The Best New Restaurants in Miami [January 2024]

It’s a new year, and that means a whole lot of new flavors to explore around town. Following a record-breaking influx of new restaurants last year, the culinary scene in Miami shows no signs of slowing down as we kick off 2024. From a lodge-inspired restaurant to a famed Italian red sauce joint, here are five recently opened restaurants that have captured our hearts and taste buds in Miami. 

Adrift Mare

Taking up the 25th-floor atrium of the Hotel AKA Brickell is Adrift Mare, helmed by Michelin-starred Gypsy Chef David Myers. The menu draws inspiration from the diverse ingredients and culinary techniques that Chef Myers encountered during his travels across the Mediterranean. 

Grab a seat near the floor-to-ceiling windows to enjoy a beautiful view of the Miami skyline while imbibing an inventive cocktail designed by internationally acclaimed bartenders Moe Aljaff and Juliette Larrouy. Move onto the main meal and choose from dishes like yellowfin tuna with tonnato sauce, golden osetra caviar, and buckwheat crackers to arugula pesto bucatini with aged Parmesan and stracciatella cheese to shish kebab served with pickled vegetables, red cabbage salad, chili sauce, and pita bread.

Adrift Mare is located at 395 Brickell Ave., Miami, FL 33131. For more information, please visit their official website. 

Bartaco

Taco lovers, rejoice! The latest addition to Bartaco’s lineup is a two-story indoor-outdoor outpost, boasting two bars and a spacious outdoor area for indulging in all the Mexican delights your heart desires, including various non-taco offerings and bowls. Nestled in Commodore Plaza in Coconut Grove, this location marks the restaurant’s third venture in Miami. 

Nosh on guac and chips before moving on to delicious tacos, like the mushroom with queso fresco, chile-lime shrimp, and sesame ribeye. Steamed brown rice bowls are adorned with sliced bell peppers, onions, and a protein of your choice. We recommend the ahi tuna or roasted duck. Of course, no Mexican hotspot is complete without a selection of refreshing margaritas and beverages. Bartaco has you covered options ranging from a “green” margarita to winter caipirinhas to sangria and beer. 

Bartaco is located at 3112 Commodore Plaza, Miami, FL 33133. For more information, please visit their official website. 

LOG Fire Signature

It’s tricky to find LOG Fire Signature on your first visit, but we have you covered. Peer around the left side of the building where your Uber drops you off on North Miami Avenue, and you’ll find the main entrance to this Wynwood newcomer. It’s a welcome addition to town with its cozy chic atmosphere (think lodge feel with indoor fireplaces, wooden tables, and a bar with hanging plants) setting the scene for a dinner where wood-fired cuisine steals the show. 

Argentine native Chef Calvin Daniele utilizes wood ovens to cook roughly 90 percent of the menu. Enjoy a creative mix of flavors in favorite dishes, including wood-fired oysters with thermidor sauce and grana Padano; leek pizza with Scamorza cheese, mozzarella, pancetta, and leek ash; and the most original: charred cabbage with Romesco and mint salsa verde. For dessert, we recommend the Peco Pavlova, a blend of Pecorino cheese pavlova, vanilla ice cream, mascarpone cream, and conserved peach.

LOG Fire Signature is located at 10 Northeast 27th St., Miami, FL 33137. For more information, please visit their official website. 

Rao’s Miami Beach

One of the most talked-about newcomers to town is Rao’s. Hailing from the revered New York red sauce tradition, Rao’s is infamous for its exclusivity, but the Miami outpost offers a welcoming haven for those seeking southern Neapolitan Italian flavors reminiscent of cherished family recipes. 

The good news? It’s much easier to secure a reservation here than its elusive northern counterpart. Embrace the homey atmosphere, and be sure to order Rao’s Classic Meatballs; an antipasto chopped salad bursting with fennel, Genoa salami, sharp provolone, and more; Gemelli pesto pasta; lobster fra diavolo; and veal Parmesan. End with the rich, indulgent peanut butter tart with graham cracker crust and chocolate ganache.

Rao’s Miami Beach is located at 1601 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, Florida 33139. For more information, please visit their official website. 

Winston’s on the Beach

As if the Four Seasons Hotel at the Surf Club, Surfside, couldn’t get any better, the iconic beachside hotel recently welcomed Winston’s on the Beach to its culinary roundup. This casual, open-air dining haunt boasts a menu spotlighting salads and light meals, artfully crafted with a focus on local Florida flavors. As the sun sets, the ambiance transforms, with grilled delights and Neapolitan-style pizzas taking center stage. 

Indulge in bites like the 24-month cured San Daniele ham wrapped in cantaloupe, the half-green circle chicken featuring a tantalizing “Miami Rub,” chimichurri, and mashed potatoes, along with the irresistible Neapolitan-style pizzas. Standout choices include the Tartufo Nero, adorned with truffle béchamel and shaved winter black truffle, and the Golosona, a delectable ensemble of focaccia topped with whole burrata, mortadella, arugula, and pistachio.

Winston’s on the Beach is located at 9011 Collins Ave., Surfside, FL 33154. For more information, please visit their official website.