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Eating in Miami


Eating in Miami

Foodies and chefs alike herald Miami for its unique New World cuisine. Created in the 1990's, the cuisine alternatively known as New World, Nuevo Latino or Florribean cuisine blends local produce, Latin American and Caribbean culinary tradition and the technical skills required in European cooking. Nuevo Latino is said to be the brainchild of four chefs: Allen Susser, Norman Van Aken, Mark Militello and Douglas Rodriguez. All of them still work in Miami and most of them work at the restaurants they created in the 1990's. New World is not restricted to these chefs’ menus. This cuisine influences several restaurants around the city to this day. Miami may be known for its Latin cuisine, especially its Cuban cuisine but also cuisines from South American countries such as Colombia, but there are other different kinds of restaurants to be found around the city. In addition to stand-alone restaurants offering up various cuisines from Chinese and Japanese and Middle Eastern and Italian (among other cuisines), there are cafés, steakhouses and restaurants operating from boutique hotels as well as chain restaurants such as TGI Fridays and Ben & Jerry’s. Miami is known for having nightclubs double as restaurants throughout the city. Most of these restaurants, such as Tantra (which had one of their chefs recently appear on Top Chef: Miami), BED and the Pearl Restaurant and Champagne Lounge (attached to Nikki Beach), are located throughout South Beach. However, some of these restaurants/nightclubs like Grass Lounge can be found in the Design District (north of downtown but south of North Miami). If many of Miami’s premiere restaurants don’t fit into your daily budget, consider eating during Miami Restaurant Month (better known as Miami Spice ) in August and September. This year at 80 select restaurants, lunch costs $22 and dinner is $35. Miami’s dining scene reflects burgeoning diversity, mixing exotic newcomer restaurants with long-standing institutions, often seasoned by Latin influence and hot winds of the Caribbean. New World cuisine, a culinary counterpart to accompany Miami’s New World Symphony, provides a loose fusion of Latin, Asian, and Caribbean flavors utilizing fresh, area-grown ingredients. Innovative restaurateurs and chefs similarly reel in patrons with Floribbean-flavored seafood fare, while keeping true to down-home Florida favorites. Don't be fooled by the plethora of super lean model types you're likely to see posing throughout Miami. Contrary to popular belief, dining in this city is as much a sport as the in-line skating on Ocean Drive. With over 6,000 restaurants to choose from, dining out in Miami has become a passionate pastime for locals and visitors alike. Its star chefs have fused Californian-Asian with Caribbean and Latin elements to create a world-class flavor all its own: Floribbean. Think mango chutney splashed over fresh swordfish or a spicy sushi sauce served alongside Peruvian ceviche. Whatever you're craving, Miami's got it -- with the exception of decent Chinese food and a New York-style slice of pizza. If you're craving a scene with your steak, then South Beach is the place to be. Like many cities in Europe and Latin America, it is fashionable to dine late in South Beach, preferably after 9PM, sometimes as late as midnight. Service on South Beach is notoriously slow and arrogant, but it comes with the turf (of course, it is possible to find restaurants that defy the notoriety and actually pride themselves on friendly service). On the mainland -- especially in Coral Gables, and, more recently, downtown and on Brickell Avenue -- you can also experience fine, creative dining without the pretense. There are several Peruvian restaurants at SW 88th Street and SW 137th Avenue in Kendale Lakes. Take the 88 or 288 buses from Dadeland North train station. This is kind of out of the way, but it is worth it.

Miami is a huge city, so all individual listings should be moved to the appropriate district articles, and this section should contain a brief overview. Please help to move listings if you are familiar with this city.

  • La Carreta, SW 8th St, +1 305 444-7501 – Open 24hrs a day. Cuban. The flagship restaurant of a small chain of Cuban restaurants (including one location at Miami International Airport). It should be noted that the majority of staff only speak limited English but menus are available in both English and Spanish. $5-$22 per person, per meal.
  • Baleen at Grove Isle Hotel & Spa, Four Grove Isle Dr, +1 305 858-8300 – Far beyond typical Miami restaurants, Baleen consistently draws attendance from faire afficianados and consistent critical acclaim from Zagat's, Gourmet and AAA. The menu is eclectic and eccentric, with selections fresh from the sea, land and garden. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
  • Chef Allen’s, 19088 NE 29th Ave, +1 305 935-2900 . Sun-Thu 6PM-10PM, Fri-Sat 6PM-11PM. Allen Susser was named the best chef in the South in 1994 by the James Beard Foundation. A perfect place to try New World cuisine. Dinner jackets suggested. $9-$46 (the tasting menu is $75 per person).
  • Casa Tua, 1700 James Ave, +1 305 673-1010 – Lunch Mon-Fri 11:30AM-3PM, dinner Mon-Sat 7PM-12AM. Italian. Casa Tua is proud of the fact that there is no outside signage outside its restaurant. If the restaurant decides to advertise out front, it’s not going to be soon. Reservations are required to get inside, but make sure you can find the restaurant first or you might get a headache attempting to get to dinner. $12-$100 per person, per meal.
  • Ola, 5061 Biscayne Blvd (in the Sanctuary Hotel), +1 305 695-9125 – Mon-Thu 6PM-12AM, Fri-Sat 6PM-2AM. Nuevo Latino. Chef Douglas Rodriguez’ restaurant, Of Latin America, is a mixture of Spanish and Latin American culinary traditions. Reservations recommended. $20-$35 per person, per meal.
  • Ortanique on the Mile , 278 Miracle Mile (near Actor’s Playhouse),, +1 305 446-7710 – Mon-Tue 6PM-10PM, Wed-Sat 6PM-11PM, Sun 5:30PM-9:30PM. New World. One of three Ortanique restaurants (the other two are located in Washington, D.C. and Las Vegas. The food has a mixture of Caribbean and French influences. Reservations are requested. $19-$36 per person, per meal.
  • Azul, 500 Brickell Key Drive, Miami, Florida 33131, +1 305 913-8358 – Award winning blend of Mediterranean flavors with Asian influences.

    • The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Miami


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    Miami Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.

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