17 Best Restaurants in Miami and Miami Beach, Florida

Dynamic and delicious flavors of the eastern Mediterranean merge over traditional and new-fashioned dishes at this photogenic local hot spot. Feast on pides (Turkish flat breads baked in a stone oven), Middle Eastern fried chicken (with tahini, za'atar, and house hot sauce) and fattoush (crunch salad) while enjoying the breezy, art deco surroundings and colorful interiors.

High atop South Beach's design-driven 1111 Lincoln Road parking garage, rooftop Juvia commingles urban sophistication with South Beach seduction. Three renowned chefs unite to deliver an amazing eating experience that screams Japanese, Peruvian, and French all in the same breath, focusing largely on raw fish and seafood dishes.

Miami is filled with great steak houses, but this is arguably the best. Located in the glamorous art deco open lobby of The Betsy hotel on Ocean Drive, noted chef Laurent Tourondel (of BLT Steak fame) presents a seasonally inspired menu that includes fresh seafood, sushi, the highest-quality cuts of USDA prime and certified Black Angus beef, and decadent sides (don't miss the hand-cut Parmesan truffle fries with truffle aioli).

Framed by exposed-brick walls, decorated with daily specials on chalkboards, and packed with gregarious patrons, this local foodie hangout feels like a cozy neighborhood tavern—unless you opt to sit outside in the lush courtyard. Owner and chef Michael Pirolo nails the concept of modern Italian cuisine through a small but special selection of antipasti (try the local burrata and creamy polenta) and daily homemade pastas (like tagliolini al funghi and spaghetti con vongole).

A swanky rooftop restaurant on Lincoln Road, MILA is a place to see and be seen while sipping well-crafted cocktails and ordering Mediterranean-Asian fusion dishes, small plates, and sushi. The stunning focal point is a Zen-like reflection pool flanked by two curtained cabanas that can be reserved for a bit of privacy while dining alfresco. Highlights of the menu include branzino tataki, edamame guacamole, seared scallop roll, and a 32 oz. tomahawk served with a butter-onion jus. The indoor and outdoor bar serve two separate cocktail menus, and those who dine on the terrace can order one of the special cocktails that are made tableside on a mobile bar cart.

On a residential street in SoBe’s western reaches, this petite eatery attracts the who’s who of beach socialites, hipsters, and the occasional tourist coming to chow down on inventive Asian-Latin small plates, sushi rolls, and grilled skewers of meat and seafood by executive chef-owner José Mendin. From bigeye tuna spicy rolls to short-rib and truffle dumplings, the menu constantly pushes the envelope on inventive cuisine, and locals simply can’t get enough.

With bright graffiti walls, a buzzing bar, and an open-air roof, this trendy Japanese-Peruvian fusion restaurant has brought sophistication and edge to Lincoln Road. Order a pisco or Japanese whiskey and settle in for flavor-packed Nikkei-style cuisine and some of the best sushi in town.

Set within the glitz and ostentation of Gianni Versace’s former mansion, The Villa Casa Casuarina, this restaurant doles out pricey Italian-Mediterranean eats across the mansion's most prized nooks. It's more about the romantic atmosphere and eating next to Versace's storied mosaic pool than the food, which includes caviar selections, filet mignon, and black-truffle risotto.

At the flagship restaurant of The Setai Miami Beach hotel, expect a pan-Asian extravaganza, representing the countries of Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Korea, India, China, and Japan through dishes that range from sea bass tikka to Peking duck to lobster curry. Before or after dinner, be sure to enjoy a cocktail around the harmonious courtyard reflecting pool.

Design impresario Philippe Starck opted to fill the smoking-hot SLS Hotel South Beach with a number of see-and-be-seen eateries, including Katsuya South Beach. At this popular Japanese restaurant, dishes come from four separate kitchens and include awesome eats like a legendary miso-marinated black cod, succulent lobster dynamite (in a creamy mushroom sauce), baked crab hand rolls, and amazing sushi rolls. If you want a quieter evening, ask to sit in the unpublicized second-floor dining room.

This wildly busy steak house is particularly prized for its highly marbleized prime beef, creamed corn with black truffles, lobster macaroni and cheese, and buzzing scene. While you stand at the bar awaiting your table—everyone has to wait, at least a little bit—you'll clamor for a drink with all facets of Miami's high society, from the city's top real estate developers and philanthropists to striking models and celebrities.

The carnivore glamour den seduces with its red-and-black dominatrix color scheme and overloads the senses with the divine smells and tastes of the extensive menu. RED boasts an equal number of seafood and more traditional meat offerings, each delicately prepared, meticulously presented, and gleefully consumed.

Both upscale and unpretentious, this Michelin-starred contemporary American restaurant is helmed by Top Chef winner Jeremy Ford, who has created a small menu of exquisitely executed fresh dishes that change often. The popular prix-fixe tasting menu is known for its pâté and foie gras, as well as fresh seafood and short ribs. The intimate restaurant boasts an open design where diners can see the action-packed kitchen as they meticulously plate each bite. Reservations are recommended.

If you're longing for a true taste of Italy's Emilia Romagna region and a respite from the overpriced SoBe dining scene, head to this adorable hole-in-the-wall restaurant off Alton Road. The pastas and sauces are made fresh daily, using only the best ingredients imported from the chef's homeland supplemented with local produce.

St. Tropez invades South Beach at this sceney resto-lounge where dinner doesn't usually begin until late (which is normal for the Miami crowd) and the Champagne sipping continues until the wee hours of the morning (to sounds of awesome DJs).The restaurant fuses indoors and outdoors, merging prolific alfresco seating in a spacious, tree-lined courtyard with open-air covered dining and relaxation areas (swaying chandeliers, white tufted couches, and whimsically accessorized library shelves). While Veuve Clicquot is a staple among patrons, the tropical-inspired cocktails and the selection from the in-house wine cellar, La Cave d'Azur, also impress. The exquisitely executed French-Mediterranean cuisine is seafood-centric, beginning with colossal towers from the raw bar, then moving onto to light greens like the shaved-artichoke-and-parmigiano salad, and finishing with dishes such as dover sole à la meunière.

There's a helluva lot of southern lovin' from the low country at this funky South Beach spot, where Miami's A-list puts calorie-counting aside to indulge in comfort foods and innovative drinks. The family-style menu is divided between small plates, "the bird" plates, and sides and snacks, but have no doubt that "the bird" takes center stage (or plate) here—you'll rave about Llewellyn's fine fried chicken, which requires a 27-hour marination and slow-cooking process, for weeks to come.