The best restaurants in Miami are nothing to sneeze at, even if the city is better known for its legendary nightlife scene and penchant to party. Even before big hitters like Marcus Samuelsson set up shop serving world-class seafood steps away from Miami’s bustling shore, the city laid claim to some of the best Cuban food anywhere off the island. And with each new opening, the wealth of Miami’s food scene has only been on the up-and-up, with neighborhoods such as the Miami Design District even developing reputations as food destinations in their own right. Instead of seeing the glamorous partying and exciting culinary prospects as mutually exclusive, Miami tends to marry the two in buzzy see-and-be-seen spots, though there’s no shortage of stylishly understated hideaways if that’s more your speed. And in a culinary landscape where the tectonic plates are constantly shifting, we like to think of our list of the best restaurants in Miami as a spotlight on the diverse plates we find ourselves returning to, again and again.
Read our complete Miami travel guide here, which includes:
How we choose the best restaurants in Miami
Every restaurant on this list has been selected independently by Condé Nast Traveler editors and reviewed by a local contributor who has visited that restaurant. Our editors consider both high-end and affordable eateries, and weigh stand-out dishes, location, and service—as well as inclusivity and sustainability credentials. We update this list as new restaurants open and existing ones evolve.
Additional reporting by Jennifer M. Wood.