Where to Eat in August: Chica, Lion & The Rambler, 2 Korean Girls, and More

CHICA is a high-energy, tropical celebration of Latin culture with culinary influences from throughout Latin America. Developed by Venezuelan celebrity chef Lorena García, the restaurant serves as a vibrant and authentic representation of Miami’s diverse Latin influences, all in one fun environment. Here, you can enjoy a range of dishes from Peruvian Corvina Ceviche, from guacamole served with plantain chips to Lorena’s arepa basket, as well as meats that are butchered in-house and cooked in a wood-fired grill. CHICA offers weekday happy hour and weekend brunch, and if you time it right, you can find dancers, a DJ or live bands that transform the restaurant into a surprising nightlife experience.

There’s no place like South Florida to effortlessly experience a beautiful blend of cultures and traditions. A prime example: The story of 2 Korean Girls, a pick-up and delivery-only ghost kitchen, now turned IRL dine-in location, serving authentic Korean classics based on passed-down family recipes. 2 Korean Girls’ new outdoor pop-up at the Shelborne Hotel’s Oasis Garden puts them steps from the South Beach beachwalk, bringing an entirely new beachside vibe to this concept from the power team made up of sisters Jennifer and Michele Kaminski, their mother Chom “Sunny” Kaminski, and Miami’s culinary founding father, Chef Allen Susser. You’ll come for the bibimbap bowls, but stay for the ocean breeze, the witty menu, and the K-Pop aesthetics.

Walk-ins only. Open Thursday through Sunday. See the menu here.  

After a 10-year run from Miami’s beloved Eating House, which closed last summer, this well-known restaurant space left some big shoes to fill. And here to fill them is Lion & The Rambler, an exciting concept from chef and owner Michael Bolen, bringing Miami his take on modern Californian cuisine with an evolving small-plates menu based on seasonal ingredients and a curated beverage program. Though the plates are undoubtedly upscale, the goal at Lion & The Rambler is to keep the experience “always fun, never formal.” The daily changing menu at this new neighborhood eatery is driven by creativity, nostalgia behind food memories, and Miami’s breadth of diversity.

Expanding on an empire of locations in several international cities from Seoul to Toronto to Dubai, chef Akira Back has brought his namesake Japanese restaurant to Florida at The Ray Hotel in Delray Beach. At his eponymous restaurant, the Korean-born and Colorado-bred competitive snowboarder-turned-Michelin-starred-chef offers his take on Japanese cuisine with inspiration from his Korean heritage and global travels. Unique dishes to order include the Pop Rockin’ spicy crab roll. with watermelon pop rocks that crackle inside your mouth; the Truffle Bomb made with sea urchin, sweet shrimp, smoked potato foam, and caviar; and the chef’s mystery box of nine surprise bites, unveiled tableside.

Call 561-739-1708 for reservations.

Chic yet casual, Le Jardinier is a vegetable-driven manifestation of the legacy of famed French chef, the late Joël Robuchon. Recently awarded a Michelin star, Le Jardinier is run by culinary director Alain Verzeroli, a protégé of Robuchon for two decades. This Design District restaurant is considered more approachable than its sister restaurant, L’Atelier, located just upstairs. This month, check out Le Jardinier’s Summer Garden on their lush outdoor patio for rosé specials that will transport you to the French Riviera. In partnership with Whispering Angel, Le Jardinier will offer rosé cocktails, an exclusive summer menu with rosé pairings, Sunday brunch offerings, and live music that will make you feel like you’re lounging at a Côte d’Azur summer beach club.

Add Amal to the growing list of new restaurants making the “new” Grove a top dining destination. A new Mediterranean concept from the team behind the highly regarded Byblos on South Beach, Amal offers modern Lebanese cuisine in a chic, brightly designed space with a palette inspired by Lebanon’s sandy shores. This new spot offers hot and cold mezze dishes like baba ghanoush, garlic labneh, and roasted cauliflower; skewered meats; and a popular date cake for dessert. Amal also plans to open an expansive rooftop bar with views of Biscayne Bay, which should bring this already-buzzworthy destination to the next level.

Call 786-369-0846 for reservations.

After growing up in Italian kitchens, learning from his father who built a local chain of Pizza Time restaurants, chef and owner Rino Cerbone honors his family legacy with his own spin on classic Italian comfort food, bringing it into a fine-dining setting. Heritage’s menu boasts 14 kinds of pizza, plus a variety of antipasti, cocktails, and desserts that show off Cerbone’s craftsmanship. Make no mistake, this is upscale dining without the pretense. Heritage’s understated ambiance lets the food do the talking, so it’s no wonder this restaurant has become a local go-to for so many folks.

Paradis Books & Bread was just named one of the best bars in the U.S. by Esquire, and it doesn’t even have cocktails! They do, however, serve up wine and beer, killer sourdough bread, and good vibes. Paradis is hard to label: it’s part coffee shop, part bakery, part wine bar, part bookstore (or lending library if you’re a local) – we could go on. If you’re stopping by in the daytime, order a cup of coffee and a pastry. If you’re settling in for the evening, nosh on spreads, breads, tinned fish, and pizza by the slice. The ethos of Paradis is community-first, and you’ll feel that warm, welcoming atmosphere as soon as you’re surrounded by their book-lined walls. Combine that with some fresh-baked sourdough and a glass of natural wine, and that sounds like Paradis to us.

Walk-ins only. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday.

Dust off your best British accent and free up some space on your smartphone, because the dreamy floral aesthetics at Little Hen were made to take over your camera roll. This charming English-inspired eatery has been trending for its creative breakfast/brunch menu and its classy Bridgerton vibes. Perhaps their tagline explains it better than we can, as Little Hen has been deemed “Home of the Rose Petal Pancakes®” (yes, that’s a registered trademark).

With locations in both Miami-Dade and Broward counties, Little Hen offers playful breakfast and brunch dishes like “bourbon batter” French toast, a carbonara omelet, truffled huevos rotos, and of course, the aforementioned rose petal pancakes. You can also join for afternoon tea — just make a note of it when booking your reservation.

Many may come to town to challenge the throne, but locals know that Macchialina has been serving arguably the best Italian food in Miami since 2012. Chef and owner Michael Pirolo, a James Beard Award semi-finalist, has been delighting locals and tourists alike for a decade now with his handmade bucatini, tagliolini, spaghetti, and more. If you’ve never been or it’s been too long since your last visit, a reservation here is a must. Nestled on the “quiet” side of South Beach, Macchialina offers seating in their 60-person outdoor garden called Il Giardino, alongside indoor and sidewalk dining. For wine-lovers, the restaurant boasts a wine program of predominantly Italian wines sourced from estate-grown grapes and boutique growers, and you can even join their monthly wine club curated by beverage director Jacqueline Pirolo.