Eric Barton

In case you've missed it, Miami's dining scene has emerged as one of the most exciting in the country and, arguably, the world. Over the last decade or so, the city's collective palate has matured to encompass so much more than steakhouses, Italian chains and homey Cuban spots (though we've still got plenty of those, too). One day, you can be sipping cocktails at a sleek new omakase counter; the next, tucking into a bowl of golden-hued Peruvian ceviche. It's a beautiful, flavorful and occasionally overwhelming melange of cultures colliding on our plates in Miami, and we wouldn't want it any other way. Then there’s trying to balance out all these newcomers from New York with the old-school spots. You’ve got the classic restaurants—the ones your parents went to, the ones their parents went to—and you’ve got the new kids, the restaurants that pop up with a bang, get a few glossy reviews, and then vanish before you’ve even had a chance to figure out the parking situation. Some spots manage to straddle both worlds, delivering the kind of meals that stick with you long after the check has been paid. These are the places our editors have listed below: Miami’s best restaurants right now, along with our tried-and-true tips for reserving, ordering and more. September 2025: We're in the second month of Miami Spice, the official restaurant months of Greater Miami, when beloved spots from Coral Gables and Coconut Grove up north to Aventura and Sunny Isles roll out pre-fixe menus designed

The South is packed with thrilling foodie destinations—few regions on the planet blend culinary quality and homely comforts like here, and Asheville, North Carolina, is very much at the forefront. Once known mostly for its mountains and art galleries, this town has become a foodie’s playground replete with restaurants that reflect the city’s creative spirit. Eating in Asheville is like wandering through a culinary Choose-Your-Own-Adventure, where each turn leads to something a little unexpected and a lot more delicious.  RECOMMENDED: The best things to do in Asheville, North Carolina Even though you’ll find chefs here who are just as likely to serve foraged mushrooms as they are to smoke a trout until it’s practically butter, don’t expect a scene that takes itself too seriously. Dining in North Carolina’s creative hub means fully embracing both the quirky and the creative, while also indulging in traditional Southern standards. Whether you’re hunting for a hidden wine bar or craving a dish that was just plucked from the forest, follow our list below for Asheville’s best restaurants. September 24, 2025: Since Hurricane Helene flooded corners of the city and left behind economic calamity, Asheville lost a whole lot of restaurants, including seven of our former favorites. But this is a place powered by Appalachian can-do, where optimism blew in as if carried on warm summer air. Now in Asheville, folks are talking about new restaurants that are opening, and we’ve got three excel

Brickell, baby! This towering neighborhood is Miami’s financial epicenter, which means, yes, there’s a lot of money here. Whether it’s flowing in from international developers, nine-to-five bankers, crypto bros, OnlyFans models or university students with a six-figure allowance, Brickell is flush with cash, making its dining scene more of a spectacle than anywhere else in the city.  RECOMMENDED: The best restaurants in Miami There are brasseries in the sky and cabaret-style supper clubs on the water. Celebrities like Bad Bunny have staked their claim on the scene, alongside Miami nightlife mogul David Grutman. And you can’t walk five feet without hitting a fancy steakhouse, Italian restaurant or Asian-fusion spot. For all its glamour, though, Brickell’s got plenty of substance. You might just need a helping hand to guide you through the labyrinth of skyscrapers and swarms of beautiful people in order to find the best restaurants in Brickell right now. September 2025: Despite the traffic and all the construction, Brickell is still one of the most exciting places to dine out in Miami. Heading into a new season, we’ve overhauled this restaurant guide, cutting the list from 25 to just 10 entries. In the process, we’ve lost a couple of favorites, like La Mar, which shuttered with the rest of the Mandarin Oriental to be demolished and rebuilt. And we’ve added a couple of fresh stars, including our favorite new flirty French girl, Claudie. Bon appétit! How we curate and review at Ti

Oktoberfest leads us into the fall in the very best way: with overflowing beer steins, kraut and bratwurst and other German foods. Pair that with rousing music, the chance to show off in your dirndl or lederhosen (fellas… your socks that cover only the calf are quite the thing!), sunny time spent in the biergarten and, if you’re lucky, a spot like Helen, Georgia, that highlights the old world charm of Bavarian architecture. Most Oktoberfests include polka dancing, live traditional music and artisan craft booths selling blown glass items or wooden toys. In Germany, Oktoberfest leaks over into September and is said to be the world’s largest folk festival. It’s also long-lasting: In Munich, this year’s celebration will be the 190th. Here in the U.S., we usually stretch the celebrations out even further by starting in mid-September so we can take advantage of better weather before October becomes cold and rainy (or even snowy). Sometimes, Oktoberfest doesn’t even take place in October at all! While you’re adjusting the feather in your Tyrolean cap or tying your apron sash on the left to signal that you’re single, you’ll have a blast at one of these cities doing an American take on a very German festival. Here’s our list of the 10 best places to do it! RECOMMENDED: The best places to go apple picking in the U.S. this fall

America’s love affair with barbecue has leveled up from the casual steak Dad grilled up in the backyard over Memorial Day weekend. We know a good smoke ring when we see one, and our palates have graduated from overcooked burgers to buttery slices of brisket, tender pulled pork, juicy smoked links and a smorgasbord of sides that rival the meats themselves.  The U.S. is blessed with a spoils of barbecue choices, with regions throughout the country specializing in their own brand of smoked meat. There’s Texas’ low-and-slow brisket, the Carolinas’ mop sauced whole hog, KC’s pork coated in a thick and sweet sauce, Memphis’ legendary dry rub ribs and now Nashville’s come onto the scene with a spicy take on the genre to call its very own. If that sounds like the makings of an epic road trip, well, you’re not wrong. We’re here to help you chart the course with our picks for the 15 best barbecue spots in America. Gas up your ride and follow your nose, because where there’s wood-fired smoke, there’s bound to be some killer barbecue. Fall 2025: We’ve updated this list to reflect some of Time Out’s recent reviews of barbecue restaurants around the country, along with current pricing, hours and menu offerings for some of our favorites. This guide will be periodically updated as we stop into new spots while revisiting the classics.  Learn more about how we curate and review at Time Out.

We’re convinced there’s a sushi restaurant for just about every occasion, and each one serves a purpose. Take the family-owned neighborhood spot, for example. Perfect for a reliable bowl of miso soup and chirashi on a random Tuesday night when even heating up ramen means getting your life together in some impossible way. Then there’s the date-night stunner with a rare sake list and gold-flaked nigiri that costs more than your car payment, but will make a hell of an impression on an important occasion. And we’d be remiss in excluding the refrigerated cases at the local gas station or supermarket for quick—and gastrointestinally regrettable—lunches on the run. Classic.  But then there’s the Mount Olympus of sushi restaurants. God-tier establishments doling out bites of thinly sliced fish and delicately padded rice that would make Poseidon weep (perhaps, even, quite literally). That’s what we have on this list. Restaurants that’ve elevated sushi to its purest art form and have won their fair share of awards and accolades along the way. From a sleek, minimalist counter manned by a protege of Jiro Ono (yes, that Jiro) to a speakeasy-style den of omakase in Nashville (yes, we’re serious), here are some of the best sushi restaurants in America.   August 2025: We’ve updated this list to reflect some of Time Out’s recent reviews of sushi restaurants around the country, along with current pricing, hours and menu offerings for some of our favorites. This guide will be periodically updat

If there’s one thing I learned from 15 years living in Fort Lauderdale, it’s that Lauderdalians relish not being in Miami. Up here in the 954, traffic is slightly less daunting, things largely run on time, everybody’s got a canal in their backyard and you can probably walk into your favorite restaurant tonight without a reservation. That last point can be a bit trickier if we’re talking about the best restaurants in Fort Lauderdale, which you’ll find in Time Out’s deeply researched and freshly updated guide below. Here in the Venice of America, the best restaurants (mostly) don’t have DJs or bathroom attendants or bottle service in roped-off areas for the cool kids. What the restaurants in Fort Lauderdale do have are chefs doing creative things with menus that would kill in Miami, and beloved Old Florida joints you just don’t see many of these days. There are also some downright amazing Thai, Jewish, meat-pocket subs, and, well, you’ll see on this list below of Fort Lauderdale’s best restaurants. July 2025: There’ve been a couple of notable casualties since we last updated this guide to Fort Lauderdale’s dining scene: the long-running Southwestern staple Canyon, and Dune by Laurent Tourondel at the Auberge. In their stead, fresh spots like Evelyn’s at the Four Seasons have been slotted in, along with the newly reopened Mai-Kai, a historic Polynesian restaurant and show that underwent a multi-year restoration. Beyond the general housekeeping, we’ve cut this list down from 30 e

The venerable New York Times recently dedicated some serious ink and online space to explain something we locals already know: Miami’s bakery scene is on fire. The headline accurately calls our bakeries “eclectic,” which we’re of course embracing as high praise. It goes on to note that “artisan bread-baking thrives” here in Miami. So true, NYT! You can find world-class bakers in all corners of Miami-Dade these days, from family-run Cuban spots that (almost) make us want to move to Doral, to pandemic pop-up success stories reinventing how we define sourdough and sweet treats. What Miami’s best coffee shops do for our productivity, these bakeries do for our souls—and there’s no calorie count too high to keep us from that satisfaction.

Welcome to Miami, where the bars are plentiful and it's always a great time to go drinking. Sun's out? Fuel up on frozen delights at a waterfront bar (and don’t forget to ask for a floater!). Trying to impress a date? Miami’s got sexy speakeasies galore. Catching up with friends? Do so with a glass of something funky and a bowl of warm olives at a charming Miami wine bar. One of the Miami bars in this guide even stays open until 7am, should that be your destiny. Perhaps surprisingly, Miami is also home to plenty of places to drink when you're not drinking, where the low and no-ABV bevs are just as flavorful as their full-proof brethren. This is all to say, if you want to sip cocktails and party all night, you're in the right place. Wondering where to start? We’re breaking down our favorite bars in Miami, spots slinging drinks so good, you'll be hard-pressed not to order another round. July 2025: It’s been nearly a year since we last took full stock of Miami’s bar scene, and a lot has changed. Some of our favorite spots have closed, like MO Bar and Lounge at the Mandarin Oriental, in this case, to be demolished with the rest of the hotel sometime in 2026. Others we’ve moved off the list, like ZeyZey, a gem that skews decidedly more music venue. There are a few new entries, too, including Willy’s, a neighborhood gay bar in Wynwood, and Magie, a natural wine garden in Little River. Finally, we’ve updated and streamlined the entire guide to include the most up-to-date info and sc

According to the Michelin guide, a star is awarded to restaurants offering outstanding cooking. You know what isn’t a prerequisite? A meal that costs more than your car payment. To be fair, Michelin’s awarded stars to a substantial number of stuffy restaurants where you can easily spend that—and upwards.  But the flip side of that coin is affordable spots that might look a lot more like your local taco shop than a white-linen temple to haute cuisine. Exhibit A: a humble Mexican spot obsessed with the craft of masa; Exhibit B: a no-frills food stall bringing the best of the Yucatan to life; Exhibit C: a—yes—stuffy restaurant with an unbeatable lunch deal. You just have to know where to look. Or, save yourself some time and check out our picks for the most affordable Michelin-starred restaurants in the United States below. July 2025: We’ve updated this list to reflect some hot newcomers to the Michelin scene along with current pricing, hours and menu offerings for some of our favorites. Of note, however, is the closing of Tail Up Goat at the end of the year. We’ve chosen to keep them in this guide as a not-so-gentle nudge to get over there and experience their Caribbean-inspired cuisine before it’s too late.    RECOMMENDED: Every Michelin-starred restaurant in L.A.Every Michelin-starred restaurant in Miami Every Michelin-starred restaurant in San Francisco

Mornings in Miami come with consequences. That last tequila shot I took at 2am? A terrible idea. The blurry Uber ride home from a Miami club? A mystery best left unsolved. But fear not, because brunch—the city’s most sacred meal—is here to save us. Whether it’s a cortadito strong enough to restart your nervous system or a plate of chilaquiles at your local Mexican spot to silence regrets, Miami delivers. From bottomless rosé in South Beach to arepas worth a Sunday pilgrimage and an Instagram-worthy bagel tower, the best brunch in Miami will make you feel human again. Or at least human enough for round two. Let’s eat. March 2025: Early mornings aren’t the time to wade through dozens of options, so we’ve trimmed this list of the best brunches in Miami down to our favorites. Unfortunately, our favorite from last time, La Mar, is about to close and take a few months to relocate, but don’t stress, because we still have your morning-ish plans sorted with the new No. 1 spot Michael's—which just extended its weekend brunch to 5pm—plus a host of other favorites. 

Steakhouses in Miami run the full spectrum. You’ve got your big-name, bottle-service places where the steak arrives in a gold briefcase, and you’ve got neighborhood grills where the meat hits the table still crackling from the fire. Some are built for birthdays, business deals or Instagram moments. Others just serve a really great ribeye with a side of fries and call it a night. Whether you're going all in or just want a solid cut without the fuss, here are the Miami steakhouses that actually deliver. May 2025: This latest update brings three powerhouse additions to Miami's steak scene: Sunny's Steakhouse, which graduated from beloved pop-up to permanent courtyard gem in Little River; Maple & Ash, the Chicago import that landed downtown with its signature theatrical service; and The Joyce, a hidden 60-seat steakhouse on Española Way with serious art on the walls and a chef from three-Michelin-starred Alinea. RECOMMENDED: The best restaurants in Miami to book right now How we curate and review at Time Out

The Flat Iron Hotel has always been one of those Asheville landmarks you point out to visitors—the quirky wedge of brick and stone that gave the skyline some personality. For years, though, it was underused, more postcard than living building. Now, Luminosa fills the first floor, with its dining room stretching right into the narrow end of the triangle, where a six-top sits in the thinnest part of the building, making the architecture part of the experience before the food even arrives. Former Sovereign Remedies chef Graham House has pulled off what’s tricky in Asheville: a restaurant that feels ambitious without being precious. Luminosa leans Italian in its bones—house-made pastas, wood-fired pizzas, a kitchen that understands the rhythm of fire—but it’s fiercely Appalachian in spirit. Local purveyors, seasonal vegetables, and wild foraged greens show up alongside things like ramps, garlic, and daylily shoots. Even the desserts nod to place, like soft-serve olive oil with lemon or smoked semifreddo with sorghum caramel. None of it feels like an Italian clone; every dish has hints of here. The space hits that sweet spot between comfy and polished: dark wood, leather seating, brass fixtures, vintage terrazzo floors. Then there’s the service, which mostly remembers to let you settle in; to enjoy the fire smoke, the smell of bread, the wine list that gently dares you to explore. It’s the kind of place where a date feels meaningful and a solo dinner feels like you treated yoursel

I pass Jettie Rae’s anytime I’m driving downtown, and at dinnertime, I always slow-roll by the patio, trying not to stare too obviously to spot what people ordered. This is especially true if Jettie Rae’s is hosting one of its garden parties, low--country boils spread across long tables, crab legs, shrimp, corn, sausage. It’s like a neighborhood party you weren’t invited to, until you realize you can just park and join them. After opening in the summer of 2020, Jettie Rae’s has become Asheville’s answer to an upscale Charleston-style seafood joint. Chef and owner Eric Scheffer, of Vinnie’s Neighborhood Italian, built the place on an old-fashioned premise: honest food done well. That translates to a menu where oysters are treated with respect—raw, grilled, or baked Bienville-style with butter and breadcrumbs—and where composed fresh-catch dishes sit comfortably alongside po’ boys stacked to the point where you’ll be pulling fried shrimp out before you can manage a bit. The raw bar is the heartbeat here, changing with the tides, but the kitchen carries the same energy through seasonal fish specials. Inside, the dining room is as polished as you’d expect from a Charleston-esque spot, but it’s the patio that does it for me. There’s something about seafood eaten outdoors that feels like a minor act of rebellion in the mountains. The only sound missing is the ocean. Asheville has no shortage of inventive restaurants, but Jettie Rae’s pulls off something harder. It delivers the clas

There’s a whole cottage industry of people claiming to know what makes a “real” New York slice, and they’ll happily argue about it until the last crust goes stale. Justin Balzer is not from New York, which, in certain circles, might disqualify him from the debate before he even preheats the oven. His wife, Christine Costa Balzer, has the credentials—Sicilian grandparents, born in New York, raised in Jersey—and the confidence that comes from a lifetime of folding paper-thin slices down the middle. Together, they opened a place that makes a good case that they know exactly what’s needed to make the perfect slice. Birdie’s Pizza landed on Biltmore Avenue in July in the former Manicomio spot. The compact shop hums from lunch to late-night. You can square slices that are mountains of pillowy dough or slices from 20-inch pies with thin crusts, foldable and finished with toppings that lean traditional without being boring. The couple built their dough from an eight-year-old sourdough starter, a foundation that gives every slice a tang and chew missing from most imitators. The menu sticks to eight core options, dressed with things like caramelized onions, roasted red peppers, spicy sausage, or sandwiches with crispy chicken cutlets that could anchor an entire meal. The mozzarella is stretched by hand, the tomatoes are organic, and the whole enterprise is less about reinventing the slice than proving it still works when treated with respect. While you wait, you’ll want something fried

Tucked above sister restaurant Los Félix in Coconut Grove, Krüs Kitchen feels like the kind of place you only hear about from someone who really knows where to eat. No neon signs, no overhyped Instagram dishes—just quietly brilliant cooking in a bright, loft-like space where the food does all the talking. The menu, like the restaurant itself, is understated but deeply considered. Chef Sebastián Vargas sources ingredients with the precision of someone who actually cares—small farms, responsible fishing, nothing that feels like an afterthought. The result is dishes that are deceptively simple but impossibly good. Think housemade agnolotti with truffle pecorino, or a daily crudo so fresh it might still be deciding whether it wants to be sushi. Krüs takes the same thoughtful approach to its wine list, offering small-batch natural wines and lesser-known labels that pair perfectly with the kitchen’s bright, clean flavors. And the service? It's effortless and warm, like you’ve been invited to a dinner party where the host actually knows how to cook. If it were anywhere else, Krüs would have a months-long waitlist by now. But for now, it remains one of Miami’s best-kept secrets.

Some restaurants do farm-to-table like a marketing gimmick—slap “local” on the menu, charge $6 for a tomato, and call it a day. Ol'days in Midtown actually means it. This breezy, sunlit café feels like stepping into a friend’s kitchen—if that friend happened to be an Argentine chef with a knack for fresh ingredients and a patio that opens up onto a walkable city street.The menu leans wholesome but never boring. Think thick-cut avocado toast on sourdough that tastes like bread, not an Instagram prop. The empanadas are golden, flaky, and properly stuffed, and the steak-and-eggs is the kind of breakfast that reminds you why Argentina takes its beef so seriously. And if you’re the type to judge a place by its coffee, Ol'days passes with flying colors—smooth, strong, and made with the kind of care that suggests they’d rather close than serve a bad cup. Service is unhurried but warm. This is the kind of spot where you linger over a second cortado and actually consider reading a book instead of your phone. While Miami brunch spots tend to skew chaotic, Ol'days keeps it refreshingly low-key. It’s not trying to be trendy. It’s just good. And in a city obsessed with the next big thing, that’s worth slowing down for.

Subtlety is not Phuc Yea’s thing. The name alone should tell you that. This isn’t a delicate pho parlor or a minimalist ode to Vietnamese cuisine—it’s a full-throttle explosion of flavors, colors, and attitude, wrapped in a neon-lit, graffiti-tagged shell. And somehow, it all works. Born as one of Miami’s first pop-ups, Phuc Yea planted its roots in the city long before people started pretending to care about bánh mì. Today, it’s a permanent fixture in MiMo, blending Vietnamese flavors with Cajun swagger in a way that sounds chaotic but tastes like genius.The menu is stacked with dishes that demand your attention. The crispy imperial rolls shatter on impact. The caramelized pork riblets are sticky, sweet, and impossible to eat politely. And the bao buns are pillowy perfection, stuffed with everything from crispy duck to soft-shell crab. Then there’s the wok-fired Viet-Cajun seafood, drenched in garlic butter, begging to be eaten with your hands. Cocktails are just as over-the-top—bright, boozy, and often served in something ridiculous, like a giant ceramic cat. And the vibe? It’s loud, it’s dark, it’s the kind of place where you order too much and stay too long. Phuc Yea doesn’t do quiet. It does bold, brash, and deeply satisfying. And that’s exactly why Miami keeps coming back.

Once upon a time, Miami’s dining scene was dominated by overpriced steak houses and forgettable hotel restaurants. Then came Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink, landing in the Design District before it was a luxury mall—before anyone knew they needed a $5,000 handbag. And while its surroundings have changed, Michael’s has stayed true to what made it great: sharp technique, local ingredients, and a menu that never gets old. Chef Michael Schwartz, a James Beard Award winner, could have turned his name into a chain long ago. Instead, since opening in 2007, he’s stuck to a simple philosophy—seasonal, locally sourced, and unpretentious. Today, every trendy restaurant does it, but Michael’s was doing it before it was cool. The airy dining room still hums with regulars who have been coming since day one. They know to start with the crispy hominy or the house-smoked fish dip, which remains the gold standard. The menu shifts with the seasons, but some things never leave—like the impossibly tender short rib, a dish so rich it makes all other proteins seem like a waste of time. Even the vegetables deserve a moment: roasted beets with blue cheese, charred broccolini—proof that side dishes can be stars. Brunch is another level. The breakfast pizza, topped with egg and speck, is practically required eating, and the brioche French toast, drowning in maple syrup, might ruin all other French toasts for you. Restaurants come and go in Miami, many with more flash, more hype. But Michael’s Genuine?

If you’ve ever wished your dinner came with a side of old-school glamour, Contessa is here to grant that wish—wrapped in emerald-green velvet and topped with a parmesan cloud. This opulent Italian dining room in the Design District is the Miami outpost of Major Food Group, the team behind Carbone, meaning it’s got the same high-drama aesthetic, the same impossible-to-book reservations, and, yes, the same $27 burrata. But Contessa isn’t just a sequel to Carbone—it’s a full-blown Lake Coumo chateau owned by an eccentric count, where every plate arrives like it’s ready for its Vogue close-up. The hand-cut wagyu carpaccio is absurdly delicate, the lobster capellini is unapologetically rich, and the veal Milanese is the size of a small raft, as it should be. And then there’s the rigatoni carbonara, the kind of dish that demands silence on the first bite. Service is crisp, the wine list leans heavily into Italian vintages, and the crowd is exactly what you’d expect—polished, well-dressed, and taking their pasta very seriously. And while it’s definitely a scene, the food holds its own. Is it over the top? Absolutely. But Contessa isn’t trying to be subtle. It’s here to dazzle, to seduce, and to remind you that Italian food can still be an event.

Fiola is a polished, Italian fine-dining spot in Coral Gables overseen by Michelin-starred chef Fabio Trabocchi, where indulgence isn’t just encouraged—it’s expected. Think decadent handmade pastas, pristine seafood, and a wine list deep enough to get lost in. In charge of the kitchen here is the talented Danny Ganem. His menu doesn’t create just a meal—it’s a full-fledged production, complete with tuxedoed servers, extravagant tableside presentations, and a dining room that oozes old-school glamour. The dishes lean luxurious, like lobster ravioli swimming in a silky coral butter sauce and Wagyu carpaccio that arrives under a dramatic cloche of hickory smoke. The caviar service is impeccable. The truffle pasta is practically mandatory. Save room for dessert. The soufflé, if available, is worth the wait, and the tableside affogato is the kind of simple-yet-perfect finisher that reminds you why Italian dining is all about the art of indulgence. Despite the formal setting, Fiola never feels stuffy. Service is warm, the cocktails are expertly crafted, and the attention to detail—from the plush banquettes to the house-baked bread that arrives like a gift—is what makes this place special. Whether you’re celebrating a milestone or just feel like treating yourself on a Tuesday, Fiola is where you go when you want to feel like a VIP.

Ariete is a Michelin-starred Coral Gables gem where chef Michael Beltrán seamlessly fuses Cuban flavors with modern American fine dining. This is where you go when you want a meal that feels both nostalgic and wildly inventive—familiar flavors, reimagined with the kind of finesse that turns dinner into an experience. The foie gras with a pastelito glaze is somehow both decadent and deeply Miami. The short rib, slow-cooked until it practically melts, is served alongside a black bean purée so rich it could stand on its own. And then there’s the canard à la presse—an ultra-luxurious duck dish that’s equal parts spectacle and indulgence. The ambiance is warm but upscale, with dim lighting, leather banquettes, and an open kitchen that lets you watch the magic happen. The cocktails lean classic, the wine list is deep, and the tasting menu is the best way to experience Beltrán’s full range—if you’re willing to surrender to the chef’s vision for the night.

This funky, neighborhood-chic Mexican spot in Coconut Grove takes tortillas as seriously as some places take wine lists, which is a big reason why they’ve held a Michelin star since 2022. With a menu rooted in heirloom corn, ancestral cooking techniques, and natural wines, Los Félix is the kind of place that makes you rethink everything you thought you knew about tacos. The masa, nixtamalized in-house, forms the foundation for nearly every dish—whether it’s the impossibly fresh blue corn tortillas cradling tender, slow-cooked pork or the blue crab arepa made with smoked corn. Drinks stay on theme, with fat-washed cognac in the El Fashion and a coconut-oil amaro creating a new complexity in a mezcal negroni with the Lennox Drive. The space itself is effortlessly cool, with dim lighting, vinyl records spinning, and a crowd that looks like it just stepped off a fashion shoot. But despite the stylish setting, Los Félix is all about substance—big flavors, quality ingredients, and a genuine love for the craft.

This high-end surf-and-turf stunner in Edgewater is where Norwegian king crab meets dry-aged beef in a historic waterfront setting. The main dining room is all dark wood and old-money vibes, but the rooftop bar is where you’ll want to linger—with a cocktail in hand and a view that reminds you why Miami is, well, Miami. This isn’t your average steakhouse—or seafood spot, for that matter. Klaw is all about hyper-specific sourcing, flying in wild-caught red king crab daily from Norway and dry-aging premium cuts of beef in-house in cabinets you’ll see at check-in. The result is some of the most impressive—and indulgent—plates in the city. The crab arrives tableside, pre-cracked and ready to be dunked in drawn butter, while the steaks offer selections from the simple to the complicated, like a funky strip flavored from the kimchi fed to the cattle. Service is sharp, the wine list is deep, and the cocktails are designed to pair with both the surf and the turf. If you’re looking to impress a date, celebrate a deal, or just eat like a king (literally), Klaw is the place to do it.

Here at Time Out, our mission is to bring you the very best of Miami, and that very importantly includes Miami's best restaurants. Of course, on that mission, we editors find ourselves dining out quite a lot. Whether we're trying out the latest buzzy concept from one of the city's homegrown star chefs, hunting down the most delicious new smash burger in a tidal wave of Miami smash burgers or suiting up to make it past the velvet rope at South Beach's hottest new clubstaurant, it's all in day's work to present you with our findings. Though we don't give full, rated reviews to every Miami restaurant, bar or venue we visit, we take a lot of time and care with the ones we do. These writeups represent our honest impressions of the place, regardless of whether we were invited to experience it as a media guest or if we paid our own way. Our editors and contributors are committed to helping you decide where to go out in Miami and what to do with your time (and money), because we know it's precious. That said, we'll be recapping all the new Miami restaurants we review each month in one easily digestible post. Here are the new restaurants Time Out Miami editors tried in December—and what we thought. Bon appétit! Photograph: Wonho LeeMother Wolf Miami Mother Wolf Rating: ★★★★ (4 out of 5 stars) "Is it worth splurging your hard-earned (or not) bitcoin profits here? The answer comes with an asterisk. Mother Wolf is a visually dazzling space with Italian classics that range from stellar

Gastón Riveira sits across from me at his new Coconut Grove restaurant. “We will start with the meat, then the appetizers,” he states. “We will do things in reverse.” I don’t know why we’re doing things backward. But when you’re sitting down for a meal with the world’s most famous master of the Argentinian asado, you don’t question the order of things.  Riveira is the owner and chef of La Cabrera, a chain of Argentine restaurants that stretches from the Philippines to Spain. He’s recently added two outposts in Miami—Coconut Grove and Sunny Isles—with a third coming soon in Midtown. Riveira opened his first La Cabrera in the Palermo neighborhood of Buenos Aires in 2002. The concept was to stay true to a parrilla, an Argentine tradition similar to a Brazilian steakhouse but generally without all the skewers parading through the place. Since then, Riveira has penned several cookbooks and his restaurant has collected many awards, including landing on at least one list of the world’s best steakhouses.  Photograpg: Tim FitzgeraldLa Cabrera Our first course arrives, a strip steak sliced thick in a cast-iron platter, seasoned with salt and pepper. Riveira and I stab slices and slather on chimichurri as he talks about his abuelo, his hero and mentor, the man who taught him how to cook meats over an open flame. Growing up in Argentina, the asado was how holidays were celebrated, or just the conclusion of a week. It’s a grill-out, essentially, usually with sausages and various cuts of

On a fall Sunday in Asheville’s busiest tourist season, I drove to the charming downtown recently to see what’s opened since the destruction of Hurricane Helene. Chairs sat upside-down on the tables of White Duck, so I looked around as a rainbow of leaves drifted down the mostly empty street.  And then I noticed it: Cúrate, literally my favorite restaurant in the world. It was open. Just two other people occupied a single table when I took a seat at the chef’s table, facing the Josper oven. I ordered a traditional gilda tapas, then a wonderful bibb salad with olives and orange, before going on to a fried shrimp bocadillo, like a mashup of a po-boy and an Iberian sandwich.  I’ve been traveling to Asheville for nearly two decades now and became a part-time resident two years ago. And the last time I snuck into Cúrate without a reservation in the height of season? Probably a decade ago. It’s indicative of the state of the city now. Fewer tourists mean the city is like it was a generation ago before the digital nomads and vacationers discovered it.  Photograph: Eric Barton for Time OutA fried shrimp bocadillo from Cúrate During my recent trip there, I learned that’s both bad and good. Some tourist attractions are still shuttered, as are an estimated 56 percent of local businesses, according to Explore Asheville. But fewer people means what is open is far more accessible, and so, in many ways, it’s a delightful time to visit Asheville. Just how hard of a hit Asheville is taking

Here at Time Out, our mission is to bring you the very best of Miami, and that very importantly includes Miami's best restaurants. Of course, on that mission, we editors find ourselves dining out quite a lot. Whether we're trying out the latest buzzy concept from one of the city's homegrown star chefs, hunting down the most delicious new smash burger in a tidal wave of Miami smash burgers or suiting up to make it past the velvet rope at South Beach's hottest new clubstaurant, it's all in day's work to present you with our findings. Though we don't give full, rated reviews to every Miami restaurant, bar or venue we visit, we take a lot of time and care with the ones we do. These writeups represent our honest impressions of the place, regardless of whether we were invited to experience it as a media guest or if we paid our own way. Our editors and contributors are committed to helping you decide where to go out in Miami and what to do with your time (and money), because we know it's precious. That said, we'll be recapping all the new Miami restaurants we review each month in one easily digestible post. Here are the new restaurants Time Out Miami editors tried in October—and what we thought. Bon appétit!    Photograph: Courtesy Otto & Pepe Otto & Pepe Rating: ★★★★★ (5 out of 5 stars) "If there’s one thing to criticize at the Wynwood pasta restaurant Otto & Pepe, it’s the slogan: 'Mean pasta & natty wine.' I figured crabby servers would be pouring nothing but mushroom-flavored

Ah, fall. That magical, brisk and cozy time of year that lasts about six hours in Miami before it’s hot as hell again. Fall is also when new Miami restaurants tend to arrive en masse as chefs and hospitality groups get warmed up before The Coming Of The Season. This fall, we’re witnessing the continuation of a trend we’ve seen in Miami since the pandemic as major restaurant groups from across the globe plant roots in the 305. We’ll also be getting several reborn versions of local favorites, places we’ve definitely been missing. How do you plan for the fall restaurant arrivals? Don’t worry: As reliable as pumpkin spice everything this season, we’ve got you covered with our roundup of the most anticipated new restaurant openings this fall in Miami (listed alphabetically). RECOMMENDED: The 39 best restaurants in Miami right now Photograph: Courtesy Aviv 1. Aviv Miami Beach Philly chef Michael Solomonov returns to Miami with this Israeli concept on the ground floor of the 1 Hotel South Beach. The restaurant promises to “blend ancient charcoal cooking methods, mezze plates, easy-drinking cocktails” and offers an extensive wine list. Expected opening: October Rendering: Courtesy Casa Gianna 2. Casa Gianna Downtown Contemporary and traditional dishes will dominate the menu by chef David Caceres in the Gale Miami Hotel & Residences. There’s a piazza off the main dining room and also a caffè è pasticceria, which, essentially, is Italian for you’re about to gain 10 pounds. Expected

There was a time not long ago when a bartender in Miami fit a very specific stereotype: former Northerner, disheveled, probably at least half-drunk, and quite likely still matted with beach sand from last night’s adventures.  But Miami saw a revolution behind the bar in the past generation as a new crop of cocktail makers took things far more seriously. We’re talking places like the Broken Shaker (whose Miami founders recently sold to Generator Hostels), The Regent Cocktail Club, Jaguar Sun and Lost Boy. (We’re probably not even mentioning your favorite because, hell, we’ve got a lot of really good bars in Miami now.)  If you strike up a conversation with your barkeep (highly recommended), you might catch wind of something new influencing mixology in Miami lately: an influx from overseas. Bartenders from Italy to Japan come for a pop-up or bar takeover and end up making a permanent move. We spoke to a few of the most influential bartenders around Miami to find out how this very welcome foreign invasion is shaking up the local cocktail scene. Photograph: Anthony Nader - 52 Chefs You couldn’t talk about ‘Miami-style’ bartending previously, but now everybody knows it. It’s like a mix of everything that’s happening around the world. Julio Cabrera, Café La Trova Where he’s from: Born in Calimente, Cuba, in 1964, Cabrera grew up hearing stories about the bar his father owned before the revolution, a community gathering spot where factory workers would start the day with a coffee

While Bogotá is a cosmopolitan city full of panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and a thumping nightlife scene, I’ll admit I wanted to go for one reason: arepas. I’m fairly obsessed with the discs of corn and all the ways Colombians prepare them. There are the small, simple ones from the País region that serve as vehicles for salsa. Then there are the corn pancakes, sweet and doughy and oozing with cheese.  For those who might also share my passion for arepas, or simply want to check out Colombia’s vibrant capital city, there’s a brand new way to get there: The high-end Emirates Airlines just launched a daily, non-stop route from Miami, and I recently had the opportunity to experience the inaugural flight. Full disclosure: Emirates paid my way as part of its media rollout. Nonetheless, I’ve outlined my unfiltered takeaways below. TLDR: If you’re planning a trip to Colombia anytime soon, you might just want to book yourself a ticket if you can. Photograph: Courtesy the authorTime Out contributor Eric Barton on the inaugural Emirates flight from Miami to Bogotá 1. The only luxe way to reach Colombia Several airlines fly directly into Bogotá, but Emirates is the only one with a first-class cabin. The good seats on an Emirates plane are as nice as you’ve probably heard. Yes, you could fly economy roundtrip for around $350, but upgrading just might be the best part of your vacation. First class, where each seat is like a little apartment, will cost you the downpayment o

The James Beard Foundation last night named Miami’s Valerie Chang the South’s best chef, and it’s a reward not only for a talented young restaurateur but also a long-deserved recognition for an entire state. Chang’s award is the first time a Florida chef has won the Best Chef: South category since Michael Schwartz claimed the recognition way back in 2010—remarkably 14 years ago.  It’s a point Chang made from the podium at the awards ceremony in Chicago. “Miami—finally, we won! We got something for Miami!” Chang’s voice mixed with laughter and exuberance as she triumphantly held up the medal. Chang’s Midtown restaurant Maty’s is an homage to her heritage, her Peruvian immigrant parents and to her grandmother, the restaurant’s namesake. At the podium last night, Chang talked about the emotional rollercoaster of winning the award not long after losing her grandmother. “To my grandmother who passed away five days ago, and you know I named the restaurant after her, and I can't believe I'm standing here.” Her brother and business partner Nando Chang said in the comments of an Instagram post: “What a way to honor Maty. @chifitachang I love you very much and I’m so proud of you.” Photograph: Isa ZapataMaty's If you haven’t been to Maty’s, chances are it’s going to become harder to score a reservation after last night. But it's well worth whatever wait is required, with oysters bathed in a tangy leche de tigre, charred cauliflower with ocopa sauce and what's become the restaurant's

There’s a truth about Miami that maybe you didn’t know, something that’s developed over the last few years, pretty much out of nowhere: We now have a die-hard contingent of folks who will do whatever—brave the heat, long lines, uncomfortable seating and those daily hurricane-like rainstorms—just to eat something delicious.  Because of this, pop-up restaurants now thrive here. Those responsible for the pop-ups (both experienced chefs and young upstarts with no training) credit these people, the ones going above and beyond to discover Miami’s next best foods, with allowing them to do what they do.  There’s proof by the dozen across town, with many of Miami’s best restaurants growing out of pop-ups or humble food trucks. Among our favorites, Boia De, now a Michelin-starred restaurant, launched as a food truck serving fried chicken sandwiches; Zitz Sum, one of the city’s most awarded restaurants, started with a chef making dumplings in his home kitchen; Old Greg’s, some of the best pizza in town, began as a pandemic side project; and the new QP Tapas, technically still a pop-up, is among our favorite new restaurants this year.  The growth of these experimental, temporary restaurants and their committed followings has fundamentally changed the restaurant industry in Miami in ways that make it entirely better. How? Why? We spoke to the teams behind many of Miami’s pop-up success stories to find out. RECOMMENDED: Why is it so damn hard to open a restaurant in Miami? Photograph: Cou

It seems like every week there’s a new national outlet arriving in Miami to report on something we locals already know: This city is having a serious restaurant moment. It began well before pandemic lockdowns but, ever since, Miami has seen an influx of major restaurant groups clamoring for their piece, along with homegrown chef-owners carving out new concepts throughout the county. This season, there’s lots to be excited about, from (yet another) Miami omakase courtesy of the Itamae team to Klaw’s stylish new Italian neighbor. As the not-so-slow summer ends and fall picks up, here are our top Miami restaurant openings to bookmark on Google Maps this season from Wynwood to South Beach and beyond. RECOMMENDED: Every Michelin-Starred Restaurant in Miami Photograph: Courtesy Itamae Ao 1. Itamae Ao Much-loved Nikkei destination Itamae swaps its Design District digs for a new, 12-seat omakase-style counter next to sister restaurant Maty’s in Midtown. Brother-sister duo Nando and Val Chang were just named best new chefs by Food & Wine, so expect hard-to-get reservations from day one. 3255 NE 1st Ave Photograph: Courtesy Alpareno Restaurant GroupAlpareno Restaurant Group founders Mohamed “Mo” Alkassar and Chef Niven Patel 2. Erba Niven Patel, the celebrated Miami chef behind Ghee, Orno and Mamey, began this pasta concept as a pop-up way back in 2019. Ever since it’s been just on the cusp of reopening in a permanent home. This fall, Erba finally lands in Coral Gables with a menu

Vikram Thadani first came to Miami from Chile on vacation when he was 17, and he swore right then that someday he’d open a restaurant here. That was in 2002, and after opening four restaurants back home, he decided in 2021 he’d attempt to pull off his dream. Thadani settled on a space in Wynwood. He figured it would take six months to open. “Everyone laughed when I told them that,” he says.  Eighteen months later, after endless red tape and reams of paperwork thrown at him by the City of Miami, he finally opened his Indian restaurant, Rishtedar, in February. He can’t even calculate how many tens of thousands of dollars the delays cost him.  “That’s why I’m living in my car at Home Depot,” he says with a laugh. “Just kidding, just kidding.” Thadani’s experience is similar to stories I’ve heard over and over from chefs and restaurant owners in my 20 years covering the industry in South Florida. Miami’s inefficient and often beguiling bureaucracy can lead to months—sometimes years—of delays in even a simple restaurant opening, costing operators sometimes upwards of six figures. The reasons for the delays in Miami are often baffling, owners say. In Thadani’s case, one problem arose when the Post Office changed his restaurant’s mailing address. Suddenly, inspectors stopped showing up, leading to a two-week pause in the process—and adding to months of delays. Some might shrug this off as a problem suffered only by well-off restaurateurs. But it can also hurt workers who get stuck i

It’s after 2 o’clock in the afternoon when we hook up with Brittany Brave, and she’s just finishing up breakfast at Mamey in Coral Gables. She polished off a coffee, a mimosa, coconut water, tuna tostones, and grilled cheese bites—all with the desperate hope of beating the hangover. Having just barely answered the phone, she’s already apologizing profusely for sleeping through multiple alarms and jumping on the call late. “I don’t know what I was thinking scheduling a 10am Monday phone call.” You can’t blame her. The night before, 31-year-old Brave had headlined the Miami Improv for the first time, all part of what seems to be a major moment for this homegrown comedienne. In the past year, Brave has racked up headlining spots and accolades including being named by the Miami New Times as the city’s best comedian. Is this officially a thing? “Um, yeah, I am afraid—well, first off thank you for saying that—but I’m afraid to use language like that,” Brave says. “You never want to jinx it, and you never want to think you’re ahead of where you are.” Up until recently, she was a starving artist. “Sometimes literally starving,” she says. And as such, she doesn't want to ruin things. Brave grew up in west Kendall, the only child of a cosmetologist mom and sales manager dad. Her parents remain the funniest people she knows, she says, and she figured out early on that she loved making them laugh. Some of her earliest memories are of standing in the middle of the room at get-togethers an