12 Wonderful Waterfront Restaurants in Miami

Casadonna resides on the ground floor of a beautifully renovated women’s club. The historic building itself is a stunner, and paired with its waterfront views, makes for an ideal place to linger just a little bit longer. This pretty Italian restaurant has several romantic nooks to explore and a spacious covered terrace dotted with lush trees — in other words, a perfect setting to enjoy a menu of Italian coastal cuisine, like crispy artichokes, warm focaccia, creamy burrata, and plenty of pasta and seafood dishes.

Head over the bridge to truly appreciate Miami’s magical skyline — but not to Miami Beach. Instead, take a detour to The Deck, and you’ll be amply rewarded with standout sunset happy hours and romantic dinners, as well as a vibey Sunday brunch. The menu is seafood-focused and features impressive shellfish towers if you fancy them, as well as wide variety of crowd-pleasers, from toasty brick oven pizzas to juicy steaks.

Pair impressive sunset views with your cocktail while overlooking Biscayne Bay and Miami’s skyline from the Mondrian’s signature restaurant. Baia even has a special sundown social menu featuring a range of light bites, from oysters to blistered shishito peppers, along with drink specials to enjoy on one of its plush waterfront day beds. Its Mediterranean-inspired dinner menu is seafood-centric, offering plenty of coastal fare to indulge in.

Tucked inside a quiet North Miami street, this Mediterranean hotspot instantly transports you to Europe’s coastline with its chic neutrals, warm woods, and textured details. Yaya Coastal Cuisine is a rare restaurant that possesses a calming presence while also exuding an energy that you want to be a part of. An expansive covered waterfront terrace overlooks its 14-slip dock, perfect for those who want to dock and dine. Food-wise, start with a few raw bar and mezze selections, like the hamachi crudo, hummus, and flaming saganaki cheese, before diving into heartier dishes like lobster risotto, Spanish dorade, or buttery Ōra king salmon.

With a design that resembles a superyacht, resplendent with rich woods and polished portholes, you’ll feel like you’re on the water rather than simply overlooking it from Brickell’s shore. Italian fare reigns supreme at Cipriani, offering all the classics from prosciutto di Parma, burrata, and octopus, to roasted veal chop, housemade gnocchi, and eggplant parmigiana.

This quaint North Bay Village Italian restaurant is a hidden gem overlooking the marina, with a spacious deck flanked by palm trees, and parking for boats. Owned by Italian chefs, Petralunga makes pasta in-house daily, and dreamy thin-crust or focaccia-style pizzas. The menu also includes plenty of satisfying starters, while tiramisu aficionados shouldn’t miss the restaurant’s excellent version, built and served tableside with a theatrical flourish.

This New York import brings its white-tablecloth fine-dining Italian cuisine and hospitality to Sunny Isles’ posh Acqualina Resort. Opt for an oceanfront terrace table shaded by one of the hotel’s signature scarlet umbrellas for lunch, or its dimly lit dining room for dinner. Start with a few shareable antipasti before indulging in a pasta course followed by a branzino or Dover sole. Be sure to save room for dessert and a few sips of limoncello.

The newest addition to Acqualina’s culinary scene, this breezy Greek concept brings nature into the dining room with an impressive, flowered canopy and dramatic double height arches that frame the turquoise sea and draw you into the neutral-hued space. Take in sea views from a serene patio, while deciding between lighter Aegean fare like Greek salad, octopus, saganaki cheese, calamari, and halloumi, or heartier plates like lamb chops or an impressive seafood selection that’s flown in daily.

One of Singer Island’s newest restaurants, this coastal American concept is located inside the newly renovated Singer Oceanfront Resort. Its menu embraces the sea with small, shareable plates like the smoked lump crab fritters and snapper ceviche. But its most impressive starter must be the seafood board that boasts smoked mahi dip, octopus, cocktail shrimp, and ahi tuna. Ask for a table on the restaurant’s shaded patio to maximize those pristine sea views.

Nothing else tops sipping a chilled bellini at its namesake restaurant overlooking the glittering Biscayne Bay. Mr. C Hotel’s signature restaurant shares a sleek superyacht aesthetic with its sister concept, Cipriani. Tour Italy’s culinary scene with a breezy menu of handmade pastas, antipasti, and entrées, from Angus beef tartare with truffles and spaghetti with clams to veal scaloppine and branzino.

Located inside the Solé Miami resort, this concept’s globally inspired menu is ideal for a casual lunch, relaxing happy hour, or a romantic sunset dinner. There’s an elevated terrace for enjoying the breeze and beach views while tucking into a well-travelled menu (from fish and chips, to paella), while floor-to-ceiling windows inside ensure that the ocean is present throughout the day. Save room for dessert, where you can travel to Spain with the flan or stay local with the key lime pie.

This Greek restaurant on – you guessed it – the river offers diners options for enjoying its sprawling water vistas and Mediterranean cuisine. Lunch can easily turn into happy hour here, and if you’re craving a lively night out, Kiki delivers. It’s best to come with friends and share items like the impressive seafood tower, pikilia platter, large platter of seafood pasta, or a 40-ounce bone-in tomahawk. If you don’t want to worry about what to choose, order Kiki’s Greatest Hits – an assortment of all its signature dishes.