Miami Spice 2025 is Heating Up through September

Cote Miami (One MICHELIN Star)

Cuisine: Korean, Steakhouse
Neighborhood: Miami Design District

When staring down the long, neon-lit entrance hallway that booms overhead with a subwoofer and ends with a giant mirror, rest assured that this is a serious operation. Owner Simon Kim and his team know what they're doing in this highly stylized Korean steakhouse, which almost feels like a temple to beautifully marbled and aged beef, much of it on display in a nearby room. Just as you would find at the original location in New York City, top-quality ingredients, astutely seasoned dishes and engaging servers make for a seamless experience.

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Le Jardinier Miami (One MICHELIN Star)

Cuisine: French, Contemporary
Neighborhood: Miami Design District

When it comes to running serious, highly accomplished restaurants in multiple cities, Chef Alain Verzeroli learned from the best. After two decades under the late Chef Joël Robuchon, Verzeroli has stepped out with his own brand of culinary excellence. Stylish from head to toe and with locations in both Houston and New York City, this dining room is a celebration of the seasons. With neighbors like Gucci and Christian Louboutin, this gorgeous Design District lair feels right at home.

Menu

$60 Dinner (Tuesday to Sunday)
Appetizers: Murray's Burrata, Fluke Crudo
Entrees: Salmon Confit, Mushroom Ragu Conchiglie, Pork Tenderloin
Desserts: Coconut-lime Basil Meringue, Tropical Tart

Stubborn Seed (One MICHELIN Star & MICHELIN Green Star)

Cuisine: Contemporary, American
Neighborhood: Miami Beach

Standing sentry on a busy corner, Stubborn Seed is sexy and sleek with an industrial chic décor and glass-fronted display kitchen. Whether you’re posted at the bar or in the main dining room, Chef Jeremy Ford brings the heat with an ambitious and brashly creative tasting menu. This is a kitchen that likes to take risks, weaving in Latin and Asian influences in a manner that is both bold and busy. Sourcing is a point of pride here too, as many ingredients come straight from the team’s organic five-acre farm in Redland."

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Ghee Indian Kitchen (Bib Gourmand)

Cuisine: Indian
Neighborhood: Wynwood

Note: the Dadeland location is recognized by The MICHELIN Guide and is described below.

In the thick of a shopping mall, find Niven Patel’s smash-hit restaurant. Warehouse floors, mango wood tables and a wall lined with rows upon rows of spice jars are bound to put diners in the mood for the team's smartly spiced food. The kitchen takes no cues from its suburban locale; in fact, it features a tight menu of flavor-packed dishes made with ingredients sourced from Chef Patel’s own farm.

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Michael’s Genuine (Bib Gourmand)

Cuisine: Contemporary, American
Neighborhood: Miami Design District

This Design District pioneer from Chef Michael Schwartz is as popular now as it was when it first debuted almost 15 years ago. A well-heeled crowd flocks here, but whether it's a requisite respite from boutique hopping, a spot to catch up with friends or a meal to close a business deal, this dining delight is for everyone. The courtyard is a lovely place to linger, thanks to its lush greenery, fans and heat lamps (when necessary). The interior space features concrete flooring and an inviting bar. A jazz playlist adds to the upbeat and conversation-filled air.

Menu

$35 Lunch (Monday to Friday)
Appetizers: French Onion Soup Croquette, Marinated Mussels or Wood Oven Roasted Halloumi
Entrees: Short Rib Panini, Wood Roasted Cobia Meuniére, Grilled Chicken Kefta
Desserts: Espresso Flan, Banana Upside Down Cake

$45 Dinner (Monday to Sunday)
Appetizers: French Onion Soup, Beef Tartare, Baked Island Creek Oysters
Entrees: Rainbow Chard Lasagnette, Wood Roasted Cobia Meuniére, Pork Milanese
Desserts: Espresso Flan

Beauty & the Butcher

Cuisine: Contemporary, American
Neighborhood: South Miami

A gleaming, square bar anchors the center of this attractive, sizeable restaurant styled with a floor-to-ceiling glass wine cellar and personalized wine lockers placed throughout the room. Much like the restaurant itself, the menu walks a fine line of comfort, creativity, and class.

Menu

$35 Lunch (Friday)
Appetizers: Caesar Salad, French Onion Soup
Entrees: Cacio e Pepe, Organic Chicken, Crispy Skin Salmon, Steak Frites (+$15)
Dessert: Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookie, Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake

$60 Dinner (Sunday - Thursday)
Appetizers: Caesar Salad, Manchego & Serrano Ham Croquettes, Hamachi Crudo, Beef Tartare (+$5)
Entrees: 15 Day- Dry Aged Pork Chop, Organic Chicken, Crispy Skin Salmon, Steak Frites (+$15)
Dessert: Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookie, Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake, The Beauty Cake (+$8)

Brasserie Laurel

Cuisine: French
Neighborhood: Downtown Miami

It’s early days for this clean-cut brasserie, located in the construction-clogged Miami Worldcenter. An expansive patio, high ceilings and plenty of seating all around set the stage for a tight menu of French classics that most kitchens have long since forgotten. Though rich, the cooking – and the environment, for that matter – manage to feel decidedly of the times. 

Menu

$60 Dinner (Wednesday to Saturday)
Appetizers: Seabream Crudo, Mussel Tartine, Beet & Watermelon Salad, Foie Gras (+$20)
Entrees: Grilled Trout, Lamb Neck Steak, Chicken & Lobster Tortellini, Monkfish Wellington (+$15)
Desserts: Watermelon Granita, French Cheese Selection

Cafe La Trova

Cuisine: Cuban, Latin American
Neighborhood: Little Havana

Of Jewish and Latin descent but born and raised in Miami, Chef Michelle Bernstein is intrinsic to the city's culinary scene. For this concept in Little Havana, she teams up with cocktail guru, Julio Cabrera, and the result is extraordinary. It's a vivacious place that hums with live music and a décor that transports guests through decades of history—from Cuba to the Cuban experience in Southern Florida.

Menu

$45 Dinner (Sunday - Thursday)
Appetizers: Empanadas (2), Croquetas (4), Caesar Tradicional, Shrimp Tiradito
Entrees: Skirt Steak Ropa Vieja, Catch of the Day, Lechón, Arroz con Pollo
Desserts: Flan de la Flaca

Estiatorio Milos

Cuisine: Greek
Neighborhood: Miami Beach

With fresh seafood arriving multiple times a week, the kitchen tends to keep preparations simple. This "Greek God" has been a beacon of seafood excellence for the glamorous diners of South Beach since opening its doors in 2012. Some don’t even need a menu and prefer to order based on a guided tour to the back, where all manner of fish and crustaceans gleam on packed ice.

Menu

$60 Dinner (Monday to Sunday)
Appetizers: Meze Platter, Greek Salad, Fried Rhode Island Calamari, Octopus and Grilled Vegetables, Raw Fish Platter (+$10)
Entrees: Dorade Royale, Halibut Spetsiota, Hiddenfjord Salmon, Lamb Chops, Astako-Makaronada (+$20)
Desserts: Greek Yogurt, Karydopita, Lemon Sorbet

Hakkasan

Cuisine: Chinese, Contemporary
Neighborhood: Miami Beach

Finding Hakkasan means wading through the lobby of the Fontainebleau—a historic, if riotous, hotel in Miami Beach swimming with beach bodies and night owls. The restaurant’s signature imperial style is on display, featuring dramatic lights, sleek marble tables and ornate wooden slat dividers. Its clubby beats are a constant reminder that you are never far from the party.

Menu

$60 Dinner (Sunday - Thursday)
Appetizers: Green Salad with Mango, Three Treasure Dumplings, Crispy Almond Prawns
Entrees: Crispy Prawn, Vegetarian Chicken, Stir-Fried Beef, Half Peking Duck (+$40), Beef Tenderloin (+$35). Side Dishes: Dan Dan Noodles, Lotus Root, Fried Rice.
Desserts: Mango Custard, Sorbet

Joe's Stone Crab

Cuisine: Seafood
Neighborhood: Miami Beach

When Joe Weiss opened his lunch counter in 1913, Miami Beach didn’t even have paved roads, and customers had to take the ferry to cross over. One century later, as high-rises and shopping districts blossomed all around, this restaurant has endured as one of the city’s prime attractions. Celebrities, politicians and locals alike make a beeline to this crustacean hot spot, now open year-round. And if the dedicated parking lot across the street is any clue, waits for a table here can get lengthy.

Menu

$60 Dinner (Wednesday to Sunday)
Appetizers: Stone Crab Bisque, Stuffies, Chopped Salad, Caesar Salad, Ahi Tuna Tartare, Mussels (+$10)
Entrees: Branzino en Papillote, Ahi Tuna, 6oz Filet Mignon, Chilean Seabass, Ginger Salmon, Joe's Experience
Desserts: Key Lime Pie, Creme Brulee, Mixed Berries

Kaori

Cuisine: Asian, Japanese
Neighborhood: Brickell

Upscale Asian fusion menus are a dime a dozen in Magic City, but this attractive Brickell restaurant is a cut above the rest. Yes, there’s a DJ booth, but there is style and substance to back it all up. The design features two stories of sleek concrete, wood furnishings and splashes of greenery with a handsome bar on the ground floor and the kitchen and dining room up top. The space is sized on the more intimate side and, fittingly so, the menu is equally well measured.

Menu

$60 Dinner (Monday to Sunday)
Appetizers: Grilled Mushroom, Shiro Ponzu Crudo, Garden Salad
Entrees: Seared Local Fish, Char Siu, Takikomi Gohan
Desserts: Matcha Crepe Cake, Strawberry Sando, Mango Amazake Sorbet

Los Fuegos by Francis Mallmann

Cuisine: Argentinian, Steakhouse
Neighborhood: Miami Beach

“Theatrical” barely begins to describe the scale and style of Francis Mallman’s restaurant set inside the Faena Hotel. Much like the hotel itself, the director of Moulin Rouge is responsible for such décor elements as leopard-print booths, striking red-cushioned seats and flashes of gold that appear on everything from the bar to the carpet. Known for open-fire cooking, Chef Mallman is not outmatched by the room’s design, delivering an asado experience that rivals the city’s best steakhouses. 

Menu

$60 Dinner (Sunday to Thursday)
Appetizers: Prime Beef Tartare, Mini Lobster Roll, Grapefruit Salad, Wood Fired Artichokes (+$15)
Entrees: Wood Fired Argentinian Tenderloin, Handmade Tagliolini Pesto, Crispy Saffron Basmati Rice, Parrillada Experience (+$70)
Desserts: Alfajores, Pavlova

Mignonette

Cuisine: Seafood
Neighborhood: Downtown Miami

You could wander in solo wearing flip-flops or pull up with a date in a dinner jacket. Nobody minds either way at Chef Danny Serfer’s oyster bar, which has lit up this corner of Edgewood since 2014 and sits directly across from the city cemetery. Once a 1930s gas station, this refitted space is retro-cool, thanks to warehouse floors, comfy booths and floor-to-ceiling windows. Standing under a vintage marquee that lists the day’s bivalves, chefs may be found shucking for a crowd that gets louder as the night moves on.

Menu

$60 Dinner (Monday - Sunday)
Any appetizer, entree and dessert from the regular menu.

Ossobuco

Cuisine: Contemporary, Steakhouse
Neighborhood: Wynwood

Wynwood’s newest tenant is making some noise in an already-bustling zip code. From the glossy wood tables to the handsome bar, everything seems to shine under the spotlights. The dining room is anchored by a roaring, wood-burning grill. A stylish patio with a vibe of its own and a weekend DJ who knows how to work a room seal the deal.

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Pao by Paul Qi

Cuisine: Asian
Neighborhood: Miami Beach

Damien Hirst's giant sculpture of a gilded woolly mammoth resides famously behind the lavish Faena Hotel. Such scale and grandeur is also the norm in this restaurant, overlooking the iconic attraction. Pao’s oval room is capped with a gold-dome ceiling that's centered around yet another statue by Hirst—a golden unicorn perched on a platform looming large over the stylish guests. To be clear, this spot is more than just good looks and its short menu knits together a range of influences.

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Hero image: Courtesy of Hakkasan / Hakkasan Miami