Wondering about the best places to eat in different parts of Miami? Here’s the fifth in the series, the best Miami Beach restaurants, which has included Wynwood, Coral Gables,Design District, Brickell and Coconut Grove. If you missed the earlier posts, there are links at the end. Note that I have written reviews of all of these restaurants in case you want to know more.
Kicking off the list of best Miami Beach restaurants –Queen Miami Beach is definitely perfect for a festive occasion . Its décor is stunning, over the top, but in a stylish way. The food is delicious, beautifully presented, and the service friendly and attentive. Yes, it’s pricey, comparable to the most expensive restaurants in the city, but it’s worth it. On the 5th street corridor of Miami Beach, Queen is in the iconic Paris Theater, built in 1945 by famed Art Deco architect Henry Hohauser.Architect and Interior Designer Carlos Rodriguez of Escala Forma did a brilliant job of preserving the look and feel of this Art Deco gem, while imbuing it with a Hollywood glamour.The curated menu marries French techniques with Japanese ingredients. The restaurant is helmed by Mathieu Massa, founder of Mr. Hospitality who also oversees Marion and Lafayette. There’s entertainment on select nights. Dinner only.
Queen, 550 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach
Miami loves its glam. Unlike other Miami restaurants for birthdays that have the let’s-dress-up-and-go-out vibe which evoke a St Tropez or Ibiza setting, MILA Miami’s décor has a very attractive contemporary, artisanal aesthetic that’s serene and warm. It’s a fusion of Japan’s Wabi Sabi philosophy and Cycladic islands design. And the Mediterranean and Asian inspired dishes are creative and different.
MILA Miami enjoys a rooftop setting on Lincoln Road. The indoor and outdoor areas are spacious, the former with a standup bar. Beautifully worked light woods undulate on the walls, interspersed with untainted stones and punctuated with sculptures, paintings and ceramic art made of metal, clay and wood. A large open kitchen adds to the visual excitement. Their outside. is a beautiful setting as well with a massive water feature, two cabanas and over lounge seats with amber lighting. There’s also MILA Omakase, a 10-seat dining experience in a separate room where the menu is curated by the chef and ever-changing based on the 72 Japanese micro-seasons. This refined culinary experience transports guests on a journey through the shores of the Mediterranean and Japan, embracing the “MediterAsian” flavors. Dinner and weekend brunch. Entertainment on select nights.
MILA, 1636 Meridien avenue, rooftop, Miami Beach
Oro Miami is giving some competition to its classy neighbor MILA, one of my perennial favorites. Though they’re both classically elegant and rooftop restaurants, Oro has a glam element with its entrance of arches covered in gold and royal blue and gold décor elements. And then there’s the richly inventive menu that delivers on presentation and taste, the friendly and professional service, and unique beverage offerings such as signature sodas and tea service.
Chef Victor Munoz has an impressive pedigree that includes the French Laundry, Alinea, El celler de Can Roca and Eleven Madison Park. His approach here is to interpret south Florida cuisine infused with French technique, Japanese influences and his Mexican roots. He also emphasizes specialty purveyors, listing them on the menu: he engages more than three dozen, ranging from caviar and berries to tea.
Oro Miami, 818 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach \
Best Miami Beach Resstaurants
Surprisingly, Miami doesn’t have many restaurants that are casual and chic with a European sensibility— and with outdoor dining. Think the French or Italian Riviera. And, even better, one where the noise level is moderate, so one can carry on a real conversation. To the rescue, stylish French couple Anthony and Kathy who opened their trophy restaurant, Call Me Gaby.
You’ll spot Gaby’s from the stylish, boldly striped large black and white umbrellas that set off both an outdoor lounge area and a dining terrace, punctuated with vibrant fuschia bougainvillea (wish I could grow them). The lounge area has comfortable banquette seating with plush brightly colored throw pillows, illuminated in the evenings with votive candles. Indoors there’s light wood furniture and lace panels lining the windows, with an open view and front row counter seats to the wood burning pizza oven.
The Italian menu of antipasti, novel salads in a Mason jar, pastas, and pizzas (classics and contemporary) is supervised by a chef from Naples. Simple and fresh, the food at Call Me Gaby is all about the ingredients, which are mostly imported from Italy.
Call me Gaby at 22 Washington Avenue (opposite Joe’s Stone Crab)T.305-531-4800.
Smith and Wollensky
If you want a top steak with your view, and looking for a waterfront restaurant in Miami Beach, Smith and Wollensky is the place. With spacious indoor and outdoor areas dining areas, a beautiful waterside setting and large outdoor patios, the iconic waterfront restaurant offers fine American culinary dining. . The S&W menu is heavy with beef, but there are also popular seafood dishes, salads, sandwiches, classic and new sides, and, of course, decadent desserts such as their gigantic chocolate cake. It’s open for lunch and dinner. Indoor and outdoor seating.
Smith and Wollensky is located at One Washington Avenue, Miami Beach 33139.
French American bistro Semilla Miami, has been one of my “go to” places since it opened. It’s the passion of Frederic Joulin whose extensive pedigree includes helming the kitchen for French President Jacques Chirac and the three star Michelin Guy Savoy in Paris. Semilla Miami features the classics we’ve always loved in a “buzzy” contemporary bistro atmosphere that’s fun, friendly, and welcoming, the kind of place you’ll want to return and become a “regular” which is exactly what I’ve become, for over ten years (even had a cocktail party here for my birthday).
The 70 seat restaurant has as its centerpiece a wraparound bar which is where some of the food preparation happens and is the vantage point for the charming Joulin who greets return guests, oversees a smoothe operation, and sometimes will venture out to the tables indoors or outdoors to flambe a steak au poivre or even serve when need be. Expect well done renditions of bistro favorites, from steak au poivre and onion soup to beef bourguignon and xxx.
Semilla, 1330 Alton Road, Miami Beach 33139. Dinner only
More Best Miami Beach restaurants
Estiatorio Milos Miami Beach is a renowned Mediterranean fine-dining destination in Miami Beach’s South of Fifth neighborhood, celebrated for its elegant take on Greek and seafood cuisine. Founded by chef Costas Spiliadis as part of the internationally acclaimed Milos group, this restaurant is known for its exceptional selection of fresh fish and seafood—often displayed on ice for diners to choose from and prepared with minimalist precision that highlights the ingredients’ natural flavors. The dining space combines rustic Mediterranean charm with refined touches like marble floors, blond wood beams and diaphanous curtains, creating a warm yet sophisticated ambiance that evokes the relaxed spirit of a Greek taverna by the sea. The menu features classic Greek dishes and premium cuts of meat, and a wine list with Greek imports. And you can’t miss the thinly sliced, perfectly fried zucchini are stacked to form a tower that rests on tzatziki . Open for lunch and dinner daily. At lunch there’s a very good several course special.
Milos Miami, 730 1st Street, Miami Beach.
Joe’s Stone Crab is one of Miami Beach’s most iconic and historic seafood restaurants, with roots going back to 1913—two years before the city itself was even incorporated. Celebrated for its legendary stone crab claws, which are boiled, chilled, and served with a classic mustard dipping sauce, Joe’s helped popularize this Florida delicacy. Other menu favorites include its fried chicken and key lime pie alongside fresh seafood and classic sides. They also have a section for takeout. Open for lunch and dinner daily.
Joe’s Stone Crab, 11 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach
Rao’s, located in the Loews Miami Beach Hotel, successfully transports the 127-year-old Neapolitan charm of its New York roots to Florida with rich wood décor, historic photos, and a warm, “Sunday dinner” atmosphere. The restaurant distinguishes itself with a highly professional, white-jacketed service team and generous portions of elevated Italian comfort food, highlighted by their standout signature meatballs, crispy mozzarella en carozza, and flavorful entrees like the lobster fra diavolo and Marsala-infused veal chop. While a full multi-course dinner for two with drinks typically costs around $300, the large portions offer opportunities to share and reduce the bill. Open nightly for dinner.
Rao’s Miami Beach, 1601 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach.
Fogo de Chao in Miami Beach, was the restaurant group’s first outpost in Miami. I’ve been going to this one and their others in Coral Gables and Dadeland and have always had a delicious meal. They specialize in delicious churrasco with 14 high-quality cuts of meat carved tableside by gaucho chefs. Beyond the all-you-can-eat meat, the restaurant offers an impressive market table and feijoada bar, available separately for a lighter meal, alongside new additions for the brand in Miami such as a raw bar with a seafood tower, and options for single beef cuts, seafood, or vegetarian dishes. To complement the meal, Fogo de Chao provides enticing desserts, well-priced South American beverages, and features like the “Next Level Lounge” for premium liquors and cigars, and “The Butchery” for purchasing fine cuts of meat and wine to-go, in addition to catering and private party options.
Fogo de Chao, 836 1st street, Miami Beach
Other notable picks that are reliably good are Mimi Chinese, Via Emilia9 (Italian), and The Joyce (American).
Other “bests” in the series:
Best Wynwood Restaurants
Best Design District Restaurants
Best Coconut Grove Restaurants
