During my last three years living in Miami, I have tried various restaurants, all of which have been delicious. Here are my favorite local spots sorted by type of cuisine and cost ($-$$$$)
Plant Forward
Le Jardinier (Design District)- $$$ vegetable driven restaurant with local and seasonal foods from a Michelin starred chef. This is my favorite restaurant in Miami! They are very accommodating to allergies here which is also a huge plus. Loved every cocktail and bite of food I tried here!
Israeli
HaDekel 1 (Aventura )$ Amazing place for authentic Israeli cafe food! Have yet to be disappointed with everything I’ve tried. Kosher!
Seafood
Stiltsville Fish Bar (Miami Beach-Sunset Harbor)$$$ fresh, deliciously made seafood. Great place for a fancy night out!
Vegan
Love Life Cafe (Wynwood)- $$ vegan cafe with the best vegan burger in America according to Seed Food and Wine.
Full Bloom (Miami Beach)- $$ another vegan restaurant I absolutely love in Miami Beach. Everything I ate there, from the adashah curry to the beet burger, was delicious!
Plant Miami (Wynwood)- $$$ located in the serene Sacred Space Miami, Plant Miami has interesting, flavorful vegan cuisine, including many raw vegan options!
Mediterranean
Byblos (Miami Beach) $$$$ upscale Mediterranean restaurant in Miami Beach. My parents took me here for my birthday and I loved every dish we ordered. Definitely worth the money for the quality food.
Barmelli 69– Cheese saganaki is a must try, service is great and food is too!
Food halls
Time Out Market Miami (Miami Beach)- $$ the best food market in Miami with affordable food from Miami’s most famous chefs
St Roch Market (Design District)- $$ my favorite is Itamae. Peruvian heaven!
Latin
Doggis (multiple locations around Miami)- $ Venezuelan restaurant serving my favorite arepas in Miami! The empanadas are delicious too. Check in on yelp to get special deals here!
La Mar (Brickell Key)- $$$ Peruvian. Worth the money for a nice night out! Waterfront views of Brickell. Even worth stopping by just for a drink, try the passion fruit pisco sour!
Matador Room (Miami Beach)- $$$$ gorgeous restaurant serving a fusion of Latin American cuisine made with local ingredients
Italian
Stanzione 87 (Brickell)- $$ favorite pizza place in Miami
Riviera Focacceria Italiana (Midtown)- best foccacia I’ve ever had with really friendly service!
Ironside Pizza (Little River)- $$ delicious authentic Italian food at a restaurant with cute indoor and outdoor seating.
Battubelin (Upper East Side)- $$ owned by a very friendly Italian man. La Farinata (known as Socca) is a must try!
Asian
Komodo (Brickell) – $$$ upscale asian fusion with reasonable happy hour and gorgeous tree house seating!
Kyu (Wynwood)- $$$ delicious asian fusion restaurant
Hakasan (Miami Beach)- $$$$ unless you go for lunch with Miami Spice (what I did). Delicious food, and the Miami Spice menu even had a vegetarian option!
Ghee Indian Kitchen (Pinecrest, Design District)- $$$ Yummy Indian food
Fuchai (Edgewater)- $$ Korean, they have delicious vegetarian Japchae
Zitzsum (Coral Gables)- $$$ creative Asian- inspired cuisine. Menu changes daily, but everything I had was incredible!
Brunch
Prime Fish (South Pointe- South Beach ) – $$$$. This is an incredible experience if you come hungry and love alcoholic drinks for brunch $60 a person for bottomless brunch cocktails with fresh squeezed juice, an espresso based coffee, unlimited food from the gourmet buffet bar (which includes a variety of traditional and less traditional brunch foods (like sushi and a variety of fish), dozens of homemade desserts, and more! Also includes one a la carte menu item.