Our ultimate Miami Foodie Guide contains Styled Traveler’s list of recommendations for how to best experience the Miami food scene. These are tried and true Miami restaurants that we love and visit frequently.
Miami is a cosmopolitan city where many cultures meet and leave an imprint on its culinary scene. Up and coming chefs try to make a name for themselves and established chefs spread their expertise, sometimes through more than one restaurant. From visiting the restaurants of world-renowned chefs like José Andrés, Joël Robuchon, Daniel Boulud, Gastón Acurio and many others, to local chefs like Bradley Kilgore, Adrianne Calvo, Jose Mendin, and Michael Pirolo just to name a few, there is no shortage of excellent options in Miami.
The following Miami restaurants are grouped by type but are not listed in order of preference, as we like and recommend you try them all. They are all that good! 😋
Everyday Miami foodie restaurants
The restaurants below receive our highest recommendations and thus are currently on our Miami Foodie Guide. While we listed them as everyday-casual, the food, presentation and setting are often suitable for special occasions as well. Of note is that these restaurants are just as great to try on a weekday as on the weekend and for special occasions.
Edan Bistro by chef Aitor Garate Berasaluze
Located in North Miami (650 NE 125th street), Edan Bistro is the latest restaurant by a personal favorite chef Aitor Berasaluze. The skills and mastery of the young Basque chef Aitor Berasaluze are exceptional and evident in every dish he serves. Add to that the quality of ingredients, creativity of his cooking, and ability to observe him at work, and this makes it a great restaurant for you to try. You can grab breakfast, lunch or dinner and enjoy top quality food. And if you decide to book a dinner reservation, be sure to try the 8-course tasting menu – it comes highly recommended by Styled Traveler!
MAMO Miami by chefs Salvatore Marcello and Steven Fruman
The popular modern Italian style SOHO New York restaurant now has a Miami location, right in the center of Brickell. The atmosphere is cozy and upscale, the food quality is excellent, and the service is very good. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner, or you can just grab a drink at the cool bar and enjoy this new addition to the Miami foodie scene. Reservations for dinner are highly recommended on the weekend.
Abbalé Telavivian Kitchen by chef Sam Gorenstein
A relatively new addition to the Miami Restaurant scene, chef Gorenstein’s Abbalé Telavivian Kitchen is a very lively place, especially on the weekend. Everything we have tried is beyond tasty and the setting of this restaurant is just so pretty.
Bachour by pastry chef Antonio Bachour
A true artist, chef Bachour impresses with the beauty and creativity of his desserts. They are actual pieces of art that also taste oh, so good! 😋 Chef Bachour’s restaurant also serves excellent lunches in a casual but beautiful setting. Additionally, the desserts are very reasonably priced for the art that they truly are. We highly recommend trying Bachour.
Zuma by chef Rainer Becker
A modern Japanese izakaya by chef Rainer Becker located right in the heart of the city and overlooking the Miami River. You will surely be impressed by the freshness of the food and the creativity of the presentation. Try lunch or dinner on the terrace for a great view of the Miami skyline and the river.
Uchi Miami by chef Tyson Cole
The word Uchi means “house” in Japanese, and this ‘house’ make for a superb restaurant. The food, presentation, service, and ambiance are all excellent and a must-try. The chef describes the menu as non-traditional Japanese, but the Japanese influences are very evident and presented with a twist. Everything we have tried at Uchi is outstanding, and their cocktails and wine lists are also great. Reservations are a must as the restaurant is very, very popular.
Sushi Yasu Tanaka at MIA Market
Chef Tanaka has been a long time favorite. We have followed his work from the Den inside Azabu to opening his own place at the MIA Market. His dishes are meticulously prepared, the ingredients used are very fresh, and the presentation is always beautiful. This all adds up to an outstanding experience at a very unpretentious venue. Chef Tanaka delivers every time and should be on your list of places to visit when in Miami.
La Mar by chef Gaston Acurio
Located inside the Mandarin Oriental hotel, La Mar is a great restaurant where you can experience Peruvian food at its best. Chef Gaston Acurio presents super creative and extremely flavorful Peruvian dishes in a beautiful setting overlooking the Miami skyline. According to chef Acurio, the menu is a mix of novo-Andean fare, Asian-Peruvian fusion and traditional seafood ceviche. Be sure to reserve a table on the patio for a great view of Miami.
Stubborn Seed by chef Jeremy Ford
In his small and intimate south Miami Beach restaurant, Chef Jeremy Ford presents an unbelievable dining experience. He takes ordinary ingredients and makes them taste extraordinary. The setting feels casual, but the food is a real showstopper. Be sure to visit if you are in the area – you will not be disappointed.
Cracked by chef Adrianne Calvo
This is the more casual restaurant of Miami’s chef Adrianne Calvo, but nevertheless a favorite of Styled Traveler. Chef Adrianne uses her signature ‘MAXIMUM ‘ flavor style along with fresh, organic ingredients to deliver a super tasty menu. Easy, casual and unpretentious, this restaurant should be on your list.
Momi Market by chef Takashi Terashima
This relatively new neighborhood restaurant by chef Takashi Terashima offers outstanding quality Japanese food. The sashimi and sushi donburi bowls are beautifully presented and so, so fresh. Be sure to stop by and discover this hidden gem in Brickell, Miami. You can also schedule a special omakase experience.
North Italia Brickell, Miami
A very casual but always-great option for lunch or dinner. North Italia delivers excellent handcrafted food options and great wines and cocktails. Their pizzas and pastas are just fantastic, as are their chef’s boards and salads. Very casual and enjoyable. Just stop by and grab a table for lunch, dinner or happy hour.
Los Fuegos by Francis Mallmann
For a truly special meal and only on Sundays, chef and grill master Francis Mallmann delivers a feast of seafood and meats that is unique, delicious and so very worth trying. The Los Fuegos restaurant is located in the Faena Hotel in Miami Beach in a beautiful beachside setting. You must reserve a table to avoid waiting onsite.
Ariete by chef Michael Beltran
Tucked away in the Coconut Grove neighborhood of Miami, Ariete is local chef Michael Beltran’s intimate and unique restaurant. Inspired by his Cuban American heritage & French culinary training, Ariete should be on your list of Miami restaurants to try. Choose from multiple tasting menus to explore chef Beltran’s creativity and seasonally appropriate dishes featuring locally sources ingredients. Or try the Rohan Duck for Two, aged for 14 days and enjoyed in table side prepared sauce. Be sure to reserve your table ahead of time.
Motek Cafe
With three Miami locations, Motek Cafe brings the best of Eastern Mediterranean food to the Miami area. You will notice food influences from Lebanon, to Morocco, Turkey, Yemen and beyond. We will not be exaggerating if we say that the hummus at Motek is the best we have tried in Miami and the lavash bread is also excellent. A great place to share a meal family style but also great for a special occasion meal. Reservations are recommended.
Miami foodie restaurants – special occasions
We separated the restaurants below as we felt they were less casual and more appropriate for special occasions. We have noted those that are open for lunch and thus represent a more casual way to experience great food by renowned chefs. Reservations are highly recommended.
Le Jardinier by chef Alain Verzeroli
At Le Jardinier, chef Verzeroli uses classical French cooking techniques to elevate seasonal local fruits and vegetables and serve outstanding dishes. Non-vegetarians will find seafood, meat and poultry dishes. In addition, the restaurant is beautiful and service is outstanding. You can try Le Jardinier for lunch and, weather permitting, sit outside in a more casual setting.
L’Atelier by chef Joël Robuchon
L’Atelier by chef Robuchon is probably our favorite high-end restaurant in Miami. Everything about it will surely elevate your restaurant experience. The food, as well as the service, are simply outstanding and the restaurant is beautiful, while the kitchen feels very accessible. We recommend reserving seating at the counter so you can easily look into the open kitchen and how the food magic happens. We highly recommend this restaurant for your next special occasion celebrated in Miami or just for an outstanding meal while in town.
El Cielo by chef Juan Manuel Barrientos
Columbian born chef Juan Manual Barrientos presents a feast for the senses in his Miami restaurant El Cielo. The menu is inspired by the flavors and food of Columbia. The chef uses cutting edge neuroscience techniques to present dishes that are visually unexpected but oh, so tasty! A truly special experience!
The Den inside Azabu
An exclusive hidden concept inside the Azabu restaurant in south Miami Beach, the Den presents an omakase experience of the highest quality. The ingredients, food preparation, and flavors are simply outstanding! The chefs are Tokyo trained and rotate from time to time, but the quality of the food is a constant! All seating is at the counter and allows for an excellent view of the food preparation.
Other Miami foodie restaurants on our list
The following is a list of some of the additional restaurants we still want to try and consider for addition to our Miami Foodie Guide:
Other Miami restaurants that are fun to try
- Cafe La Trova – popular Cuban food place on Calle Ocho. Cafe La Trova’s bar is ranked in the 50 top bars in the world.
- LPM Restaurant and Bar – this French restaurant is a personal favorite in the Brickell area of Miami. Great atmosphere, food and service. We highly recommend getting a reservation as the restaurant is very popular and without a reservation you will most likely need to wait to get a table.
- Julia and Henry’s Food Hall – a lively venue where you can try different types of food and enjoy live music, DJ, game nights and more in the restored Walgreens building in downtown Miami.
- Biscayne Bay Brewing – locally owned brewery located in the restored Old Post Office in downtown Miami; great atmosphere and excellent local brews.
In closing, we intend to update our Ultimate Foodie Guide to Miami’s Restaurants regularly as we discover more great food options. Stay tuned.
[All pictures taken by the Styled Traveler]\
Be sure to check out our Ultimate Foodie Guide to Washington, DC Restaurants.
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