Miami Spice is finally here! Created by The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB), this annual two-month promotion—which runs from August 1, to September 30, 2018—gives diners prix-fixe menus at 200+ of Miami’s top restaurants. Included in this promotion? Three-course lunches starting at just $23 per person.

And to kick-off Spice season, we’ve narrowed down some of our favorite lunch deals in town. Here are five restaurants where you can find them:
Ariete: This Coconut Grove stunner took everyone’s breath away when it opened its doors in 2016. Helmed by one of Miami’s best chefs, Michael Beltran, the New-American-meets-New-World Ariete {3540 Main Highway, Coconut Grove; 305.640.5862} is known for its inviting, but intimate atmosphere and creative plates. Go for lunch and start with appetizers like Brussels Sprouts and Burrata with melao and tasajo or Wood Grilled Chicken Wings with fish sauce caramel, and move on to entrées like the Chug Burger or Fish Milanese with tomato ragout and bib lettuce. For the cherry on top of a great meal, end with the Ariete Flan with candy cap mushrooms and Sambuca-flavored crema or the Ariete House Turtle Cookie with butterscotch and chocolate chunks.
La Mar by Gastón Acurio: There’s nothing celebrity chef Gastón Acurio can’t do, and the same goes for Executive Chef Diego Oka, who runs his namesake Peruvian restaurant in Miami, La Mar by Gaston Acurio {500 Brickell Bay Drive, Brickell; 305.913.8358}. Known for its beautiful views of both Biscayne Bay and the Downtown Miami skyline, go here for a Miami Spice lunch that includes the Trio Sampler with cebiche carretillero, causa salad, and anticucho corazón, the Shrimp Locro with kabocha squash stew and queso fresco, Tallarines Verdes with anticucho skirt steak, and a dessert of Chicha Morada Paletas.
Artisan Beach House: Part of the Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour, Artisan Beach House {10295 Collins Avenue, Bal Harbour; 305.455.5460} is popular for its fresher-than-fresh seafood and sweeping views of both the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway. During Miami Spice, go for lunch and indulge in Shakshuka Hummus with grilled naan bread and roasted tomato tapenade, Cobia Ceviche with aji amarillo leche de tigre and grilled homestead corn, Black Pepper Linguini with oven-roasted cauliflower, Grilled Salmon with smoked farro and bok choy, and Blueberry Crumble Cheesecake with orange gelée and chantilly cream.

Quattro Gastronomia Italiana: Quattro Gastronomia Italiana {1014 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach; 305.531.4833} has been an Italian staple on Lincoln Road since 2006. During the day, lunch on Lincoln Road is more than a meal—it’s an all-day activity. Through the end of September, opt for a three-course meal of authentic Italian fare: like Caprese with Buffalo mozzarella with multicolor tomatoes, Rigatoni alla Boscaiola with Parma ham and porcini mushrooms, Dentice alla Griglia with grilled red snapper filet and a lemon caper sauce, and for dessert, homemade gelato.

Hakkasan: Everyone who’s anyone knows about Hakkasan {4441 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach; 786.276.1388}, whether it’s for its nightclub in Las Vegas or its haute Cantonese cuisine right here at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach. Go with a guest and enjoy a family-style dim sum menu for a minimum of two people. Start with the Dim Sum Basket—it comes complete with Chinese-chive shrimp dumplings, black rice and vegetable dumplings and spicy beef dumplings with lotus root shumai—as well as family-style plates like Grilled Honey Char Shui and Braised Beef Shin Platter, Sautéed Pak Choi with garlic sauce, and Braised Diced Soy Chicken with noodles. For dessert, you can’t go wrong with the Mango Custard with Kalamanzi gel and yuzu meringue or the Chocolate Cake with a sesame cremeux.
Happy dining!
By Jennifer Agress | Miami Editor