You won’t really know that you’ve visited Miami until you’ve had a few significant experiences. From getting lost in Hialeah to taking a picture with a magnum of rosé on a boat, to meeting and being inappropriately hit on by a D-list reality star. However, eating at all of the establishments that make this city so unique is also essential to the Magic City experience.
This includes everything from scenery steakhouses to laundromats that secretly serve great Cuban sandwiches and are open 24 hours a day in a city that combines glamour with the grit of the American Dream.
Numerous restaurants in Miami capture the essence of our city, from South Beach to the suburbs. To fully comprehend it, here are the must-visit destinations and iconic dishes.
Scarf wings at Sports Grill
If you haven’t spent the entire Sunday dousing yourself in Sports Grill wing sauce and drinking light domestic beer, you should probably give up your 305 area code. Because Sports Grill, which easily tops virtually every list of the city’s best wings, makes them better than any other Miami establishment, despite the efforts of many higher-end establishments.
Dale sauce—pronounced like the racecar driver, not Pitbull—is the condiment of choice here. A frequent customer named it a fiery, deeply smoky slather. Waffle fries and melty cheese sauce make the perfect Miami meal.
How to reserve: Order takeout from Toast or stop by for seating that is first come, first served.
Stone Crab Joe’s Stone Crab
Joe’s Stone Crab Crack Stone Crab Claws at Joe’s Stone Crab SoFi If for no other reason, Joe’s is worth a visit because it is the only Miami restaurant still in existence that was featured on The Golden Girls. And if that isn’t enough, how dare you? Also, just look at the long line that forms outside the establishment during stone crab season. Joe’s is the most traditional Miami restaurant, complete with bow-tied waitstaff, white tablecloths, and four-digit bill, despite the fact that the elusive shellfish are only available from October to May.
Joe’s Takeaway offers the best Fried Chicken and sides when all else fails. Additionally, ensure that you get the key lime pie.
How to reserve: Order online for delivery or takeout by reserving through Resy.
Sanguich De Miami
Sanguich De Miami Multiple locations for the best Cuban sandwich in Miami It says a lot about Miami that people debate where to get the best Cuban sandwich more than they do about our local elections. However, to be fair, we have a lot of great places to get the classic sandwich with Swiss cheese, pork, ham, mustard, pickles, and more. Enriqueta’s is frequently referred to as the go-to for a Cubano, yet there’s a huge possibility that will let you know Sarussi is better. As the name might suggest, Sanguich does it exceptionally well.
This year, even Pollo Tropical joined in with a full menu of Cuban sandwiches. You should go to Versailles if you want to see the most Cuban food, and if it’s really late, try Mary’s Coin Laundry, a laundromat where you can also get sandwiches.
How to reserve: The options for dine-in, delivery, and takeout vary by location.
Sandwich at La Sandwicherie La Sandwicherie | La Sandwicherie End the evening with a huge sandwich at La Sandwicherie Multiple Locations At 2 a.m., when you’re most likely at this late-night sandwich spot, the heated debate between baguette and croissant isn’t nearly as important. Served French-style on new heated bread with fixings in abundance and a generous portion of its renowned vinaigrette, these enormous Dagwood-style manifestations tailor-made for absorbing a drawn-out evening of celebrating.
Asking for a little extra dressing on the side is absolutely fine. Visiting the South Beach location and taking your order across the street to enjoy while sitting at the bar at Mac’s Club Deuce for one last drink is a popular way to try the massive sandwich.
The most effective method to book: The options for dine-in, delivery, and takeout vary by location.
Coyo Taco
Coyo Taco Fuel up on tacos and party in a backroom speakeasy at a variety of locations In the middle of the 2010s, opening a new taco joint in Miami necessitated installing a covert tequila bar in the backroom. It is done in other cities, but nowhere is it as common as here, where establishments like Coyo in Wynwood and Bodega in South Beach have become as well-known for their high-quality barbacoa as they are for their top-notch booze.
El Santo Taqueria, which can be found just down the road, celebrates From Dusk Till Dawn with a bottle-served rager behind the establishment. As Hiden, one of the city’s most sought-after sushi reservations replaces The Taco Stand, we now even have sneaky omakase counters in taco shops.
How to reserve: Swing by for first-come, first-served seating.
Flanigan’s Seafood Bar and Grill’s Garlic Rolls
Flanigan’s Seafood Bar and Grill’s Garlic Rolls at Various Locations The décor of Flanigan’s has served as the basis for thousands of South Florida dating profile pictures, which feature pictures of men holding fish on nearly every wall. When you order some of Flannigan’s famous wings and half a dozen buttery garlic rolls to go with them, that immersion into smoldering masculinity gets even hotter.
However, Flannigan’s huge pitchers of beer, which are as much a part of their brand as their food and frequently come with a free order of wings, make it simple to cool down. Additionally, the indicator that you have resided in South Florida is the green plastic soda cups. You would also be remiss if you didn’t order the Bahama Burger, a favorite flame-grilled burger that is still considered one of Miami’s best.
How to reserve: Visit for seating that is available in order of arrival.
Pasta Macchialina
Macchialina Treat yourself to the greatest carb coma of your life at Macchialina South Beach Pasta, polenta, and a killer wine list are the highlights of this cozy Italian restaurant owned by a family. Here, James Beard semi-finalist Mike Pirolo makes fresh noodles and his sister Jacqueline has one of the city’s most impressive wine collections. Signature dishes incorporate Cavatelli Macchialina made with child meatballs, porchetta, and Pecorino, and a basic yet-magnificent Spaghetti Pomodoro.
And even if you don’t feel like being carby, you can enjoy Bambitinis, also known as, in the sunny outdoor garden and soak up the sun. mini martinis that let you order two and still be able to say something.
How to reserve: Use Toast for takeout, Uber Eats for delivery or Resy for reservations.
Fries and Steak at Rio Cristal Rio Cristal
Rio Cristal At Rio Cristal Westchester in Paris, you can pull your steak out from under a mountain of fries. The Super Rio Cristal in Miami is basically a huge plate of French fries underneath which you eventually get a hot, greasy steak. It’s the mark thing at this West Dade Cuban sturdy, which does a wide range of various island works of art similarly as well.
But if you’re going to the suburbs or just treating your parents to dinner, this spicy and savory slab will fill you up like nothing else. Just make sure you have dedicated time at the gym the next day.
How to reserve: Order takeout and delivery via Toast or stop by for seating that is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Sandwich at Publix Publix
Publix Go full Florida Man with a stop at the Publix deli Various Locations If you ask any former Floridian what they miss most, ninety percent of the time the answer will include something from the cherished grocery store’s deli section. Here, you’ll track down a group of hot things (you can smell the firm-cleaned broiled chicken as far as possible from the dairy walkway) in addition to a decked-out substation.
While the sliced stuff might be delicious, the Chicken Tender Sub will always be the order of choice. You can choose from Publix brand deli meats and cheeses or Boar’s Head. Pro tip: When the house-baked bread is freshest, go early in the day.
How to reserve: You can order takeout or sit down first come, first served at the restaurant.
At Hungry Bear Kendall & Hialeah, indulge in the best sandwich of your life with a choice of one of a million bread slices. Although Hungry Bear Sub Shop has been around for decades and offers some of the best subs you’ll ever find, Miami isn’t known for its killer sandwiches like some of the country’s northern heavy hitters. Go for a honey mustard chicken sub or Philly cheesesteak ensured to last three feasts — all commonly for under $10. How to reserve: You can order takeout and delivery through Postmates and Uber Eats or come in for seating that is first come, first served.
Food at Tropical Chinese Restaurant
Tropical Chinese Restaurant Visit Tropical Chinese Westchester Despite the fact that Miami has one of the most diverse and delectable food scenes in the United States, Chinese cuisine is severely lacking here. That is, that is unless you stop at Tropical while driving down Bird Road, which has the impression that it was dropped from San Francisco’s Chinatown two blocks west of the Palmetto.
Tables crowded with Chinese students from the nearby University of Miami savoring the closest thing they can find to their home cuisine await white tablecloths and epic portions of flavorful, affordable food. It’s an establishment the same way Versailles or Joe’s is — it’s nothing novel except for so great individuals returning for ages.
How to reserve: For takeout, call 305-262-7576 or stop by for seating that is first come, first served.
Dish at El Mago de las Fritas
El Mago de las Fritas Cruise Calle Ocho looking for fritas Various locations The frita, which is essentially a hamburger with a spicy Latin twist made from a delicate mixture of beef and chorizo and is regarded as a fixture among Cuban restaurants and lunch counters throughout the city, is the only thing that Miamians debate nearly as hotly as the Cuban sandwich.
When former President Obama stopped in for one, El Mago de Las Fritas became famous for its version, but many will tell you that El Rey de Las Fritas does it better. or, if you ask the Burger Beast, Luis Gallindo’s. Regardless of who you like, it’s difficult to turn out badly with this searing little patty prepared with paprika and finished off with firm onions.
How to reserve: The options for dine-in, delivery, and takeout vary by location.
Coffee at Islas Canarias Restaurant
Islas Canarias Restaurant orders Cuban coffee and croqueta from vanilla at multiple locations. If you have never had Cuban coffee, it is similar to adding sugar to a bottle of rocket fuel after adding amphetamines to it. Even though you can get one from almost any Miami restaurant, your best bet is to order one from a small window in Hialeah or Little Havana.
Islas Canarias takes care of you assuming you’re matching it with decent, rotisserie croqueta. However, be ready: Just stick with the coffee if you don’t like ham, cheese, or bechamel sauce.