16 restaurants vital to Miami

Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink has been a Miami staple since it was one of the first restaurants to open in the Design District in 2007. James Beard Award-winning chef/owner Michael Schwartz is known for his fresh takes on classic fare using local ingredients and a comfort food approach. Most dishes pass through the signature wood oven, such as the pan-roasted half chicken served with red onion, potato, and red chimichurri. When you’re looking for a standout group meal, check out the chef-chosen family-style menu available on OpenTable Experiences. A stunning renovation in 2021 only reinforced this spot’s go-to status.

Some of Miami’s freshest food can be found at Ghee Indian Kitchen in Dadeland. James Beard Awards finalist chef/owner Niven Patel is known for growing a large portion of the restaurant’s menu in his own backyard, which he dubbed Rancho Patel. Ghee’s menu features seasonal takes on traditional Indian dishes available a la carte or as a family-style tasting menu. Highlights include ghost pepper cheddar naan, chana masala, and Kerala lamb (roasted lamb in a tomato and coconut milk sauce served with steamed basmati). Stop in for lunch where the tiffin (a stacked Indian lunchbox) special of the day is one of the best deals in the area—under $20 for a three-course meal.

Dine by the iconic Italian mosaic pool made with 24-karat gold tiles at the former Versace Mansion for an only-in-Miami experience. This South Beach hot spot is known for its wild history surrounding the colorful lifestyle of previous owner fashion mogul Gianni Versace. The mansion is now a fine-dining restaurant with an Italian-Mediterranean menu of seafood, steaks, and pastas. You can get creative with dishes such as octopus carpaccio, or keep it simple with the housemade spaghetti pomodoro.

This Mediterranean hotspot boasts some of Miami’s prime waterfront seats. Diners can take in the passing yachts and Magic City skyline while feasting on top-notch seafood. Go-tos include sea salt-crusted daily fish, oven baked and served with black truffle risotto, lemon, capers, and brown butter sauce. Come for happy hour (Tuesday through Thursday from 5 pm to 7 pm) for stone crabs, shrimp cocktail, oysters, and Osetra caviar—plus a delicious sunset view.

An exquisite Chinese and Japanese feast awaits at this downtown beauty, all textured wood walls and tree trunk-inspired columns. Novikov’s menu features dim sum, sushi, and Peking duck. Diners can select their fish from a catch-of-the-day display and have it prepared in styles including sashimi, wok, or robata-grilled. Novikov is a sought-after setting for its business lunch specials on weekdays (three courses for $23). A bottomless brunch—with unlimited access to a dozen appetizers and a choice of mains—draws weekend revelers.

Phuc Yea’s inventive Cajun-Vietnamese plates earned it MICHELIN Bib Gourmand status in 2022. The fusion menu is inspired by the heritages and experiences of co-owner Ani Meinhold and chef/co-owner Cesar Zapata. The spot began as a buzzy pop-up before becoming a full-fledged brick-and-mortar in 2016. Popular dishes include caramel chicken wings, PY noodles (housemade egg noodles, garlic butter, oyster sauce, parmesan cheese), and coconut croissant bread pudding. Crowds also flock here for the fun cocktail menu featuring unique drinks with flavors that complement the unique Viet-Cajun fare.

Those looking to be wined and dined by a Top Chef winner should head to MICHELIN-starred Stubborn Seed. Chef/owner Jeremy Ford prioritizes local bounty on his precisely plated seasonal dishes, available in chef’s tasting menu or a la carte form. As a protege of famed chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Ford’s creations are almost too pretty to eat. Though the menu rarely repeats, there’s always freshly baked bread, housemade pasta, local fish, and an A5 wagyu dish.

This family-owned brewery traces its roots to 19th-century Cuba but it’s now a Miami icon. Cerveceria La Tropical offers live entertainment, a Caribbean-inspired menu, and lush gardens that can easily turn drinks into lunch or dinner. Renowned chef Cindy Hutson dishes up Cuban sandwich empanadas, lager-steamed mussels, and a Latin Lovers pizza (pulled pork, chorizo, churrasco, and citrus onions). La Original—the beer that started it all— is an amber lager, but the menu features a handful of other brews from smooth IPAs to tropical-flavored ales.

The long lines at Prime 112 are full of people as interested in the celebrity clientele as the massive steakhouse menu. Snag a table at this restaurant in the Prime Hotel to feast on large dry-aged steaks, truffled lobster mac and cheese, tuna tartare, and lobster or stone crab cocktail. The portions are large—including the slices of carrot cake with cream cheese frosting and Oreo-chunk cheesecake—making sharing dishes with the table a breeze.

Doya is a love letter to the Mediterranean. Chef/partner Erhan Kostepen grew up in the Turkish coastal town of Izmir. His hometown inspires much of the meze-forward menu here, confirming that food does taste better when it’s shared. Crowd-friendly plates include manti beef dumplings, chopped spiced lamb Adana kebap and greens, and a fig salad with hazelnut-pomegranate dressing. To all that, add cushy blue velvet seats and an expansive covered patio and it’s no surprise the Aegean stunner was recognized with a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand in 2022.

If you’re looking for a celebration-worthy meal in Miami, you’ll find it at this sprawling indoor-outdoor retreat. Mila’s izakaya-style “MediterrAsian” dishes were made for sharing, including grilled Spanish octopus with romesco and truffle cream spaghetti with parm, chives, and freshly shaved truffles. Recent additions such as a 10-seat omakase lounge, a nightlife lounge, and a members-only club add to its flamboyant charm.

Meet Coral Gables’s most inviting osteria: Luca is Chopped champion Giorgio Rapicavoli’s homage to his Italian roots. Al fresco seats get you up close and personal with Giralda Avenue’s twinkling lights. Start with the Internet-famous app—balls of fried potato blanketed with fonduta and a single, gleaming egg yolk. Then choose from a menu of treasured family recipes such as lamb chops and pasta al limone.