The 22 Best Restaurants in Miami

Chef Pablo Zitzmann's tiny Coral Gables counter turns dim sum into an art form: order the lobster-and-shrimp har gow and the pork-belly potstickers with green-apple amazu, both essentials. It's a Michelin Bib Gourmand for a reason. The honest caveat: it's small (30 seats), dinner-only Tuesday-Saturday, and prime-time reservations vanish fast, so book weeks ahead or gamble on a walk-in seat.

“...wild, unpredictable excitement within a Miami dining landscape that can feel allergic to risk and aggressively predictable... When it's at its best, there's no one better.”— The Infatuation

Chef Michael Beltran's Michelin-starred flagship sends Cuban soul through a French-technique lens: expect the pastrami-style wagyu short rib, tableside canard a la presse, and the cult foie gras. The tasting menu is where the kitchen shows off. Honest caveat: this is a $$$$ splurge with tight seating and reservations that vanish fast, so it's a plan-ahead special-occasion night, not a walk-in.

“The duck press is the city's best tableside show and something everyone should experience at least once.”— The Infatuation

A tiny 30-seat Michelin-starred Italian spot tucked into a Buena Vista strip mall between a laundromat and a supermarket, run by chefs Luciana Giangrandi and Alex Meyer. The house-made pastas and inventive small plates are genuinely superb. The honest caveat: it's cramped, reservations vanish weeks ahead, and the natural-wine markups add up fast.

“This Italian hideaway is the beef tartare-slinging, tagliolini nero-heaping brainchild of chefs Luciana Giangrandi and Alex Meyer.”— Michelin Guide

Michael Beltran's Cuban-American diner in Coconut Grove earns its Michelin Bib Gourmand with scratch-made croquetas, a killer Cuban-American sandwich on fresh-baked bread, the shareable cast-iron pancake, and a cortadito from the ventanita that locals swear by. Honest caveat: it's walk-in only with no reservations, so arrive early or expect a wait at peak breakfast and weekend hours.

“Chef Michael Beltran runs this terrific Cuban diner, fitted with dangling greenery and cozy booths. What started out as a small café has grown overnight into this full-scale, Coconut Grove essential.”— Michelin Guide

A Michelin-starred, masa-obsessed Mexican spot in Coconut Grove where corn is nixtamalized and milled in-house daily. Order the blue crab arepa on smoky flint corn and the al pastor tacos with three salsas. Honest caveat: nearly every dish is corn-based and plates are small/shareable, so a table of arepa, tétela, and tamal can leave you in a heavy 'masa fog'—order across textures and share.

“Chef Sebastian Vargas [offers] a finely poised expression of Mexican cuisine that leans on subtle flavors and top-notch ingredients.”— Michelin Guide

A Michelin-starred Korean steakhouse crossing Korean barbecue with a regal American chophouse, grilling USDA Prime and American Wagyu on smokeless tabletop grills. Order the Butcher's Feast ($78) for four cuts plus banchan and stew, or splurge on the $225 Steak Omakase. Honest caveat: it's a pricey, reservations-only splurge in the polished Design District, and the dining room runs loud and buzzy rather than intimate.

“A highly stylized Korean steakhouse that almost feels like a temple to beautifully marbled and aged beef, much of it on display in a nearby room.”— MICHELIN Guide

Florida's only Michelin-starred Colombian restaurant, where chef Juan Manuel Barrientos turns an 18-course tasting into theater — the tableside 'Chocotherapy' ritual, where you dip your hands into warm chocolate, is the moment everyone remembers. Modern Colombian flavors, dramatic and heartfelt. The caveat: it's a $245-$289 fixed experience only, dinner-only, so come ready for a splurge and a full evening.

“Elevated Colombian food and dramatic presentations, from the tableside "chocotherapy" to the "Tree of Life" bread service.”— MICHELIN Guide

A gloriously chaotic open-air Cuban market where locals actually eat: fresh tropical juices, pan con lechon, and hot food sold by the pound for cheap. The original on West Flagler is the one worth the drive. Caveat: it's loud, lines are vague, and a little Spanish (or confident pointing) goes a long way.

“If you're from Miami, there's a good chance you formed core memories here, sucking down cold batidos through narrow straws, pressing your face against the steam counter to get a better look at the lechon's pig head...”— The Infatuation (Miami)

The move here is the house-made pasta from James Beard-nominated chef Michael Pirolo, especially the cacio e pepe and the ricotta tortellini in peas and broccoli rabe, plus a legendary $10 pasta night on Thursdays. Honest caveat: it's a small, buzzy room on residential Alton Road, dinner-only, and you'll want a Resy reservation well ahead, especially in season.

“Macchialina is simply the best Italian restaurant in Miami”— The Infatuation

The best Cuban sandwich in Miami, full stop — a small Little Havana counter where everything is house-made: the lechon, the ham, the pickles, even the mustard. Croqueta preparada and batidos round out a short, disciplined menu. Caveat: it closes at 6 PM daily, so this is a lunch mission, not a dinner plan.

“Sanguich ended the debate about who makes Miami's best Cubano”— The Infatuation

Top Chef winner Jeremy Ford's Michelin-starred South of Fifth room delivers an ambitious 8-course tasting of bold, seasonal New American cooking, much of it grown on his own farm in the Redland. The wagyu tartare with milk bread and the foie-and-squash tart are dazzlers. Honest caveat: it's a splurge (around $200 per person before drinks and tip) and reservations are hard to land.

“Chef Jeremy Ford brings the heat with an ambitious and brashly creative tasting menu. This is a kitchen that likes to take risks, weaving in Latin and Asian influences in a manner that is both bold and busy.”— Michelin Guide

The wood-fired second act from Boia De's team, where seasonal, ingredient-driven cooking makes pizza, lasagna and oysters feel new. Come for the mustard green lasagna with lamb ragu and the porcelet porchetta, cooked over live fire in a whimsically decorated room. Honest caveat: it's not cheap for how casual it looks — expect around $150 a head with a drink or two, and dishes are meant for sharing.

“Walrus Rodeo takes a sharp left in the opposite direction—and in the process makes us feel like we're tasting pizza, lasagna, and oysters for the very first time.”— The Infatuation

A serene, one-Michelin-star French room in the Design District where Chef Alain Verzeroli's team builds refined, vegetable-forward plates around seasonal produce and herbs, some grown on-site. The three-course prix-fixe (around $85) and Salvatore Martone's desserts are the highlights. Honest caveat: it's a genuine splurge with modest portions, and the polished, garden-calm setting leans upscale rather than cozy-neighborhood.

“Chef Alain Verzeroli shares his verdant, stylish French cooking... Accomplished sauces, seasonal vegetables and thoughtful cocktails tell a story in line with the restaurant's name and design.”— Michelin Guide

Thomas Keller's Michelin-starred ode to mid-century Continental dining inside the Four Seasons at the historic Surf Club. Come for impeccably executed classics: Beef Wellington, Lobster Thermidor, Dover sole, coconut cake. The room is genuinely magical and service is polished. The honest caveat: it's a serious splurge (mains often $60-$160), dinner-only, and dressy — this is an occasion restaurant, not a casual drop-in.

“Sharp-suited servers exude a certain effortless professionalism—not unlike the impressive Continental cooking.”— Michelin Guide

Cuban-style ice cream shop on Calle Ocho — look for the giant cone on the facade. Flavors riff on Little Havana childhoods: the Abuela Maria (vanilla, guava, cream cheese, Maria cookies) is the one to get. Tiny shop, mostly grab-and-go, and weekend evenings bring a line, but it moves fast.

“...the perfect cultural ambassador for this only-in-Miami operation.”— The Infatuation

Family-run fish house on the working Miami River — the Garcias have been catching and selling fish here since the 1960s, and the creaky dockside deck is one of downtown's best-kept lunch secrets. Get the grilled grouper sandwich. Caveat: it's no-frills and the weekday lunch rush from downtown offices is real.

“In-the-know Miamians flock to this indoor/outdoor restaurant overlooking the Miami River... for the freshest catch reeled in daily and available for purchase on the menu or by the pound at the fish market next door.”— Miami New Times

KYU is Wynwood's wood-fired, Asian-inspired standout — everything touches live fire, and the Korean fried chicken with a spicy-sweet glaze plus the smoky roasted cauliflower are the two dishes nobody skips. It's a James Beard-recognized splurge with a loud, buzzy dining room, so come to share plates, not for a quiet dinner. Reserve ahead; walk-ins often wait.

“KYU is as praiseworthy for its trendy setting as its gutsy Asian menu”— Time Out Miami

Miami Beach's most famous restaurant, serving stone crab claws since 1913 — the claws, hash browns, and key lime pie earn the hype. Caveats a friend owes you: claws run market price, the dining room takes no reservations, and it closes each summer roughly August to mid-October. Joe's Take Away next door runs year-round.

“One century later, as high-rises and shopping districts blossomed all around, this restaurant has endured as one of the city's prime attractions.”— Michelin Guide

The Cuban comfort-food workhorse where Miami families actually eat — huge portions of vaca frita, bistec empanizado, and cafecito from the ventanita, served until well past midnight. The original on Calle Ocho is the one with soul. Caveat: it's a local chain with dated decor; you come for the food and the regulars, not the ambience.

“La Carreta is Versailles' less famous sister restaurant... the menus at Versailles and La Carreta are extremely similar—but the food is much better here.”— The Infatuation

A restored 1940s house in the Design District turned sun-drenched Aegean courtyard, serving Greek and Turkish coastal cooking since 2009. Order the köfte, kebabs, and mezze dips over the seafood — the beef dishes outshine the fish. Honest caveat: the gorgeous garden setting does much of the heavy lifting, and prices run high for what's essentially rustic taverna food, so come for the vibe as much as the plate.

“A great spot with really good food and one of the best patios around.”— The Infatuation

Wynwood's go-to taco counter: fresh-pressed tortillas, solid al pastor, and a not-so-secret bar hidden behind a door in the back. Open past 2 AM, so it doubles as the neighborhood's late-night kitchen. Honest caveat: it's a polished mini-chain at Wynwood prices, not a hole-in-the-wall taqueria.

“Coyo Taco is starting to feel like a Wynwood classic... the housemade tortillas, addictive chipotle sauce, and carne asada will satisfy a taco craving.”— The Infatuation

The self-declared 'world's most famous Cuban restaurant' and the political heart of Cuban Miami since 1971 — presidents campaign here, and exile history was argued over its cafecito. The dining room food is solid, not transcendent; the real magic is the ventanita window and the bakery. Caveat: expect tour buses and a wait at peak times.