With its unique blend of cultures, streets thrumming with life, and its locals’ love of the fine (and fun) things in life, it’s no surprise that Miami is a culinary mecca.
With everything from high-end establishments that put out plate after plate of aesthetic goodness to hole-in-the-wall sandwich shops that produce sloppy yet unbelievably tasty goods, you can eat well for a couple of dollars or a couple hundred – but you’ll always be eating well.
If you’re heading on a South Florida getaway and want to know where the best restaurants in Miami are, make sure to read ahead for our guide to sinking your teeth into Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner in the Magic City.
Breakfast
The Daily Creative Food Co.
Serving breakfast in the heart of the hipster Wynwood neighbourhood for a few years now, The Daily Creative Food Co. keeps things simple, but their dishes are in no way average – especially when it comes to their expansive, gut-busting breakfast range.
Like much of the food in Miami, the morning meals here are tinged with a Central and South American influence, meaning you can delight in Cuban breakfast favourites or well-known American dishes, like the enormous NY Breakfast.
If you’re looking after your beach body, lighter bites are available too, you just need to find the best restaurants in Miami.
The egg sandwiches and wraps are a perfect way to start any day, and some options even come with a lighter spinach wrap, if you’re really looking to keep it healthy.
There’s also fruits and cereals available if you don’t want to tuck into something too hot while under the splendid Miami sun. If you’re looking for the best restaurants in Miami, for breakfast, there are few better options than The Daily Creative Food Co.
Latin American Bakery and Cafe
You know that some breakfast spots are great because they have glowing online reviews, and a stream of young, cool folk trailing out the door at peak times.
The reason we’re so sure the Latin American Bakery and Cafe is one of the best restaurants in Miami for breakfast is because of the clientele, but they’re not influencers or artists.
They’re Latino grandmothers and grandfathers, congregating here for a coffee and an empanada or pastry.
Here you can pick up a quick bite to eat on a Miami morning, but there’s also space to sit and really enjoy the treats the bakery pumps out on a daily basis.
Empanadas are a definite speciality: handcrafted lovingly each morning, you can get standard South American flavours like barbequed pork, specialist breakfast fillings like egg and bacon, or even sweet ones filled with everything from cream to chocolate.
You can also enjoy meals more suited to a sit-down, like pancakes, but regardless of what you choose, you’re sure to end up devouring it.
Jimmy’s Eastside Diner
American dining culture is all about warm service and big portions of delicious foods at reasonable prices.
Nowhere is this more obvious than Jimmy’s Eastside Diner, a Miami institution that’s been keeping early risers and bleary-eyed partiers fed and watered throughout the morning (and early afternoon) for years now.
Within minutes you’ll feel like the staff are old friends, and your love for them will only grow as they bring out plate after plate of items to gorge yourself on.
There’s nothing too out of the box on the menu, so if you’re looking for breakfast classics done right you’re in the best restaurant in Miami for it.
While we’d never tell anyone to not dive right into a plate of bacon and eggs, it’s the American-style pancakes that are the real winners here – as long as they’re covered in a healthy dollop of cream and doused in maple syrup, of course.
Lunch
La Carreta
If you’re going to claim to be the best Cuban restaurant in Miami, then you need to bring the goods.
Once you take your first bite at La Carreta, you’ll see they’re not being presumptuous when they loudly declare themselves the rulers of the Cuban dining scene here and some of the best restaurants in Miami.
Abuela-style and proud, they’ve come a long way from the Little Havana flagship and now have multiple venues across the city, but the original retains a bit more of that rustic magic, so we’d recommend a visit there.
Cuban food is a diverse cuisine that includes everything from fresh seafood to mashed plantains and fried pork chunks, or Fufu con Masitas as it’s known back on the island.
And, of course, La Carreta have a take on the famously meaty cuban sandwich, which rivals the very best in the city.
With that all said, the daily special is always just that: special. From hearty tamale porridge to the more delicately flavoured but no less rich Ajiaco cubano, no matter what day you go you’ll be given a meal that you’ll spend the next few months dreaming about.
El Rey de las Fitas
Sometimes lunch is a long, sit-down affair with high-end table service and plenty of refinement.
And sometimes you just want to eat something quickly, in a fun and lively spot, and still get the same level of taste you’d expect from a fancier restaurant.
If you’re keen to have a quick lunch but don’t want to settle when it comes to quality, then this Cuban sandwich (and other tasty dishes) spot is one of the best restaurants in Miami for your needs.
Like most Cuban restaurants in the city, El Rey de las Fritas was founded by immigrants who came over in the 70’s, and they’ve been pumping out top-class burger after top-class burger ever since.
While there are a few different options to choose from, as well as the chance to sample some sugary treats, there’s no doubt you need to try the signature dish: La Frita.
Perfectly constructed, with grease and crunch balanced harmoniously, the flavours in the signature dish are second-to-none. Cheap but in no way lacking quality, this is a must-eat when considering the best restaurants in Miami.
Big Pink
If you’re near South Beach and ready to scarf down some classic American cuisine, then Big Pink is the Miami restaurant you’re looking for.
Serving happy beach goers and even happier revellers until late into the night since 1996, the atmosphere and food here is best enjoyed in the outdoor section under the gorgeous sun.
Styled after the famous diners of old America, the aesthetic is big hair, early rock-n-roll, and Grease – you can even have your food delivered on a classic steel tray.
The dishes here aren’t going to win any haute-cuisine plaudits for their daring nature, but they will taste incredible and look good.
So as long as you’re not expecting a seven-course tasting menu, you’ll have a blast and this is one of the best restaurants in Miami to visit.
Diner staples make up the bulk of the menu, and there’s so much to choose from nobody will be left hungry. The only thing we’ll recommend as a must-do is slurp on one of their world-famous shakes.
Dinner
Zuma
In the heart of downtown Miami, a short stroll from the water’s edge, you can be transported to a Tokyo izakaya with a trip to this unforgettable Japanese eatery.
Without a doubt one of the best restaurants in Miami, Zuma is class personified: minimalist, stylish, and an astoundingly tasty collection of dishes to boot.
It’s the perfect spot for a romantic dinner for two, a classy pre-bar affair, or to celebrate a special occasion.
The sushi and small plates are artfully arranged, and the taste matches the vibrancy of the presentation.
Larger dishes play with the senses just as delightfully, with noodles artfully spooned into dense, delicious broths, topped with succulent cuts of meat well worthy of the surroundings.
With that said, if you only come once then try the omakase, or chef’s choice. You’ll rethink your entire conception of taste.
Taipa
While Cuban food tends to dominate the Miami scene, this Peruvian spot shows South American cooking can hold its own in the city and goes a long way to demonstrate why this eatery is one of the best restaurants in Miami.
Taipa started life as a food truck just over a decade ago, and they believe in a sense of tradition, making sure their recipes are as authentic to Peruvian cuisine as can be.
With that said, it’s hardly an archaic spot: dishes are well-presented in a laid-back but uncluttered environment, and hit the spot in all the right ways.
The food here shows off the true diversity of Peruvian cuisine and frequently tops the best restaurants in Miami lists.
With everything from grilled tripe to whipped potatoes to indulge in, you’ll want to keep eating well past your stomach’s limit.
With that said, the various ceviches are among the best in the city, with the red-pepper-inspired Rocoto being one of our favourites thanks to its unique flavour profile.
Undoubtedly it’s one of the best restaurants in Miami not just when it comes to Peruvian food, but it’s one of the best restaurants in general.
Fiola
Lovingly handcrafted ravioli, delicately spiced broths, and an Old World wine selection that would impress even the haughtiest Michelin judge: Fiola is a dining sensation, right in the heart of Miami.
It’s evident why it’s widely considered to be one of the best restaurants in Miami.
With a chic indoor area and charming, plant-filled outdoor seating, the modern surroundings are minimalist but still leave the restaurant feeling full.
The buzz of other excited diners melds into the background as your food is served, and then it’s like it’s just you and the plate.
While every dish has its own special story, if you’re around during the right season the truffle dishes here are to die for, especially the Truffle Spaghetti alla Chittara.
Given the Miami location, it’s also no surprise the seafood is on another level at Fiola, with the starter oysters a particularly firm favourite for those lucky enough to dine here. High end but oh so worth it, Fiola is definitely one of the best restaurants in Miami.
Salivating at the thought of making your way through these Miami menus whilst perusing our best restaurants in Miami round up?
Or perhaps you’re tempted to find out what else Miami has to offer? If so, we’d recommend checking out the shopping scene next!
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