Miami – fine dining?

[Andrew]

Any recommendations for top quality restaurants in Miami. I'll be staying in the art deco district of the beach but happy to travel.

Thanks

Andrew

[weinoo]

I've always had great meals at Michael's Genuine and at Michelle Bernstein's Michy's.. Whether they're considered "fine dining" or not is another story.

There is also a very nice Sardinian restaurant way down the beach, called, amazingly enough, Sardinia Ristorante.

[KitchenNinja]

For Fine dining I would check out the Villa by Barton G (South Beach) or Azul (Downtown Miami) . As mentioned above, Michaels Genuine and Michys are great spots, but not really fine dining. Also DB Bistro in Downtown Miami is a great meal The Bazaar by Jose Andres just opened in South Beach also. Not fine dining, but a fun experience with really tasty food.

Edited August 30, 2012 by KitchenNinja (log)

[Chris Hennes]

I just returned from a few days in Downtown Miami: I didn't want to deal with a car (or a cab) in Miami's lovely traffic, so I stuck entirely to places that could be reached via the MetroMover. As an added bonus, that system is free to ride and runs very frequently. I ate at:

 

Tuyo -- A pleasant setting with a decent view of the city lights, Tuyo sits atop the Miami Culinary Institute. They feature a very reasonably-priced wine list, which is remarkable considering wine prices elsewhere in Miami. I had a Cobia ceviche which was pleasant enough, and an underseasoned ribeye with a mediocre cabernet sauce served with "duck fat fries" that turned out to be more like fried whole potatoes, essentially flavorless. The service was a bit on the rushed side (dinner only took an hour) but was otherwise pleasant and attentive, however the food was not particularly good.

 

db Bistro Moderne -- Taking the other end of the service speed spectrum, this was a very leisurely meal (about three hours), and I don't think that was 100% intentional, though to a certain degree I'm sure it was. Their wine list struck me as almost absurdly overpriced, but there were a few gems in there, and they were running a special on champagne while we were there which we availed ourselves of. All of that said, the food was spectacular. In particular I had a foie gras "nougat" that may be the best foie dish I've ever had, and their spaghetti chitarra was excellent.

 

Truluck's -- A middle-of-the-road steak-and-seafood chain along the lines of Morton's or the Capital Grille, this is a safe choice for dining with clients or picky relatives. The food was good, if unexciting, and the service attentive.

 

Verde (for lunch, located in the Perez Art Museum Miami) -- Museum restaurants are usually nothing to write home about, but I actually enjoyed this lunch quite a bit. Their wine prices were very reasonable, and the lobster Benedict with key lime hollandaise was very good. I have no idea what I was supposed to do with the huge pile of lettuce on the plate, so I ignored it.

[joiei]

Just saw a notice where a popup Alinea is going to be in Miami in early 2016.  18 courses.  $$$$$

Edited November 15, 2015 by joiei (log)