KEY2 Pick
Best restaurants in Miami
Counters, dining rooms and neighbourhood favourites, chosen for the way they actually eat — not for how loudly they market.
KEY2 Pick
Cuban • $$
Cafe La Trova
A Little Havana Cuban diner by day and a rowdy live-music bar by night, run by veteran bartender Julio Cabrera.
Best for: Group Night Out / Live Music
KEY2 Pick
Seafood • $$$$
Joe's Stone Crab
The century-old stone-crab institution that still runs a no-reservations dinner line out the door.
Best for: Special Occasion / Classic Miami
KEY2 Pick
KEY2 Pick
New American • $$$$
Stubborn Seed
Chef Jeremy Ford's Michelin-starred tasting menu spot on South Beach's design-forward Sunset Harbour strip.
Best for: Special Occasion / Tasting Menu
Nikkei • $$$
Chotto Matte
A design-forward South Beach room fusing Japanese and Peruvian flavours, with a robata grill and rooftop terrace.
Best for: Group Dinner
Seafood • $$
Garcia's Seafood Grille & Fish Market
A working Miami River fish market with a dockside dining deck serving stone crab and fried snapper.
Best for: Casual Dinner
Thai • $$
Khong River House
A Coconut Grove Thai restaurant styled after a traditional stilt house, popular for its riverside curries.
Best for: Casual Dinner
Peruvian • $$$
La Mar by Gastón Acurio
A bayfront Mandarin Oriental terrace serving ceviche and ceviches over Biscayne Bay views.
Best for: Date Night
South American Grill • $$$$
Los Fuegos by Francis Mallmann
Live-fire Argentine cooking on an open patio inside the Faena, built around whole-animal roasts.
Best for: Date Night / Special Occasion
Italian • $$$
Macchialina
A cozy Miami Beach trattoria turning out handmade pasta and a regularly changing Italian menu.
Best for: Date Night
Greek/Mediterranean • $$$
Mandolin Aegean Bistro
A whitewashed Design District courtyard serving Greek and Turkish home cooking under mature banyan trees.
Best for: Date Night / Outdoor Dining
Steakhouse • $$$$
Papi Steak
A South Beach steakhouse from restaurateur David Grutman, known for dry-aged beef and a lively late-night bar scene.
Best for: Special Occasion
Spanish Tapas • $$$$
The Bazaar by José Andrés
Molecular Spanish tapas inside the SLS South Beach, still one of the more theatrical tasting rooms on the beach.
Best for: Special Occasion / Tasting Menu
Cuban • $
Versailles Restaurant
The mirrored Calle Ocho landmark where Miami's Cuban-American political and social life plays out over café con leche.
Best for: Casual / Local Institution
Japanese • $$$$
Zuma Miami
The riverfront branch of the global izakaya chain, robata grill and sake list included, with a downtown skyline backdrop.
Best for: Business Dinner / Group Dining
Questions, answered
What are the best restaurants in Miami?+
The KEY2 editors' top picks for restaurants in Miami are Boia De, Cafe La Trova, Joe's Stone Crab, Komodo, Stubborn Seed. Every listing in this guide is individually vetted, with hours, prices and booking links.
Where can I find good-value restaurants in Miami?+
For $$-level restaurants in Miami, consider Cafe La Trova, El Carajo, Garcia's Seafood Grille & Fish Market, Khong River House.
What are the best restaurants in Miami for a special occasion?+
For a splurge, the KEY2 guide recommends Boia De, Joe's Stone Crab, Komodo, Stubborn Seed. Reserve ahead — the booking link is on each listing.
Do I need to book restaurants in Miami in advance?+
The most popular restaurants in Miami fill up days or weeks ahead. Every KEY2 listing includes a direct reservation or booking link where one is available.
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