We tried Miami Spice menus at local restaurants. Here's what we liked

Miami Herald

3 days ago

If you're looking for good reasons to dine out this summer, they're here.
Miami Spice, now in its 24th year, kicked off Friday with more than 300 restaurants participating in the annual promotion from the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau. Spice runs from Aug. 1 through Sept. 30 and offers three-course, fixed-price menus for brunch, lunch or dinner (and sometimes all three).
Participants include local favorites like MiMo's Blue Collar, The Rusty Pelican on Key Biscayne and downtown's Mr. Omakase, as well as Michelin-starred restaurants like The Stubborn Seed in Miami Beach; Ariete in Coconut Grove; and Cote and Le Jardinier in the Design District. Michelin Bib Gourmands like Ghee Indian Kitchen in Wynwood and Kendall and Michael's Genuine in the Design District are also on the list.
Some spots are offering 'signature experiences,' such as a special omakase experience at Gekko or a dinner and show at Faena Theater in Miami Beach.
Restaurants offer Miami Spice menus on specific days, and some may only offer dinner, so be sure to check the schedule on the Miami Spice website. The menus may also change throughout the promotion.
Here are the restaurants we visited during Miami Spice previews and what it was like to eat at them. For a full list of participating restaurants visit https://www.miamiandbeaches.com/deals/spice-restaurant-months.
Who should go?: Fans of top-level Middle Eastern food and followers of the expanding Coconut Grove dining scene.
What to order: Amal is a place to splurge on the upgrades. There's a pistachio kabab on the regular menu, but for $15 you get to try not only that skewer but a beef tenderloin kabab and a chicken tawok one, with grilled tomato and onion and serrano pepper adding color and variety. If you're here on a weeknight, splurge and get the delightful grilled octopus ($10 upcharge), tender and savory, served with potato two ways, red pepper relish and a white wine vinaigrette. Worthy, too, is the dip sampler (+$5), hummus, baba ganoush and a nutty muhammara served with pita. The black cod is tender and deeply flavored, with tahini, cilantro, pine nuts, leeks and toasted pita. All entrees are served with rice for the table. Baklava, the Middle Eastern classic, is served with vanilla ice cream, but a duo of cotton candy and pistachio ice cream is more memorable.
When is it offered?: Brunch Saturday-Sunday ($35); lunch weekdays ($35); dinner Friday-Saturday ($60); dinner Sunday-Thursday ($45).
Parking: Metered street parking
Location: 3480 Main Hwy., Coconut Grove
– Kendall Hamersly
Who should go?: Those who enjoy fine dining in a gorgeous bayfront setting wearing shorts.
What to order: Spice lunch appetizers delight, from Peruvian-inspired salmon causita with purple potato puree and aja panka aioli, to whimsical chicken and mushroom croquetas featuring a 'handle' fashioned out of tiny bones, to arugula and fennel salad with grapes and feta. At dinner time, you might try a lush carpaccio of beef (New York strip on our visit) with arugula, parmesan and a housemade vinaigrette; more Peruvian flavors with hamachi crudo sweetened with fresh plums and tarted up with finger lime and leche de tigre, or burrata with fresh peaches, micro basil and salsa macha. For entrees, you can't go wrong with a 12-ounce ribeye, pleasantly salty and Josper-grilled, with roasted baby potatoes and a Provencal roasted tomato caked with cippolini onion and garlic butter. Vegetable lasagna is at once homey and exotic, with eggplant, calabaza and Swiss chard, ricotta, parmesan and a rich tomato sauce. To finish, a Key lime pie-like mango tart is served with chocolate ganache, Marcona almonds and lime zest. Chocolate torte features Grand Marnier cream and orange creme Anglaise.
When is it offered?: Lunch weekdays ($35); dinner seven days ($60).
Parking: Metered street parking or valet.
Location: 3101 NE Seventh Ave., Miami.
– Kendall Hamersly
Who should go: Anybody who loves Mediterranean cuisine and is willing to cross the causeway.
What to order: You never have to worry about getting enough to eat during Spice time at this Israeli restaurant in a swanky SoBe hotel. Aviv's unforgettable hummus, delicious bread and salatim (array of salads) comes with every dinner. The salatim includes pickled vegetables, beets with tahini, a summer slaw, twice-cooked eggplant and a new bean and corn dish that's the standout, as well as a few other choices. The first course is the true highlight of the meal, especially if you opt for the amberjack crudo atop sweet melon and topped with crunchy quinoa or the remarkable smoked sweet potatoes with French onion labneh, caviar and chives, which could well be the restaurant's best dish. Entrees include a delightful Turkish kofte (think meatballs) and an eggplant dish with muhammara, carob molasses, walnuts and tahini, with a superb brown sugar soft serve to finish. Or you can order guava sorbet instead — but why would you? — or mix them for the best of both worlds.
When is it offered?: Dinner Sunday-Thursday ($60)
Parking: Valet $25 with restaurant verification or, if you're feeling lucky, search for spot in the Miami Beach Parking lot at 22nd Street
Location: 1 Hotel South Beach, 2341 Collins Ave., Miami Beach
— Connie Ogle
Who should go?: Fans of an instagram-worthy experience. Perfect for a vibey date night.
What to order: Campo's tropical oasis dining room delivers a delicious three-course lunch or dinner offer for Miami Spice. We went for dinner and had the Key West shrimp and the salmon tostada as appetizers, both super fresh and with interesting, fun twists– Chef Antonio Maldonado adds his Mexican flair to every dish. We tried the organic Bell & Evans chicken made with bourbon crispy tempura and paired with a chili and black gochujang sauce (which takes eight hours to make and added a nice, cinnamon-like touch) as one of our mains. The crispy chicken paired with the sauce was the perfect marriage of flavors, and absolutely the right choice. The two dessert options were to die for – passion fruit cheesecake (made with goat cheese) and the vegan sorbet. Both were delectable and fresh– and possibly the stars of the night for us.
When is it offered?: Daily; Lunch ($35); Dinner ($45)
Parking: across the street
Location: 3500 Collins Ave, Miami Beach
– Ana Claudia Chacin
Who should go?: Anyone hoping to impress a date (or their parents) and willing to brave Brickell traffic
What to order: A newcomer to the Miami scene, Claudie opened in February, offering French-Mediterranean in a gorgeous dining room that peers into an impeccably organized open kitchen. Put this spot near the top of your Spice wish list. For us, the dream meal starts with their heirloom tomato gazpacho, a pitch-perfect pairing of sweet and tangy. For entrees, go with the juicy yet crispy grilled chicken served over a treasure trove of flavorful accouterments — roasted artichokes, chanterelle mushrooms, pancetta, lima beans and succulent sundried tomatoes. Or splurge and get the black angus tenderloin (+$25), served with a stuffed piquillo pepper and a small heap of dressed baby gem lettuce. For dessert, end with the classic crème brûlée, subtly flavored with lavender.
When is it offered?: Dinner Sunday-Thursday ($60).
Parking: Valet for $25, nearby street or garage parking
Location: 1101 Brickell Ave S-113, Miami
– Alex Harris
Who should go?: Meat lovers; anyone who wants to check out the steakhouse that took Fort Lauderdale by storm.
What to order: You don't have to order a steak at Daniel's Miami, but you'd almost be crazy not to. This elegant spot in the former Fiola space has gems on each of its three Spice menus, and most (though not all) involve meat. If you go for brunch or lunch, consider starting with the refreshing strawberry gazpacho (although the siren song of the brunch menu's wagyu empanadas may simply be too alluring, and we understand that). Fans of Fiola's pasta should note that both the brunch and lunch menus offer Fiola's popular mezze rigate vodka pasta, always a worthy alternative to meat. For dinner, start with the wagyu and pearls (wagyu beef tartare with black garlic aioli, Kaluga caviar on brioche) or Chef Danny Ganem's take on oysters Rockefeller, which blends watercress with spinach atop fat Florida oysters. For the dinner menu, opt for filet mignon. We've never had a steak here we didn't love. The best dessert? Soft serve, of course.
When is it offered?: Brunch on Sunday ($35); lunch Tuesday-Friday ($35); dinner Sunday-Thursday ($60)
Parking: Valet and street parking
Location: 1500 San Ignacio Ave., Coral Gables
— Connie Ogle
Who should go?: Fans of shared plates, Asian cuisine and old-timers who are curious to see how the former space of Wynwood Kitchen & Bar has evolved into a sleek restaurant with a gorgeous bar.
What to order: Ordering is slightly complicated at this Philly import, located next to Wynwood Walls, but the experience is worth a little confusion. You choose six different courses from six different categories (cold, crispy, a small bite option, one item from the robatayaki grill, a side dish and a meat or fish main course), plus dessert. The catch? Everyone at the table must order the same thing. You're choosing off the regular menu, so you can't go too far wrong, but we recommend the cool tuna tartare with a sauce that hints of spice; the crispy Japanese chicken; the sticky wagyu soup dumplings; and the grilled steak served with a delicious swirl of sweet potato. You won't want to skip the black cod or mushroom fried rice as your side. Dessert varies, but if the chocolate coconut caramel soft serve is offered, don't even think about choosing anything else. Double Knot has also created a wonderfully refreshing Miami Spice cocktail involving watermelon and rum that will make you glad it's summer.
When is it offered?: Daily; dinner only ($60)
Parking: Street parking, garages in Wynwood
Location: 2550 NW Second Ave., Miami
– Connie Ogle
Who should go?: Shoppers looking for a nicer meal after a day of running their credit cards, boat people looking for some carbs to soak up a boozy day on the water
What to order: Elia's is a Spice first-timer this year, and new diners will see an abbreviated selection of the Italian-Mediterranean cuisine that fills the full menu. For starters, the meatball with a dollop of whipped ricotta and a pool of savory tomato sauce is the more filling option. The mains can please many palates; we liked the spicy rigatoni, but the cheeseburger makes this a safe option to bring younger diners along for a night out. For dessert, there's a classic tiramisu, but the real star was the pistachio bliss — layers of salty-sweet crumbled crust with pistachio mousse and whipped cream.
When is it offered?: Dinner Sunday-Thursday ($60)
Parking: Free for the first two hours in the attached garage or metered street parking
Location: 1440 NW N River Dr., Miami
– Alex Harris
Who should go? Hotties on staycation, Japanese food lovers who couldn't afford the trip this year, locals looking for a good enough reason to get dressed up and drive to South Beach
What to order: The Setai's latest restaurant pays tribute to Japanese cuisine and everything on the Spice menu looks good, so it's best to go with a small group and share. For appetizers, the hamachi tataki (lightly seared yellowtail slices topped with spicy sambal) and salmon sashimi (served raw on a ponzu sauce and garnished with a crisp garlic chip) were must-haves, especially since there are no sushi or raw fish options for the entrees. The skirt steak yakitori don was a comforting bowl of sushi rice, vegetables and steak. But the star of the menu is the branzino filet, with perfectly crisp skin and a custardy miso-flavored sweet potato. We'll be back to try the mushroom kimchee noodles and fried chicken karage. Here's how to pick dessert. Are you in the mood for an elevated Ferrero Rocher? Get the Gianduja Nama, served with hazelnut praline and chocolate gelato. If not, the Strawberry Fields Pavlova is a great choice.
When is it offered: Dinner Monday - Thursday and Sunday ($45)
Parking: Valet and nearby street parking
Location: 2001 Collins Ave, Miami Beach (located in The Setai Miami Beach)
– Amanda Rosa
Who should go?: Brickell eaters tired of Instagram-bait restaurants and ready for Michelin-guide level pan-Asian cuisine
What to order: This is Kaori's first Spice offering, and a great opportunity for Miami diners to check out one of the hot new Michelin Guide-recommended spots in the city. We recommend you start your meal with one of the best things on the menu, the grilled mushrooms, a Spice-only offering. Roasted golden oyster mushrooms are served on a smear of deeply savory curried carrot puree and get an extra umami boost from charred cherry tomatoes. For entrees, the perfectly seared local fish is served over a pool of dashi-forward congee so rich and creamy it's more like risotto and offset nicely with a yuzu-pickled radish. Or try the takikomi gohan — a hot stone pot of crispy rice flecked with roasted mushrooms, edamame and sweet pea shoots and sauced with black garlic oil and a glossy egg yolk. Dessert comes with two Spice-only options, the matcha crepe cake and the mango amazake sorbet. Go with the just-sweet-enough crepe cake for the perfect cap to your meal.
When is it offered?: Dinner Sunday-Thursday ($60). Wine or cocktail pairing ($40)
Parking: Street parking or several nearby garages like Brickell City Centre
Location: 871 S. Miami Ave., Miami
– Alex Harris
Who should go: Connoisseurs of advanced Mexican cuisine and cocktails.
What to order: Start lunch with a meatless delight, a gratin of baby zucchini, roasted and filled with a salteado (chopped poblanos, onion, corn and epazote), afloat in a mole coloradito. Lunch entrees include more in the Koko repertoire of moles, the airline chicken bathed in mole almendrado, made with an array of nuts and chiles; and the lush seabass in mole verde, with mint, parsley, epazote, tomatillo and chiles and pistachios. Both come with house jasmine rice. Aguaghile de camaron con mango features jumbo shrimp marinated in citrus and chile and with mango, red onion, cucumber, avocado and sliced serranos. Dinner starters include sopecitos, a round tortilla pocket piled high with your choice of pork carnitas or pork cochinita, each painted with refried beans and guacamole, with tomatillo sauce on top. As a dinner entree, a generous serving of octopus is elevated by a smoky three-chile. Finish with a chocolate brownie or bread pudding, each served with ice cream and nuts.
When is it offered?: Daily; lunch ($35) and dinner ($60)
Parking: Street parking and nearby garages.
Location: 2856 Tigertail Ave., Coconut Grove
– Kendall Hamersly
Who should go: Fans of clubstaurants with top-level food.
What to order: The dinner-only Spice menu has an impressive variety that shows off the sprawling menu. If you're looking for a light start, try a trio of salmon tacos, the savory tartare drizzled with eel sauce. Komodo chicken salad is a gigantic appetizer, a big bowl brimming with tender chicken breast, Napa cabbage and crunchy wontons with a sesame dressing. Wagyu beef dumplings feature tasty meatballs and a bright chile ponzu dipping sauce. Entrees are designed to be shareable. Korean fried chicken features a half-dozen or so tender, boneless pieces with yuzu pickles. Wagyu skirt steak (+$12) is 10 ounces of medallions, decorated with crispy onions. A half tail of angry Maine lobster gets its name from a spicy aioli brushed on the poached beauty in the shell. For dessert, the most decadent is chocolate dumplings with raspberry caramel and sea salt countering the sweetness. Spongy-light Japanese cheesecake will remind you of angel food, with berry compote and vanilla creme Anglaise on the side.
When is it offered?: Dinner Sunday-Friday ($60)
Parking: Street parking or several nearby garages like Mary Brickell Village or Brickell City Centre
Location: 801 Brickell Ave., Miami
– Kendall Hamersly
Who should go: Brickell scenesters who enjoy fine steaks in a supper-club setting.
What to order: This posh Brickell steakhouse rebrands (and discounts) its $75 Summer Menu for Miami Spice, and steak lovers won't be disappointed. Settled into a plush banquette in the gorgeous dining room and get ready. You can go full-on beef with a prime steak tostada with chimichurri and pickled red onion as a starter, or take things more lightly with a trio of fat cocktail shrimp served with spicy ketchup and avocado mousse, or a creative salad of crunchy fresh green beans generously drizzled with a creamy whole grain mustard dressing, studded with nuts and candied ginger over frisee. For entrees, the Spice steak is a straight-ahead option, steak frites (+$10), four or five medallions of tender hangar steak with a peppery-bold au poivre sauce and crisp fries. Pan-seared Chilean sea bass is rich and delicate, with a curry sauce and heirloom baby carrots. To finish, put a bow on this decadent meal with chocolate lava cake ($5), served with pralines and vanilla ice cream, or a rotating offering of two ice cream varieties (we selected scoops of pistachio and whiskey-flavored).
When is it offered?: Dinner Tuesday-Saturday ($60).
Parking: Street parking and nearby garage at Mary Brickell Village.
Location: 1111 SW First Ave., Miami
— Kendall Hamersly
Who should go: Fans of super-fresh sushi and innovative Japanese cuisine taking a break from upscale shopping.
What to order: Although Makoto offers a Spice menu only for lunch, the options are plentiful enough that you can go twice without repeating an order. Smoked salmon rillette is a fancy way of saying fish dip, and it's terrific, the rich treat served with homemade scallion milk buns for dipping. Tempura shishito peppers weren't very spicy, but a Szechuan sauce provided heat and boniato flakes extra umami. Tuna crispy rice, billed as the top seller on the menu, are four buttons of crunchy fried rice piled high with savory tuna tartar, a serrano chile slice on top. Rock shrimp tempura ($7 upcharge) present many pieces of juicy shrimp, quick-fried and doused with kochujang, four spears of purple endive in the bowl for color and crunch (be sure to squeeze on the slice of Key lime). Koji chicken breast is super tender and juicy. The most creative dish might be crispy pork belly, the unusually lean strips of pork arrayed atop a bed of cold somen noodles, the whole platter served over ice for a nice hot-cold contrast. Sushi/maki moriawase is a generous portion of tuna, salmon and yellowtail nigiri, with a California roll incorporating real crab. To finish, Okinawan tres leches is sponge cake studded with roasted pineapple, whiskey-spiked meringue and soy ice cream. Easily worth the $5 upcharge is yuzu chocolate lava cake, with berries, saketini foam and vanilla ice cream.
When is it offered?: Lunch weekdays ($35)
Parking: Bal Harbour Shops $3 hourly parking.
Location: 9700 Collins Ave., Bal Harbour
– Kendall Hamersly
Who should go?: Fans of farm to table cuisine and followers of Michael Schwartz, one of Miami's star chefs.
What to order: Spice menus will be shuffled throughout the period, so you can visit multiple times and try different things. For starters, Michael's take on the Italian classic arancini features bits of shrimp and a Latin touch, chorizo, with a smoked chile aioli. Wagyu beef tartare gets brightness from a parsley caper salad with a horseradish aioli. Vegetarian diners will find lush Mediterranean richness in wood-oven roasted eggplant spiced with tomato harissa, feta and crunchy chickpeas, served with homemade pita. Pan-seared cobia pairs the delicate fish with strips of fennel, orange sections, castelvetrano olives and arugula, with a smoked paprika aioli. To finish, meringue-based pavlova features mango, peach and mascarpone creme, fruity and light. Sweet and savory play well together with the toasted polenta cake, festooned with mixed fresh citrus and served with cream cheese ice cream.
When is it offered?: Lunch weekdays ($35); dinner Monday- Saturday ($45).
Parking: Street parking, reasonably priced garages nearby
Location: 130 NE 40th St., Miami
– Kendall Hamersly
Who should go? Sushi and Asian food lovers, rooftop diners, anyone on a date with someone they really want to impress
What to order? Mila, a Mediterranean-Asian rooftop restaurant on Lincoln Road, lives up to its title as one of the most beautiful restaurants in the country with its stunning outdoor greenery and serene wooden interior. Even the food is pretty, often topped with cute edible flowers. And the guests are encouraged to look good, too, with the restaurant's 'smart casual' dress code. After a refreshing watermelon palette cleanser (presented with tiny flowers), we enjoyed the appetizers. The shawarma gyoza is perfectly spiced and the spicy tuna crispy rice is fresh and addicting. For dinner, we splurged on the rich wagyu steak (which costs an additional $30) and the seasonal mushroom hotpot, a comforting risotto-like dish. Dessert was just as luxurious. Be sure to get the cherry cheesecake and gooey chocolate lava cake, served with salty miso ice cream. Hopefully your 'smart casual' pants are a little stretchy.
When is it offered? Dinner Monday - Thursday and Sunday ($60)
Parking: Valet, street parking, nearby Lincoln Road parking garage
Location: 1636 Meridian Ave., Miami Beach
– Amanda Rosa
Who should go?: Fans of the Toronto import; anyone who wants to know what's going on inside the historic Firestone garage
What to order: This Chinese spot from Canada brings a cool speakeasy atmosphere to the south end of the empty Firestone garage space on Alton Road. Walking in, you leave the busy street behind with a sigh of relief. Your first choice may be the hardest. For starters, Mimi offers a crunchy shrimp toast with red vinegar and hot mustard mayo; savory chicken dumplings; or a refreshing cucumber salad with wood ear mushrooms, chrysanthemum and Shanxi vinegar. All three choices are worthy, but know the cucumbers pair nicely with the spice of the dumplings and the slight heat of the toast. We weren't able to try the General Tso Chicken entree, but you won't regret opting for the pork belly, which is served with wildflower honey and caramelized soy beans. Mango lovers may gravitate to mango pudding for dessert, but we preferred the steamed cake, with egg custard and a sweet rice cream poured over it.
When is it offered?: Dinner Wednesday-Sunday ($60)
Parking: Street parking or nearby garages
Location: 1575 Alton Rd., unit 2, Miami Beach.
— Connie Ogle
Who should go?: Fans of fresh Japanese cuisine and great service. Great date night spot to impress or a small group dinner.
What to order: Nobu's Miami Spice dinner is a great way to try the world-renowned restaurant with impeccable service. For your first course, we'd recommend the lobster salad– prepared with arugula and crispy quinoa crunch, which adds a great texture. We'd also recommend trying the classic nobu app: yellowtail jalapeño with a yuzu soy sauce and cilantro. For the main, we tried the Japanese strip steak and the black cod miso wraps– both excellent. The cod miso wraps provide a build-your-own fun experience, with two different sauces and a crispy add-on they recommend you include in every bite. For dessert, the Santandagi (Okinawa style doughnuts with dulce de leche, passion fruit sauce and nutella gelato) and the miso cappuccino (miso chocolate brulee, candied pecans, vanilla gelato and cappuccino foam) were both top-notch and delectable. Highly recommended.
When is it offered?: Dinner $60, Sunday-Thursday
Parking: public parking next door
Location: 4525 Collins Ave, Miami Beach
-Ana Claudia Chacin
Who should go?: Anyone who wants to motor up on a boat or jetski, dock and enjoy a waterfront meal.
What to order: This casual bayfront spot, until recently Shuckers, has a seafood-forward menu and a lively vibe. Lunch and dinner Spice menus have lots of overlap, so you'll get a full experience at either meal. Start with a creative take on the classic Caesar salad, a full head of baby gem lettuce coated with a Parmesan dressing, served with crisp cream cheese balls and sourdough croutons. Coconut shrimp are a must-try, four jumbos with a coconut and cornflake breading and a spicy aioli. Crispy salmon rice (+$5) features a spicy salmon tartare atop four crisp sushi rice bites with spicy aioli. A fillet of cobia is simply pan seared, with a salsa verde and plenty of grilled broccolini on the side. The best entree is the simplest, fish tacos (+$6), three beauties with achiote and lime-marinated chunks of cobia, packed with red cabbage, pico de gallo and lime aioli. Desserts stand out here. Key lime pie is a classic, with Graham cracker crust and citrus zest. Rich chocolate cake gets sassy with chocolate ganache and vanilla whipped cream. The star is a big batch of dulce de leche filled churros, with vanilla whipped cream.
When is it offered?: Lunch Sunday-Friday ($35); dinner Sunday-Friday ($45).
Parking: Free parking lot.
Location: 1819 79th Street Causeway, Miami Beach
– Kendall Hamersly
Who should go?: Pasta lovers, diners craving a lack of pretension in Wynwood
What to order: Like its straightforward name suggests, the star here is homemade pasta in various simple but delectable forms. The appetizers on offer are perfect for sharing: a romaine salad that kicks off the meal with a garlicky bite or a generous plate of some of the best crispy calamari we've had in Miami. There are three pasta choices on the Spice menu, all of them worthy: a wonderfully thick and chewy pici with marjoram, crispy garlic and parmigiano reggiano; a lighter fettuccine verde with caramelized leeks, lemon and parmigiano reggiano; or fettuccine with 'nduja (a spreadable pork sausage) and mascarpone. We struggled to pick a favorite, but for me the pici was the standout, simple but flavorful, the freshness of the pasta evident in every bite. My companion would not be swayed from the fettuccine with leeks and lemon, and if you ask me tomorrow, I may pick that one, too. It's that good. Dessert is panna cotta with burnt caramel or rich gelato.
When is it offered?: Dinner, Wednesday-Sunday ($45)
Parking: Street parking
Location: 124 NW 28th St., Miami
— Connie Ogle
Who should go?: Fans of French cuisine and the impressive Wynwood dining scene.
What to order: Miami Spice lunch and dinner menus are studded with French classics like onion soup, escargot, steak frites, creme brulee. Escargot here are gorgeously salty, buttery morsels seasoned with garlic and herbs and served with crunchy toasts to sop up the butter sauce. A beet salad is a fresh counterpoint to all the richness here, with the cool purple cubes tossed with goat cheese, mixed greens and walnuts in a fennel dressing. The most creative Spice plate might be tender steamed leeks in a tart basil vinaigrette with almonds. Trout amandine is a tender slab of sweet-fleshed fish coated with slivered toasted almonds (they're nutty for nuts here). Spaghetti limone gets salty umami from bottarga tossed throughout. Gently poached shrimp, avocado, greens make for a light lunch entree, dressed with a lemon beurre blanc. That creme brulee is a classic, but chocolate mousse gets more creative, with crunchy chocolate 'pearls' dotting the custard and chocolate cigars great for dipping.
When is it offered?: Lunch weekdays ($35); dinner Sunday-Thursday ($45).
Parking: Metered street parking or valet.
Location: 380 NW 26th St., Wynwood.
– Kendall Hamersly
Who should go? Drag lovers, birthday parties, bachelorette parties, party people, anybody looking for dinner (or brunch) and a show
What to order: R House is Wynwood's premier brunch and dinner venue where drinks flow, drag queens backflip and dollar bills rain. This is not the place for a quaint night out, it's where locals and tourists alike go for jaw-dropping entertainment and great food, too. While R House is best known for its brunch, the restaurant's dinner menu is solid. The appetizers are generously portioned: we loved the juicy fried chicken and the tasty green pea falafel salad. For the main course, you can't go wrong with the R Burger, topped with mojo pork and caramelized onions. We also appreciate R House's vegetarian options. The seared oyster mushroom dish is just as flavorful as the prime New York strip steak. For dessert with a kick, pick the Dirty Pop Espresso Martini, a sweet alcoholic treat sure to keep you wide awake for the second half of the drag show. Don't forget to bring cash to tip the queens and servers. They werk hard.
When is it offered?: Dinner Wednesday - Sunday ($45 or $60); Brunch Saturday - Sunday ($35)
Parking: Street parking nearby
Location: 2727 NW Second Ave., Miami
– Amanda Rosa
Who should go?: Those seeking a 'club-style' Miami night out. Dress to impress
What to order: Each meal begins with a tostada set featuring avocado salsa, plantain-habanero salsa, and jalapeño salsa — all delicious.The guacamole is fresh and served with grilled panela cheese, known in Mexico as queso canasta. The charcoal-grilled branzino is a standout, served with pico de gallo, avocado and a citrus sauce. The corvina ceviche is equally refreshing, perfectly balancing acidity and sweetness. Even the green salad shines, thanks to crisp watermelon radish. The mushroom risotto is rich and satisfying, and the beautiful, extravagant dinnerware adds to the restaurant's glamorous feel. For dessert, the pistachio ice cream with Black Sea salt is a must-try, as is the banana cheesecake drizzled with salted caramel and topped with peanut popcorn. Every hour, the energy kicks up as servers — the women in matching gray Grecian-style dresses — clap to the beat, prompting diners to twirl their napkins as a man with a half-buttoned shirt dances atop a table.
When is it offered?: Dinner Tuesday - Friday and Sunday ($60)
Parking: Street parking or valet parking available for $25
Location: 1346 S Miami Ave, Miami
- Clara-Sophia Daly
Who should go?: Everybody but vegetarians
What to order: Finding the entrance to Chef Raheem Sealey's Asian smokehouse in Wynwood is slightly confusing, but you're going to want to take the time to look: Shiso offers one of the best Miami Spice menus we've experienced. Either of the first courses will get you off to a good start. If you want hearty, choose the stracciatella with shiso pesto, xo sauce and honey with sourdough. If you want light, order the bluefin tuna with red pepper relish. Dinner absolutely must include the smoky, sticky ribs; they tell you everything you need to know about what Sealey, also the force behind the popular Drinking Pig barbecue pop-up, is trying to do here. The oxtail udon noodle is worthwhile, too, served with an egg yolk on top that your server will mix tableside. The Spice menu also offers a choice of side. You wouldn't be wrong to choose the potatoes, topped with bacon and sitting in a cheesy sauce, but the broccolini is a showstopper. Dinner also finishes with quite a flourish: Japanese sweet potato cheesecake with a drizzle of caramel, possibly the best dessert we've had in Miami.
When is it offered?: Dinner Wednesday-Sunday ($60)
Parking: Valet or street parking
Location: 239 NW 28th St., Miami
— Connie Ogle
Who should go?: Well dressed folks who want some protein
What to order: This chic steakhouse with a location in Miami Beach is now open at the Esplanade at Aventura, and chances are if you go you're going to order steak (though you don't have to – there are seafood options like maple glazed salmon, too). We opted for the skirt steak served with chimichurri sauce, which is also available on the lunch menu (the dinner menu also offers a surf and turf option with filet and shrimp). Both menus also offer the wonderfully creamy burrata as a first course, served with marinated beetroot, pickled red onions, basil oil and sourdough croutons. Skip the tuna tartare tacos and choose the cheese: The beets make it. For dinner, if you're not ordering steak and willing to pay a $5 upcharge, consider the brand's addictive Lil Burgers as your starters, two perfect little wagyu burgers you'll finish much faster than you wish you had. The pineapple upside down cake with ice cream ends the meal with a flourish, but chocolate lovers may be unable to resist the chocolate cake with caramel and chocolate crumbs.
When is it offered?: Lunch Monday-Friday ($35); dinner nightly ($60); brunch Saturday-Sunday ($35)
Parking: Free parking in surface lots and garages; valet $10
Location: 19505 Biscayne Blvd, Aventura
– Connie Ogle
Who should go?: Fans of Asian flavors and cool venues
What to order: Every single item on this trendy Wynwood restaurant's Spice menu is terrific, from the starter (a 'salad' of farm greens and daikon you eat with your hands and dip into edamame-jalapeno puree) through the entrees (a tender bavette steak with crunchy hashbrowns or a perfectly cooked piece of yellowtail with ponzu, Thai chili and orange). Before you get to the entrees, though, you get bites of crudo, nigiri and a Zero Sen roll with yellowtail, avocado, shallot and cilantro.The flavors are distinct and interesting, sometimes with a citrus snap, other times shimmering with mild heat. Dessert is either a dark chocolate cookie with vanilla semifreddo, hazelnuts and strawberry or strawberry and herb sorbet. This is the perfect menu for sharing because everyone is going to want to try everything.
When is it offered?: Dinner Sunday-Thursday (($60)
Parking: Street parking or garages
Location: 252 NW 25th St., Miami
— Connie Ogle