Biscayne Tavern
146 Biscayne Boulevard
biscaynetavern.com
Restaurateur Jeffrey Chodorow’s downtown Miami eatery is a homey setting filled with slate, oak and mirrors. Enjoy a fried oyster po’boy, fancy grilled cheese or a seafood Cobb salad with one of their handcrafted specialty beers.
Blackbrick
Blackbrick
3451 NE 1st Avenue
midtownchinese.com
Chef Richard Hales doesn’t shy away from Hunan chiles or Szechuan peppercorns in dishes like cold roast chicken with chili sauce and jellyfish. Enjoy classics with a unique spin—like a General Tso’s Chicken that also features local alligator-tail meat—and an extensive dim-sum menu.
Bulla Gastrobar
2500 Ponce de Leon Boulevard
bullamiami.com
It’s tough to choose among Bulla Gastrobar’s two dozen tapas. Top picks include the ahi-tuna tartare flavored with bits of mango and avocado in a soy-sesame dressing with a spoonful of chive Greek yogurt and homemade potato chips layered with Serrano ham, a fried egg, potato foam and a drizzle of truffle oil.
Casa Tua
700 James Avenue
casatualifestyle.com
Housed in a Mediterranean villa just off South Beach, guests at Casa Tua (which is also a hotel) can savor the tastes and textures of Northern Italian cuisine beneath the lantern-lit trees of the garden. Foodies will also be able to reserve a 20-seat chef’s table in full view of all the kitchen action.
Estiatorio Milos
Estiatorio Milos
730 1st Street
milos.ca/restaurants/miami
The philosophy behind Estiatorio Milos is don’t mess with perfection. Restaurateur Costas Spiliadis serves the very best seafood and produce in timeless Greek dishes that preserve the ingredients’ natural flavors.
Khong River House
Khong River House
661 Meridian Avenue
khongmiami.com
The Khong River House chefs (who tapped local farmers to grow unusual ingredients like galanga and pandan leaves) come from Thai towns and prepare dishes like those sold in street markets back home. Boat noodles, chargrilled Issan Sausage and marinated meats are served steaming in banana leaves. And a smart selection of dry Rieslings and fun gin concoctions serve as perfect pairings for the spicy Asian cuisine.
L’echon Brasserie
6261 Collins Avenue
lechonbrasserie.com
French fare meets suckling pig at the Hilton Cabana in North Miami Beach. The oceanfront terrace setting features hearty dishes like duck confit with ginger carrot purée and foie-gras nutella toast.
Lippi
600 Brickell Avenue
lippirestaurants.com
The New American-meets-Mediterranean concept boasts a staggering number of options: more than 75 dishes, 10 desserts and eight ice creams and sorbets. Offerings range from crudo to Tomahawk steak and roasted chicken. The terrace is the preferred perch for neighborhood diners.
Macchialina
820 Alton Road
macchialina.com
Chef Michael Pirolo of Scarpetta fame teamed up with the guys behind the gastro-pub Pubbelly and made a little magic. Pastas are produced in-house; so is just about everything else at the cozy, candlelit Italian tavern. With authentic dishes like tagliolini ai funghi and insalata di mara, the experience comes about as close to eating in Italy as is possible in Miami.
Mandolin Aegean Bistro
4312 NE 2nd Avenue
mandolinmiami.com
From locally caught fish to homemade specialties like lamb meatballs and Greek pasta, this Miami Design District eatery showcases a passion for great food passed down from generations.
MC Kitchen
4141 NE 2nd Avenue
mckitchenmiami.com
Chef Dena Marino serves up modern Italian cuisine influenced by the seasons, from locally sourced produce to in-house cured meats and pickled veggies, even making her own cheeses and pastas.
Michael Mina 74
Michael Mina 74
4441 Collins Avenue
fontainebleau.com
Situated in the lobby lounge of the Fontainebleau Hotel, the eatery from Michelin-star chef Michael Mina was inspired by his global travels. Diners can opt for local spiny lobsters and stone-crab claws or specialties like shabu-shabu or Japanese Wagyu beef served in a carmelized dashi broth pot over an open flame.
Oak Tavern
35 NE 40th Street
oaktavernmiami.com
The majestic oak tree in the courtyard is the main attraction at this Miami Design District space. Chef David Bracha serves stick-to-your-sides small plates like gnocchi with rabbit sausage and white truffles, as well as house-made charcuterie and artisanal cheese boards.
PB Steak
1787 Purdy Avenue
pbsteak.com
The Sunset Harbor eatery tackles regionally sourced surf and turf in a dining room of reclaimed wood walls, black tufted-leather banquettes and a communal table. Along with the small plates, like blue-crab bread pudding, there is an extensive raw bar.
Prime Fish
Prime Fish
100 Collins Avenue
mylesrestaurantgroup.com
A unique combination of fish shack meets upscale dining from restaurateur Myles Chefetz, of Prime 112 fame, serving a Gulf Stream’s worth of marine delicacies, from big-eye tuna poke to Dover sole meunière.
Swine Southern Table & Bar
2415 Ponce De Leon Boulevard
runpigrun.com
This Coral Gables restaurant pays homage to Southern fare and all things pig. Try the 1855 Black Angus Burnt Ends, either with fried cornbread and molasses or on barbecued beans glazed with Paradise Farms honey.
