It’s that time of year, Miami! Miami Spice is back in the Magic City for the 16th year—and with it, Miami diners get two months of affordable prix-fixe menus at some of Miami’s hottest restaurants. In addition to its usual $23 lunch and $39 dinner menus, this year’s Spice will include a $23 weekend brunch at select restaurants. While drinks, tax, and gratuity are priced separately, every menu promises diners one appetizer, one entrée, and one dessert; making this one of the best dining deals in the Magic City all year long.
And of the 239 restaurants participating, we’ve narrowed down the list to our top 20 picks. Here are our favorite places to wine and dine during Miami Spice 2017, which will run from now through September 30:
Atrio Restaurant & Wine Room
While you get a primo view of all of Brickell Avenue, enjoy lunch and dinner plates like Lamb Spare Rib, Slow Barolo Wine Braised Oxtail Cannelloni, Sweet Potato Gnocchi, and Raspberry Macarons with chocolate ganache.
Available for Lunch, Monday – Friday; Dinner, Monday – Saturday
Bistro One LR
There are many reasons to go to this fancy American bistro, but some key ones to point out are its direct views of the Atlantic Ocean, fresh seafood and steaks, and its impressive wine list. Go for Miami Spice, and get that Ritz-Carlton-level cuisine at a reduced price. Plates like Provoleta, Goat Cheese and Beet Salad, Cobia Sancocho, Fresh Black Pepper Linguini, Churrasco “Saltado,” Pastelitos with guava macarons and cream cheese ice cream, and a Caramelized Key Lime Tart won’t disappoint.
Available for Dinner every night of the week
Cantina La 20
This dazzling, four-star waterfront restaurant is known for its elevated Mexican cuisine and sparkling views of Biscayne Bay and Brickell Key. During Miami Spice, get Sopes de Pollo, Burrata with a balsamic-vanilla chipotle reduction, Calamares Fritos, Tampiqueña, Arroz Verde de Cilantro con Camarones, Churros, and Panna Cotta de Mango.
Available for Lunch, Sunday – Thursday; Dinner, Sunday – Thursday
DiLido Beach Club
At this casual-chic restaurant and lounge, couple breathtaking ocean views with Spicy Ahi Tuna Tartare, Hummus, Grilled Salmon or Snapper with chargrilled vegetables, Classic Bacon Cheeseburgers, a Lemon Meringue “Beach Pail” dessert, and a DiLido Sundae with house-made dulce de leche ice cream, tres leches cake, pretzel nougat, strawberry guava sauce, and an almond “cigar.”
Available for Dinner every night of the week

Fogo de Chão
Coming straight from Brazil, this authentic churrascaria has set the global standard for delicious Brazilian cuisine for 35+ years. During Miami Spice, get a firsthand taste of its delectable cuts of fire-roasted meats–expect endless sirloins like Picanha, Alcatra, bacon-wrapped Fraldinha, Linguiça, Bisteca de Porco, and more. For a sweet ending, choose desserts like Key Lime Pie, Chocolate Mousse Cake and New York Cheesecake.
Available for Dinner every night of the week

Fontana at The Biltmore
At this pristine Italian restaurant, expect upscale Spice menus with Carpaccio di Salmoni, Calamari Ripeni con Spinaci e Gamberi, Polpette di Carne con Pomodoro e Ricotta, Bistecca alla Brace con Burro di Erbe, Torta al Cioccolato and more.
Available for Lunch, Monday – Saturday; Dinner, every night of the week

Hakkasan
This Miami Spice, head to Miami’s sexiest Cantonese restaurant and lounge, Hakkasan. When you go, enjoy family-style plates of Steamed Flounder Fish with Black Bean Sauce, Stir-Fry Baby Pak Choi, Chicken Fried Rice with Salted Egg, Spicy Beef with Lotus Root Shui Mai, Old Beijing Noodles, Mango Custard and more.
Available for Lunch, Saturday – Sunday; Dinner, every night of the week

Jaya at The Setai
Go to Jaya at The Setai for haute Pan-Asian cuisine. On the Miami Spice menu, you’ll find some of the restaurant’s most popular plates, from Vietnamese Chicken, Poke Salmon, and Goy-Kai No Ceviche, to Barbeque Pork Ribs, Tuna, Edamame, Chicken Poke, and more.
Available for Lunch, Monday – Friday; Dinner, Monday – Sunday
La Mar by Gaston Acurio
Come here for Executive Chef Diego Oka’s inventive twist on traditional Peruvian cuisine. During Miami Spice, expect haute dishes like the Criollo Sampler with Tiradito Bachiche and La Casera, Cachetes de Ternera, Picante de Mariscos, Hummus Salad, Paleta de Lucuma, and the La Pina dessert topped with dulce de leche foam, ginger jelly, and orange sauce.
Available for Lunch, Monday – Saturday; Dinner, Monday – Thursday
Los Fuegos by Francis Mallmann
Helmed by Argentine grillmaster Francis Mallmann, this swanky spot is known for its South American live-fire cooking and fancy “asado” experience. On the Spice menu? There will be popular plates like Carrots and Blood Orange Salad, Local Grouper “Crudo,” Potato Gnocchi “A La Plancha,” Wood Oven Empanadas with hand-cut prime fillet, Wood Oven Summer Squash with sweet corn and feta cheese, Slow Cooked “Carrillera” with confit potato, Pink Grapefruit Tartlet, Dulce de Leche Flan, and more.
Available for Lunch, Monday – Saturday; Dinner, Sunday – Thursday
Mare Mio Restaurant
Brought to us by Italian restaurateur Claudio Giordano, the man behind Altamare, this charming seafood spot sits right on enchanting Española Way. During Spice season, go here for Wahoo Crudo, Salmon Tartare, Oysters, Wild Mushroom Ravioli with truffled porcini cream, Sautéed White Canaveral Shrimp with curry, a Deconstructed Tiramisu Shot of Espresso with a shot of Baileys Irish Cream, and more.
Available for Lunch and Dinner every day of the week
Market at EDITION
This is famed chef and restaurateur Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s answer to a European marketplace right here in the Magic City. Inspired by the flavors of the Mediterranean, expect East and West Coast Oysters, Tomato Gazpacho with summer berries, Black Truffle and Fontina Pizza, Walnut and Coconut Cream Cake, Chocolate Marshmallow Cake, and an Ice Cream Sundae piled high with salted caramel ice cream, candied peanuts, candied popcorn, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and more.
Available for Lunch, every day of the week; Dinner, Wednesday – Sunday

Mr. Chow  
Everyone’s heard of the prestigious Mr. Chow. When Miami Spice comes to town, you can get it’s delectable Asian cuisine at an unusually affordable price—like family-style Shrimp Water Dumplings, Chicken Satay, Mr. Chow Noodles, Beijing Shredded Chicken, Pineapple Fish, Beef and Green Onions, and more. Then, for dessert, get individual servings of Mixed Sorbet or Ice Cream.
Available for Dinner, Sunday – Thursday

NaiYaRa
This retro-contemporary Sunset Harbour restaurant gives us a taste of Chef Bee’s delicious Thai-inspired cuisine. Go during Spice, and get some of the best: like Thai Street Dumplings, Salmon Tacos, the Miami Heat Roll, Green Curry, Drunken Udon, Veggie Fried Rice, and desserts like Pandan Vanilla Flan with passion fruit sorbet and Milk Chocolate Pots de Creme.
Available for Dinner, Sunday – Thursday
Ortanique on the Mile
Known for its “Cuisine of the Sun,” this Miracle Mile restaurant serves an eclectic fusion of American, Caribbean, Latin and Asian cuisine in a colorful tropical setting. The menu changes daily, but guests can expect flavorful plates like Spicy Ahi Tuna Poke with Asian-style pickled cucumbers and ginger, Certified Angus Center Cut Skirt Steak, Coffee and Cocoa Encrusted Faroe Island Salmon, Three Mushroom Lasagna, and Passion Fruit Sabyon.
Available for Lunch, Monday – Thursday; Dinner, every night of the week
Sarsaparilla Club
The brainchild of unstoppable chef husband-and-wife duo, Jeff McInnis and Janine Booth, this  modern-American dim sum restaurant has become a Collins Avenue staple. When you’re there, browse the Spice menu for three courses of some of the restaurant’s most popular dishes: like Carrot and Beet Tartare, Short Rib Meat Loaf, Key West Pink Shrimp Laksa, and Sarsaparilla’s Fried Chicken.
Available for Dinner every night of the week
Scarpetta
This is hands-down one of the best Italian restaurants in Miami, and with Scott Conant’s name behind it, it’s easy to see why. During Miami Spice, Scarpetta diners can feast on some of the restaurant’s signature dishes, like Creamy Polenta with Fricassee of Truffled Mushrooms, Spaghetti with Tomato and Basil, Beef Short Rib Agnolotti, Coconut Panna Cotta, and more.
Available for Dinner every night of the week
StripSteak by Michael Mina
At this Michael Mina mainstay, choose from Ricotta Cavatelli, Roasted Corn Soup, Grilled Beef Churrasco, Pan-Seared Striped Bass, Passion Fruit Panna Cotta, and more. No matter what you order, it will all keep you craving more.
Available for Dinner every night of the week
Happy dining!
By Jennifer Agress | Miami Editor

Sitting in Miami’s dazzling Brickell City Centre, Big Easy Winebar & Grill {701 South Miami Avenue #339, Brickell; 786.814.5955} is Miami’s only authentic South African steakhouse. Named after Ernie Els, a restaurant partner, golf icon and winemaker affectionately known as “The Big Easy,” this casual and sophisticated spot focuses on the flavors of the Western Cape region of South Africa. And staying true to its theme, it even has native South African chef, Maryna Frederiksen, helming the kitchen as Executive Chef.
Having just opened in December 2016, this was the first Downtown Miami venture by Grove Bay Hospitality Group—the restaurant firm behind Giorgio Rapicavoli’s acclaimed Coconut Grove spot, Glass & Vine, and the soon-to-open Stubborn Seed by Jeremy Ford and Stiltsville Fish Bar by Jeff McInnis and Janine Booth—but to Magic City diners, it’s already become a Miami staple.    
And now, to go with the restaurant’s cozy interior, unbelievable wine and cocktail list, and mouthwatering South American menu of Chili-Coffee Rubbed Pork Flatbread, Prime Dry Aged Kansas City Strip, Bison Ribeye, and more, Big Easy has launched a new program for its most exclusive guests: The Barrel Club. Perfect for Miami oenophiles, this wine club gives Big Easy diners their own personalized wine cabinet, personalized wine menus, invitations to quarterly members-only events with complimentary wine tastings, an exclusive bottle of wine every quarter, and VIP access to Big Easy’s annual tasting event. Priced at $499 per person for an annual membership, this club also gives members VIP status when it comes to making reservations. With a menu of South African wines and vintages from Ernie Els’ own vineyards, all handpicked by Louis Strydom (Winemaker & Managing Director of Ernie Els Wines), Big Easy is no stranger to good grapes—and as part of this new club, Miami wine lovers won’t be, either.
Happy dining!
By Jennifer Agress | Miami Editor

Hidden in a centuries-old stone pump house, and surrounded by lush backyard gardens, a Japanese-style pond and a romantic ambiance that’s hard to find in Miami, Café Roval {5808 NE 4 Court, Miami, Morningside; 786.953.7850} has become one of Miami’s go-to date night spots. And now, this romantic place has a new chef at the helm—and with it, a new, drool-worthy menu.
This summer, head to Café Roval and get Mediterranean fare that’s good for your tastebuds and your soul. Grab a seat in the vintage dining room, or if you’re lucky, snag a seat pond-side and pair your tasty cuisine with a jaw-dropping sunset view. Start with appetizers like Roasted Oysters with smoked chili butter or Beets with arugula, labneh, and pistachio dukkag; and move on to a main plate like Creamy Gnocchi & Maine Lobster with sweet corn, shiitake, and basil. Steak is done incredibly well here, so the New York Strip with salt roasted potatoes, Romesco sauce, and sauce Bordelaise is well worth a try. You’ll want a drink to go with it, so go ahead and order from the impressive wine list or grab a cocktail. Beedoo, the restaurant’s bar guru, has a reputation for making creative cocktails you just can’t get enough of. The Bjork with fresh lychee purée, plum vinegar, maldon syrup, SOTO sake, and lychee Thai chili strings is sure to be a fan favorite, as is the  Sunomono Kind Of: a mix of fresh pressed cucumber, lime, apple cider vinegar, vlast “vodka”, Tabasco, and a cucumber-stuffed olive.

And with a menu as good as this, it goes without saying that the restaurant needs a talented chef to bring it all to fruition. Chef Curtis Rhodes is just that guy. Born and raised in Hawaii, Chef Curtis learned his craft from his culinary mentor, Hawaiian Master Chef Jean Marie Josselin, who helped him gain the coastal touch to his cuisine that his diners have come to love. And despite not being from here, Chef Curtis is no stranger to the Miami dining scene. In fact, as a professional chef for almost 20 years, he has spent 11 of those years helming the kitchens of some of Miami’s most popular restaurants. He’s worked in the kitchen at Oceanaire Seafood Room, he has worked side-by-side with chef and restaurateur David Bracha to open Oak Tavern, and was appointed Chef de Cuisine of The River Seafood & Oyster Bar. Now, he’s the Executive Chef at Café Roval… and we can’t wait to see what he has in store.
Happy dining!
By Jennifer Agress | Miami Editor

Looking for some cheap eats? Found in some of Miami’s top restaurants, these 10 dishes give you the best bang for your buck—they’re all priced at $10 or less. Enjoy!
Chorizo Cantimpalo
Sausage, Spanish-style
Where you’ll get it: Casa Juancho {2436 SW 8 Street, Miami, FL 33135; 305.642.2452}
Price: $9
“The King” Dressed-Up Scoop
Peanut butter-banana sorbet, caramel bananas, candied peanuts, cinnamon toast, and brown-sugar bacon
Where you’ll get it: Quality Meats Miami Beach {1501 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach; 305.340.3333}
Price: $8

Pork Belly Bacon Steamed Buns
Two pieces; house made buns, fish sauce, caramel, and cilantro peanut slaw
Where you’ll get it: The Sarsaparilla Club {1801 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach; 305.341.1400}
Price: $9
Curry Jerk Chicken Wings
Served with blue cheese ranch
Where you’ll get it: Zest Miami {200 South Biscayne Boulevard, Miami; 305.374.ZEST} 
Price: $10
Stracciatella
A soup with egg drop and spinach in chicken broth, plus Parmigiano reggiano
Where you’ll get it: Cibo Wine Bar Coral Gables {45 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables; 305.442.4925}
Price: $9
Banana Johnny Cake
A brunch dish made with buttery cornbread, banana, maple, and brown sugar
Where you’ll get it: Glass & Vine {2820 McFarlane Road, Coconut Grove; 305.200.5268}
Price: $10

Bacalao Croquettes
Served with salsa verde
Where you’ll get it: The River Seafood & Oyster Bar {650 South Miami Avenue, Brickell; 305.530.1915}
Price: $8
Chocolate Marshmallow Cake
Dessert
Where you’ll get it: Market at EDITION {2901 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach; 786.257.4500}De
Price: $9

Arancini
Mozzarella- and jalapeño-stuffed risotto balls with roasted red pepper, tomato coulis, and basil oil
Where you’ll get it: R House {2727 NW 2 Avenue, Wynwood; 305.576.0201}
Price: $9
Un Classico Saltimbocca
With chorizo, provolone, roasted peppers, and caramelized onions
Where you’ll get it: Spris Artisan Pizza {21 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach; 305.673.2020}
Price: $9.25

Happy dining!
By Jennifer Agress | Miami Editor

Here in Miami, there’s always a jaw-dropping dinner we say we have to try. But every once in awhile, there’s a dinner so intriguing that we do more than just say it—we make a reservation and actually go. Cue: this week’s Pappy Van Winkle bourbon-pairing dinner at StripSteak by Michael Mina {4441 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach; 877.326.7412}. It hasn’t even happened yet, and we already know it’s going to be one for the books.
Part of the Fontainebleau Miami Beach’s Cellar 1954 dinner series, a monthly event that couples some of the best wines and spirits from across the globe with top dishes from the Fontainebleau’s award-winning restaurants, this dinner pays homage to the hotel’s iconic inauguration in 1954. July’s Cellar 1954 installation will take place this Friday, July 21, at 8 p.m., and with it, it will celebrate one of the finest and most respected whiskeys on the market. Each course will be paired with 10-, 12- and 13-year-old Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon, and after dinner, whiskey-lovers can head down to the lower restaurant deck for cigars and a nightcap of 15-, 20- and 23-year-old Pappy.

…intrigued? Join us! Checkout the menu below and reserve your spot now.
Canapés:
Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta, Braised Short Rib, and Mushroom Arancini
Appetizer:
Smoked Mussels
Pairing: Pappy Van Winkle 10-Year
Entrée:
Prosciutto Wrapped Pheasant
Pairing: Pappy Van Winkle 13 Year
Dessert:
Grilled Angel Food Cake
Pairing: Pappy Van Winkle 12 Year
This dinner is priced at $350 per person.
Happy dining!
By Jennifer Agress | Miami Editor

Has summer got you feeling those vacation vibes? Head to two of our favorite Miami restaurants, Cindy Hutson’s Caribbean-inspired Zest {200 South Biscayne Boulevard, Downtown Miami; 305.374.9378} or Ortanique on the Mile {278 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables; 305.446.7710}, before Monday, July 31, and you might get the vacation of your dreams. Sponsored by both restaurants, one lucky winner will get a four day/three night trip to Montego Bay, Jamaica for two at The Cliff Hotel Negril, along with transportation to and from the hotel, breakfast, and flights. 
Enticed? So. Are. We.
Here’s how it works:
Dine at Zest or Ortanique three different times and order an entrée during every visit, or spend more than $300 at either location, before tax and gratuity. You can eat at either restaurant, but only one entry card per person will be valid. Every participant must be 18 years or older, and groups of diners cannot combine entrées for their entry. The drawing will take place on Tuesday, August 1.
If you don’t get a Jamaican getaway, don’t worry—you can still be a winner. Second place applicants will get a $200 giftcard to either Zest or Ortanique on the Mile, and third place will get a signed copy of Cindy Hutson’s newest cookbook, From the Tip of My Tongue. Good luck!
Please note that blackout dates apply, and winner must give a minimum of 30 days before their desired date of travel for airline tickets to be booked. No travel is allowed during major Jamaican holiday weekends.
Happy dining!
By Jennifer Agress | Miami Editor