This year, Miami welcomed a host of restaurants ranging from comfort food joints to luxe purveyors of caviar and lobster to everything in between. Many of the city’s new additions capitalized on the wealth of local produce and seafood, weaving this bounty into recipes inspired by Miami’s rich multicultural heritage.
Narrowing the sheer variety of great restaurants into just a few spots to highlight was a gargantuan job, but we felt up to the task. Below you’ll find the restaurants we’re most excited to have welcomed to Miami this year. How many have you been to? How many are on your bucket list for 2023?
Gekkō
Brickell
When we first heard that Bad Bunny had opened a restaurant, we weren’t quite sure what to think. But this Japanese-inspired steakhouse, opened in collaboration with Groot Hospitality founder David Grutman, exceeded expectations. Offering a combo of steakhouse classics and contemporary Japanese dishes, this spot is heavy on glitz and glam. Shared plate options include Osetra caviar, “Lava and Ice” oysters with watermelon granita and Fresno chile, and a “Tako Taco” with octopus and red miso vinaigrette. Dumplings could be filled with wagyu beef or lobster, and USDA prime steaks are joined by Dover sole meunière and a host of sushi options. If it’s special-occasion fare you seek, you’ve found it at Gekkō.
Bayshore Club
Coconut Grove
For dinner with a view, our favorite new opening in Miami has got to be Bayshore Club, with its 360-degree bar offering a waterfront view of Biscayne Bay. It’s the perfect place to dive into Miami-influenced fare, like “Coral Reef” ceviche with purple potatoes and Peruvian choclo corn, cherrywood smoked Wahoo fish dip, crispy local Florida rock shrimp with kimchi or grilled local fish tacos. And if you’re not a fan of seafood, never fear: You can choose from among more turf-inspired selections, like papaya-marinated skirt steak or a crispy fried chicken sandwich.
Balagan
Wynwood
Miami is no stranger to Nikkei cuisine, but the Peruvian-Japanese fusion flavors definitely get kicked up a notch at this sushi-driven spot, where raw fish looms large. Whether ordering handrolls or tiraditos, ceviches or maki, there’s something here for any fish fan. Signature rolls include crispy shrimp maki with sweet potato, avocado and aji amarillo leche or the “Truffle Dynamite” with salmon, crab, avocado and house furikake seasoning. Snag a craft cocktail to pair, and let the “chaos” evoked in the Hebrew name of this spot commence.
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Lion & the Rambler
Coral Gables
This chef-driven restaurant marries nostalgia and innovation, with a locavore menu from chef and owner Michael Bolen set against a soundtrack of all of your favorite classic rock and old-school hip-hop hits. The inventive, ever-changing offerings may include braised duck pelmeni with sour orange sauce, steak tartare with house-made capers and aged cheddar sourdough or koji-aged New York strip with dashi-poached cherries and scallion crumble. Pair your choices with one of a handful of craft sakes or beers, or choose from a range of wines from around the world.
Old Greg’s
Design District
In what’s becoming a common tale, Greg Tetzner’s pizza first popped up during the pandemic and has since gained a brick-and-mortar address for its loyal following. The cheffy pies are available in either round or square forms and can be topped with anything from pepperoni and hot honey to a variety of mushrooms nestled atop a shroom crema to Proper lamb sausages with a tahini mornay base.
Sexy Fish
Brickell
Sexy Fish definitely wins the award for Biggest Vibe (and that’s saying something here). The immersive, over-the-top dining room, care of Martin Brudnizki Design Studio and restaurateur Richard Caring, includes a massive fish tank filled with tropical fish and 10 Damien Hirst sculptures. It’s the ideal backdrop for a menu designed by Michelin-starred chef Björn Weissgerber, which includes a truffled “tako” (octopus) dog, ume- and truffle-spiked beef tartare, and the ultimate surf-and-turf: king crab paired with bone marrow and (what else?) more truffle. The menu is capped off with loads of raw bar offerings, signature nigiri and a whole section devoted to top-quality wagyu. In short, there’s nothing more luxe.
Dirty French Steakhouse
Brickell
Miami has recently imported loads of NYC restaurant brands, from Carbone to Côte, Blue Ribbon Sushi to Whitmans. Dirty French is one such addition, with a menu befitting the restaurant’s name: Options include sole meunière, duck à l’orange, and prime filet mignon au poivre, all served by pink-tuxedoed waiters in a jungle-themed lounge complete with a Murano glass chandelier and a zebra-upholstered main dining room. It’s totally over-the-top. Maybe that’s why we can’t help but kind of love it.
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