There are some restaurants you can always count on to deliver a quality dining experience. These are those restaurants:
BBQ & Craft Company
When you think of Miami BBQ, Brickell isn’t really a neighborhood that comes to mind. But the financial heart of the city is home to one of the best barbecue spots in town: BBQ & Craft Company. This casual eatery boasts an assortment of staples like smoked chicken, beef brisket, dino beef rib, and dry rub wings. The sides are plentiful as well, and the mac and cheese and devil’s potato salad are super tasty. Day or night, you can count on amazing BBQ here (and their sister South Beach location at The Lincoln Eatery).
Costa Med
If you can’t escape to the Mediterranean, Costa Med in Key Biscayne brings the Mediterranean to you. The neighborhood institution features a vast menu of European-inspired cuisine that will wow your taste buds. Among the highlights are steak tartare, octopus carpaccio, pear and gorgonzola ravioli, seared scallops, and chicken rotolato; there are so many offerings here that even the pickiest of eaters will find something to enjoy. While you’re here, make sure to take a look at the wine list, which is full of rare finds.
Ironside Pizza
Unless you’re actively looking for it, it’s easy to miss Ironside Pizza. You’ve probably driven by it without noticing. Don’t make that mistake again: This is the area’s premier spot for pizzas. Expect to find classics like margherita and mushroom pizzas, as well as gourmet selections like the Pizza Calabrese with mozzarella, broccoli rapini, n’duja, and Calabrian chili pepper. Despite the name, the restaurant also offers much more than pizza, including calzones, pastas, and paninis.
Paradise Farms
OK, we’re cheating a little: Paradise Farms isn’t a restaurant but we had to mention it. It’s an organic farm that offers a Community Supported Agriculture subscription. Sign up, and you’ll receive weekly boxes of the season’s harvest, which is consistently delicious. If you’re big on eating at home, this is definitely something to check out as you get recipes plus other perks as well.
Paradise Farms is located at 19801 SW 320th Street, Homestead, FL 33030. For more information, visit their official website.
Patio Isola
You can find Italian food just about anywhere in Miami, but not all of it is worth your time. One restaurant certainly worth your time is Patio Isola in MiMo. The spacious Italian restaurant serves up exquisite pastas and pizzas that are perfect for a fun family outing or an evening out with friends. We’re not joking when we say everything is good here, but if you had to twist our arm to pick our favorite, it’s the signature ravioli alla vodka – it’s huge and loaded with flavor. The La Polpetta pizza with meatball crumbles is also a winner.
Patio Isola is permanently closed. You can still visit its sister restaurant Casa Isola.
RED South Beach
Ask someone who knows about steaks where they go for the best cuts. Odds are that many people will mention RED South Beach, a South of Fifth restaurant that has been around for years. Its longevity is a testament to the quality: Red South Beach is home to some stellar Certified Angus Beef prime ribeye, NY strip and so many more steaks. What we like about Red the most is that it does everything well. Even if you’re not a fan of steaks, the restaurant offers great seafood, pastas, and other specialties that are equally impressive.
Riviera Focacceria
Midtown Miami’s Riviera Focacceria tends to fly under the radar, but those in the know are aware of the restaurant’s consistent pastas and Italian specialties. Few dishes will change your life like the focaccia di recco: two thin layers of homemade dough filled with Italian stracchino cheese. You have never had anything like it before – it is heaven on earth. Other crowd-pleasers here are the classic lasagna, the seafood linguine, and the chicken Milanese. Riviera also tends to run specials, so make sure you hear your server out; there’s usually at least one option that will pique your interest.
Update: Riviera Focacceria Italiana is permanently closed.
Seawell Fish N’ Oyster
Hotel eateries can be hit or miss, but Seawell Fish N’ Oyster is an absolute hit thanks to its scrumptious fish and oyster offerings. You can come here for champagne and light bites like shrimp cocktail and ahi tuna poke or stuff your face with hearty appetizing fare like Jersey-style lump crab cakes, Rhode Island lobster rolls, and crispy Caribbean whole fish. Make sure you pop in sooner rather than later because it’s just a matter of time before word gets out about this place.
Toscana Divino
Brickell’s Toscana Divino is one of those restaurants that needs no introduction: Before Miami’s dining scene really took off, Toscana Divino had been doing its thing at Mary Brickell Village for years. And its thing is awesome Italian food. The restaurant changes its menu seasonally, so guests are always kept on their toes. The wine here is just as big of a draw: The restaurant boasts one of the largest wine collections in South Florida, with hundreds upon hundreds of bottles to enjoy. Whether you visit for lunch, brunch, or dinner, you’re going to have a good time.
