For years local foodies have known we’ve got major talent when it comes to our restaurant scene, only to feel frustration when the Magic City is overlooked by those doling out prestigious culinary awards.
That ended in June 2022 when Florida received its first-ever Michelin guide. A whopping 11 Miami restaurants came away with 1 star and one restaurant snagged 2 stars, the only 2-star to be bestowed in the entire state.
Below you’ll find the winners as well as some worthy alternatives, in case you don’t want to deal with the crazy, post-victory crowds.
2 Michelin Star Restaurants in Miami
** L’Atelier du Joël Robuchon
The incarnation of the late Chef Joël Robuchon, dishes are works of art in design and flavor. The venue, from the Bastion Collection, is sleek and sexy with diners experiencing dishes like Foie Gras Torchon with mango compote, marinated fresh pineapple, pickles, and brioche toast, and Crispy Skin Duck Breast, peach, cherry confiture, and fennel reduction. Opt for the tasting menu and you won’t have to make any decisions, beyond which of the dishes is your favorite.
L’Atelier du Joël Robuchon is located at 151 NE 41st St, Miami, FL 33137. For more information, visit their official website.
Worthy Alternatives:
Le Zoo
While more rooted in traditional French cuisine, this upgraded bistro in the luxurious Bal Harbour Shops transports diners to the City of Lights with both its buzzy, jovial ambiance and authentic dishes. Steak Tartare Du Parc (hand-chopped steak, capers, and quail egg), Sea Scallops with spring leeks, tomato, and a lemon butter sauce, and Filet Mignon Au Poivre with Pommes Dauphine will leave you purring “ooh-la-la.”
Le Zoo is located at 9700 Collins Ave #135, Miami Beach, FL 33154. For more information, visit their official website.
LPM Restaurant & Bar
Tables draped in white tablecloths bearing plump red tomatoes, bright lemons, and olive oil hint that you’re in for a unique treat. They’re meant for diners to create their own Provence-style bruschetta with the warm bread offered regularly by servers. Celebrating the sun-drenched flavors of Nice, patrons of this Miami outpost (there are 6 other locations in far-flung destinations like London and Hong Kong) can enjoy classics like Daurade au Citron, whole sea bream baked with Provencal herbs and lemon, and Côtelettes D’agneau “Vivienne”—marinated lamb cutlets with olive, aubergine caviar and pine nuts. Of course, you must start the evening with a Tomatini, the restaurant’s signature, and surprisingly refreshing, cocktail.
LPM Restaurant & Bar is located at 1300 Brickell Bay Dr, Miami, FL 33131. For more information, visit their official website.
1 Michelin Star Restaurants in Miami
* Ariete
Chef Michael Beltran has been a culinary force in the Miami landscape since opening Ariete in 2016. The cuisine is a signature blend of Betlran’s Cuban roots and his French technique (former stints include Chef Norman Van Aken’s Tuyo and Chef Michael Schwartz’s Cypress Room). The Wagyu Short Rib, pastrami style, red pepper-beef jus with gem and fennel Caesar salad and oyster and short rib croquette and the Canard a la Presse, 14-day dry-aged duck breast with pistachio dukkah, roasted calabaza duck tamal, wild mushroom, and foie gravy, paired with duck fricassee pastelitos, have legendary status.
Ariete is located at 3540 Main Hwy, Coconut Grove, FL 33133. For more information, visit their official website.
Worthy Alternative:
Michael’s Genuine
Chef Michael Schwartz is a fixture in Miami’s culinary landscape, and rightly so. The Philadelphia native arrived in South Florida 30 years ago and has been dazzling us with his talent, as well as his Midas touch mentoring other chefs (cue in Michael Beltran). Michael’s Genuine is his flagship restaurant (opened in 2007). Don’t be surprised if servers know folks by their names, this is a place that makes regulars out of its patrons, not only for the homey feel and attentive server but for the unassuming food as well. The menu is broken up into “Small,” “Medium,” “Mains,” and “Market Sides,” and trust us, you’re going to want to try them all. Start with the prime steak tartare with mushroom conserva and truffle aioli or watermelon salad with radish, bean sprouts, peanuts, and a spicy lime vinaigrette. The wood-roasted octopus with lime crema and smoked chile, and spiced lamb and charred eggplant are so good they’ll be hard to share. Schwartz may be a gringo but taste his crispy lechon (with whipped sweet potato, kohlrabi slaw, and miso lime vinaigrette) and you’ll swear he was born in Havana.
Michael’s Genuine is located at 130 NE 40th St, Miami, FL 33137. For more information, visit their official website.
* Cote Miami
This buzzy and beautiful outpost to the New York original has quickly captured Miami meat lovers’ hearts. Simon Kim is the visionary who decided to merge an old-school American steakhouse with a more playful, hands-on, Korean-style restaurant. Part nightclub, part eatery, and even part museum (head to the back room to see the aged meat on display under red lights), the sleek venue offers an elevated introduction to Korean barbecue, with the benefit of servers grilling for you so you don’t mess anything up. Newbies should go for the Butcher’s Feast which offers four selected meat cuts flanked by Korean sides. With one of the largest wine selections in town, you’ll have plenty of choices to pair your meal.
Cote Miami is located at 3900 NE 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33137. For more information, visit their official website.
Worth Alternatives:
Drunken Dragon
Not your usual Korean Barbecue restaurant, this Asian-inspired gastropub is hip, fun, and playful, combining traditional table-side grilling with modern Asian tapas and a tiki-inspired cocktail program. Dishes like Lobster Roll (crispy brioche, Sriracha aioli, caviar, and tarragon), Crack Spareribs, Crispy Skin Chicken Breast, and Shanghai Style Fried Rice are all hits. There are a lot of offerings, so come hungry.
Drunken Dragon is located at 1424 Alton Rd, Miami Beach, FL 33139. For more information, visit their official website.
Dirty French Steakhouse
With an indulgent, throwback vibe this new addition to the Magic City is rich in textures, colors, and atmosphere—we’re talking leopard and zebra prints velvet, lush plants, and captains decked out in custom-designed pink tuxedos, circa 1973. But enough about that: let’s get to the meat of the matter, pun intended. There’s a variety of prime-aged meats ranging from a tidy 8-ounce filet mignon to a shameless 40-ounce porterhouse, which pair great with sesame spinach and Pommes Frites. Start with the Beef Carpaccio, Lobster Ravioli, or Mushroom Millefeuille. Be sure to swing by the lounge on your way in (or out) for a Dirty Martini or Disco Dancer (cognac, vanilla, passionfruit), which you’ll most likely enjoy to a Bee Gees tune.
Dirty French Steakhouse is located at 1200 Brickell Ave, Miami, FL 33131. For more information, visit their official website.
* The Den at Sushi Azabu
Located in the Stanton Hotel, diners are transported to Japan with this exquisite restaurant dedicated to serving the freshest sushi with an almost pious reverence beginning with sashimi and wrapping up with dessert adding goodness like a tuna tasting and a special dish of the day along the way.
The Den at Sushi Azabu is located at 161 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, FL 33139. For more information, visit their official website.
Worthy Alternatives
Makoto
Named for Iron Chef Makoto Okuwa, this long-standing favorite (a Stephen Starr restaurant) inside lavish Bal Harbour Shops runs the gamut with Japanese dishes from noodles to tempura, to robata grill. Make a day out of it with lunch and high-end shopping.
Makoto is located at 9700 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33154. For more information, visit their official website.
Hiyakawa
Saying Hiyakawa is beautiful both inside and out would be simplifying things, but then again, it is the restaurant’s determined deliverance of exquisitely simple flavors that has earned it a top spot in Miami’s sushi/omakase world. There’s no denying the modern, streamlined look (that ceiling!) is an art piece unto itself, but just wait until you begin sampling the food. Sit at the counter for an omakase experience that could easily become a weekly tradition, should your wallet be able to handle the blow. Fish is flown in from Japan to ensure authenticity along with a thoughtful presentation of tempura, dessert, and more.
Hiyakawa is located at 2700 N Miami Ave #5, Miami, FL 33127. For more information, visit their official website.
* Hiden
Head to the back of a popular taco spot in Wynwood and you’ll see the hidden door, of which you’ll need a code to open to one of Miami’s most coveted omakase experiences. There’s only room for 8, so, be patient in snagging a reservation, but once you do, you’ll understand the fuss. Diners are treated to a 16-course dream of fatty toro, mackerel, uni, and whatever other fish was flown in that day from Japan.
Hiden is located at 313 NW 25th St, Miami, FL 33127. For more information, visit their official website.
Worthy Alternatives
Nossa Omakase
In Portuguese, Nossa translates to “wow” — an apt expression for the 16-18 course omakase (there’s a lighter 13 course offered throughout the summer) that awaits diners here. Created by four friends who happened to be traveling gourmands, the intention is to create a dining experience like no other in the city. That is accomplished from the start: diners are given an envelope revealing the secret password (it rotates nightly) to enter, then relax at the speakeasy Bar Nossa before being led to the omakase impressive half-moon omakase bar which becomes part theatrics, part dinner, and one hundred percent delicious. Highlights include smoking lobster sashimi, uni with black truffle on crispy rice, A5 wagyu nigiri, chutoro nigiri topped with caviar, and otoro uni truffle temaki.
Nossa Omakase is located at 1600 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139. For more information, visit their official website.
Omakai
Brothers Diego and Pedro Quijada along with Nicolas Sayavedra and Aaron Pate, opened this minimal space with one goal in mind: excellent sushi that will not break the bank. There aren’t any Instagrammable murals, bright lights, or DJs to elevate (or annoy) the meal experience, only high-quality sushi, rolls, and service at incredible prices.
Omakai is located at 2107 NW 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33127. For more information, visit their official website.
* Boia De
Miami learned of the husband-and-wife team when through the chicken sandwiches they sold out of a food truck that became legendary. Fast forward to today and they are now the proprietors of one of Miami’s most dynamic restaurants. Tucked away in a dark strip mall in Buena Vista, the compact space doles out Italian dishes you’ll find nowhere else: crispy polenta with marinated eggplant, potato skins with Stracciatella, caviar and hard-boiled egg, tagliolina nero with king crab and pappardelle alla Lepre (rabbit stew pasta) are a small sampling of their greatest hits.
Boia De is located at 5205 NE 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33137. For more information, visit their official website.
Worthy Alternatives
Macchialina
If “Cheers” had been an Italian restaurant instead of a bar, it would have been Macchialina. Chef/owner Michael Pirolo opened this Miami Beach eatery in June 2012 much to the adoration of local residents craving an honest Italian meal without South Beach hoopla. With his sister, Managing Partner and Sommelier extraordinaire Jacqueline Pirolo, folks come here for know-you-off-your-socks house-made pasta dishes like Cavatelli Macchialina (baby meatballs, porchetta, and pecorino) and gnocchi con gamberi—ricotta, cherry tomatoes, basil, and prawns. There are loads of other solid dishes so we highly recommend opting for the Tasting Menu so you get a solid understanding of how much talent is infused in each dish.
Macchialina is 820 Alton Rd, Miami Beach, FL 33139. For more information, visit their official website.
Osteria Morini
Focusing on the Italian cuisine of Emilia-Romagna (birthplace of prosciutto, Parmigiano, and balsamic vinegar) you’d be foolish not to start with a selection of cured meats like capocollo, mortadella, or the prosciutto di Parma along with cheese like taleggio, gorgonzola dolce, and moliterno al tartufo (yes, that’s truffle cheese). Now that you’ve opened the appetite, dive into antipasti: fritto misto takes a detour south with Sicilian-style crispy calamari and shrimp, seasonal veggies, and spicy pomodoro sauce. Pastas are house-made and stunning. Cappelletti (truffled ricotta ravioli, prosciutto and melted butter) is divine as is linguine alla vongole (clam sauce with leek sofrito and pancito). Flavorful entrees include a half-roasted chicken, veal Milanese, and a 16-ounce grilled New York Strip with roasted bone marrow. The space is casual yet elegant, the servers attentive and friendly: both added bonuses to the lineup of hits you’ll be eating here on any given night.
Osteria Morini is located at 1750 Alton Rd, Miami Beach, FL 33139. For more information, visit their official website.
* Le Jardinier
Playful and sophisticated, this veggie-centric modern restaurant from Joël Robuchon protégé Alain Verzeroli and the Bastion Collection makes eating your vegetables a dream. Dishes like Chilled Pea Veloute with warm parmigiana mousse, grilled asparagus, pistachio gremolata, and golden beets with red beet mostarda, goat cheese, and cocoa nib granola elevate healthy eating to a new art form. Try the grilled sea bass with chimichurri fennel snap peas and artichokes if you are craving protein. Executive Pastry Chef Salvatore Martone will leave you bewitched with his Dark Chocolate Caramel Sabayon.
Le Jardinier is located at 151 NE 41st St Suite 135, Miami, FL 33137. For more information, visit their official website.
Worthy Alternative
Fiola
Husband and wife restaurateurs Fabio and Maria Trabocchi opened this Miami outpost to their D.C. Michelin-starred restaurant back in 2018. It’s the type of place to dress up for and enjoy the array of elegant and pretty dishes with a commitment to fresh ingredients being top of mind. Begin with the Colors of the Garden Salad — Farmer’s Field Lettuces, goat cheese, peaches, focaccia tuile, and edible flowers and Bison Tartare (which looks like a modern art piece), followed by exuberant pasta — caviar and fettuccine, Fiola lobster ravioli and wagyu short rib lasagna come to mind. Truly, everything you order will make you smile and the service is so attentive, that you’ll be planning your return as soon as you’ve gotten back in your car.
Fiola is located at 1500 San Ignacio Ave, Coral Gables, FL 33146. For more information, visit their official website.
* Los Felix
Heritage is key at this Coconut Grove star. With a steadfast nod to time-honored traditional Mexican fare, diners are privy to tacos made from heirloom blue maize ground daily in the restaurant’s own molino. Dishes like the crudo and tuna tartare show the scope of finesse while Al Pastor Tacos and Pork Cheek Carnitas provide the comfort of highly-elevated street food. There’s fish grilled in banana leaves, tamal made with smoked chicken, and corn grits with grilled gambas that will make the most Southern grandma proud.
Los Felix is located at 3413 Main Hwy, Miami, FL 33133. For more information, visit their official website.
Worthy Alternatives
Bakan
While much larger and louder than Los Felix, this Mexican eatery takes its tortilla-making seriously as well. So much so that the name of the restaurant is the Huastecan word for tortilla. They are made with organic blue corn and baked, allowing the nutty, earthy flavor to seep into each bite, whether paired with the guacamole, used as the base for cochinita pibil, or the duck enchiladas with red pipian sauce.
Bakan is located at 2801 NW 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33127. For more information, visit their official website.
Taquiza
When Miami discovered tacos a few years back, they started popping up all over town. And while there are many that are good, we find ourselves heading here when we want something phenomenal. Maybe it’s the tortillas themselves (organic, non-GMO blue corn hailing from small, independent farms throughout the Midwest) or simply the unpretentious, purist vibe (tacos are generously stuffed with succulent meat, a sprinkling of onions and cilantro and nothing else).
Taquiza is located at 1351 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL. For more information, visit their official website.
* Stubborn Seed
Top Chef Alum Jeremy Ford has been beating to the beat of his own wonderful drum since opening his restaurant in 2017. If one had to categorize the food, it would be seasonal American fare, which leaves so much to the imagination — a good thing, because Chef Ford’s runs rampant. Starters like Cacio e Pepe Cheese Puffs (served with pickles) are brilliant in their simplicity and more complex starters like Hudson Valley foie gras torchon with gooseberry jam, white chocolate, brioche cloud, and candied peanut is the mark of a chef who can be both respectful and daring. Perhaps the smartest route is to go for the Chef’s Tasting Menu, which, at a reasonable price will allow a culinary ride along to Ford’s genius.
Stubborn Seed is located at 101 Washington Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139. For more information, visit their official website.
Worthy Alternative
Jattö
Inventive, creative, and out of the box translates to dishes like Foie Gras Dippin’ Dots (say what?), so good you’ll walk out texting all your friends about it. Jatto, a play on the Peruvian slang for “home” blends the cuisines of Peru, Spain, and Colombia, among others. We love everything here, but beyond the Dots are particularly smitten by the Choclo with 5-Spice Butter, the Spicy Salmon Roll Arepa, and Coconut Miso Grouper.
Jattö is located at 223 NW 23rd St, Miami, FL 33127. For more information, visit their official website.
* The Surf Club Restaurant
Miami grew giddy when Chef Thomas Keller opened The Surf Club in 2018 and rightly so. After all, a visit to his venerable West Coast eatery, The French Laundry is on every foodie’s bucket list. Chef Keller does not disappoint, serving unfettered, classic dishes steeped in tradition and skill. Starters include the Super Chilled Chopped Salad with Applewood Smoked Bacon, Marinated Tomatoes and Maytag Blue Cheese and Oysters Rockefeller. Mains like Natural Fed Veal Chop or Maine Lobster Thermador are excellent, but the real showstopper is the Prime Beef Short Rib Wellington. Prepare your wallet for a bruising.
The Surf Club is located at 9011 Collins Ave, Surfside, FL 33154. For more information, visit their official website.
Worthy Alternatives
Joe Stone’s Crab
Sure, this iconic spot is on every tourist’s go-to list — so you’ll have to contend with them — but there’s a reason why hordes keep coming to this old-time classic eatery, and it’s not just for the namesake dish. Those in the know come for Joe’s Fried Chicken, by far the cheapest item on the menu and easily one of the best fried chicken dishes in town. Of course, leave room for dessert, the Key lime pie is legendary (and yes, lives up to all the hype.)
Joe Stone’s Crab is located at 11 Washington Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139. For more information, visit their official website.
Diplomat Prime Steak & Seafood
The elegant steakhouse within the Diplomat Hotel is the place you’d invite Warren Buffet for dinner if you were able to pick up the phone and give him a call. Dry-aged steaks along with local, seasonal seafood dishes, classic cocktails and one of the most extensive wine selections in town make this a top pick for those craving a memorable meal.
Diplomat Prime Steak & Seafood is located at 3555 S Ocean Dr, Hollywood, FL 33019. For more information, visit their official website.
* Elcielo
Part science part gastronomy, this chic, quiet restaurant blends avant-garde techniques with Colombia cuisine. Chef Juan Manuel Barrientos is the mastermind behind the tasting menu aptly coined as “The Experience” — a showstopping delivery of delightful dishes artfully presented, and in some cases experienced. A prime example is Chocotherapy (where you get to wash your hands in melted chocolate and eat it if you’d like).
Elcielo is located at 31 SE 5th St, Miami, FL 33131. For more information, visit their official website.
Worthy Alternative
Leku
Most of us think Spanish food consists of tasty tapas, tasty snack-like bites to enjoy with a glass of wine. Leku, housed in the Rubell Museum, changes all that. For starters, it celebrates Basque cuisine, the northeast area of Spain inching towards France. It’s an area known for its innovation in gastronomy as well as its uncompromising commitment to fresh ingredients. Leku represents its motherland well with Chef Mikel Goikolea introducing South Florida to flavors like Vieiras Salteadas (seared scallops with chanterelle mushrooms in a fowl reduction), Tartar De Remolacha (beet tartar), and Lubina Con Emulsión de Bilbaína, a whole branzino in a bilbaina emulsion. If you are expecting paella, you’ll be thrilled to try their “Arroces” or rice dishes. We favor the one with wild mushroom, which is hearty in flavor while remaining completely vegetarian.
Leku is located at 1100 NW 23rd St, Miami, FL 33127. For more information, visit their official website.
