Not only is Miami’s party scene one of the best in the world, but its culinary community has become an artistic powerhouse with food serving as its canvas. Joining the ranks of the nation’s greatest dining destinations, Miami has skyrocketed in prominence as globally famed chefs have lined up to launch eateries along South Beach and into the city of Miami. From upscale restaurants to authentic food trucks, Miami’s hottest chefs are dishing up award-winning, attention-grabbing meals. It’s easy to understand why many are flocking down to the beach to try out some of the nation’s best dishes.
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Does the sound of this make you hungry already? Well you’re in luck! We’ve compiled some of the top dining options for your next visit down to South Beach.
From the first instance you walk through the door, you’ll feel “at home” at Red, the Steakhouse. Known as a “contemporary” steakhouse, Red’s ambiance is a mix between a men’s club and an upscale restaurant. What’s even better than its ambiance is its service. The servers are kind, attentive, and provide you with specialized attention to cater to your every need. The menu offers an array of options: Starters encompass steak tartare, calamari, steamed mussels, and shrimp cocktail. Try the trio of tapered hot green peppers stuffed with sweet Italian sausage in bright, zesty, onion-flecked red sauce. Entrées include veal or pork chops, New Zealand rack of lamb, Bell & Evans double chicken breast, and seafood dishes such as tuna, Atlantic salmon, king crab legs, and Maine lobster. There are pastas, too, such as two dozen tender, saline clams with perfectly cooked linguine; but our advice is stick to the steaks. The best part? The bar at Red, the Steakhouse offers more than 500 different types of wine!
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Yardbird Southern Table & Bar opened in October 2011 and clearly was on to something. The restaurant pays homage to everything the Southern table has to offer, so it’s only right that its menu reflects that theme. Its signature dish is the skillet-fried chicken which takes 27 hours to prepare. Other delicious options include the buttermilk biscuits, the shrimp and grits, sweet tea-brined barbecued ribs, shrimp and grits, St. Louis style pork ribs, Llewellyn’s Southern fried chicken, and chicken with watermelon and waffles.
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Want authentic Italian food, but are too lazy to take a trip across the pond to Italy? Twin chefs Nicola and Fabrizio Carro, along with partner and mixologist Cristiano Vezzoli, teamed up to take Miami epicureans on a culinary retreat to Italy in the MiMo historic district. “Cucina Rustica” refers to
the authentic, traditional, high-quality ingredients, which are combined to provide guests the same dining experience found in Italy. Whether for lunch, happy hour, dinner or brunch, guests are greeted with fresh ingredients, an extensive wine collection, handcrafted cocktails, personal service, an outdoor terrace, and free parking.(Continued on next page)
Located in the heart of Brickell, The River Seafood & Oyster Bar offers a modern twist on classic seafood and a reprieve from the Miami heat in a sleek, yet comfortable dining room. The restaurant is known for their ice-packed selection of hand-shucked cold water oysters, and also offers an assortment of hand-selected local produce, fresh cold-water fish brought in from Alaska, organic Irish Salmon and Bronzini, Sardines from Spain, and other specialties from around the world. The ambiance, which is nestled in the comfort of an oversized mahogany bar, and remember-your-name service makes this the perfect destination for low-key business lunches, power happy hours, relaxing dinners, or a late-night bite.
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Helmed by Chef Venoy Rogers who came to Miami by way of San Diego, Essensia is a dining experience like none other. Essensia embodies the simplicity and elegance of the word that describes it. The word “essensia†is Latin for such terms as “essence,†“whole,†and “substance†and that’s the objective of the natural gourmet dining at The Palms Hotel & Spa in Miami Beach. With an entire seasonally changing menu committed to green principles, Essensia may well be the only restaurant of its kind in Miami. What attracts you to Essensia may be its food, but what makes you stay is its ambiance and well-appointed staff. From the moment you enter, you’re greeted with a smile, and a “pure essence of taste.†So for those looking for a change from the fast-paced Miami food culture, why not seek something different? Something homegrown, sophisticated, but also in style?