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.