There are very few places in the country that offer year-round outdoor dining, and we are lucky to be living in one of the best. The Miami terrain offers the perfect playground for outdoor dining, whether it’s a beachside cabana, a patio perched among city lights, or a table docked by the marina. With so many options and so little time, we have mapped out some of Miami’s most spectacular options for dining al fresco. Bon Apetit!
If your mood for the night is getting transported to a chic little courtyard somewhere on the Mediterranean coast—Alloy Bistro is the move. Tucked away amid Downtown Miami skyscrapers, it’s a true gem for the crowd with pristine taste. The outdoor seating is neatly spaced with tropical plants and umbrellas shielding diners from the hot Miami sun.
Patrons can enjoy a taste of the French Mediterranean here. On the thoughtfully curated menu, you’ll find an abundance of the freshest seafood. Choices include a refreshing branzino carpaccio, a work-of-art grilled octopus, and homemade lobster pappardelle. Each dish is colorfully plated, light, and tempting to the eyes. As with any proper Mediterranean bistro, there is undoubtedly no lack of fine wines.
Alloy Bistro Gourmet is located at 154 SE 1st Avenue, Miami, FL 33131. For more information, visit their official website.
Frequented by Miami’s elite and epicureans is the city’s very own Osaka Nikkei. The restaurant doesn’t fail to provide superlative Nikkei cuisine: Picture the freshest cuts of fish prepared using masterful Japanese technique, plated with a rainbow of luscious Peruvian sauces, spices, and fruits.
Besides cozy inside dining, Osaka also offers invigorating outside dining on their covered patio. Enjoy your meal in the candlelight, surrounded by lush flora and cooling fans. The lounge seating makes the outdoor terrace the ideal destination for friendly gatherings and dates.
The bar at Osaka is so well-stocked, you might forget all about the main attraction to come. On the menu, there’s Japanese beer, whiskey, and gin. Peruvian Pisco. Mexican Mezcal and Tequila. A fine selection of local liquors. The most delightful craft cocktails meshing the two cultures. Plus, a pervasive list of sake and global wines.
To pair with the sips is a carefully crafted menu of delights. Each dish pays due respect to its Nikkei roots. Sharing is recommended as choices are plentiful, and each dish is enticing. Specialties include torched scallop nigiri with truffle butter and tuna ceviche with a rocoto-yuzu sauce. A most elegant experience for the senses!
Osaka Nikkey is located at 1300 Brickell Bay Drive, Miami, FL 33131. For more information, visit their official website.
Just thinking about Toscana Divino brings smiles to all who have happened to cross its glittery path. They’re getting it done, on every scorecard: etiquette, flavor, atmosphere, and sustainability. Nestled in Miami’s Brickell neighborhood, the well-known authentic Italian eatery has made guests of many, from celebrities to sports stars. They’ve even been awarded the highest mark for authentic Italian cuisine possible in the US. And what’s best is that the fluff has no bluff. At all.
Local and sustainable is the name of the game, so courses vary with the season, leaving plenty of discretion for local diners. For the Fall/Winter favorites this year, feast your eyes on the Crab Salad, Octopus Puttanesca, or the classic, Lasagna. As for the beverages, organic boutique or family-run vineyards with strict quality mandates are preferred. Ask a specialist to aid you when pairing a glass with your dish.
The neighborhood’s first rooftop bar and restaurant provide an exquisite view alongside exquisite food. The menu at Cebada isn’t limited to one type of cuisine: You can indulge in a delicious array of raw bar bites like stone crabs and roasted oysters, opt for pastas like squid ink pappardelle and garlic fettuccine, or indulge your inner carnivore with proteins like baby back ribs, oxtail, and smoked duck drummets.
On the bar side of things, make sure to check out the draft cocktails that are batched in-house daily; they come out fast and strong. Not feeling like cocktails? Cebada has no shortage of local beers and great wine. Reservations are strongly recommended as the place unsurprisingly fills up fast (especially on weekends).
Cebada Rooftop is located at 124 Giralda Avenue, Coral Gables, FL 33134. For more information, visit their official website.
If you’re dining on Giralda Avenue, you have to sit outside –the Coral Gables street is closed off to vehicular traffic and oh-so-nice. Grab an outdoor table at Luca Osteria for the ultimate people-watching and dining experience. The Italian eatery is helmed by Giorgio Rapicavoli, a Chopped winner and the owner of another neighborhood hotspot, Eating House.
At Luca Osteria, expect to find decadent carbs galore. The menu features flavorful fare like local stracciatella, mortadella toast, and the crowd’s favorite patate fritter with black truffle –it will likely become your favorite dish, too. Pastas are plentiful and come in the form of short rib Bolognese, cacio e pepe, and bucatiniall’amatriciana … to name a few. The cocktail menu is just as varied, but we’re partial to the negronis; it’s nice to see more than one on a menu for a change. Also, the pistachio semifreddo is divine.
Luca Osteria is located at 116 Giralda Avenue, Coral Gables, FL 33134. For more information, visit their official website.
Bulla Gastrobar in Downtown Doral is just a great hangout. It has everything you need for a nice night out with friends, family, or your significant other: great food, great drinks, and great vibes. While you could sit inside in the spacious dining room, consider sitting outside if it’s not too hot out. The people-watching is hard to beat, and there’s just something about sitting outside in Downtown Doral that’s just … cool.
Once you’ve taken your seat, treat yourself to highlights off the Bulla menu like the sauteed shrimp, Spanish omelet, pork and beef meatballs, and the grilled octopus. If you’re extra hungry, go all in on the signature Huevos “Bulla”, a tasty mix of eggs, potato chips, Serrano ham, potato foam, and truffle oil. It’s super rich so don’t eat it solo (no matter how tempting). The beverage menu is vast, but the sangrias here are always a safe bet; get a pitcher for the best value. Not drinking? The house-made lemonades are a solid choice.
Bulla Gastrobar is located at 5335 NW 87th Avenue, #C102, Doral, FL 33178. For more information, visit their official website.
Located at CityPlace Doral, Kuba Cabana stands out among the sea of Cuban restaurants in the neighborhood. It’s a smaller menu than most spots, but the quality of each item makes up for the limited selections. Sitting inside can get loud, so outdoor seating is your best bet for a slightly quieter dining experience.
Appetizer selections range from ham croquettes and beef empanadas to fried yuca and crispy chicken wings. You’ve seen these items before but they haven’t been this good. The same goes for the mains: short rib, grilled branzino, pork chops … they’re all familiar faces but have gotten upgrades at Kuba Cabana. If you want quality Cuban food in Doral, this is the spot.
Kuba Cabana is located at 3450 NW 83rd Avenue, #140, Doral, FL 33122. For more information, visit their official website.
When you hear the words Ocean Drive, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? For us, it’s a “tourist trap.” We used to avoid the strip like the plague because everything was overpriced and underwhelming. But then we visited CJ’s Crab Shack, a restaurant on South Beach that’s actually good and won’t break the bank.
The name says it all: The main attraction here is the crab, and CJ’s serves it up in abundance. Crab cakes, crab dip, crab salad, crab legs … crab fans will be in heaven. That said, crab is only one part of the menu. Other seafood favorites like grouper, shrimp, and oysters also make an appearance and are just as tasty.
There are a few meat options, too, but you’re not here for those. Come on a beautiful day, and you’ll have a memorable afternoon.
Steps away from South Pointe Beach, we’ve got the folks over at Lobster Shack serving up loaded buttery seafood rolls plus much, much more. And who wouldn’t want to enjoy the ultimate seafood feast with the fresh ocean air breezing by?
Although serving up classic New England fare, spots like this are what make people make the trip down to Miami from states up north. It’s the spot for a laid-back afternoon out in the fresh air. The space is as down-to-earth as the menu. Inviting bistro-style seating surrounds the area outside of the eatery and is conveniently covered in the case of rainy weather.
It’s hard to choose favorites, but some absolute musts are the Classic Lobster Roll, King Crab Roll, Blackened Shrimp Tacos, and fresh-shucked East Coast oysters. Pair it up with a draft beer from their rotating selection, and you’re good to go!
America is not short of places where you can get a mighty good steak. But between us, RED South Beach is the only place you’ll want to go for next-level meats and outdoor seating right in South Pointe. We all know, somehow being outside in the fresh air makes that perfectly executed steak taste extra banging.
The ambiance in RED’s courtyard is, shall we say, business casual. The 3000 sq. ft. outdoor patio features well-spaced seating, white table clothes… We’re just saying it’s definitely not the wrong place to have a business meeting if the weather permits.
The named steakhouse serves up mean meats of any caliber under the guidance of their noble head chef, Peter Vauthy. The specialty, however, is perhaps the dry-aged options like the absolutely mouthwatering dry-aged c.a.b. Prime Porterhouse. While some call RED a carnivore’s paradise (and rightfully so), the menu is filled with equally delicious options of marine dwellers and crop harvests. So you might want to take a good look at the raw bar, appetizers, and even the pasta. Everything’s exquisite.
Rooftops are a dime a dozen on Miami Beach, and only a few are worth your time. One of those rooftops is Serena Rooftop, located above the Moxy Miami South Beach Hotel. The beach views are nice, and the food is even nicer. While you take in the sights, feast on delightful Mexican cuisine, including dishes like shrimp aguachile, tuna tostada, chicken quesadillas, and more. It can get a little pricey, but you get what you pay for. Budget-conscious guests should stop in during happy hour to save a few bucks.
Serena Rooftop is located at 915 Collins Court, Miami Beach, FL 33139. For more information, visit their official website.
In our opinion, Riviera Focacceria in Midtown Miami is one of those spots that doesn’t get enough attention. It’s not shiny and new but it doesn’t have to be: The food speaks for itself –and it speaks volumes. We’ll spare you the description of the restaurant’s signature focaccia as we’ve praised it in every article ever –just know that you have to get it.
Besides that dish, you really can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. The fried calamari is simple and delicious, the classic lasagna is tasty and reliable, and the seafood linguine NEVER disappoints. Riviera excels in its specials, and there’s usually something great that the kitchen has thought up –make sure you listen to your server. And always end your meal with the Nutella tart … always.
Update: Riviera Focacceria Italiana is permanently closed.
SUGARCANE’s highly popular happy hour is best enjoyed on the beautiful garden terrace with lantern lights, tropical fans, and a tree canopy. No matter where you sit at the indoor-outdoor bar you will delight in the fresh air and refreshing cocktails. The range of their menu allows for sampling and sharing. Pick a dish from the sushi & raw bar, open fire grill, or traditional kitchen, or from all three –small or large plates that are classic yet innovative in style and flavor. The menu tends to change, so always be on the lookout for new stuff –being adventurous pays off here.
SUGARCANE Raw Bar Grill is located at 3252 NE 1st Avenue, Miami, FL 33137. For more information, visit their official website.
Miami used to have few pizza spots, but now they’re everywhere. Instead of visiting every pizza joint in search of the best pizza, we’ll make it easy for you: come to Ironside Pizza. The restaurant has some of the tastiest pies in the city –no contest –and there are a ton to choose from. You can choose from fancy pies like the pere e parmigiano (pear, Parmigiano Reggiano, mozzarella Fior Di Latte, extra virgin olive oil) or stick to simpler fare like the tried-and-true margherita.
Ironside also offers its fair share of white pizzas (no tomato sauce) if that’s more your style. There are other non-pizza items like paninis and pastas –and they’re all great –yet we always find ourselves always going back to the pizzas.
Who doesn’t love big portions and big flavors? That’s exactly what you’ll find at Patio Isola, MiMo’s premier Italian eatery. The spacious restaurant covers all the bases when it comes to Italian cuisine. In the mood for pizza? Want some pasta? Craving a sandwich? Just want to drink? Patio Isola has your back with an extensive menu of just about everything.
It’s hard to pick just a few favorites, but if you had to twist our arm, we’d say go with the mushroom polenta, arancini, rigatoni alla vodka, the ricotta ravioli, and the meatball pizza. And if you’re in a large group, the Sunday Sauce is a must.
Patio Isola is permanently closed. You can still visit its sister restaurant Casa Isola.
Inside or outdoor, DOYA is gorgeous. The Wynwood Aegean spot is a sight to behold, and the food is just as jaw-dropping. Shareable dishes are the theme here, so round up some friends or family to dine out and make the most of the menu. Speaking of the menu, selections are divided into hot and cold, so make sure to get a little bit from both sides. In terms of cold meze, the Cretan feta, roasted eggplant, and red lentil kofte are standouts. Hot meze highlights include the lamb chops, shrimp ouzo, and grilledtiger prawns. DOYA has a full bar with a concise cocktail list, but the talented bartenders can make you anything –they always put on a show.
DOYA is located at 347 NW 24th Street, Miami, FL 33127. For more information, visit their official website.
Many sports bars aren’t really known for their food –a lot of people are just there to drink and watch sports. But at Grails, foodis just as important to the game-watching experience. The Wynwood eatery offers up your traditional bar food bites but with a twist to keep things interesting. Case in point: cheeseburger dumplings, loaded yuca fries, poke nachos, and charred cauliflower mac and cheese. The drinks are just as experimental and fun with containers like sneakers (don’t worry, they’re not actual shoes) and water bottles to maintain the theme.
Grails is located at 2800 North Miami Avenue, Miami, FL 33127. For more information, visit their official website.
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