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Bang bang salad from Sexy Fish Miami.
Sexy Fish

14 Standout Lunch Spots in Miami

From oceanside restaurants with spectacular views, creative vegan menus, and stellar grab-and-go choices, here’s where to find the best mid-day meal.

by Juliana Accioly and Olee Fowler Updated
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Bang bang salad from Sexy Fish Miami.
| Sexy Fish
by Juliana Accioly and Olee Fowler Updated

Some days, popping to the local cafe or sandwich shop or eating last night’s leftovers at desk for lunch just won’t do. A lunch break is an essential part of the day and it goes beyond good food, it’s also about refreshing and recharging for the rest of the day.

Restaurants serving good mid-day meal options are a feature of Miami’s landscape. See below for the best 14 options.

The latest CDC guidance for vaccinated diners during the COVID-19 outbreak is here; dining out still carries risks for unvaccinated diners and workers. Please be aware of changing local rules, and check individual restaurant websites for any additional restrictions such as mask requirements. Find a local vaccination site here.

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Zaika Indian Cuisine

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This Indian mainstay in North Miami offers one of the best lunch deals in town. Every weekday guests can dine on lunch-sized portions of favorites like chicken tikka masala, yellow dal, and lamb korma, served with choice of samosa or soup, rice, and naan for under $15.

2176 NE 123rd St, North Miami, FL 33181
(786) 409-5187
(786) 409-5187

Also featured in:

Makoto

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Widely regarded as one of the best restaurants in the city, this Bal Harbour Shops hotspot is best known for its sushi and sashimi, but also features a menu filled with items like the wagyu filet, ribeye, sea bass, and lamb chops. But for lunch opt for the $24 Bento Box that offers chicken robata, a sushi roll, and ponzu salmon served with Brussels sprouts.

9700 Collins Avenue Bal Harbour Shops, Miami Beach, FL 33154
(305) 864-8600
(305) 864-8600

Also featured in:

Cecconi's Miami

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Known for its convivial outdoor courtyard, quaint decor, and Italian cuisine, it is no wonder this restaurant inside the Soho Beach House is always buzzing at lunchtime. The draw? Dishes such as vitello tonato, lobster spaghetti, and beef tartare topped with black truffle and quail egg, all served with a sense of ceremony in a laid-back atmosphere. Rubbing shoulders with the occasional celebrity doesn’t hurt either.

4385 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33140
(786) 507-7902
(786) 507-7902

COTE Miami

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A meal at this stunning and highly-acclaimed Korean barbecue restaurant offers plenty of the same show stopping dishes that helped it make a name for itself, along with lunch-only offerings like the “Optimus Prime” sandwich made with thinly cut prime rib, caviar service, and the popular Butcher’s Luncheon made with two price cuts and served with an array of banchan.

3900 NE 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33137
(305) 434-4668
(305) 434-4668

Also featured in:

Swan

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Every weekday from noon to 4 p.m., David Grutman’s scene-y Miami Design District restaurant offers a three-course meal for $33 featuring fan favorites like the little gem salad, king salmon, spicy salami pizza, and more.

90 NE 39th St, Miami, FL 33137
(305) 704-0994
(305) 704-0994

Also featured in:

Benh Mi

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Chef Benjamin Murray dishes out flavorful sandwich and salad options at this new restaurant on Española Way, making Behn Mi the lunch spot that every neighborhood wishes it had. The Vietnamese-inspired menu ranges from sandwich options like the sweet and aromatic char siu mushroom to a comforting barbecue short rib rice bowl with tamarind sauce. Diners can also fill up with extra crunchy chicken tender bucket served with a choice of yuzu-kosho ranch dressing, roasted banana ketchup, and tamarind barbecue dipping sauces.

1436 Washington Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139

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Seaspice Brasserie & Lounge

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Whether seated on the outdoor patio or inside Seaspice’s airy, sophisticated dining room, guests will enjoy their midday meal over stellar water views of the the Miami River. This is the place to splurge on seafood dishes, from the crudo selections and seafood platter to the entree of dover sole with a black truffle risotto. Pair that with an option from the restaurant’s extensive wine list or one of its inventive cocktails, and lunch is as good as it gets. 

422 NW N River Dr, Miami, FL 33128
(305) 440-4200
(305) 440-4200

Also featured in:

Motek

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This cozy, casual cafe woos daytime diners with a melange of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes at excellent value. It is an all-day brunch feast here, with items such as the smoked salmon Jerusalem bagel plate, lahmajun chips with harissa aioli, and majadra rice bowl. Order the malawach churros for dessert and wash it all down with limonana, an Israeli mint lemonade.

36 NE 1st St Suite 132, Miami, FL 33132
(786) 953-7689
(786) 953-7689

Red Carpet Italian Restaurant Downtown

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A lot of love goes into the running this family-owned restaurant in downtown Miami and it shows. Guests will find a menu filled with Italian favorites here at lunch time like parmigiana de melanzane, spaghetti carbonara, osso buco ravioli, and veal medallions. But it is the restaurant’s spin on fiocchi di pera, stuffed with pear and gorgonzola cheese and topped with a delicate, creamy truffle sauce and green apple chips that’s the real showstopper.

69 E Flagler St, Miami, FL 33131
(786) 618-9138
(786) 618-9138

Also featured in:

Novikov Miami

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Novikov’s dining room is always packed with all kinds of locals, drawn as much by the cooking as the buzz. The restaurant serves a weekday three-course lunch for $28, offering a menu of Asian-fusion options such as crispy Peking duck and vegetarian Singapore noodles. Guests also do well ordering from the a la carte menu, featuring dishes like scallop and black truffle sashimi, King crab and caviar dim sum, yuzu miso black cod, and Schezuan barbecue pork ribs. 

300 S Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL 33131
(305) 489-1000
(305) 489-1000

Also featured in:

Estiatorio Milos by Costas Spiliadis

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This ultra swanky Greek mainstay on Miami Beach offers a popular $48 three-course menu daily for lunch. Diners kick off the meal with dishes like the Greek mezze plate or wild salmon tartare, before moving onto an entree like lamb chops. Complete the experience with a bowl of creamy Greek yogurt topped with honey.

730 1st St, Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 604-6800
(305) 604-6800

Also featured in:

Smith & Wollensky

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This beloved steakhouse in South Pointe Park offers cozy indoor seating, along with an outdoor space, and second-floor al fresco bar overlooking the bay. Tables are presided over by white-jacket-and-tie-wearing waitstaff to help choose from classic cuts such as dry-aged boneless rib-eye, New York strip, filet mignon, served with sides like truffled mac and cheese or creamed corn with Manchego. For lighter and more affordable options, go for the steak tartare or a blackened cajun burger topped with blue cheese and red onion marmalade. Make sure to save room for the restaurant’s signature coconut cake.

1 Washington Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 673-2800
(305) 673-2800

Also featured in:

Sexy Fish Miami

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Brickell’s splashiest newcomer, Sexy Fish, now offers a weekday Kuikku menu which translates to “quick” in Japanese, featuring a four course lunch menu including favorites like the bang bang vegetable salad, spicy yellowtail maki, and steam sea bass for $42 per person.

1001 S Miami Ave, Miami, FL 33130
(305) 889-7888
(305) 889-7888

Also featured in:

PLANTA Queen | Coconut Grove

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Planta Queen serves favorite lunch staples in vegetarian variations. Here, tuna is replaced by watermelon in ahi nigiri, and avocado is the center piece of a torched and pressed option topped with miso truffle glaze. The menu also features pad Thai slaw, made with kelp noodles, and a baked “crab” roll filled with hearts of palm. And it’s “duck” is made with jackfruit that really shines in a Peking-like entree that also mixes peanuts, yuba, eggplant, green beans, kale, cashew nuts, Thai basil, and coriander. 

3015 Grand Ave Suite 201, Coconut Grove, FL 33133
(786) 600-2835
(786) 600-2835

Also featured in:

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Zaika Indian Cuisine

2176 NE 123rd St, North Miami, FL 33181

This Indian mainstay in North Miami offers one of the best lunch deals in town. Every weekday guests can dine on lunch-sized portions of favorites like chicken tikka masala, yellow dal, and lamb korma, served with choice of samosa or soup, rice, and naan for under $15.

2176 NE 123rd St, North Miami, FL 33181
(786) 409-5187
(786) 409-5187

Makoto

9700 Collins Avenue Bal Harbour Shops, Miami Beach, FL 33154

Widely regarded as one of the best restaurants in the city, this Bal Harbour Shops hotspot is best known for its sushi and sashimi, but also features a menu filled with items like the wagyu filet, ribeye, sea bass, and lamb chops. But for lunch opt for the $24 Bento Box that offers chicken robata, a sushi roll, and ponzu salmon served with Brussels sprouts.

9700 Collins Avenue Bal Harbour Shops, Miami Beach, FL 33154
(305) 864-8600
(305) 864-8600

Cecconi's Miami

4385 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33140

Known for its convivial outdoor courtyard, quaint decor, and Italian cuisine, it is no wonder this restaurant inside the Soho Beach House is always buzzing at lunchtime. The draw? Dishes such as vitello tonato, lobster spaghetti, and beef tartare topped with black truffle and quail egg, all served with a sense of ceremony in a laid-back atmosphere. Rubbing shoulders with the occasional celebrity doesn’t hurt either.

4385 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33140
(786) 507-7902
(786) 507-7902

COTE Miami

3900 NE 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33137

A meal at this stunning and highly-acclaimed Korean barbecue restaurant offers plenty of the same show stopping dishes that helped it make a name for itself, along with lunch-only offerings like the “Optimus Prime” sandwich made with thinly cut prime rib, caviar service, and the popular Butcher’s Luncheon made with two price cuts and served with an array of banchan.

3900 NE 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33137
(305) 434-4668
(305) 434-4668

Swan

90 NE 39th St, Miami, FL 33137

Every weekday from noon to 4 p.m., David Grutman’s scene-y Miami Design District restaurant offers a three-course meal for $33 featuring fan favorites like the little gem salad, king salmon, spicy salami pizza, and more.

90 NE 39th St, Miami, FL 33137
(305) 704-0994
(305) 704-0994

Benh Mi

1436 Washington Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139

Chef Benjamin Murray dishes out flavorful sandwich and salad options at this new restaurant on Española Way, making Behn Mi the lunch spot that every neighborhood wishes it had. The Vietnamese-inspired menu ranges from sandwich options like the sweet and aromatic char siu mushroom to a comforting barbecue short rib rice bowl with tamarind sauce. Diners can also fill up with extra crunchy chicken tender bucket served with a choice of yuzu-kosho ranch dressing, roasted banana ketchup, and tamarind barbecue dipping sauces.

1436 Washington Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139

Seaspice Brasserie & Lounge

422 NW N River Dr, Miami, FL 33128

Whether seated on the outdoor patio or inside Seaspice’s airy, sophisticated dining room, guests will enjoy their midday meal over stellar water views of the the Miami River. This is the place to splurge on seafood dishes, from the crudo selections and seafood platter to the entree of dover sole with a black truffle risotto. Pair that with an option from the restaurant’s extensive wine list or one of its inventive cocktails, and lunch is as good as it gets. 

422 NW N River Dr, Miami, FL 33128
(305) 440-4200
(305) 440-4200

Motek

36 NE 1st St Suite 132, Miami, FL 33132

This cozy, casual cafe woos daytime diners with a melange of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes at excellent value. It is an all-day brunch feast here, with items such as the smoked salmon Jerusalem bagel plate, lahmajun chips with harissa aioli, and majadra rice bowl. Order the malawach churros for dessert and wash it all down with limonana, an Israeli mint lemonade.

36 NE 1st St Suite 132, Miami, FL 33132
(786) 953-7689
(786) 953-7689

Red Carpet Italian Restaurant Downtown

69 E Flagler St, Miami, FL 33131

A lot of love goes into the running this family-owned restaurant in downtown Miami and it shows. Guests will find a menu filled with Italian favorites here at lunch time like parmigiana de melanzane, spaghetti carbonara, osso buco ravioli, and veal medallions. But it is the restaurant’s spin on fiocchi di pera, stuffed with pear and gorgonzola cheese and topped with a delicate, creamy truffle sauce and green apple chips that’s the real showstopper.

69 E Flagler St, Miami, FL 33131
(786) 618-9138
(786) 618-9138

Novikov Miami

300 S Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL 33131

Novikov’s dining room is always packed with all kinds of locals, drawn as much by the cooking as the buzz. The restaurant serves a weekday three-course lunch for $28, offering a menu of Asian-fusion options such as crispy Peking duck and vegetarian Singapore noodles. Guests also do well ordering from the a la carte menu, featuring dishes like scallop and black truffle sashimi, King crab and caviar dim sum, yuzu miso black cod, and Schezuan barbecue pork ribs. 

300 S Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL 33131
(305) 489-1000
(305) 489-1000

Estiatorio Milos by Costas Spiliadis

730 1st St, Miami Beach, FL 33139

This ultra swanky Greek mainstay on Miami Beach offers a popular $48 three-course menu daily for lunch. Diners kick off the meal with dishes like the Greek mezze plate or wild salmon tartare, before moving onto an entree like lamb chops. Complete the experience with a bowl of creamy Greek yogurt topped with honey.

730 1st St, Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 604-6800
(305) 604-6800

Smith & Wollensky

1 Washington Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139

This beloved steakhouse in South Pointe Park offers cozy indoor seating, along with an outdoor space, and second-floor al fresco bar overlooking the bay. Tables are presided over by white-jacket-and-tie-wearing waitstaff to help choose from classic cuts such as dry-aged boneless rib-eye, New York strip, filet mignon, served with sides like truffled mac and cheese or creamed corn with Manchego. For lighter and more affordable options, go for the steak tartare or a blackened cajun burger topped with blue cheese and red onion marmalade. Make sure to save room for the restaurant’s signature coconut cake.

1 Washington Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 673-2800
(305) 673-2800

Sexy Fish Miami

1001 S Miami Ave, Miami, FL 33130

Brickell’s splashiest newcomer, Sexy Fish, now offers a weekday Kuikku menu which translates to “quick” in Japanese, featuring a four course lunch menu including favorites like the bang bang vegetable salad, spicy yellowtail maki, and steam sea bass for $42 per person.

1001 S Miami Ave, Miami, FL 33130
(305) 889-7888
(305) 889-7888

PLANTA Queen | Coconut Grove

3015 Grand Ave Suite 201, Coconut Grove, FL 33133

Planta Queen serves favorite lunch staples in vegetarian variations. Here, tuna is replaced by watermelon in ahi nigiri, and avocado is the center piece of a torched and pressed option topped with miso truffle glaze. The menu also features pad Thai slaw, made with kelp noodles, and a baked “crab” roll filled with hearts of palm. And it’s “duck” is made with jackfruit that really shines in a Peking-like entree that also mixes peanuts, yuba, eggplant, green beans, kale, cashew nuts, Thai basil, and coriander. 

3015 Grand Ave Suite 201, Coconut Grove, FL 33133
(786) 600-2835
(786) 600-2835

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