First off, happy new year and all the best to you and yours!!! A year has passed since my last post on restaurant trends in Miami dining, and a lot has happened, so I decided to relook the changes in prices of eating out, cuisines that are on the move, new restaurant practices I’ve experienced, what’s new on the beverage front, and what’s in store for 2025. Want to know more about restaurant trends in Miami? Check out the link to a 15 minute podcast I just did on Food, News and Views with Linda Gassenheimer.
Brunch is Booming, But Shortened Time Frame
In an effort to drum up more business, more restaurants are turning to offering brunches .The pricey yet high quality, unlimited food and drink brunches at top spots are increasingly limiting the window of their offerings to 1 1/2 to 2 hours , so be sure to ask. On the other hand, places serving a la carte brunches are extending their hours, sometimes from 11:30 to 3 or even 4 which I prefer (e.g. Salty Flame), so then it’s easy to skip or have a light dinner.
Lunch Specials at Top Restaurants
Lunch specials are now a growing thing year round, even with Michelin star restaurants where you can easily pay $100 or $150 per person ++ at dinner. At the top places, specials usually run in the 30’s or low 40’s for three courses. At three and four star restaurants deals are in the 20’s for two or three courses. (Look for my updated posts coming out next week on lunch specials).
Maximalist Restaurants, Higher Prices, and Little Online Transparency on Prices
At the other end of the spectrum from deals, are the maximalist restaurants with their multi-million dollar decor and chefs with “name” pedigrees that continue to come to Miami, often as their first outpost in the US. Whereas last year I wrote about these restaurants with their entrees in the 30’s and 40’s, now we’re talking that price for starters, and entrees in the 40’s and 50’s. A new pet peeve is that many high end restaurants are no longer displaying their menu prices online, so it’s hard to know what you’re getting into in terms of cost. Be sure to ask the price of specials, specify you want tap water rather than still water or you can end up getting bottled water for as much as $12, and look for cancellation fees.
Rise of Private Membership Dining Clubs
The coming thing is more private membership dining clubs. Last year I read about a sushi club and jazz lounge, Sushi Namba, that was coming here, and supposedly charging $10,000 initiation fee, but no more news on that score (ZZ’s charges that for their private club). Palm Beach’s Carriage House opened in 2022 with an initiation fee of $250,000 and now, according to the Palm Beach Post, it has increased to $400,000. (I wonder what the food is like; if you’ve been there, love to know). More dining clubs are on the way there including a rooftop club by Bellini and actually, a new one recently opened in Sunset Harbour in Miami Beach, Harbour Club, which has a $5000 initiation fee and $2500 annual membership charge.
Search for Fine Indian and West African Cuisine
Israeli and Kosher cuisine are on the move. Witness the big success of Motek that seems to be everywhere (they recently took over the Prime Fish spot), and Abbaleh, along with a kosher French brasserie (Ostrow) and Asian restaurant ( Street Hibachi) among others I wrote about. Eastern Med/Middle Eastern food continue to be a favorite, going beyond Greek food to Moroccan (a second Moroccan restaurant and supper club Habibi opened recently) and Lebanese, along with the continued renaissance of French bistros, brasseries and now higher end cafes such as Yann Couvreur and Mamam that’s opening multiple locations in Miami Just as I was lamenting the fact that we haven’t been seeing more Chinese restaurants, along comes MIMI on Alton Road. Can’t wait to check it out this week so stay tuned (BTW, they sent me a gift box, a surprise, which was super cool. Check it out on my instagram). I also really miss fine Indian, ever since the departure of Michelin star Indian chef Hemant Mathur who opened Maska in Midtown and closed during the pandemic. And how about West African? Hopefully, soon to come if we follow New York City’s lead.
Mocktails and Low Proof Alcoholic Cocktails Take Their Place on Beverage Menus
In the beverage department, Miami hasn’t quite caught up with the big mocktail (non alcoholic mixed drinks) movement the way other cities have. Some cities have exclusive mocktail bars and even a mocktail “liquor store”. Actually, nonalcoholic drinks in general are becoming really big and I’m seeing them increasingly on menus along with a new twist, low alcohol cocktails. I just read the luxury giant LVMH bought a stake in a French maker of upscale nonalcoholic sparking wine for which consumers must pay upward of $100 a bottle! In any case, guess sober travel isn’t a crowd pleaser here. Restaurants and bars are working hard to outdo one another with their mixology and wow drinks. I wonder how they can continue to stand out. Tough. BTW, no surprise I’m sure to wine lovers but the price of a glass of good wine in Miami continues to skyrocket too.
Food Halls Come on Tough Times
A big change from last year is that food halls which seemed to be thriving, are now on the downward trend. Last year of the ten I identified, only four seem to be thriving or,at least, doing ok — Shoma in Doral, the Citadel, 1-800-Lucky, and Julia & Henry’s. Others have closed, most recently Okey Dokey I’m sorry to say, or have a lot of empty spaces.
Diners Push Limits on Dress Codes
Though a number of high end restaurants specify a specific dress code that’s appropriate to a fine dining place, diners continue to try to push the limits, wearing a step above beach attire, workout clothes, and the like which bothers me and other diners, judging by comments on consumer review sites. I’ve never seen a restaurant enforce the code, but admittedly, that’s a tough one.
Restaurants Continue Pandemic Era Schedules
And finally, happily the QR code menu is disappearing, giving way to the vertical print menu with a smaller selection of dishes. Bravo. Another legacy from the pandemic is that many restaurants continue to be closed two or even three days a week, so be sure to check when you go out if you don’t have a reservation.
So that’s the story about restaurant trends in Miami from my point of view dear reader. I want to tell you again how I really appreciate your loyalty, feedback through comments and emails, and your referrals to friends which helps me build my audience and ranking.
And want to know more about restaurant trends in Miami? Check out my 15 minute podcast on Food, News and Views with Linda Gassenheimer. Click here.
Before closing, I want to mention that unfortunately I had to dismantle the Ask Karen section as it was a magnet for phishing. If you want to reach me, just email me at karen@miamicurated.com. And if you have comments about any blogposts, I’d much appreciate your posting in the comments section as it really helps my blog ranking.
Thank you so much. And I’d welcome your questions and comments. Bon Appetit and buen provecho.
Love to hear your opinions!
One Response
As always, great insight Karen!
I just don’t understand why eating out became so expensive in Miami – comparing what you get for your money in Europe or even Australia (where I am right now), its unfathomable why we have to pay at least a third more than in other places (and don’t get me started on the consistently growing expectations for tip)!