Joe’s Stone Crab
What is New Year’s Day in Miami without some stone crabs? This year, ring in 2017 with claws from some of our favorite Miami mainstays, listed below.
Joe’s Stone Crab
You can’t talk about stone crabs in Miami without mentioning the Magic City’s most iconic South of Fifth restaurant, Joe’s Stone Crab {11 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach; 305.673.0365}. First opened in 1913 by Hungarian-born Joseph Weiss, the “Joe” of Joe’s Stone Crab, this popular locale started out as nothing more than a popular lunch counter with fish sandwiches and fries. Fast-forward to today, and it’s a 450-seat restaurant to the stars with white glove service, an A-list crowd, and of course, the best stone crabs in Miami… and really, anywhere. This New Year’s Day, get your claw fix at “Joe’s” (as the locals call it) by ordering them a la carte, or as part of the locale’s namesake Joe’s Classic Meal: a ½-order of Large Stone Claws, cole slaw, hashed brown potatoes, and for a sweet ending, the restaurant’s famous Key Lime pie. If stone crabs aren’t for you, try Joe’s Famous Cole Slaw, the Lobster Roll basket with Cottage Fried Chips, or the ½ Fried Chicken. At Joe’s, whatever you order, you never go home hungry. Joe’s Stone Crab will be open on New Year’s Day 2017 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
A Fish Called Avalon
Located on the bottom floor of the unassuming Avalon Hotel, A Fish Called Avalon {700 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach; 305.532.1727} is one of Ocean Drive’s most elegant eateries. As its name implies, this award-winning South Beach staple has a menu of dishes inspired by the sea, all whipped up by Executive Chef Kal Abdalla. A charming option for your NYD claws, start your meal with a creative cocktail (like the Ocean Side cocktail, perhaps?) and the popular Bang Bang Shrimp with turmeric curry spices, mint yogurt sauce, and a cucumber pepper relish, and move on to the main event: Jumbo Stone Crab Claws served over crushed ice. Finish your meal with Chef Kal’s Cheesecake with sugar glaze and a blackberry purée, and consider 2017 off to a great start. A Fish Called Avalon will be open on New Year’s Day from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Midtown Oyster Bar
Located in the heart of Midtown Miami, Midtown Oyster Bar {3301 NE 1st Avenue, Suite 103-1, Midtown; 786.220.2070} is one of the Magic City’s most popular places for seafood; namely due to its top-shelf oysters like Moon Shoals, Rocky Nooks and more. That said, its casual setting makes it the perfect place to enjoy a relaxed drink or any fresh-from-the-sea meal. On the first day of 2017, head to Midtown Oyster Bar, look through Chef Angelo Masarin’s delicious menu of local seafood with a Mediterranean flair, and get the Florida Stone Crabs. Hurry up, though! They’re based on availability, and trust us, everyone will be clamoring to get them. Midtown Oyster Bar is open Mondays through Thursdays from Noon to 11 p.m., on Fridays and Saturdays from Noon to Midnight, and on Sundays from Noon to 10:30 p.m.
StripSteak by Michael Mina
Everyone in Miami knowns about the Fontainebleau, and everyone at the Fontainebleau knows about StripSteak by Michael Mina {4441 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach; 877.326.7412}. Coming from Las Vegas, this is the restaurant’s second outpost, and much like its Vegas location, Miamians can’t live without it. With an impressive menu of (you guessed it!) steak, this Magic City mainstay serves prime cuts of beef like A5 Wagyu strip loin from Japan’s Miyazaki region, its 8-ounce filet mignon, the 20-ounce Moyer Farms Châteaubriand and more, all served with diner’s choice of more than 12 sauces and sides. And like any modern steakhouse, its seafood menu also packs a punch. For the claws you’ve been craving, get the Florida Stone Crab Claw with traditional mustard sauce. You’re at a top-notch restaurant in one of Miami’s hottest hotels, so trust us: they won’t disappoint. StripSteak by Michael Mina is open Sunday through Thursday from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., and on Fridays and Saturdays from 6 p.m. to Midnight.
Happy dining!
By Jennifer Agress | Miami Editor