Where should we eat in Miami?
My good friend Ginger and I are meeting up again. This time, we’re headed to Miami. We’re excited to stay at the Kimpton EPIC hotel, eat at Yardbird, and get ice cream at Azucar…but outside of those three things, we don’t really have much of a plan.
I always LOVE the recommendations I get from you guys, so I’m excited to ask: what/where are the Miami must-eats? We’re adventurous eaters, and we love great cocktails as well. We’re willing to go out of our way for a great meal.
Thank you! Can’t wait to read what you come up with! 🙂
For a very expensive, but very fun and worthwhile meal, go to Barton G. Even better if you go as a surprise without looking at too many pictures which might ruin the surprise
Noah – Now I’m very intrigued! Thanks for the interesting tip.
Step by Quality Meats in SoBe. Just opened the Miami Restaurant a week ago
http://www.qualitymeatsmiami.com/
Stefan – Yes!
Miami has some amazing restaurants, I highly recommend Pub Belly Sushi in Sunset Harbour (which is still on South Beach), it is absoloutly fantastic. I also recommend that you venture out to Wynwood where there are some excellent choices such as Wynwood Kitchen, Sugar Caine etc. For breakfast / brunch, check out a place called IceBox which is also in Sunset Harbour. Lincoln road also has a tonne of restaurants, a bit more touristy but definitely some good options. Many of the locals go to a place called Segafredo, has a great vibe
Enjoy!
Hiten – Great recommendations! Sounds like you definitely know what you are talking about. 🙂
If hitting Azucar on Calle Ocho (1503 SW 8th Street) , then you might also stop at Versailles (3501 SW 8th St) . Bienvenidos a Miami!
AlhoaDaveKennedy – Thank you! I’ll definitely stop at Versailles.
no trip to south florida is complete without a visit to Jaxson’s Ice Cream in Dania Beach (very close to FLL) . . . everything there is homemade and it was featured on Good Morning America as one of the top ice cream parlors in the country . . . very old-fashioned decor and service and definitely worth a trip!
Alon – I LOVE ice cream, so this will be a must-do.
In the evening, try NIU for amazing tapas. Le Sandwicherie is great for soaking up drinks late at night.
Someone – Thank you!
I am heading there soon as well. Looking forward to seeing what others recommend.
I was told by others to make sure we included a meal at Versailles in our plans.
Ms. M – Yes, AlohaDaveKennedy (a few comments back) recommended Versailles as well.
Havana 1957, they have four locations, great service and fantastic food. I have been to the one on Lincoln Road. Whatever you choose, enjoy!
Klark – Thank you!
Lets meet up for lunch while your down… If you want.. Need some miles advice… Richie from FTU DC!!
Richie – Hi! I remember you!
Need to narrow it down a bit more. “Where should we eat in Miami” is pretty broad. There are literally thousands of food spots in Miami, many of them very good in their own category, so types of food you like to eat such as seafood, asian, Cuban, Peruvian, American, etc, would be helpful.
Here goes to nothing:
Best Stone Crabs in the WORLD: Joe’s Stonecrab in South Beach. Go at an odd time to avoid the 2-hour wait, and be prepared to spend no less than $100+ per person, conservatively. Worth every penny. The place is 102 years old, and it’s an institution in South Florida.
Seafood: Garcia’s Seafood Grille
Cuban: Versailles or La Carreta. Casa Larios is pretty good too.
REAL Cuban food (can you tell we’re Cuban?): El Palacio de los Jugos.
Peruvian: One of the best ever and authentic Peruvian restaurants I ever tried in Miami is called Pollos y Jarras. Walking distance from the Epic, maybe 10 min.
Mary Brickell Village is across the bridge from your hotel, and a great place to hang out. Walking distance, 15 min or short Uber ride. Skip Coconut Grove.
Do not go to Jaxson’s in Dania. Yes, it’s great, but it’s not even in the same city. Not worth the time. It will take you 45 min each way driving. If you want closer ice cream and just as good, try Swensen’s. You can take the metrorail from your hotel right to it, $2 one way per person, so no need for a car.
Hope this helps. Questions, email me. I lived in Miami for 18 years until last year, so I know my food.
Have fun.
FreeTravelGuys – Awesome list, thanks so much! LOVE all the details!
Add to my prior comment Taverna Opa. Also on Mary Brickell Village, walking distance over the bridge. Fantastic Greek food, and awesome bar and music. The deal with Taverna Opa is after you eat they clear your table and you get up and dance on the tables. It’s one of my favorite spots in Miami.
For drinks, the Epic will do just fine if you don’t mind the prices. Kima Lounge in the main lobby is great and has awesome music. The pool bar upstairs is great because you have great drinks, pool and a great view of downtown Miami and Brickell.
FreeTravelGuys – Thank you, thank you!!
Ceviche 105. We just ate there this past Friday. HOLY YUM. Get the Ceviche Sampler, I’m promise you it will tantalize your taste buds.
+++1 on Ceviche 105. I completely forgot about it. Pollos y Jarras and Ceviche 105 are actually next to each other and owned by the same person, so either one of them is great. Ceviche is a bit pricier than Pollos if I recall correctly, but both equally great.
Free Travel Guys – 🙂
Havana 1957 is great for upscale Cuban food, and has multiple locations. For reasonably priced Cuban food, pick a place in a strip mall, and the less English spoken, the better. For something kind of interesting, check out Scotty’s Landing by Miami city hall in Coconut Grove. It’s right on the water, and very chill. Stone crabs are good there in season.
Christian – Great tips! Scotty’s Landing sounds especially interesting.
I recently ate at Yardbird’s sister restaurant Swine in Coral Gables. Delicious! Also, if you’re near the Wynwood neighborhood make a trip to Panther Coffee. I’m not a coffee connoisseur, but my latte was worth standing in line for.
Tracy T. – Thanks so much for the tip about Swine! We are definitely going to put that on our list. In terms of coffee…we LOVE IT, so thanks for that as well. Sounds like you would fit right in on our trip. 😉
Cafe Prima Pasta in North Beach is somewhere I would make sure I made my way back to! It was delicious. Seafood pastas and the like.
Stacy – Thank you! Sounds delicious!
Go old school: Versailles on Calle Ocho and Joes Stone Crab; classics.
bob – Thanks! I see a few patterns starting to emerge here. 🙂
Try Buns and Buns in South Miami….seriously. Make time! It’s terrific and FAST….which is a rarity. Tom Colicchio went nuts for it recently. Enjoy!
Tina – Thank you! Sounds interesting! 🙂
Oh, and make certain to get a cortadito if you go to Versailles or any real Cuban place. It’s a sweet, amazing little cup of Cuban coffee wonder.
Tina – yum!
I just returned from a Miami trip… here are my observations.
This west coast coffee snob couldn’t find a great coffee in South Beach. I was rushed in the morning and didn’t have a car so was stuck to the Lincoln Road restaurants and there was no Blue Bottle in sight. I ate at Yardbird, twice. The food was delicious. I had fried chicken both times that rivaled my southern Mother’s offerings and even though the restaurant was packed, the service was excellent. I was impressed.
I also had the most spectacular lunch at Niu. GO HERE! It really was the most perfect meal I ate on our trip.
I also had a great meal at Cleo. The octopus was the best I’ve ever eaten. We ate tapas sized plates and really only had 1 miss out of numerous dishes we ordered. Be mindful that many places include the tip on the bill which isn’t something I am accustomed to. I missed it at Cleo and tipped, what I thought was a very generous 35%. which was added on top of the included tip of 20%. I didn’t catch it til the next day and it left me a bit sad.
I also ate at Pubbelly and unlike a previous reviewer I definitely can’t recommend this place. The evening began well. We arrived later but not last. The restaurant was 1/2 – 3/4 full and most people were lingering. Our waitress got progressively more and more snarky because she deemed that we were not ordering our food fast enough (she told us this) although our whole table was drinking. Once we ordered our meals, all of the food was very disappointing. And don’t even think about going here if you are a vegetarian (which we aren’t). The un-highlight of the evening was a 3 am arrival of what I think was maybe food poisoning. No way to know for sure… but I am most suspect. Skip this place.
Have a great trip. With just one exception, I found the people I encountered super friendly and with little of the Miami attitude I had read about.
Mighty Mouse – Thanks for the honest tips. I have been to Yardbird before and LOVED IT, so I think I will enjoy the other places you’ve listed.
sadly, I’ve never been to Miami. However the food sounds delish, I’d love to be a stowaway in your suitcase!!
Baoli is fantastic! Check that out if you can. Make sure to make a reservation