Miami and Miami Beach—currently in the art world spotlight with the return of the annual superfair, Art Basel—are home to umpteen quality restaurants.
This number skyrocketed in the pandemic years, as entrepreneurs and consumers alike fled to the Sunshine State for its lax rules, lack of state income tax and agreeable weather. Pre-Covid, I used to tell people that Miami kind of felt like a great secret hidden in plain sight. That’s no longer the case, and while many bemoan the vanishing of “old” Miami, its current popularity has brought with it a litany of investment—restaurant and bar openings very much included. But that’s not to say some of the old guard hasn’t stuck around…
Below, we’ve selected a mix of places then-and-now; each is a uniquely Miamian experience unto itself, and each is a knockout. (And, disclaimer: there are plenty more than what is on this list, and these are all personal preferences—I just couldn’t include all of them here.) From private omakase counters to Cuban coffee counters and everything in between, this town really does, to use a common yet applicable adage, have something for everyone.
Sunny’s
Yes, that’s what this steakhouse in Little River is known as, thanks to a November New York Times article labeling it so. Sunny’s has a discreet PR department, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more successful word-of-mouth campaign around a restaurant before. But the words are valid–Sunny’s is delicious and lively and warm (and, tying it back to old Miami, the team behind it also opened the legendary but now shuttered Jaguar Sun). Sunny’s actually started as a pop-up during the pandemic; a portable grill and picnic tables, fanning out around its (still standing) centerpiece Banyan tree. The idea grew exponentially from there. Now, it’s the best table in town, and that rare place where hype and high standards are equally met. Try the hanger steak.
Milos
Miami Beach’s tony South of Fifth neighborhood is packed with power player restaurants, but many of them can be noisy, crowded, and underwhelming. Milos, however, is a tried-and-true classic on 1st Street, and it’s consistently excellent. From their highlight zucchini, eggplant, and tzatziki appetizer to their impressive market table (pick your own fish!), it’s a rare, reliable constant in an area where restaurants can often skew towards the flashy.
Mignonette
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On the northern edges of Downtown and the southern border of Edgewater stands a nondescript, understated restaurant called Mignonette—and it’s my favorite in Miami. There are a few of these types of localized eateries with cult followings that aren’t necessarily well known beyond the 305—Macchialiana, on Miami Beach, is another one. I’ve never had a bad meal at Mignonette, and its simple, no-fuss decor only enhances the casual quality of the food. Lobster rolls, catch of the day specials, wine, and of course, oysters, all near perfect. The one thing I’d like to see here, though: Bring back the chocolate cake!
Amazónico
For better or worse, the Miami area is home to plenty of “club-staurants,” the sort of mega, thudding halls that are as much about the seeing-and-being-seen as they are about dining. Most of them fall short—but Amazónico, the newest, delivers. It’s a visual spectacle in its own right, with a cool 1970s Brazilian aesthetic and 15,000 square feet of tropulence spread over three floors in the ever-buzzy Brickell neighborhood. Food-wise, think: Brazilian-Plateau-meets-the-general-Latin-American-confluence of Miami, with superfine bespoke mixology, too.
Mike’s
If you know, you know: Mike’s is a hell of a dive bar, located, discreetly, nine floors up within Edgewater’s Venetia condominium. It’s no frills, and it can even be grimy, but it’s been around forever, and everyone I know both loves it and keeps going back. (I first went in 2009, as a senior at UMiami.) Good for: strong pours, a naughty cigarette or five, watching games, and long nights.
Pauline
The famed Shelborne Hotel on Miami Beach recently reopened under Proper Hotels’ “By Proper” extension, and its focal point restaurant is called Pauline. Helmed by culinary director Abram Bissell, the eatery pays homage to his native Florida Keys, just a few hours south of Miami. There’s lots of fish, and plenty of Caribbean influence. And, for a nightcap, pop into the nicely named bar Little Torch next door.
Fooq’s
Fooq’s is slated to reopen this month in Little River. For a while, its home was on North Miami Avenue in a once quiet, now red-hot neighborhood some call Park West (northern Downtown). It was famous and beloved among Miamians for its meatballs, its burger, and its exotic rice dishes; everyone is hoping they can recreate that magic once the restaurant is back online in its new location.
Zuma
What Milos is to Miami Beach, Zuma is to Downtown Miami. It’s always just good, and I’ve been dining here for almost a decade; good drinks, good sushi, good vibes, good crowd. With friendly service and its on-the-river setting, this Floridian outpost of the global chain is at the very beating heart of the city—and Downtown itself continues to evolve rapidly. That said, Zuma has a sort of special, central energy; it’s fun but not overbearing, it delivers quality without being haughty, and it never feels stuck or dated.