Cote Miami in the Design District is Simon Kim's Michelin-starred Korean steakhouse, a smoke-and-fire room that opened on NE 2nd Avenue in 2021.
Signature dishes: Butcher's Feast tasting, Galbi, Steak Omakase
Must order: The Butcher's Feast; four cuts with banchan, stews and soft-serve to close.
Tip: Book three to four weeks ahead. Counter seats give you full kitchen view; the back banquettes are quieter for groups.
Address: 3900 NE 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33127
Boia De in Miami is the Michelin-starred 24-seat Italian counter at 5205 NE 2nd Ave, glowing under a neon exclamation mark in a Buena Vista strip mall.
Signature: Bone marrow with anchovy, Cacio e pepe, Crudo of the day
Order: The bone marrow toast with anchovy, then a pasta off the chalkboard.
Tip: Reservations open one month ahead on Resy and vanish in minutes. Walk in at 5pm and try for the bar.
Ariete in Coconut Grove is Michael Beltran's Michelin-starred Cuban-American room on Main Highway, holding a star four years running since 2022.
Signature: Croqueta de jamon, Aged ribeye, Burger night
Order: The croqueta de jamon to open, then whatever the chalkboard says is being aged that week.
Tip: Tuesday burger night is a hard ticket; book the brunch service if you want the kitchen at full curiosity.
Stubborn Seed in Miami Beach is Top Chef winner Jeremy Ford's Michelin-starred South of Fifth dining room on Washington Avenue, holding a star every year since 2022.
Signature: Carolina gold rice with caviar, Hokkaido scallop, Aged duck
Order: The tasting menu if you have the time; otherwise the duck for two is the dish locals book ahead.
Tip: Bar seats take a la carte without the prepay; the dining room is set menu Friday and Saturday.
Hiden in Wynwood is the eight-seat Michelin omakase counter at 313 NW 25th, behind a passcode door, run by Chef Seijun Okano with fish flown from Tokyo.
Signature: Omakase nigiri, Toro hand roll, Tamago to close
Order: There is one order: the omakase. Choose seat, not course.
Tip: Wait list runs months; sign up the moment the calendar opens and accept any seat offered.
Zuma in Miami is Rainer Becker's modern Japanese izakaya at 270 Biscayne Boulevard Way, on the Miami River at the Epic Hotel, open in Brickell since 2010.
Signature: Robata-grilled black cod miso, Spicy beef tenderloin, Wagyu sushi
Order: Robata-grilled black cod miso, the dish carried across every Zuma globally.
Tip: Sit on the river terrace at sunset; the indoor robata bar is the chef-counter alternative.
Mandolin Aegean Bistro in Miami's Buena Vista is the 1940s-bungalow Greek-Turkish dining room on NE 2nd Avenue, Michelin Bib Gourmand 2022 for taverna cooking.
Signature: Greek village salad, Chicken souvlaki, Whole grilled fish
Order: The Greek village salad and a whole grilled fish for two.
Tip: Sit in the garden under the bougainvillea. The takeaway shop next door sells Mandolin's house olive oil.
