26 Best Restaurants in Miami and Miami Beach, Florida

Popular with the brunch crowd, this cozy indoor-outdoor restaurant serves elegant American dishes with a Miami twist. The menu changes seasonally with offerings from pastrami-style short rib to bone marrow--topped, wood-grilled oysters. The build-your-own charcuterie board boast homemade pâté and locally sourced meats. The fritas are a popular choice for a quick bite, but the pressed duck service is typically the star of the show.

High atop South Beach's design-driven 1111 Lincoln Road parking garage, rooftop Juvia commingles urban sophistication with South Beach seduction. Three renowned chefs unite to deliver an amazing eating experience that screams Japanese, Peruvian, and French all in the same breath, focusing largely on raw fish and seafood dishes.

Foodies and locavores love this eco-minded restaurant in the heart of Wynwood, which plants five trees for every tree burned in its Japanese wood-fired grill. The Asian-inspired, small-plates menu wows through creative dishes such as the epic roasted cauliflower with goat cheese and shishito-herb vinaigrette and sizzling Thai fried-rice stone pot with king crab.

Miami is filled with great steak houses, but this is arguably the best. Located in the glamorous art deco open lobby of The Betsy hotel on Ocean Drive, noted chef Laurent Tourondel (of BLT Steak fame) presents a seasonally inspired menu that includes fresh seafood, sushi, the highest-quality cuts of USDA prime and certified Black Angus beef, and decadent sides (don't miss the hand-cut Parmesan truffle fries with truffle aioli).

Michael's is often cited as one of Miami's top tried-and-true restaurants, and it's not hard to see why: this indoor-outdoor bistro in Miami's Design District is an evergreen oasis for Miami dining sophisticates. Owner and chef Michael Schwartz aims for sophisticated eclectic cuisine with an emphasis on local and organic ingredients, and he gets it right (think crispy, sweet-and-spicy pork belly with kimchi and steamed mussels in coconut milk).

A swanky rooftop restaurant on Lincoln Road, MILA is a place to see and be seen while sipping well-crafted cocktails and ordering Mediterranean-Asian fusion dishes, small plates, and sushi. The stunning focal point is a Zen-like reflection pool flanked by two curtained cabanas that can be reserved for a bit of privacy while dining alfresco. Highlights of the menu include branzino tataki, edamame guacamole, seared scallop roll, and a 32 oz. tomahawk served with a butter-onion jus. The indoor and outdoor bar serve two separate cocktail menus, and those who dine on the terrace can order one of the special cocktails that are made tableside on a mobile bar cart.

Miami visitors looking for that "Cuban food on Calle Ocho" experience, look no further: this storied eatery, where old émigrés opine daily about all things Cuban, is a stop on every political candidate's campaign trail, and it should be a stop for you as well. Order a heaping platter of lechón asado (roasted pork loin), ropa vieja (shredded beef), or picadillo (spicy ground beef), all served with rice, beans, and fried plantains.

High atop the 16th floor of Downtown Miami's Kimpton EPIC Hotel, memorable and sustainable ocean-to-table cuisine is prepared in the bustling, beautiful open kitchen. Look forward to a seafood-centric menu with innovative flavors and a hefty portion of ethos—all fruits of the sea here are certified by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch.

The wait for a table at this outpost of the legendary Italian restaurant is just as long as for its counterparts in West Hollywood and London. Expect heavy portions of atmosphere: it's a real scene of who's who and who's eating what, cast in a seductive, vintage-chic setting across the courtyard of Soho Beach House.

It's farm-to-table surf and turf at this elegantly understated restaurant in the Four Seasons Hotel Miami, where hefty portions of the finest cuts and freshest seafood headline the menu, prepared by renowned chef Aaron Brooks. For a more casual experience, enjoy your meal and the restaurant's artisanal cocktails under the skies on the alfresco terrace.

Don't overlook happy hour weekdays 4--7 pm with $1 oysters, 2-for-1 bites, and $8 bubbles and cocktails.

With a design that fuses the indoors and outdoors in the middle of Coconut Grove’s residential Peacock Park, this charming, family-friendly restaurant is as picturesque as it is unexpected. Parents can sit back and enjoy some incredible gourmet-style sharing plates (featuring local catch and produce) and the sensational wine selection while the little ones are thoroughly entertained outside (there's even a playground).

A tried-and-true locals' hangout since it was founded in the early 1990s—with regulars including athletes, politicians, entrepreneurs, artists, and other prominent area names—this cozy café serves simple French-Mediterranean delights. Despite the restaurant's see-and-be-seen reputation, diners are encouraged to sit back and simply enjoy the experience with relaxed decor, good food, and friendly service.

For decades Il Mulino New York has ranked among the top Italian restaurants in Gotham, so it's no surprise that this Miami outpost is similarly good. Start your food coma with the complimentary starters—fresh cuts of Parmesan cheese, four types of fresh bread, garlicky bruschetta, and spicy, fried zucchini whet the palate—and then move on to antipasti like calamari fritti followed by ever-changing risottos and other classic Italian dishes perfected.

At the flagship restaurant of The Setai Miami Beach hotel, expect a pan-Asian extravaganza, representing the countries of Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Korea, India, China, and Japan through dishes that range from sea bass tikka to Peking duck to lobster curry. Before or after dinner, be sure to enjoy a cocktail around the harmonious courtyard reflecting pool.

At this cozy burger joint on the edge of Wynwood, locally sourced ingredients and stellar craft beer star on a Florida-inspired menu. Order a Frita burger topped with Gruyère and guava jelly or a Key West conch salad while you sip one of 18 brews. Since the place is so small, you might have to wait, but that's not a problem thanks to a neon-lit speakeasy bar next door that celebrates the neighborhood's grungy, artistic vibe.

Peruvian chef Gastón Acurio's downtown Miami outpost occupies a gleaming waterfront spot at Brickell Key's Mandarin Oriental. The main dining room is awash in shades of watery greens, sandy grays and beiges, and wood, but it's the enticing outdoor terrace that offers views of downtown and is the perfect backdrop to chef Diego Oka's contemporary Peruvian dishes with colorful tweaks. The ceviche sampler platter and the traditional lomo saltado steak are a must, as is the dessert of lucuma mousse.

Take a trip to the Greek Isles at Michael Mina's Mediterranean restaurant featuring bright, light fare and fish that's delivered overnight straight from the Aegean Sea. In addition to a raw bar, menu items include dishes inspired by the chef's travels, including classic Greek spreads, grilled octopus, lamb shoulder, and more.

The name stands for "out to lunch," and, indeed, you could hang for quite the lunch break at this Design District haunt that serves coffee drinks, pastries, and sandwiches in an Instagram-worthy atmosphere. Don't miss the toast topped with superseed butter, a gluttonous, if healthy, alternative to your usual PB&J standby.

The carnivore glamour den seduces with its red-and-black dominatrix color scheme and overloads the senses with the divine smells and tastes of the extensive menu. RED boasts an equal number of seafood and more traditional meat offerings, each delicately prepared, meticulously presented, and gleefully consumed.

Vistas of the bay and Miami skyline are sensational—whether you admire them through the floor-to-ceiling windows or from the expansive outdoor seating area, lined with alluring firepits. The menu is split between tropically inspired small plates, ideal for sharing, and heartier entrées from land and sea.

Half the fun of dining at this sophisticated brasserie on the Miami River is watching stylish patrons arrive by yacht. Reserve a table outdoors on the patio for the best views of Downtown, and rest assured that a knowledgeable server will guide you through an eclectic menu highlighting fresh seafood, wood-fired casseroles, and refreshing cocktails.

Both upscale and unpretentious, this Michelin-starred contemporary American restaurant is helmed by Top Chef winner Jeremy Ford, who has created a small menu of exquisitely executed fresh dishes that change often. The popular prix-fixe tasting menu is known for its pâté and foie gras, as well as fresh seafood and short ribs. The intimate restaurant boasts an open design where diners can see the action-packed kitchen as they meticulously plate each bite. Reservations are recommended.

The vibrant, supersexy, high-design restaurant perfectly captures Miami's Latin vibe while serving eclectic Latin American tapas and modern Japanese delights from three separate kitchens (robata grill, raw bar, and hot kitchen). Begin the Sugarcane experience in the alfresco lounge, engaging in a fabulous mix of standing, posing, flirting, and delicious-cocktail sipping, and then move on to a few of the some 60 small bites in the equally chic dining room.

The slick, contemporary waterfront restaurant at Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) offers seating both indoors and out, with chic decor and accessories true to its "green" name that blend seamlessly with the living walls and hanging gardens strewn across the museum's exterior. The exceptionally affordable, one-page menu features eclectic epicurean lunch plates that include a variety of flatbreads, a house chopped salad (with green goddess dressing), and a gourmet cheeseburger with applewood-smoked bacon.

Museum admission is not required to eat here, but the restaurant is open only during museum hours, meaning lunch only, except on Thursday, when the museum remains open until 9.

There's a helluva lot of southern lovin' from the low country at this funky South Beach spot, where Miami's A-list puts calorie-counting aside to indulge in comfort foods and innovative drinks. The family-style menu is divided between small plates, "the bird" plates, and sides and snacks, but have no doubt that "the bird" takes center stage (or plate) here—you'll rave about Llewellyn's fine fried chicken, which requires a 27-hour marination and slow-cooking process, for weeks to come.

This izakaya-style restaurant is known the world over for its sleek design, lounge atmosphere, and contemporary Japanese cuisine. On the ground floor of the Kimpton EPIC hotel, the Miami location promises excellent bay-side views, Zuma's signature menu items, such as roasted lobster with shiso-ponzu butter and a 24-ounce rib eye covered in freshly shaved truffles. Zuma recently underwent a total renovation in celebration of its 10th anniversary, making it sleeker than ever.