The Resy Guide to Date Night in Miami

If you’re looking to impress your date with a speakeasy-style dinner experience that feels like you’re both in on a secret, this is it. Gold Standard pops up at a different space each season and this year they’re inside the private back room of Le Basilic Miami, a restaurant in Sunset Harbour. The 12-seat sushi counter serves a signature 16-course meal, created by sushi chef Ronnie J. (formerly of Nobu, Makoto, and Wabi Sabi) and sushi chef Soren Mendonza, a veteran of the Gold Standard. If you and your date want to keep the night going after the omakase, there are six new surrounding tables that offer guests from the omakase counter a space to enjoy light bites, nigiri, and hand rolls with cocktails and music. Designed to create a relaxed, late-night atmosphere, guests are encouraged to arrive earlier or linger after their dinner.

Walking into Elia, you’re immediately transported to a coastal getaway with rattan chairs clad in pastel cushions, lush greenery and a pergola shade-covered patio offering waterfront views. Inside, it’s hard not to be charmed by the southern Italian dishes while taking in panoramic views of passing yachts and breathtaking sunsets. There are eight hearty pastas to choose from; the lobster linguini and pappardelle Bolognese never miss, but don’t overlook the cacio e pepe topped with shaved black truffle.

This is quite possibly the most romantic spot you’ll find in a strip mall in Little Havana. The ambitious bistro, helmed by chef Pancho Ibáñez (formerly of Pujol, Mexico City’s two-Michelin-starred culinary icon), is set inside a jewel-box dining room that conjures more Parisian bistro than cantina. With an eclectic but approachable menu, dishes like the the “Cangrego, Brioche, Ikura,” a hefty slice of buttery brioche topped with lightly-dressed lump crab meat and a layer of red caviar, easily impress and are perfect for sparking conversation. Save room for the desserts like a chocolate mousse and the Flan de Naranja, a creamy orange flan topped with Ossetra caviar.

At this glamorous establishment, Michelin-starred chef Michael White (whose iconic Marea brought high-end Italian seafood to New York) brings vivid Mediterranean fare to Coral Gables. Don’t miss White’s most notable creations — a langoustine carpaccio and pasta with octopus and bone marrow — that are sure to make an impression on you and your lucky paramour.

If your date loves to keep things low-key, then this sophisticated trattoria in Little River has some of the best pizza in town and a candlelit environment that epitomizes date night. Start off with the cult favorite Japanese sweet potato topped with brown butter and buckwheat and move on to pizzas with perfectly-charred crusts and toppings like za’atar and garlic confit. An immaculately-curated natural wine list adds to the hip, sultry vibes.

Located on the rooftop of the swanky Mr. C Hotel and operated by the famed Cipriani family, this spot features gorgeous views of Biscayne Bay and an Instagram-perfect dining room. Start off with the namesake cocktail made with champagne and fresh peach puree and segue to a decadent feast of truffle-flecked pasta, and tiramisu for dessert. Just keep in mind the prices are as ambitious as the surroundings.

Oysters are, and have always been, the perfect way to start a romantic dinner. And we can’t think of a better spot to enjoy them than downtown’s iconic oyster bar in its new, super-handsome location (still on Brickell, though, so plan for traffic at peak times). You’ll start off with a platter of whatever’s fresh that day, then segue into more robust dishes: gnocchi with blue crab, squid ink spaghetti fra diavalo, or more raw bar specialties like poached lobster, stone crabs, and shrimp cocktail. In any event, you’ll have a formidable selection of wines and a focused cocktail menu of cocktails to choose from. And at the end of the evening, you’ll contentedly take your date’s hand and reemerge into the sultry Miami night. Just in case you didn’t already have that last part covered.

One of the most affordable omakases in Miami, this downtown spot has a laid-back atmosphere that’s perfect for chatting with your date but is still serious about delivering high quality sushi in a cool, unfussy space. The omakase options range from $79 featuring an express 11-course option to a 16-course experience priced at $119. Each one feature a chef’s rotating appetizer, select nigiri, one handroll, homemade miso soup, and others also include a sashimi plate and a traditional Japanese steamed egg custard known as chawanmushi.

Sushi made with pristine fish and subtle, creative flourishes doesn’t require flashing lights, bottle service, or even a sign on the door, and this Edgewater spot proves it. From the hand rolls (like aji with chimichurri) to the nigri and rolls, everything is graceful, and the cozy, flatteringly lit dining room is the perfect place to get to know someone – or to steal away a couple of precious hours for a lover’s tryst. If you can’t decide what to get, the omakase’s the way to go.

This old school steakhouse recently got a refresh that gave it a jolt of 21st century swagger while also remaining true to its luxe steakhouse roots. Settle into the plush, salmon-hued dining room and prepare for a feast that starts with classics like the perfectly-executed Caesar salad and potato skins with caviar. The steaks are the star of the show, of course, but remind your date to save room for dessert where the mile-high Baked Alaska torched tableside will end things on a sweet note.

P.S. Don’t skip the Caesar salad. Here’s why. 

Some restaurants specialize in megawatt glamor, while others curate the kind of personalized, intimate experiences that linger long in the memory. Beautiful design withstanding — the undulating ceiling is a stunner — the experience at Hiyakawa is all about deceptively simple, high-end cooking, featuring ingredients imported daily from Japan. Everything is prepared with the utmost care and precision, from pristine sushi and sashimi to fresh wasabi, agedashi tofu, grilled Wagyu, and more – in other words, a level of attention to detail that makes an evening stand out.

There’s probably no sexier bowl of pasta in the 305 than chef Michael Pirolo’s cavatelli Macchialina, brimming with baby meatballs, porchetta, and pecorino; it hits all the right pleasure notes with each unctuous bite. Then of course there’s the short-rib lasagna, the creamy polenta, and the simple-but-decadent spaghetti cacio e pepe, which will send your date into a carb-induced blissful stupor. While the restaurant is only offering outdoor dining on their patio, the warm and cozy atmosphere is still intact, with plenty of wine on tap to keep the conversation going. 

Acres of lush banquettes, handsome dark woods, and the kind of flattering lighting that offers an instant glow-up make this Carbone a date night winner. Compared to its equally glamorous siblings, it’s an altogether cozier, more relaxed affair, and you’ll find favorites galore (Caesar alla ZZ, spicy rigatoni vodka, veal parm), though don’t overlook the daily specials and desserts (guava cheesecake, anyone?). While the wine list is beyond expansive, daily by-the-glass selections keep things interesting.

A night at the glamorous Dirty French Steakhouse is definitely dinner and a show. It’s like no other restaurant in town, whether it’s the over-the-top ’80s vibe or the procession of menu hits. You’ll want to get there early for a drink at the bar, where The Kahuna cocktail is the Instagram showstopper, a concoction of mezcal, Campari, and grapefruit served in a metal pineapple glass

Here’s everything else you need to know about Dirty French.

Located in the Little River neighborhood, this community-centric food hall features a 5,000-square-foot rooftop deck that has become a hotspot for drinks and al fresco dining. There’s a full cocktail menu available, and servers run food from the various food vendors that occupy the first floor food hall. Newcomers like Lil’ Laos and United States Burger Service have been getting rave reviews, but we’re partial to Ash! Pizza Parlor, created by Ashley Stanzione, one part of the husband-wife team behind the popular pizza spot Stanzione 87. These pies are a little more playful than the purist varieties at Stanzione — with selections like the Nancy Sinatra, a white pizza with shallots and garlic; a white truffle pizza; and of course pepperoni. They all boast that same chewy crust and perfect char.