The hottest new restaurants in Miami right now are Anako, Bazaar Meat by José Andrés, Teo Teo, A Pasta Bar, Lito, Naia, and Caviar Club.
Photo by Lorenzo Franco
If you’re having trouble keeping track of all the new restaurants that have opened in Miami since September, I’ve got you covered. Fall is officially the busiest time of year for Miami’s dining scene. And this season is already off to a seriously impressive start. In just the past few weeks, we’ve welcomed everything from a much-needed modern Filipino restaurant in Little River to a New York City pasta bar making its South Florida debut.
What makes this latest wave of openings especially exciting is just how different they all are. Celebrity chef José Andrés has made his grand return to Miami Beach with Bazaar Meat. Plus, the team behind beloved Caracas Bakery has opened a tiny rotisserie chicken shop in MiMo that might become your new favorite takeout spot. Over in Wynwood, Lito is bringing Southern European cooking to the neighborhood. Up in Fort Lauderdale, Las Olas Boulevard welcomes two major newcomers: Naia and Caviar Club. And then there’s Anako, where two talented chefs are giving Filipino cuisine the attention it deserves.
Whether you’re looking for your next date-night spot or a casual lunch that won’t break the bank, consider this your official fall dining guide. I’ve rounded up nine of the hottest new restaurants in South Florida right now, and the best part? They’re all open, so you can actually go try them this week. Happy eating, Miami!
Anako puts a modern spin on Filipino family recipes with influences from across Southeast Asia
Anako
Miami has no shortage of new restaurants, but Filipino food remains surprisingly hard to find — until now. Opened October 22, the intimate restaurant comes from chefs Leicel Ros and Nancy Dominguez. They’re the duo behind the former Sili pop-up at 1-800-Lucky, who are putting a modern spin on Filipino family recipes with influences from across Southeast Asia. Standouts include pork-and-shrimp lumpia, slow-braised oxtail kare-kare, Wagyu bistek tartare, and crispy banana fritters with sesame caramel. With just over 40 seats, an open kitchen, and a separate walk-in cocktail bar, Anako offers something Miami’s dining scene has been missing. It’s a chef-driven Filipino restaurant that feels equally suited for a serious dinner or a casual night out. 8222 NE Second Ave., Miami; 786-309-5252; anakomiami.com.
Diners can expect signatures like tagliatelle with black truffle and beef-filled agnolotti
A Pasta Bar
New York City’s popular A Pasta Bar has finally opened in Sunset Harbour. Opened October 21, the SoHo favorite brings its signature handmade pastas and theatrical dining experience to Miami. It features a stunning marble pasta bar and a 17-seat chef’s counter where diners can watch their meals come together. Expect black truffle tagliatelle, beef-filled agnolotti, and a Miami-exclusive saffron pasta finished tableside with bone marrow. Plus, there’s a five-course pasta tasting menu for serious carb lovers. The restaurant also offers gluten-free, vegan, and protein-enriched pasta options, along with a daily Italian-style aperitivo from 5 to 7 p.m. 1784 West Ave., Miami Beach; apastabar.com.
Bazaar Meat marks the return of Andrés’ beloved Bazaar concept to South Florida
Bazaar Meat by José Andrés
Celebrity chef José Andrés is back in Miami Beach with a steakhouse that’s anything but ordinary. Opened October 22 inside the Andaz Miami Beach Resort & Spa, Bazaar Meat marks the return of Andrés’ beloved Bazaar to South Florida. This time it opens with a carnivore-focused menu. It features dry-aged steaks cooked over an open flame, prized Spanish jamón Ibérico, and his famous “caviar cones.” It also offers a Miami-exclusive spin on his signature airbread inspired by a Cuban sandwich, along with lobster, paella, and other seafood dishes. With a theatrical dining room inspired by Salvador Dalí and Pablo Picasso, Bazaar Meat is one of Miami’s biggest chef-driven openings this fall. 4041 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, at Andaz Miami Beach Resort & Spa; 305-397-8309; thebazaar.com.
The Margaret River Australian Wagyu prime rib at Caviar Club is coated in a porcini-and-peppercorn crust and served with bone marrow and horseradish cream.
Provided by Falsetto Hospitality
Caviar Club
Las Olas just got a whole lot more decadent with Caviar Club. It’s a retro-glam American steakhouse channeling the unapologetic excess of the 1980s. Expect martinis and caviar bites at the bar, then go all-in on dry-aged and Wagyu beef and tableside Dover sole. Plus, an over-the-top steakhouse indulgence in the main dining room. Despite its name, Caviar Club is neither strictly a caviar bar nor an exclusively members-only operation. “We are a retro-glam American steakhouse inspired by the excess and decadence and unapologetic luxury of the 1980s,” they tell New Times. 833 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; caviarclubftl.com.
The 42-ounce “Australian L’Grown Ranch Wagyu Bistecca Fiorentina” at La Sponda on Grove Isle
Photo by The Louis Collection
La Sponda Ristorante & Grille
One of Miami’s most exclusive waterfront enclaves has a stunning new Italian restaurant to match. Located at the Vita at Grove Isle in Coconut Grove, La Sponda is the latest venture from Thomas and Kassidy Angelo, the father-and-daughter team behind Daniel’s Miami. Led by chef Danny Ganem, the upscale restaurant serves handmade pastas, truffle-topped spaghetti alla chitarra, fresh Mediterranean seafood, and a massive Wagyu bistecca Fiorentina, all inspired by the Angelo family’s roots in southern Italy. With white tablecloths, a baby grand piano, and an elegant dining room filled with furnishings imported from Italy, La Sponda brings a taste of old-world Italian glamour to one of Miami’s most coveted waterfront addresses. 4 Grove Isle Dr., Miami; laspondamiami.com.
Lito features Southern Europe-inspired cooking, with a menu filled with crudos, pasta, and grilled seafood,
Lito
Wynwood has a new dinner spot that trades flashy gimmicks for Southern European cooking meant to be shared. Lito is the latest venture from partners Liz Mattos, Eduardo Antunes, and Brazilian-born chef Santos. The menu draws inspiration from the coastal cuisines of Italy, Spain, and beyond. Expect Florida blue crab gnocco fritto, charred tiger prawns with ‘nduja butter, handmade pastas, and butterflied branzino with Sicilian salmoriglio. Plus, there are larger plates like veal alla Milanese. With a seafood-forward menu, citrus-driven cocktails, and an emphasis on sharing, Lito brings a refreshing new option for a proper sit-down dinner in Wynwood. 137 NW 26th St., Miami; litotable.com.
Inside, diners will find an open kitchen with live robata cooking, limestone, and wood finishes
Naia
Pho Nam serves comforting Saigon-style noodle soups and Vietnamese street food
Pho Nam
The acclaimed duo behind Michelin-recognized Vietnamese hotspot Tâm Tâm has another hit on its hands in downtown Miami, and this time, it’s all about pho. Opened September 3 on East Flagler Street, Pho Nam is the latest venture from chef Tam Pham and sommelier Harrison Ramhofer, serving the comforting Saigon-style noodle soups and Vietnamese street food Pham grew up eating. Expect rich, slow-simmered beef pho, spicy bún bò Huế, crispy bánh xèo, and traditional Vietnamese coffee brewed through a phin filter, with creative variations topped with salted foam or coconut slushie. With lines already forming outside, Pho Nam is quickly becoming one of downtown’s most exciting new spots for authentic Vietnamese cooking. 270 E. Flagler St., Miami; phonammia.com.
Teo Teo is a casual new spot serving perfectly roasted, golden-brown chicken
Teo Teo
The team behind beloved Caracas Bakery has a new trick up its sleeve, and this time, it’s all about rotisserie chicken. Opened October 18 right next door to Caracas Bakery in MiMo, Teo Teo is a casual new spot serving perfectly roasted, golden-brown chickens with potatoes, carrots, and a selection of flavorful dipping sauces. The Venezuelan menu is refreshingly simple, with half or whole chickens and a chicken Caesar sandwich served on a soft baguette. It’s a welcome new addition to Biscayne Boulevard, especially for anyone looking for a quick, delicious lunch or an easy takeout dinner. 7285 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; instagram.com/eat.teoteo.
Dining and Cooking