A Stephen Starr restaurant in Bal Harbour Shops where what’s on the plate is more important than who’s sitting in front of it sounds almost as implausible as a half-off sale at Gucci, but thanks to chef Makoto Okuwa, former head sushi chef at Morimoto New York and Philadelphia, it’s the real deal. In addition to the raw stuff, Makoto’s modern Japanese dishes and bincho charcoal robata have hungry shoppers coming back for more.

Old-school Italian glamour oozes from every nook and cranny of Le Sirenuse Restaurant & Champagne Bar, the Surfside eatery housed inside the newly renovated Surf Club. Serving cuisine from the team behind Italy’s Michelin-starred La Sponda restaurant, like pasta stuffed with beef ragu and warm buffalo mozzarella salad, its elegance channels a bygone Great Gatsby-like era. Make sure to grab a drink at its al fresco Champagne bar, which overlooks the Atlantic Ocean and showcases an extensive cocktail menu focused on the bubbly stuff and Italian apertifs.

This North Beach waterfront restaurant features traditional tacos like pastor, chicken, and tongue, served on top of handmade blue-masa corn tortillas so good that it now supplies them for half of the restaurants in town. Plus if you don’t make it to North Beach, there are outposts now in South Beach (1351 Collins Avenue) and the Citadel (8300 NE 2nd Avenue).

This homey neighborhood spot serves up some serious cuisine thanks to executive chefs John Gallo and Rene Reyes, whose resumes read like a who’s who of the Miami restaurant world. The menu features twists on American classics like pork secreto, roast chicken with local veggies, and rum cake topped with thyme gelato. That, combined with a stellar beer list, unpretentious vibe, and reasonable prices, makes for a winning experience.

As one of the restaurants credited with helping the resurgence of the historic MiMo district (and before that, it served as Miami’s OG pop-up restaurant) Phuc Yea offers an interesting mix of Vietnamese food with Cajun influence — a reflection of the owners roots. The colorful and industrial setting serves as a perfect backdrop for dishes like caramel pork riblets, bao buns, seafood curry, and the simple but forever craveable PY noodles made with plenty of garlic and parmesan cheese. While its lively bar serves a top spot for a post-meal drink or happy hour location.

The best Greek and Turkish food in Miami is tucked away in the intimate, understated courtyard at Mandolin. Transport to the Greek isles with a menu of elegant small plates (no overfried falafel here), entrees like lamb and beef meatballs, and the exceptional grilled octopus, all with refreshing Greek wine to complete a great meal.

This Japanese-Peruvian, counter-service restaurant inside St. Roch Market has been a hit since its opening in early 2018. Led by a brother, sister, and father team lovingly referred to a the “Chang Gang,” it combines their Peruvian heritage with Japanese classics. Think a curated selection of specialty maki and vegan rolls, sashimi, rice bowls, alongside tiradito and ceviches, using ingredients like leche de tigre, fresh fish, and local produce.

The latest restaurant in James Beard winner Michael Schwartz’s ever-growing culinary empire, Amara at Paraiso not only boasts some of Miami’s best waterfront views but has solid Latin-infused dishes to boot. Using Schwartz’s farm-to-table ethos that gained him national notoriety a decade ago at Michael’s Genuine, the menu is filled with items like crispy octopus, short-rib-filled empanadas, and melt-in-your-mouth yucca balls, all of which boast flavors from South America and the Caribbean.  

The first full-service restaurant and bar from the guys that brought us the Broken Shaker, 27 Restaurant pays homage to Miami’s diversity with an eclectic menu filled with signature dishes from South America, the Caribbean, and even the Middle East with dishes like the kimchi fried rice and “Gabe’s arepa platter.” Located in a historic two-story house adjacent to the Broken Shaker, it features the same laid-back spirit and inventive drinks of the other restaurant in a hip (and air-conditioned) setting.

That bread found on every table in town? Odds are Zak baked it. The popular baker, who has been supplying bread around town for years now, now has his own shop in the mix. Expect not only his signature breads, but also an assortment of soups, sandwiches, and pastries that will turn even the most carb-fearing person into a bread-loving convert.

This aptly named omakase-style restaurant is literally “hidden” behind a taco shop in Wynwood. Once guests enter with a numeric code (provided when the reservation is made) they encounter an intimate, eight-seat restaurant serving up a 18 dish menu featuring small Japanese appetizers, sashimi, and nigiri, all made with seasonal ingredients brought in from Japan, paired with sake, Sochu beer and wine to wash it down with. Make sure to reserve early as seats book out months in advance.

The brainchild of two former Zuma alums, KYU features Asian eats with a barbecue twist. Think wood-fired meats, unique dishes like brisket lettuce wraps and duck “burnt ends,” and sushi, all housed in a hip Wynwood setting. Oh, and don’t miss that coconut cake for dessert.

Poke shops are a dime a dozen in this town, but Hawaiann-themed Ono Poke stands out from the pack. Led by a Makoto vet, it features a concise menu of poke bowls and create-your-own varieties using the same caliber of fish employed at some of Miami’s top seafood restaurants. And while the seafood is the star, don’t skimp on its eclectic and vast array of toppings, like crispy scallions, wasabi aioli, spicy red wakame, and more that take the poke bowl to the next level. 

Alter has helped put Miami’s artsy neighborhood of Wynwood on the radar of food-lovers near and far, proving it is worthy of all the hype — and there is certainly a lot. Running the kitchen is Brad Kilgore, who earned his cooking chops at Alinea and L20. Think beautiful, high-end, Florida-inspired cuisine utilizing unique flavor combos, all served in an unassuming and purposely industrial warehouse setting that perfectly aligns with its hipster ’hood.

This New York City import has been a hit since the day it opened. The pizzas and calzones are made with handmade dough, wheeled into thin sheets by empty wine bottles before they enter the wooden oven. Simplicity is key here, but the devil is in the details, as the restaurant uses some of the freshest ingredients around. As for the toppings, Pile up and enjoy.

A modern take on the classic seafood restaurant by Blue Collar chef Danny Serfer and partner Ryan Roman. Described by critics and as a “plain and fancy” oyster heaven, it also features tons of other seafood items, as well as non-sea-dwelling options like prime rib, chicken, and veggies.

Arguably one of the most stunning restaurants in town, Byblos also serves food that’s worthy of writing home about. While the menu is described as Mediterranean, don’t expect to find any hummus on it. Instead, these dishes have a more Middle Eastern and Northern African slant: duck kibbeh, lamb ribs, Cornish hen in lentil sauce, and a variety of spiked tea cocktails.

While on the outside All Day may seem like a coffee shop, it is really so much more. Aside from having the most creative coffee offerings in town — ranging from espresso made with your preferred amount of foam and milk to cold brew mixed with rosemary and limeade — its food menu should not be missed. Diners will find homemade nostalgic desserts along with drool-worthy breakfast sandwiches, the Miami must-have pan con croqueta; avocado toasts, and more, all served up in an Instagram-perfect setting.

This cozy Downtown Miami spot has become a force in the area serving up a unique take on Persian-French cuisine. While the menu rotates constantly, diners would be remiss not to opt for the spicy bucatini, honey Brussels sprouts, and its decadent Persian sundae, which is easily one of the most peerless desserts in the Magic City. 

Macchialina, which comes from the words “macchia,” meaning mark or spot, and “maialina,” meaning piglets, aims to be reminiscent of a “small rustic eatery in the heart of any Italian town.” Under chef and owner Michael Pirolo’s lead, it creates Italian classics (braised short-rib lasagna, pork chop Milanese, etc.) with some interesting twists, like beet-filled ravioli.

Seeing the word “tapas” on a menu is almost as common as hearing “dale” in the Magic City — it happens more often than it should. And while there are plenty of middle-of-the-line, traditional Spanish restaurants in this town, the gem of the bunch is NIU Kitchen. Tucked away in Downtown Miami, this 26-seat restaurant showcases Catalan cuisine by Barcelona native Deme Lomas the way it should be: simple, light, flavorful, and fun. The plates and menu rotate frequently, but the cold tomato soup with mustard ice cream, the truffle- and egg-filled potato foam, and the tartare can’t be missed.

Long before Guy Fieri discovered it, La Camaronera was one of Miami’s best-kept secrets for fresh fish and fried-fish sandwiches. And while it may be no secret anymore, having found its way onto the to-do lists of every hungry tourist who watches his show, it still offers up some of the fairest-priced grub in Miami.

When Daniel Boulud closed down his longstanding Downtown eatery db Bistro in 2017, South Florida’s culinary scene was heartbroken. But not for long, taking over the space was his popular Mediterranean restaurant, Boulud Sud, which felt like the fresh update the neighborhood needed. On the menu expect dishes like octopus a la plancha, lamb flatbread, chicken tagine, veal saltimbocca, branzino, and its can’t-be-missed grapefruit givré dessert topped with sesame halva, rose loukoum and grapefruit sorbet.

Cheap Cuban food, fresh fruits, veggies, and a bakery known for its fresh-squeezed sugarcane, tamales, and perfectly salty chicharones cut to order in a stripped down setting. Sort of like Miami's version of Gray's Papaya, and very high on pork fat.

The solo debut by Miami’s own Top Chef winner, Jeremy Ford, Stubborn Seed is a cozy-yet-hip South of Fifth spot turning out some of the city’s most elevated cuisine. While there is a complete a la carte menu with dishes like Jojo Tea cured cobia, warm celery root with crispy mushrooms, and umami short ribs, the real highlight here is the tasting menu, where guests can try a bevy of classics and seasonal creations, plus get some of its melt-in-your mouth gooey snickerdoodle cookies to take home to remember the meal.

Rainer Becker’s modern Japanese food, inspired by traditional izakaya-style dining, boasts a non-stop crowd of sleek, chic, celebrities, scene-chasers and food lovers. After all, its London and Hong Kong siblings made the Top 100 listing of the S.Pellegrino World’s Best Restaurants.

Vegan and vegetarian food finally got the street cred it deserves with the arrival of Planta South Beach. The Toronto eatery, brought to Miami by hospitality king David Grutman, serves up cuisine that makes even the most staunch carnivores happy. The menu boasts a variety of plant-based comfort food favorites like sushi made with dehydrated watermelon that tastes like the real thing, cauliflower tots, and coconut-based ceviche, all served up in a lush and very tropical Miami setting. 

The Madonna of restaurants, Joe’s needs only one name and little explanation. It’s a South Beach stone crab institution that’s always mobbed, and it’s the home of the original Miami Beach power lunch.

After shutting down his spot on Sunny Isles, sushi chef Kevin Cory relocated his acclaimed NAOE to Brickell Key, and he hasn’t missed a beat. The tiny eight-seat NAOE offers one of the best sushi experience in Miami, always fresh and never disappointing.

Good Thai cuisine can be found in Miami, and Lung Yai Thai Tapas is proof. This small, unassuming Little Havana spot has been perpetually packed since its debut, featuring a menu filled with duck salad, curries, and some of the best fried chicken around — just be prepared to wait, since reservations aren’t accepted.

Located in Brickell at Mandarin Oriental, La Mar by Gaston Acurio offers a combo of well-executed upscale novo-Andean fare and Asian-Peruvian fusion dishes. Think classics like lomo saltado, local offerings like yellowtail snapper, and several ceviche options.

What started as a hit pop-up by chef Giorgio Rapicavoli and partner Alex Casanova quickly turned into a permanent drool-inducing Miami go-to. Several years after going permanent, the spot continues to turn out creative dishes that summon taste buds year-round. Think pasta carbonara on steroids, playful desserts like the “dirt cup,” and, yep, Cap’n Crunch pancakes.

From the team behind culinary behemoth Zuma comes La Petite Maison, an equally chic high-end French brasserie with Mediterranean touches. Guests to this Brickell spot can expect to dine among the socialite crowd and business crowds, who are all in search of one thing: delicious food. Stars of the menu include the creamy burrata, fresh yellowtail carpaccio, and the very traditional escargot, but don’t forget to save room for the chocolate mousse. 

Bringing a sleek update to the traditional steakhouse, executive chef Aaron Brooks set his sights beyond the standard filet mignon at Edge Steak and Bar. His menu features a variety of unique dishes, like Aussie lamb shoulder, kangaroo empanadas, and steamed stone crabs tossed in hot butter. And while it might be housed in the ritzy Four Seasons Miami, there’s no need for an expense account to enjoy it.

One of the few restaurants where the word fusion doesn’t mean “we’re not sure what we are,” Ortanique translates its seamless blend of Latin, Caribbean, and Asian cuisines into an exceptional culinary experience. Boozehounds praise the bartenders for their mad mojito-making skills, too.

Serving arguably some of the best Indian food in the city, this Coconut Grove staple is always packed. After braving the wait, get your hands on some of the restaurant’s signature dishes, like crab samosas, lamb vindaloo, tandoori chicken, and mango lassi.

Leading the way for Coconut Grove’s culinary renaissance, Ariete has quickly become the standout in a group of relative newcomers. Led by Cypress Room alum Michael Beltran, it features a menu of inventive yet hearty comfort-food dishes with a Cuban flair that reflects Beltran’s upbringing. Highlights include the grilled oysters drenched in bone marrow butter, a smoky pork chop with black-eyed peas, and an on-the-bone short rib that is more than enough to satisfy any hungry group. 

This Indian eatery from Michael’s Genuine alum Niven Patel features Indian-inspired cuisine made mainly from produce from Patel’s farm in Homestead, like vindaloo made with pork belly, green millet, garlic naan, and more. Plus there’s a $55 tasting menu available, so exploring the offerings is encouraged. The restaurant is so popular it opened a second location in the Design District (3620 NE Second Avenue), so no matter the part of town, diners can easily get a taste of the cuisine.