Now on Resy: Swan, Motek Gables, The Key Club, and More Local Favorites

Swan could rest its laurels on the fact that Miami uber restaurateur David Grutman and Pharrell Williams own the joint, but it’s so much more than that. Sure, the dining room swims with celebrities, but everyone’s really there for the agnolotti, pistachio pizza, and porterhouse for two. The outdoor garden is selfie heaven.

Like the other Motek locations, this sunshiney bright spot is the perfect place for all-day brunch, especially when shakshuka, hummus, and various mezze are involved. But you’re probably here — or should be — for the Arayes burger: grass-fed beef patties stuffed into pita. It’s a two-time People’s Choice Burger Bash winner for a reason …

This is David Grutman’s take on an all-American bar and grill, albeit one with a midcentury mod-meets-Brazil look. It fits Coconut Grove, right down to the caviar and potato chips, surf and turf sushi roll, and truffle fries.

Pure unadulterated flamingo fun is what this cocktail bar is all about. From the “No Flocks Given” neon to the electric tropical ambiance, the space oozes Miami. Fantastic riffs on classics, like the Pina Not Colada made with mezcal and pineapple shrub, remind you that this isn’t about gimmicks.

Friendly and convivial from morning till night, Lulu’s has all the trappings of a perfect Pineapple Grove neighborhood spot with a slight Irish lilt (the owners are from New York via Ireland). Get  brunch — including bottomless cocktails — any day of the week. At night, steak frites, Brussels sprouts Caesar, and fresh cocktails are the way to go. The place is always buzzing.

There’s a reason the Freehand Hotel’s tropical backyard oasis has won numerous awards and spurred many openings across the country. Go here to sip beautifully concocted drinks made with unique infusions and elixirs — things like Mack’s Fault, which turns the espresso martini trend on its head with coffee-infused, fat-washed bourbon, rye, and cardamom. Get easy-breezy snacks or the excellent burger when hunger strikes.

This isn’t just a posh, penthouse-high rooftop aerie overlooking Coral Gables — it’s also a dazzling restaurant under the direction of famed Italian chef Fabio Trabocchi, sitting atop the Miami outpost of his acclaimed D.C. restaurant, Fiola. Pro tip: Come at sundown for a view you won’t forget.

With its breezy terrace and cool, modern trattoria interior, this Miami Beach Italian — from the group behind Scarpetta and Baia Beach Club — offers three meals a day of just the kinds of things you want to eat, from eggs Florentine in the morning to rosemary lemon chicken at night.

It’s like the gilded age of Miami in this tucked away, little spot. Behind a curtain off the Four Seasons lobby, you’ll find marble tables, glimmering chandeliers, big leather chairs, and gold accents. Like its New York counterpart, caviar could be the only thing served in such a posh setting, but that’s just a start. This is the place to go bigger than big with shellfish towers, Champagne — the works.

With coral leather seats, illuminated agate floors, and a massive fish tank with live coral and tropical fish along one entire wall, the London import really lives up to its name. You’ll find Sexy Fish dishes like Wagyu gyoza with truffle and foie gras, and caramelized black cod, plus a few Miami exclusives. If you fancy yourself a mermaid, the bathrooms are spectacular.

Filled with greenery, pops of color, a wrap-around marble bar, an open kitchen, and one fantastic outdoor setting, this stunning space befits chef Brad Kilgore’s inspired menu and Bar Lab’s (Broken Shaker) imaginative cocktails. Don’t miss layered brioche, savory beignets with jerk oxtail, and grouper al pastor. You’ll hear about the martini service, but the fluffy green juice is the real show.

Every time you set foot in this historic house adjacent to the Freehand Miami’s courtyard (overseen by the same team behind Broken Shaker), it’s a different experience. Every room is distinctly decorated in a casual boho way, with a menu equally as eclectic: Go Florida raw bar one night, Euro gastropub another; even Haitian if you’re feeling it. The natural wine list and cocktails, as always, are not to be skipped.

Nikkei cuisine has taken Miami by storm, and you’ll find some of the best interpretations of it at this South American import. The menu is extensive but fun to peruse, from traditional nigiri sushi to ceviches, anticuchos, and wood-fired meats. As expected, the sake list and pisco cocktails are fantastic. What is surprising? The next-level brunch.

Frédéric Joulin’s French bistro is one of those classic neighborhood spots that looks more casual than what the menu delivers, a spot that fits any occasion, even if it’s just a weeknight out. Stick with the classics: beef tartare, foie gras terrine, escargots, a couple glasses of red, and profiteroles for dessert.

What the Bar Lab team has done for handcrafted cocktails (Broken Shaker) and natural wines (Margot Wine Bar), they’ve done for Mexican-inspired sips and bites in a Generator hotel. Sure, you can go the taco route, but it’s more fun to do a whole snapper and build your own with housemade corn tortillas and an array of salsas. Cocktails are exceptional, even the house margarita or michelada.

Whatever your game plan — smoke cigars with cocktails inside, or watch the Espanola Way scene unfold outside — you’re covered here. Get ready to share (everything from chicken wings to lobster pasta easily feeds two or more) and know that the mojito never disappoints.

If your best night requires a great cigar, this is the spot. Choose your cigar from a huge walk-in humidor — they’ll cut it just the way you like it — and sit a spell in those big comfy chairs. The drinks menu matches the cigar selection, elaborately filled with rare and favorite spirits. Members and non-members are equally welcome.

Every weekend MKT Kitchen flips into Josh Elliott’s tapas concept, a whirlwind of tastes and flavors from the Basque country and Tokyo combined. Cool ranch shishitos, lamb belly with date teriyaki, okonomiyaki topped with chorizo and eggs, creamy cheesecake with mango: It’s all fantastic. 

When you can’t decide between sushi and pad Thai or ramen, this Buena Vista bistro is the spot. From the same folks behind South Beach’s longstanding favorite Toni’s Sushi bar, expect elaborate rolls along with nigiri, halo halo for dessert, and a great sake list to peruse.

Part art gallery, part cafe and bar, this open Sunset Harbor space covers all the bases. Sit in a glove-shaped sofa for drinks before dinner, then dig into dishes as imaginative as the space, like risotto that looks like mushrooms are sprouting from it. 

After sipping Moscow mules on green velvet couches, and before the place flips into a nocturnal playground for all-night dancing, you’ll need sustenance. That could be in the form of lamb dumplings or a spicy diavola pizza, or even spaghetti carbonara. 

Enough Swifty’s regulars made their way from New York City to Palm Beach that it was only a matter of time before this beloved restaurant moved there, too. Sit around the pool or the courtyard under a garden canopy, get the bacon-wrapped meatloaf and aligot potatoes, and a Pink Paradise cocktail, too. If there’s live music or a rousing bingo game happening around the pool, just go with it.

Off the mezzanine deck at The Alexander Hotel, this hidden gem with wood-slat walls and dark trim feels like something you’d find in New York or L.A. It’s not just the vibe; it’s the menu full of seasonal ingredients from local producers — things like crudo with black garlic sauce, and smoked lion’s mane farotto with pea tendrils and cashew crumbs. Don’t miss brunch.

There are so many tasty bites at this Key Biscayne spot — short rib empanadas, bacon-wrapped dates, crispy yucca, and a great wagyu burger — it’s easy to forget it’s also a wine shop. Come as you are: off the beach for a drink, lunch with friends, happy hour, date night. It works on every level.