Boia De
MIAMI
The 20 Best Restaurants in Miami: Award-Winning Chefs, Hidden Gems, and Local Favorites
By Eric Barton | July 20, 2025
AUTHOR BIO: Eric Barton is editor of The Adventurist and a freelance journalist who has reviewed restaurants for more than two decades. Email him here.
Much has been made lately of the big-name restaurant closures in Miami—two of my favorites, Maty’s and Sereia, among them. But don’t let the headlines fool you. I’ve been reviewing Miami restaurants for two decades, and this is the best era yet for the city’s dining scene. The Miami food world is still red hot, powered by chefs who could hold their own in New York or Tokyo, and restaurants that are rewriting the rules of fine dining, street food, and everything in between.
So whether you're searching for “restaurants near me in Miami” or just want to experience the best Miami restaurants right now—from the ones that earned Michelin stars to the ones that deserve them—start with this list.
Ariete
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Best for: Appreciating the talents of one of Miami’s best chefs
Michael Beltran’s Ariete has become synonymous with Miami’s contemporary dining scene. The Michelin-starred spot blends Cuban roots with French techniques, resulting in dishes like the signature foie gras with smoked plantains. The modern, minimalist interior is a perfect backdrop for indulgent plates, and the cocktail program—heavy on local citrus—makes it worth lingering.
Boia De
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Best for: Impressing that friend in town who knows good food
From the unassuming strip mall entrance to the kaleidoscopic neon sign, Boia De revels in contradictions. The brainchild of Luciana Giangrandi and Alex Meyer, this James Beard-nominated and Michelin-starred gem offers dishes like ricotta gnocchi with brown butter and crispy pig ears with a Calabrian chili kick. The cozy space feels like a dinner party at your coolest friend’s house—if your friend had impeccable taste and an encyclopedic knowledge of Italian wines.
Cote Miami
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Best for: You want Korean steakhouse but as dinner theater
Miami’s outpost of the Michelin-starred Korean steakhouse from NYC delivers both sizzle and style. Helmed by Simon Kim, Cote blends K-BBQ with a fine dining ethos. The star here is the butcher’s feast, a procession of prime cuts grilled tableside, accompanied by an orchestra of banchan. The sleek, dimly lit interior, punctuated by neon accents, feels like stepping into a glossy, futuristic Miami.
Cotoa
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Best for: Taking a journey into Ecuadorian dishes
In a quiet North Miami strip mall, Cotoa is turning out some of the city’s most inventive cooking, Ecuadorian or otherwise. Chef Alejandra Espinoza rethinks traditional dishes with actual ambition—like seco de pollo reimagined as plantain tortellini, or palo santo infused into butter without turning it into a spa treatment. The cacao shows up in sauces, desserts, even drinks, each one layered and surprising. It’s a tiny space, more library than restaurant, but every dish feels like a bold footnote in the story of what Miami food can be.
Doya
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Best for: Chill Wynwood vibes but with memorable food
Wynwood has largely shed its gallery past for flashy restaurants, but Doya stands out as a place that nails vibe, value, and serious flavor. Led by chef Erhan Kostepen (formerly of much-loved Mandolin Aegean Bistro), Doya’s menu is full of sharable plates built around impeccably sourced ingredients and wood-fired cooking—chargrilled octopus, crispy branzino carpaccio, lamb kebap, and even a short‑rib baklava that writes its own rules. The space—part lush patio, part intimate bar—never feels stuffy; it just buzzes with energy that makes every visit feel like a night out. Add the Michelin Bib Gourmand stamp and the fact that F1 champ Max Verstappen celebrated here, and you’ve got a spot that’s both locally loved and globally noticed.
Ghee Indian Kitchen
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Best for: You want Indian spice but in a cool vibe
Plenty of restaurants call themselves farm-to-table, but few actually have their own farm. Chef Niven Patel grows much of the produce at his Homestead farm and builds Miami-inspired Indian dishes around it—think bhel puri ceviche, turmeric-marinated local fish, and bhatura dough spiked with avocado. The Wynwood location, the second for Ghee, feels sharper and more modern than the original (and also closer to home for us condo-dwellers). But the soul at both locations is the same: unapologetically Indian, unmistakably Miami. It’s the kind of place that reminds you there’s room in this city for vindaloo right alongside pastelitos and cafecito.
Gramps Getaway
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Best for: Waterfront vibes, killer drinks, and food that didn't even need to be this good
On a prime stretch of waterfront just off the Rickenbacker Causeway, Gramp’s Getaway pulls off something almost no one else in Miami can: great food, killer views, and zero attitude. It took over the old Whiskey Joe’s space, and if the creaky floorboards and frozen drinks don’t remind you of vintage Miami, the ‘70s playlist will. But this isn’t some ironic nostalgia trip—the menu’s got serious range, from crispy buffalo wings and skirt steak to a basil watermelon salad and a smashburger that immediately became one of the best in town. You can book a table (most people don’t know that), sip a slushy cocktail, and take in the Brickell skyline without dropping $200 or putting on real shoes.
Joe’s Stone Crab
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Best for: Classic Miami seafood and people-watching in formalwear
No list of Miami restaurants would be complete without Joe’s Stone Crab, a legend since 1913. While the namesake crustacean is only available in season (October through May), the rest of the menu—Key lime pie included—holds its own year-round. It’s a shrine to old Miami, where waiters in white jackets serve with precision in a space steeped in history. While the stone crabs and mustard sauce are a tradition, don’t leave without trying the fried chicken; it’s practically a city landmark.
Los Félix
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Best for: Mexican dishes with elaborately sourced ingredients
Corn reigns supreme at Los Félix, a Coconut Grove restaurant that’s as much about heritage as it is about flavor. The masa is milled in-house for tortillas that cradle everything from carnitas to huitlacoche. With a Michelin star under its belt, this spot marries traditional Mexican techniques with an ingredient-driven ethos.
Macchialina
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Best for: When you just need a good bowl of pasta
Macchialina has matured into one of South Beach’s most beloved Italian restaurants, with a recent renovation transforming its rustic charm into a space that now matches the excellence of its menu. Chef Michael Pirolo’s house-made pastas remain the star, from toothy agnolotti in butter-sage sauce to linguine in a luxurious mushroom truffle cream. The expanded courtyard and atmospheric interior—complete with moody lighting and tropical touches—no longer just a neighborhood favorite but now just simply one of Miami’s Best restaurants.
Ogawa
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Best for: You want to go to Japan but without the airline ticket
At Ogawa, a 10-seat omakase spot in Little River, chef Masayuki Komatsu serves the kind of sushi you’d expect in Tokyo’s Ginza district, not a Miami warehouse district. Restaurateur Alvaro Perez Miranda created a space that’s the one-night equivalent of a trip to Japan; there's no imported flash or DJ booth—just pristine fish, mostly from Japan, sliced with quiet precision and served with reverence. Each bite is deliberate, every detail exact, down to the housemade soy sauce and wasabi root grated to order. The experience is intimate, serious, and surprisingly unpretentious, a reminder that great sushi doesn’t need theatrics. It just needs a chef who knows exactly what he’s doing. Miami has many great omakase restaurants right now (Shingo, Queen Omakase, and Ogawa’s sister restaurant Hiyakawa among them), but what sets this one apart is Komatsu, a master not only at preparing fish but at reading his customers and tailoring whatever the next bite will be to exactly what you want.
PASTA
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Best for: Watching two talented chefs at work
In Wynwood’s artsy bustle, PASTA is pure craft with no frills — a husband-and-wife project that lives up to its name. Chef Janice Buraschi and Juan Manuel Umbert brought to Miami the concept they’d perfected in Lima: everything is made in-house, including fresh pasta (over a dozen shapes), creamy stracciatella, ricotta, ’nduja, and even desserts. Favorites? The al dente pici cacio e pepe manages to be both rich and somehow also light, razor clams with salsa verde and housemade ’nduja deliver sharp coastal flavor, and mushroom agnolotti showered in 36‑month Parmigiano feels like comfort elevated. Desserts—including gorgonzola‑rich cheesecake and a pistachio tart—are quietly show-stopping, never bordering on too sweet and always delivering on flavor. The space, with open kitchen counter seating and a warm yet minimalist vibe, makes watching the team plate dishes part of the evening’s pleasure. Best of all: most pastas land under $25, a real steal for this quality. PASTA isn’t just another Wynwood restaurant—it’s a precision instrument tuned for pasta lovers.
Paya
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Best for: One of the beach’s most delicious spots
At Paya, chef Niven Patel works his culinary magic once again, blending island and Indian flavors with fresh produce from his farm. Standout dishes include tamarind-glazed lamb chops paired with roasted plantains, a tangy papaya salad with shrimp, and an otherworldly truffle brie grilled cheese anchored in mango jam. The setting, a refreshed former Joliet space, feels as vibrant as the menu, with a poolside terrace soon to open. Don’t miss the rum cake with caramelized edges or the guanabana ice cream topped with caviar—a salty-sweet finale that’s pure wizardry.
Stubborn Seed
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Best for: High-drama tasting menus with South Beach swagger
Jeremy Ford, of Top Chef fame, runs the kitchen at Stubborn Seed, and his precision shows in every dish. The tasting menu is a rollercoaster of flavors, from his signature cacio e pepe cheese puffs to the rich, smoky short rib. The moody, industrial-chic space adds an edge to the refined cuisine, making it a must-visit for those who want their fine dining served with a side of fun.
Sunny’s Steakhouse
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Best for: Special occasions, splurging, or just celebrating the end of a Tuesday
Among the warehouses of Little River, Sunny’s Steakhouse isn’t just one of the best Miami restaurants—it’s a fully realized concept. The service is spot-on without being fussy, the courtyard sparkles under a banyan tree, and the energy inside strikes that perfect balance between celebratory and relaxed, never veering into clubby. Chef Aaron Brooks reimagines steakhouse classics with the right amount of creativity: steak tartare on sourdough with burnt leek aioli, smoky rigatoni in pork tomato sauce, and a hanger steak so perfectly seared under périgourdine sauce it might just be the city’s best. There’s tableside martini service, sure, but also something more rare: a sense that every detail, from the cocktails to the playlist, has been thought through.
The Surf Club
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Best for: You want fine dining without stuffiness
Housed in a restored 1930s landmark, The Surf Club is what happens when Thomas Keller, America’s culinary godfather, sets up shop in Miami. Expect old-school glamour with a contemporary twist—think lobster thermidor and a tableside Caesar salad that could convert the most hardened kale loyalist. The ocean views and impeccable service are almost as satisfying as the lemon tart finale.
Tâm Tâm
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Best for: It’s fun, the food’s incredible, and there’s bathroom karaoke
Chef Tam Pham created Tâm Tâm as a love letter to the foods he recalled from his childhood in Vietnam. The vibe is the antidote to fussy dining. Across from the courthouse in a part of downtown without a whole lot of other restaurant options, this charming spot (there’s a karaoke machine in the bathroom!) doles Cantonese-style fish, a "lamb situation" inspired by street vendors, and wings that arrive in a sweet-tangy caramel sauce. Tables here are close enough together that you’ll find yourself describing dishes to people who sit down next to you—although fight the urge to ask for a bite of their grilled escarole.
Tropezón
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Best for: Tapas and gin cocktails on Española Way
A love letter to Andalusia, Tropezón combines gin-forward cocktails with Spanish-inspired small plates. Sip a herbaceous negroni as you nibble on gambas al ajillo and croquetas so crisp they practically shatter. The rustic, tavern-like setting on Española Way makes it feel like you’ve stumbled into a slice of Seville.
Uchi
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Best for: Elegant sushi in a space set to special-night-out
Among the flash of Wynwood, Uchi is all restraint—quietly serving some of the most refined sushi in Miami. Led by chef de cuisine Angie Hossain, the team here carries on the concept Tyson Cole honed in Austin: precision and polish with Toyosu Market fish, delicate nigiri, and hot and cold tastings that never feel fussy. The hama chili is a must, but even the fried karaage tastes like it came from a fine-dining playbook. The space, with its soft lighting and minimalist design, keeps the focus where it should be: on food that speaks in a whisper but lands like a knockout.
Zitz Sum
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Best for: When you’re in the mood to try entirely new things
Pablo Zitzmann brings a global sensibility to Coral Gables with Zitz Sum, a dim sum-inspired eatery that defies expectations. Here, dumplings aren’t just a dish but a revelation—try the pork and shiitake or the ricotta-stuffed manti. The minimalist, almost Zen-like ambiance allows the inventive menu, which takes cues from Zitzmann’s travels, to shine.
