Art Basel Miami means there’s a mad scramble to get into popular restaurants, so I’ve compiled some of the BEST eats that are more out of the way. You’ll get innovative food, value for your money and most are chef owned! Yes, I love supporting chef owned restaurants, I admire and respect what they’re doing! As a cooking teacher, I’m constantly asked which restaurants I eat at, so here’s a round up. I wanted to give just 10 but went way over because you can’t not mention ones close by that are so worth trying! Enjoy Art Basel. Stay calm cause it’s going to be crazy but fun. Remember, you can always use Uber Eats to deliver food to you but not same as experiencing in person!
I’ve chosen eats in different areas of Miami, all close to where it’s all happening…
Buena Vista
is just north of Design District but has three blocks of wonderful cozy restaurants.
Buena Vista Deli is good for breakfast, brunch and lunch or just a snack. Gets packed on Sundays.
Shokudo has a zen garden space for a Japanese bento box lunch.
Uh, confusing but you can order food from 2 different menus cause the two restaurants have the same chefs/owners, Chefs Maria and Assia. We like to get our “dessert” at BV Chocolate and Wine store in the next block north, their handmade chocolates are exquisite. Curry chocolate anyone?
What’s atmosphere?
Cozy, ecclectic, artsy.
What kind of food?
Home cooking at its best! Many vegetarian options. Most dishes come with toast.
What’s good?
Stuffed Portobello (bottom right)
Fall off the bone tender Lamb Shank, starting with Greek salad and toast.
Check their menu.
Biscayne Corridor is really becoming a foodie haven…
Vagabond Kitchen & Bar, a mid century modern restaurant inside a hotel was taken over recently by French owners so the decor is very chic. The round cocktail lounge bar is extremely popular as is a bar outside by the pool, definitely get a drink there! Their Grilled Octopus, Cauliflower Steak and Branzino was outrageous.
Blue Collar, Chef Daniel Serfer has the best sense of humor EVER, just check the menu and you’ll see what I mean! His comfort food is seriously so good but it’s always packed, but so worth it. Sunday brunch has lines round the block.
Phuc Yea
NEW Vietnamese Bistro opened by a Vietnamese/American chef, Ani and Caesar! Fun place with small plates. Very busy so reservations are a MUST!
What’s atmosphere?
Modern hip Asian industrial decor
What kind of food?
Viet Cajun, it works!
What’s good?
Imperial rolls appetizer
Salt N’Peppa Fishies
Caramel Pork Riblets
Check their menu
Loba, clockwise: Jessica and moi. Patacon, a whopping dish with rib eye steak, durac pork belly, rice, guac, pico de galo, chimchurri; crispy brussel sprouts; a salad. All delicious home cooking.
LOBA
It’s a family affair, Jessica, her mom, Libia both cook and brother, Jon is in charge of operations. Check out Jessica’s recent Zagat show, she visited chefs all over the world and cooked with them. I love the one in Hawaii where her mom joined her.
What’s atmosphere?
Jessica calls it, “rustic, DIY”. I love all the wood tables and chairs, very earthy. Tiny restaurant so reservations a MUST.
What kind of food?
Columbian soul food.
What’s good?
Columbians know how to cook meat, so the Patacon is a perfect dish to get an all rounder.
Check their menu
Pinch Miami
Chefs John and Rene are the cutest, congrats, they just celebrated their 1st anniversary! They care about what they put out, love that!
What’s atmosphere?
I keep saying cozy, ecclectic but that’s what this is!
What kind of food?
“small bites, big impact” is their motto. Farm to table. Everything I’ve eaten there is perfectly executed, very tasty.
What’s good?
Roasted Organic Carrots appetizer
Pinch Burger (custom blend, they won’t share what’s in it!)
Frenched Organic Chicken with seasonal veggies, we had kale and mushrooms, so freakin’ tasty!
Check their menu
Bin 18
Chef Alfredo Patino is owner of this cute wine bar lounge and restaurant. Always fun to order a few dishes to share.
What’s atmosphere?
Contemporary Cosmopolitan casual chic with chandeliers and concrete slabs over wine barrels. Mismatched chairs.
What kind of food?
Chef calls it Riviera urban cuisine/Roadside European cuisine.
What’s good?
Duck and Truffle Pate with mango ginger chutney and ciabatta!
Pork Belly & Mango to die for.
Pulpo a la Mancha.
Check their menu
Downtown Miami
Niu Kitchen, Spanish tapas, downtown Miami, tiny cozy place, make reservation a MUST! Everything we’ve had there is EXCELLENT, say hi to chef Deme Lomas, he’s so sweet:
Bali Cafe, Indonesian food, kinda fun, sit in the window seats!
Midtown
Black Brick, started by a frustrated Filipino/American Chef Richard Hales who couldn’t find good Chinese dim sum or Asian food in Miami, yeah, I hear ya, so he opened this one and right opposite another one called Sakaya Kitchen! They are my go to restaurants. He put a modern spin on the dishes, so don’t expect anything traditional, I love his Crispy Cumin Lamb Chops appetizer, Salt and Pepper Calamari. In the Dim Sum department, shrimp and chive dumplings, pork cheek pan fried dumplings, Grandma’s red cooked pork belly, Asian eggplant (so good). End with his wife, Jenny’s delicious desserts.
Sakaya Kitchen, Richard calls this Funk Fusion! It’s a fast casual dining spot for good Korean inspired dishes. Order at the counter and sit down to eat, perfect for a grab and go eat, very popular during Art Basel! My favs are Dirty South Korean (pulled pork sliders with kimchi slaw, drooling thinking about this), Cracklin (duck sandwich), The Bulgogi, Angus beef Burger which come with his famous taters, this is a HUGE order so be prepared to hunker down or share (I have been known to finish this in one sitting!) and my absolute fav, Dae Ji (big bowl with spicy pork tenderloin, butter’d broccoli and coconut rice with peanuts, yummy).
Wynwood Arts District
GK Bistronomie, Peruvian tapas and amazing cocktails. Get award winning pork taquitos and veggie tempura (hm, think they don’t have it anymore but ask!), everything there is superbly executed, say hi to Chef Raphael. Always wonderful service and love this industrial, modern space.
Coyo Tacos is the best value for money if you’re in a hurry and need a quick bite. Got to have their freshly made guac and chips. If you’re hungry late at night, they are open till 3am!
Panther Coffee for a caffeine fix!
Dr. Smood, go visit this AMAZING cafe/health store!
Cafeina Lounge is a casual lounge bar with their own art gallery.
Visit Wynwood Walls and go deep into the back area, always happening place!
Also visit Plant the Future, beautiful terrariums in all white unique vessels.
South Beach
Taquiza, freshly handmade blue corn tortillas with superb fillings, Camaron, Asada, Al Pastor. An outdoor atrium, adorable and fun, do NOT miss this experience.
Barceloneta, Spanish tapas, always fun, excellent food and presentation. Fantastic ambience, they’ll always get you in, say hi to Chef Julianna.
Naiyara, Thai street food, get crispy chicken dumplings, best you’ll ever have! Also Chiang Rai curry, it’s a whole experience with a tray of goodies, very fun place, say hi to Chef Bee. Again, reservations a MUST.
DIRT, EAT CLEAN, healthy dishes after you’re exhausted from all that rushing around, say hi to Chef Nicole Votano.
1 Hotel, Chef Tom Colicchio’s BeachCraft is there on ground floor. Breeze through beautiful hotel, you’ll appreciate it, see if you can get to see the pool and bar area, amazing. All white and all the plants are amazing. Visit the store, Plant the Future in there, they also have a store in WYNWOOD.
Juvia, in the Lincoln Road parking garage, go to rooftop for cocktails and hang around a living wall of plants and amazing Miami Beach views, beautiful ambience! Tricky to find, so ask.
"miami restaurants"
September Miami Events
SEPTEMBER IS MIAMI SPICE
Hakkasan: We went for their delicious Dim Sum served at lunchtime on weekends! A little tip: mention to server at the beginning that you want your dishes to come out staggered so they don’t get cold while you are still working on the previous dish! Dim Sum should be eaten hot. The decor is magnificent. Click here for details.
Zuma: Had lunch with foodie friends. They did a beautiful presentation but not sure worth $23, desert was outstanding! They are located inside the Epic Hotel so you don’t wander along Biscayne Blvd. like I did. Click here for details.
I’ll be trying Milos and Sushi Samba Dromo. Do share which restaurants you think are worthy to try or not!
2nd Annual Taste of the Beach in Collins Park
Sat. Sept. 28 and Sun. Sept.29, 12-8pm
Wok Star presentation, Sat. 9/28, 2-3pm
Curated to celebrate and feature the great culinary creations of Miami Beach restaurants and eateries.
This year’s event itinerary includes cooking demonstrations including Wok Star Eleanor Hoh, the “Art of Mixology” cocktail craft, live entertainment provided by Honor Roll, and a performance by the renowned Mango’s Dancers. Attendees will be encouraged to eat-n-tweet from the “BeeFree Lounge”and sip-n-tweet from sponsor themed bars: Sweetwater Beer Garden, Radio Bar, Mango’s Mojito Bar and Charles St. Mixology Bar.
$5 General Admission
Includes live entertainment and a raffle ticket eligible for winnings with ULTIMATE MIAMI Weekend, American Airlines, and a Miami Beach five-star status staycation.
$20 VIP Reception
Includes Access to CHARLES St. NYC Kitchen VIP Reception Saturday, September 28th, 7-9 PM with guest DJ Reid Waters and a LIVE performance by Nikki Blitz.
Click here for schedule, ticket information.
SWEEPSTAKES TO WIN FREE BARCELONA TRIP FOR TWO!
ESTRELLA DAMM WYNWOOD TAPAS JOURNEY
Estrella Damm’s Tapas Journey engages South Florida’s culinary palate with participating restaurants to create three small dishes to be sold with an Estrella Damm lager for the price of $20 between September 16 – October 6, 2013 in Wynwood Arts District. Patrons will have the chance to enter a sweepstakes to win a free trip to Barcelona for two and enjoy tapas at the world’s best tapas restaurant. Estrella Damm works in partnership with the world’s most award-winning chef Ferran Adrià to promote the “Tapas” concept globally.
Visit here for full details of participating restaurants and how to enter sweepstakes for FREE Barcelona Trip for two!
PRESERVATION, WINE WEEKDAYS
18250 Collins Avenue, Sunny Isles Beach, FL 33160 305-974-0273 $30 for 3 courses paired with wines eatpreservation.com for full menu and details
Experience the innovative culinary creations of Chef Ryan Harris at his restaurant, Preservation! Their “Wine Weekdays” menu is an absolute steal, you should definitely go try it and tell Ryan, Wok Star sent you! My hubby and I were lucky enough to enjoy Chef Ryan’s innovative seven course tasting menu and got a chance to sit and get into his head. I will be posting about that experience soon. The food, music, service, atmosphere, decor were faultless! Ryan asked me to caution that wines and dishes are subject to change due to Eat Preservation and Mas Vino’s extreme imaginations! Love that. I’ve chosen Preservation to celebrate my birthday dinner, can’t wait to see what surprises Ryan comes up with.
SHELLEY-BELLY’S UNDERGROUND DINNER
Saturday, September 28 email shelleybelly@att.net secret address revealed when it’s a done deal!
Everything including menu is shrouded in secrecy till you arrive and see the menu board! Password to get in, meeting eclectic group of folks, beautiful setting, one dish at a time, breaks in between to chat, all the stuff I enjoy about a dining experience. Shelley perfects everything she does, so you’re just spoiled rotten. You’re in for a real treat. Read about my dinner here. Get all the underground details here.
ESSENSIA MIAMI SPICE MENU
The Palms Hotel
They’re offering exclusive Miami Spice lunch and dinner menus! It’s a beautiful setting with outdoor patio dining and the food is always fresh and delicious. Chef Julie Frans uses organic and local ingredients for 3-course farm to table meals.
HOME DESIGN AND REMODELING SHOW
Wok Star Demo : Sunday September 1st, 3:30pm Use #HDRS2013 @FLHomeshows @wokstar on twitter and Instagram
Click the “Like” button on my Facebook page for FREE tickets. Excited I’ve been invited to present at the Home Design and Remodeling Show for a live Wok Star cooking demonstration! Stop by for a tasting of Easy Tender Stir Fry Steak with onions and colorful peppers for busy weeknight dinner (my Hispanic friends know it as Lomo Soltado!) and a Simple Veggie Stir Fry with asparagus, sugar snap, orange bell pepper and maitake mushroom and amaze all the parents with kids because they’ll enjoy eating these crispy, crunchy veggies!
You’ll also get a chance to win a raffle prize for a Wok Star Class certificate for 2 guests valued at $130 and a Giveaway bag of goodies from premium sponsors!
Sept. 20 and Sept.21
James Beard Foundation’s Taste America®
Saturday, September 21: FREE Cooking demonstration from All-Star Ted Allen and Top Chef Just Desserts winner Yigit Pura of Tout Sweet Pâtisserie, a cookbook signing with Allen, as well as tastings from South Florida artisans Healthy Greek Eats, Laurie’s Pantry, Nikki’s Bikini Pies and Pika Sauce.
Pick up free tickets at Sur La Table starting September 20. Sur La Table, located at 428 Plaza Real, Boca Raton. To purchase tickets and find out more information, visit surlatable.com.
For more information about Taste America events in Miami, visit James Beard Foundation site.
Norwegian Getaway Spice It Up Sweepstakes
From now through September 30, 2013, foodies and travel aficionados alike can enter the “Norwegian Getaway Spice It Up Sweepstakes” at I Love Miami Spice.
Enter for a chance to win a seven-day cruise on-board Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest ship, Norwegian Getaway. With choice of 26 incredible dining options, including Celebrity Chef and Food Network star Geoffrey Zakarian’s three dining concepts. The Illusionarium, an all-new dining and entertainment experience that invites guests to experience the astonishing illusions of world-class magicians and supernatural special effects. GRAMMY® Experience includes artifacts chosen and curated by the GRAMMY Museum® along with live performances by past GRAMMY® winners and nominees. To cap off a spectacular cruise experience, every sailing will feature a dazzling fireworks show at sea, set to music, as part of a dance party in the ship’s outdoor club, Spice H20.
POP-UP TAPAS COOKING CLASS
- photo credit: chatchowtv
EDGE, Steak & Bar offers a great outdoor dining experience, you’d never know you were in the middle of Brickell! We dined there recently, post coming soon! They’re participating in Miami Spice, so take advantage of it. Click here for details.
Special for this class only, Executive Chef Aaron Brooks partners up with Chef Todd Erickson of South Beach’s renowned Haven and HUAHUA’S Taqueria for a “Small Bites, Big Appetites” modern global tapas cooking class. A portion of the proceeds will go to the No Kid Hungry Campaign! A popular monthly interactive cooking class with 20 participants and includes a welcome cocktail, three-course meal, wine and beer during class, hands-on instruction and a take-home gift bag. I have to get to one of Chef Brooks’ classes one day but always seems to fall on same day I’m giving one! Click here for details.