The design district has now become a foodie destination with top quality choices, some with Michelin stars, and cuisines ranging from French and Italian to Japanese, Korean and Turkish. So it now joins my “Best restaurant series”. Here the Best Restaurants in the Design District Miami. Others in the series focus on Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, Brickell, Miami Beach and Wynwood (go to the end for links to the others). Click on the name to read my full review of the restaurant. Enjoy!
Best restaurants in Design District Miami
COTE Miami
COTE is Miami’s only Michelin-starred Korean Steakhouse™, blending the high energy of Korean BBQ with the refined elegance of a classic American steakhouse. The space is a visual feast featuring dramatic pink lighting, contemporary art by masters like Ed Ruscha, and state-of-the-art charcoal grills at every table. The “Butcher’s Feast” is the definitive experience here, offering four USDA Prime and American Wagyu cuts grilled tableside and paired with an array of pickled seasonal vegetables and savory stews. For a lighter touch, the Miami-exclusive “Ceviche” and grand seafood towers provide a fresh, Latin-inspired nod to the city’s coastal flavors. It’s open for lunch and dinner.
Torno Subito
Torno Subito is the latest crown jewel in the Miami Design District’s culinary scene, bringing the imaginative vision of world-renowned chef Massimo Bottura to the iconic Moore building. The restaurant offers a refreshing departure from traditional Italian fare, featuring a menu that is as playful as its vibrant, pastel-hued décor. Under the guidance of Chef Bernardo Paladini, the kitchen delivers an “exciting and imaginative” take on Italian cuisine, ranging from a business lunch for $42 to comprehensive tasting menus. The atmosphere is sophisticated yet whimsical, attracting an upscale crowd with its friendly service and moderate noise levels.
The menu highlights exceptional craftsmanship, specifically the handmade tortellini filled with cured pork in a rich Parmigiano Reggiano cream—a dish curated by a specialist couple Bottura brought directly from Italy. Other standout selections include the Crab in Saor, featuring Florida stone crab with a crispy polenta top, and the cleverly named “Oops, I Burned the Key Lime Pie,” a smoky, citrusy riff on the local classic. While portions are sized for individual fine dining rather than sharing, the depth of flavor in dishes like the balsamic-glazed Wagyu short ribs makes it a mandatory stop for any food lover exploring the district. It’s open for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday and lunch on Sunday.
Le Jardinier
A one-star Michelin gem in the Design District, Le Jardinier—French for “The Gardener”—lives up to its name with a culinary philosophy centered on the artistry of seasonality. Chef de Cuisine Mario da Silva delivers contemporary menus mirroring the natural rhythm of the seasons, infused with classic French techniques , served in a “retro-glam” space characterized by custom-made black-and-white marble walls and floors, and an outdoor patio that unfolds as a verdant retreat. While produce-centric the menu which varies by season, features wild and sustainable fish, meat, and poultry complemented by local, seasonal fruits and vegetables, fresh herbs, and greens. With accessible three-course lunch and four-course dinner prix fixe options, Le Jardinier offers a refined, high-end dining experience that feels both indulgent and remarkably light. Open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday.
Best restaurants in the Design District Miami
Contessa Miami
Transporting diners to the old-world glamour of 1960s Lake Como, Contessa is an attractive two-story Northern Italian trattoria from the powerhouse Major Food Group. The décor is a masterclass in maximalist elegance, featuring Murano chandeliers, emerald curtains, and lush teal wood paneling. The menu shines with classic Italian comfort elevated to high art, from the honey-glazed squash carpaccio to the standout veal Milanese and spicy lobster capellini. Whether you’re stopping in for an all-day breakfast of carbonara scrambled eggs or a celebratory dinner, Contessa offers a vibrant, “see-and-be-seen” atmosphere paired with a deeply curated list of Northern Italian wines. Open for lunch and dinner daily.
Matsuyoi
Perched upstairs from Nami Nori, Matsuyoi is an intimate, 10-seat “hidden” gem that many consider the best Japanese experience in Miami. Led by Chef Takahiro Sakaeda—an alum of New York’s three-star Michelin Masa—this restaurant offers a seasonally rotating eight-course tasting menu served at an exclusive bar. The experience is “food as couture,” featuring meticulously crafted dishes like potato pave with caviar, bluefin sashimi, and A5 Wagyu shabu-shabu. With its minimalist sea-moss-colored décor and highly professional service, Matsuyoi provides a quiet, sophisticated escape where every detail, down to the house-baked sesame banana bread gift, feels personal and luxurious. It also has an adjacent bar and lounge with tables.
Nami Nori
Nami Nori brings a fresh, playful perspective to Japanese dining with its specialty: open-style temaki (hand rolls). Unlike traditional rolls, these are served flat on wooden supports, allowing diners to wrap the crisp seaweed themselves for a “novel and fun” interactive bite. The Design District location is bright and airy, reminiscent of a modern beach house, and serves up “eye candy” like the signature tuna dip with rice chips and creative temaki samplers. With a menu that is entirely gluten-free and includes excellent vegetarian options, Nami Nori is an ideal destination for a light, artistic, and approachable meal that doesn’t compromise on quality. It’s open for lunch and dinner daily.
L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon
Rounding out the list of the best restaurants in the Miami Design District is the only two Michelin star restaurant in South Florida and Miami, L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon. The experience is centered around a dynamic, 34-seat interactive counter inspired by the interactive sushi counters of Japan, and the tapas style of service found in Spain where diners watch a “culinary theater” of chefs preparing Modern French masterpieces with surgical precision. Led in Miami by Executive Chef James Friedberg under the direction of Culinary Director Alain Verzeroli, the restaurant embodies precision, creativity, and excellence. Whether you opt for the seasonal four-course menu or the grand seven-course “Evolution” tasting, the meal is a masterclass in technique, featuring iconic Robuchon signatures alongside new, ever-changing seasonal creations utilizing ingredients sourced from top local and regional purveyors. It’s open for lunch and dinner Friday and Saturday and dinner Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday.
Jass Kitchen
Not in the Design District but a few blocks north is Jass Kitchen, a soulful, owner-operated Turkish retreat in Buena Vista that feels more like a welcoming living room than a typical restaurant. Chef Jasmine Karadas combines the flavors of the Aegean and the Middle East to create authentic, heartwarming dishes like the vibrant beetroot pink dip, charred eggplant salad, and her signature clay-baked lamb wrapped in brioche dough. The atmosphere is as much a draw as the food, with live jazz performances from Thursday to Saturday set against a backdrop of Turkish rugs and Murano glass. It is a rare find in Miami: a place that is simultaneously authentic, reasonably priced, and deeply personal. It’s open Tuesday through Friday for lunch and dinner from 11:30 a.m. and Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m.
