The Resy Hit List: Where In Miami You’ll Want to Eat Right Now

ViceVersa might be the best bar in Miami, but possibly also the best Italian restaurant. It’s the type of place where you can start the night with pre-dinner cocktails — or vice versa, keep the evening going with a digestif and a scoop of house-spun gelato (hence the name). But truthfully, the vibe here is so fun and the food is so stellar, you shouldn’t discount the idea of revolving your whole meal plan around it. Which is to say that along with the top-notch Italianate craft cocktails, there are airy-yet-crisp neo-Neapolitan-style pizza, and refreshing raw crudos and salads. Pro tip: Aperitivo hour (aka happy hour) runs Tuesday through Friday, headlined by a cacio e pepe fried chicken sandwich that has everyone talking.

Recoveco has quickly outgrown its modest name (meaning “nook” in Spanish) as South Florida diners have discovered the treasures created by co-chef/owners Nicolas Martinez and Teresa Gallina (the duo honed their craft in kitchens like Alter and Itamae). Their intimate, open-kitchen restaurant defies easy categorization; Martinez and Gallina venture where few Miami chefs dare — think perfectly executed grass-fed beef tongue or heritage chicken served with feet attached, dishes that are challenging and inexplicably delicious. The bold approach might not aim for mass appeal, but it delivers a dining experience that lingers in your memory.

Luna Pasta started as a small counter operation selling fresh pasta by the pound and has grown into a beloved neighborhood restaurant that still feels personal (down the block from the fresh pasta shop). The menu is of course focused on those housemade noodles — fettuccine, ravioli, pappardelle — along with Italian antipasti, a few entrees, and exceptional empanadas (not uncommon to see at Argentinian-influenced Italian spots in Miami). Pastas are simply prepared with creamy yet delicate sauces, and regulars relish favorites like fettuccine Bolognese, pear agnolotti, and a very beefy lasagna. The space is casual enough for dinner any night of the week, but also charming enough for a low-pressure date night.

Fire and ice share the table at Uchi’s sister spot — while you’ll still find the pristine sushi and cool raw crudos that made the original famous, Uchiko leans harder into the smoke and flames. The coastal ambiance feels fitting for its South Beach location, and the hearth is the star, sending out charred bites like unagi (freshwater eel), smoky roasted oysters with koji creamed spinach, and quadruple-seared Denver steak. Order both ends of the spectrum — crisp, refreshing sashimi like the premium bluefin selection, alongside a taste of something smoky from the hearth — and you’ll get the full picture of what the Uchi family does best.

Dirty French Steakhouse isn’t shy, and that’s exactly the point. This glammed-up, maximalist spot channels the flash and flair of 1980s Miami with tuxedoed waiters, plush velvet booths, and a soundtrack that keeps the vibe dialed all the way up. It’s the kind of place where you go all in: prime-aged steaks, duck à l’orange, and a must-order mushroom millefeuille. Even the cocktails are a spectacle, perfect for kicking off the night at the buzzy bar. Come hungry, come dressed, and come ready to party — Dirty French is a dinner and a show all in one.

You head to Daniel’s when you want to be treated like a king, and feast like one. Run by a father-and-daughter team that knows hospitality as well as it knows food, this Florida-inspired steakhouse decked out in bold bovine artwork does beef exceptionally well — but also everything else. Chef Danny Ganem’s menu spans from premium steaks and local seafood to housemade pastas and other dishes made with locally sourced ingredients from the Florida Keys up to the Panhandle. The team at Daniel’s partners with farmers, fishermen and food purveyors from across the state  — many of whom are recognized right on the menu. For a more casual dinner, we love that Daniel’s bar in Miami and the next-door D’s Sports Bar in Fort Lauderdale serve high-end comfort food takes, like wagyu smash burgers and organic chicken tenders with caviar.

Just a few doors down from its Michelin-starred sibling, Walrus Rodeo shouldn’t be underestimated. Boia De’s rowdy little sister restaurant has carved its own spot in Miami’s dining scene. Known for wood-fired fare, Walrus Rodeo is bold and offbeat, with pops of color, retro details, and a lively open kitchen anchored by an imported pizza oven from Naples, Italy. The menu revolves around that roaring oven, turning out pies and vegetable-forward dishes with a smoky edge. Think charred cabbage with burnt garlic gastrique, mustard green lasagna, and standout pizzas that are both playful and expertly prepared. 

Though technically a second outpost of a rum bar from New York, this late-night spot in a small South Beach boutique hotel feels tailor-made for Miami. Named for the high-energy final hour before the end of Carnival in Trinidad & Tobago, Las’ Lap celebrates Caribbean rum culture — from its lively music and dynamic energy to a super-extensive rum selection. The difference in Miami is an acclaimed star chef: Las’ Lap’s owners partnered with James Beard Award winner Kwame Onwuachi to lead the culinary program, and he’s crafted a menu that draws on not only his own Afro-Caribbean roots but also Miami’s Latin and Haitian influences. The result is boldly flavorful plates like wagyu griot and truffled oxtail Cubanos that celebrate the whole region.

El Toro Loco has built a loyal following by keeping steak at the center of everything it does. The local chain runs restaurants, food trucks, and butcher shops, all serving cuts that range from USDA Prime to high-end wagyu. Plates are generous, prices are very reasonable (as in, comparable to grocery store prices for a fully cooked steak), and the format shifts depending on where you go: a quick bite from a truck, a sit-down churrascaria meal, or steaks to grill at home from the butcher counter. The Homestead outpost stands out with a ranch-style setup that leans into the full farmland experience, complete with an open-air barn as the dining space, while the Calle Ocho restaurant leans fully into a Little Havana vibe.

Dinner at Palma is a bit of a gamble — in the best way possible. Chef Juan Camilo Liscano, who trained in Michelin-starred kitchens across Europe and the U.S., brings those techniques home to Miami, using them to showcase local farms and ingredients. The tasting menu changes monthly, so we can’t tell you exactly what’s coming beyond the signature sweet plantain brioche and butter served mid-meal, but expect compact, ingredient-focused plates that range from inventive to knockout-delicious. Unexpected pairings like wagyu and octopus or popcorn ice cream might not sound like they should make sense  — but that’s exactly what makes this experience so satisfying. The nine-course menu runs $115, though you can also cautiously dip into this culinary adventure on your own terms with new à la carte options.

Consider this your fair warning to book your table early: More than 15 years after opening in the Buena Vista neighborhood, Mandolin Aegean Bistro remains one of the most coveted tables in Miami (particularly those outdoor ones). The breezy patio — shaded by trees, lined with bougainvillea, and buzzing with conversation — sets the pace for long, unhurried meals. Mediterranean plates come out steadily, and most are meant to share: those famous Turkish manti dumplings, grilled octopus mezze, and the fresh catch of the day are all delightful. Service is warm and unrushed, making Mandolin an ever-reliable option for an alfresco lunch, date-night dinner, or low-key celebration.

This casual counter spot in Wynwood serves made-to-order handrolls with crisp nori and perfectly prepared sushi rice. The format is straightforward: choose a set or order à la carte, and the chefs hand you each roll one at a time, since they’re meant to be eaten while the rice is still warm and the seaweed crisp. The menu covers the essentials (salmon, tuna, hamachi) — which you can dress up with squeeze bottles of their homemade sauces — along with decadent signature options, like torched toro tuna with bourbon or wagyu with uni. And because it’s run by a trio of Parisian friends in partnership with acclaimed local sushi chef Yasu Tanuka, you can expect an attention to detail across the board, and a simple, focused experience. 

To Be Determined is a rotating menu concept with about a dozen two-person tables that fill up quickly. Translation: Insist that your significant other makes a reservation (for several weekends from now) to take you here for date night. The small menu at this dimly lit spot changes frequently based on what’s fresh and seasonal, which means you’ll need to keep coming back. And while it’s usually hard to guarantee quality without staple menu items, To Be Determined has proven so far that you can expect a meal full of wow-worthy flavors even with the constant changes, capped off by an excellent flan. Too late to snag a reservation, or rolling solo? Grab yourself a seat at the bar. 

That neon pink exclamation mark, hovering as a marquee over an unassuming strip mall in Little Haiti, remains iconic — the beacon to draw you into one of Miami’s most important restaurants. Chef duo Alex Meyer and Luciana Giangrandi continue their modern take on Italian plates so good that reservations vanish immediately. (We have tips to help.) Which should come as no surprise when you consider their culinary training in kitchens ranging from Scarpetta and Carbone to Eleven Madison Park. It’s an intimate and adorable space, where you’re as likely to be seated at the counter as you are at a table. Your servers will keep it fun and friendly while you partake in some of the best pasta and Italian-ish plates in town.

Aiko is a Japanese grab-and-go spot known for thick, crustless sandos that have taken over social media, but they also serve solid sushi in the form of simple omakase boxes and chirashi bowls. Back to those sandos, though: they’ve got over a dozen cold and hot sandwich options, from classic chicken katsu and succulent wagyu to egg salad with a whole soft-boiled ramen egg plus strawberries and cream for dessert. Each one is packed in a neat box and presented like a small gift, meant to travel well but best eaten immediately. While Aiko is mostly considered a takeout spot, you can — and should — sit down if you want to enjoy your freshly fried katsu sando while it’s hot. 

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