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Miami's restaurant scene has exploded in the past few years, with new restaurants springing up left and right every month. The melting pot of residents and visitors has brought an array of sophisticated, tasty cuisine. Little Havana is still king for Cuban fare, and Miami Beach is swept up in a trend of fusion cuisine, which combines Asian, French, American, and Latin cooking with sumptuous—and pricey—results. Locals spend the most time in downtown Miami, Wynwood, Midtown, and the Design District, where the city's ongoing foodie and cocktail revolution is most pronounced. Since Miami dining is a part of the trendy nightlife scene, most dinners don't start until 8 or 9 pm, and may go well into the night. To avoid a long wait among the late-night partiers at hot spots, come before 7 pm or make reservations. Attire is usually casual-chic, but patrons like to dress to impress. Don't be surprised to see large tables of women in skimpy dresses—this is common in Miami. Prices tend to stay high in hot spots like Lincoln Road, but if you venture off the beaten path you can find delicious food for reasonable prices. When you get your bill, check whether a gratuity is already included; most restaurants add between 15% and 20% (ostensibly for the convenience of, and protection from, the many Latin American and European tourists who are used to this practice in their homelands), but supplement it depending on your opinion of the service.
Peruvian celebrity-chef Gastón Acurio dazzles with a sublime menu and an atmospheric, bay-side setting to match. Tour the far corners of Peru through La Mar’s signature cebiches (ceviche) and tiraditos (similar to crudo), freshly grilled skewers of street-style anticuchos, causa dishes (mashed potato topped with meat and vegetable toppings), and national libations, like the pisco sour.
From the same team behind Brooklyn's famous Lucali restaurant comes a fast casual New York--style pizzeria specializing in thin crust brick-oven pies and hearty Italian comfort dishes. Menu highlights include massive meatballs, chicken Parmesan, pepperoni chips, and salads. Make sure to visit the bar in the back, Dom's, for refreshing cocktails and wine and a rowdy karaoke night on Thursday.
It's farm-to-table surf and turf at this elegantly understated restaurant in the Four Seasons Hotel Miami, where hefty portions of the finest cuts and freshest seafood headline the menu, prepared by renowned chef Aaron Brooks. For a more casual experience, enjoy your meal and the restaurant's artisanal cocktails under the skies on the alfresco terrace.
Don't overlook happy hour weekdays 4--7 pm with $1 oysters, 2-for-1 bites, and $8 bubbles and cocktails.
This trendy, dimly lit Hong Kong outpost has brought splurge-worthy northern Chinese food to Brickell. The Miami location has unique menu items, including king scallops and a chili-infused chocolate mousse, plus a mesmerizing “Great Wall,” where choreographed lights dance throughout your meal. Copper Zhejiang teapots and antique bricks from China help to set the scene, offset by pops of color that scream Miami. Aside from the signature Peking duck, must-tries include the creative bao and soy milk dessert that plays on Chinese breakfast and the Comfortably Numb cocktail, which uses peppercorn and chili to balance the sweetness of lychee and vanilla.
Located on the ground floor of a Brickell high-rise, this upscale French Mediterranean restaurant serves classic fare like escargot and ratatouille el feta. During the day, most diners are local businesspeople, but at night the bar is busy with yuppies who are looking to treat themselves with exceptional seafood, pastas, and meat dishes.
Fusing Japanese and Peruvian flavors, this sultry Nikkei restaurant is known for its multisensory menu, including many nigiri dishes that are torched tableside, such as the hotate truffle with scallop, truffle butter, and lime. The menu features an array of ceviches, tiraditos, and seafood dishes, but there's also a 24-ounce bone-in rib eye with truffle. Japanese whiskey lovers will enjoy the 24-plus varieties on hand behind the gorgeous bar.
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