hillstone/Houston's, down to the crispy fried chicken sandwich that tastes suspiciously similar to the former's popular lunch staple, Ding's. And that's ok—imitation is still the sincerest form of flattery in our book. This year, the Key Club’s Christmas in the Grove dinner menu will be offering à la carte appetizer, main and dessert specials like a black truffle agnolotti ($65), herb-crusted prime rib ($85), Dover sole ($95), lamb chops ($75) and a dark chocolate souffle with spiced eggnog gelato ($17). Dec 24 5–10pm; à la carte

A mainstay for diners looking for a spectacular view and solid seafood offerings, Rusty Pelican is the exact restaurant one expects in Miami. Celebrate Christmas at this iconic and historic spot, where guests can indulge in a four-course brunch or à la carte dinner while taking in panoramic views of the sparkling Miami skyline. Diners can also add on bottomless mimosas for $30. Dec 24 11am–4pm, 5pm–9:30pm and Dec 25 9am–4pm, 5–10pm; $92, children $35

Celebrate Noche Buena at one of Miami's best Cuban restaurants. Little Havana's La Trova serves up a modernized, family-style Cuban feast on Christmas Eve. The three-course, pre-fixe menu includes highlights like seafood paella croquettes with saffron aioli, endive and pear salad, hamachi crudo and halibut in white clam and chorizo sauce, among others. For dessert, tuck into arroz con leche de coco and flan de la flaca. Dec 24; $95, children $30. 

This transportive rooftop lounge in Miami Beach beckons you to exotic, far-flung islands this holiday, from the Med to the Pacific. Upscale Mediterranean and Asian-inspired dishes on offer for Christmas Day include five-spice chicken karaage, a “MediterrAsian” raw bar, wagyu carpaccio, whole grilled Maine lobster and more. For dessert, check out the molten chocolate lava cake with chocolate fondant, yuzu caramel, almond crumble, mastiha gelato and raspberry gelée.

Perched on the sophisticated and always bustling Brickell Avenue, Truluck’s owns its own fisheries in Naples, where crabbers get fresh catches daily and deliver them within 24 hours. On Christmas Eve, diners can enjoy their favorite seafood dishes from the regular menu, as well as seasonal items like the Holiday Nog ($15.50) and Peppermint Chocolate Cake ($14).
Dec 24; à la carte.

At the ritzy St. Regis Bal Harbour, Atlantikós will serve a unique Mediterranean-inspired Christmas Eve feast for 2022. The three-course menu features items like truffled carpaccio and slow-cooked lamb shank. Dec 24 5–10pm; $95, children $45 

On Christmas Day, retreat to the Ocean View Ballroom to indulge in a decadent Sunday brunch spread complete with seafood and carving stations plus live music overlooking the Atlantic. Dec 25 11:30am–4:30pm; $135, children $60

The chic bohemian hotel singlehandedly reviving Española Way in South Beach will host a festive Christmas Day brunch where visitors and locals can indulge in Esmé’s curated menu of holiday-inspired bites and libations. Dec 25 11am–4pm; $55

The upscale Korean steakhouse invites diners in for a pre-Christmas feast dubbed the Feast of Seven Steaks, featuring seven cuts of Cote's top USDA Prime and American Wagyu beef as well as lamb. An assortment of Korean sides accompanies the dishes, including pickled vegetables and salads and janchi somyun. Soft-serve ice cream with soy sauce caramel rounds out the meal. Dec 24; $195.

CHICA Miami is the second outpost of the critically acclaimed Las Vegas eatery by the same name, which brings with it all its Sin City glitz to Miami’s historic MiMo district. This Christmas Eve, gather around the jewel-toned banquettes to enjoy live music and entertainment while sipping cocktails and noshing on vibrant, Latin-inspired snacks like crispy tuna tacos and wagyu empanadas. Dec 24 9pm–close; à la carte

The upscale Coral Gables restaurant puts out a five-course Feast of the Seven Fishes, a traditional Italian Christmas Eve meal composed of fresh-off-the-boat seafood. Think grilled prawn, lobster ravioli and pan-roasted Dover Sole. Fiola will also open on Christmas Day from 3 to 10pm with a special a la carte menu. Dec 24; $195

The buzzy French restaurant in the Bal Harbour Shops is keeping it very Euro for its Christmas Day feast. For dinner on Christmas Eve and all day long on Christmas Day, feast on Le Zoo’s menu additions, special for the holidays, that include grilled oysters au pastis, lobster bernaise and crepes suzette. Dec 24 and 25; à la carte.

The new neighborhood seafood bistro by Chris Hudnall and Randy Alonso of Lost Boy & Co will open on Christmas Eve with its signature seafood-forward a la carte menu curated by Chef Juan Garrido. Expect sweet, spicy and soulful dishes inspired by New Orleans cuisine, such as oysters braised with collard green butter, BBQ prawns, cornmeal fried Florida Yellowtail and a rich, herbaceous gumbo. The beverage program is on point too, with balanced cocktails, an extensive natural wine selection and beer such as Louisiana-based Abita Andygator. 1209 17th Street, Miami Beach; Dec. 24

Savor a Peruvian spread on Christmas Eve. The Brickell Key restaurant pulls out all the stops with a lavish buffet stacked with La Mar classics—from seafood rice and a pan con chicharron station to an array of anticuchos. Expect side dishes and cocktails galore. Dec 24; $135

It is hard not to be charmed when you take your first steps into Swan, the buzzy Design District restaurant that is every bit as pretty as you may have heard. This year, celebrate Christmas in the garden, where Swan will serve up a special holiday menu featuring small plates like chilled Florida stone crab claws and burrata, mains like roasted prime rib and red Snapper "en croute" and desserts like a chocolate yule log. Dec 24 6-11pm

Take your Christmas morning to new heights at ADDiKT at W Miami, where you can enjoy brunch with breathtaking views of the Downtown Miami skyline. Situated on the fifteenth floor of W Miami, ADDiKT Modern Kitchen offers a Christmas Day brunch featuring classic dishes made with local ingredients. Think shrimp and grits made with jumbo shrimp and a mango and chia seed pudding made with fresh mango, agave and toasted coconut. The indoor-outdoor celebration will also feature live music from 12:30 to 3:30pm. Dec 25 11am–5pm; à la carte

Guests and locals can partake in a chic, breezy Christmas Eve dinner at the 1 Hotel in South Beach, where they'll be serving Habitat’s regular dinner menu with additional Christmas specials like heirloom chicken, wagyu steak, hot chocolate and more. Dec 24 1–9pm; $95, children $45. 

Travel to the Basque country by way of Leku this Christmas Eve. The Allapattah restaurant, located inside the Rubell Museum, dishes out festive specials, including Karat Ossetra caviar, foie gras mousse with wild berries, crispy confit of suckling pig and an apple tart tatin with caramel-salted ice cream. Dec 24; á la carte.

Located in a historic house on the Freehand Miami property, 27 Restaurant will serve a communal-style meal on Christmas Eve, with Noche Buena-themed specials from Chef Jimmy Lebron, including Diri Djon Djon, lechon asado and smoked sweet Plantains. Dec 24; a la carte.

As its name indicates, SUGARCANE comprises three distinct kitchens—robata grill, traditional hot kitchen and a raw bar—used to create the assortment of small, globally inspired plates the restaurant is known for. For the holidays, the restaurant invites to you kick back with a full Christmas brunch menu (10:30am to 4:30pm) that includes lobster and shrimp tamale, chestnut soup and a braised Rioja short rib benedict. For dinner (5pm to midnight), enjoy the full all-day menu with additional specials including braised Rioja short rib, pan-seared duck breast and coquito crème brulée. Dec 24, 25; a la carte.

Give the gift of spirit this holiday with a beautiful bottle of SUGARCANE raw bar grill Coquito i. This tasty twist on eggnog features Bacardi Superior, cream of coconut, condensed and evaporated milk, vanilla and cinnamon ($45). A non-alcoholic version is also available ($27).

Broken Shaker's Chinese Take Out returns for another Christmas Day. For the occasion, Chef Jimmy Lebron will create a menu of dumplings, General Gui's chicken, pork char Siu and Dan Dan noodles, available from 5 to 11pm. Escape into the Freehand's backyard oasis to devour your finger-licking meal and revel in expertly crafted cocktails from the pros behind the bar at Broken Shaker, which will also be open on Christmas Eve from 5pm to 1am). Dec 24, 25