Miami’s food scene is having a moment. From taco joints in Wynwood to Michelin-recognized supper clubs in South Beach, the city's restaurant roster is more robust than ever, with local chefs competing with globally-recognized toques for accolades and stars. If you're visiting the city to partake in its culinary fireworks, you’re going to need a place to stay, so here are our picks for the best hotels that are situated near Miami’s must-eat-at restaurants.
South Beach through Mid-Beach
South Beach's dining scene has always been an eclectic—and electric—mix of casual mom-and-pop type places, upscale restaurants, and glitzy supper clubs where you dine while the DJ spins. Having South Beach as your home base means you can easily walk or take a Citi Bike to lunch in Sunset Harbour, home to local favorites such as Lucali Pizza and Pubbelly Sushi. Mimi Chinese checks the boxes for delicious spicy noodles and shrimp toast, while everyone knows Macchialina is the place to go for good pasta and a great wine selection.
Over on Lincoln Road, Mila gives you reason to dress up for a night of Asian-inspired dishes and live entertainment (in the form of fire dancers on the outdoor patio). Newcomer Oro next door is an opulent ode to farm-to-table cooking: There's a dollop of caviar on top of almost everything and guests sip flower-festooned cocktails. If you're hungry for the quintessential glamorous South Beach experience, make a reservation for dinner in the courtyard of the Setai hotel, which houses two restaurants: the Indian-inspired Jaya and Japon, with an Izakaya-style menu that includes sushi. Both are situated in a stunning al fresco dining hall that hosts roving performers like contortionists and acrobats throughout dinner service.
It’s also worth heading north to Mid-Beach for a taste of the addictive Latin-inspired menu Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Matador Room at The Miami Edition. It’s the fanciest arroz con pollo you’ll ever have. A few blocks up on Collins Ave is the beachy and buzz-worthy Aguasal by Jose Andres, which serves coastal Mediterranean dishes at the recently-unveiled Andaz Miami Beach.
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This sprawling beachfront resort, known for its spacious rooms and eco-chic amenities, is close to all the action in South Beach but secluded enough to feel like a getaway. A self-proclaimed “sustainable sanctuary,” the hotel is Silver LEED certified (meaning it meets requirements from the U.S. Green Building Council) and features low-energy LED lights, recycled wooden room keys, filtered water tap in every room, organic cotton sheets, and upcycled driftwood furniture throughout. Because this is a full-service resort, there’s plenty of space to relax with four pools, a well-equipped and sprawling fitness center, and an award-winning spa.
Dining options are so good you may be tempted to stay on the property for your meals. Tala Beach Club, located at beach level, takes you to Tulum with a lively weekend brunch scene while Aviv, the property's fine dining option, serves James Beard Award-winning chef Michael Solomonov’s take on Israeli cuisine for breakfast and dinner. Ride the elevator to the roof and you can enjoy Asian-inspired cuisine while DJ beats thump at Watr.
Design District and Wynwood
The Design District, known for its luxury boutiques and public art exhibitions, is also home to the most Michelin stars in Miami (currently, four stars and three Bib Gourmand awards). The two-star L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon is a polished iteration of the late chef’s modern French cooking, and its one-star sibling Le Jardinier draws inspiration from hyperseasonal Japanese cuisine and traditional French cooking techniques. For a raucous night out, reserve a table at the sleek one-star Korean steakhouse Cote, an outpost of the popular New York City hotspot, known for its impressive banchan spread and premium cuts of beef grilled tableside.
A perfect spot for brunch or happy hour is neighborhood pioneer and James Beard Award-winning chef Michael Schwartz’s Michael’s Genuine for vibrant locavore cooking, or you can grab a seat at the blond wood sushi counter at Nami Nori for a casual meal of creative and fresh temaki hand rolls. For dessert, head to Kith Treats for cereal-flecked soft-serve shakes.
If you stay in the Design District, you’re just a quick Uber or 20-minute stroll to Wynwood, which is abundant with spots both casual and posh. Here you can grab carne asada tacos at Coyo Taco before stepping into Sparrow Italia for some live jazz and clever mixology. There are a bevy of Asian spots that combine Izakaya-like vibes with good cocktails for a chill dinner, like Michael Schulson’s Double-Knot, the cult favorite Kyu with an iconic smoked short rib, and newly-opened Shiso, which has graffitied walls and an addictive oxtail udon noodle dish. The Italian spots are also worth adding to your list. Dōma is a great spot for a romantic night out, and Otto and Pepe offers a genuinely fun pasta counter experience. Ropey cacio e pepe noodles are the star at Pasta, which is helmed by a husband-and-wife team from Peru who also make a killer mascarpone cheesecake spiked with gorgonzola, a bracing take on a classic dessert.
Occupying the 100-year-old landmark Moore building, this boutique hotel is perfectly situated to help you take advantage of the best of the Design District and explore Wynwood. In addition to 15 guestrooms, the four-story building also houses a posh co-working space, multiple restaurants, and a karaoke den. A private members club (which hotel guests have access to during their stay) features exclusive spaces like intimate cocktail lounges and regularly hosts events like artist talks and musical performances. The hotel also has an art gallery with a rotating lineup of emerging artists. Accordingly, the hotel attracts an artsy and fashionable clientele; its lounges and hallways buzz during the annual Art Basel fair and events like the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix and Miami Music Week.
The Moore's most striking design element is artist Zaha Hadid's site-specific installation “Elastika,” which spans the hotel's light-filled atrium. Stretches of weblike-material gives the space a futuristic feel that contrasts with the building’s historic architecture. The residential-style rooms are elegant and comfortable thanks to Swedish Duxiana beds, Byredo shower amenities, and oversized soaking tubs in porcelain bathrooms.
Downtown through Brickell
If you prefer a cosmopolitan urban landscape over a beachy escape, the Brickell neighborhood has gone through a renaissance in the last decade. What was once a sleepy financial district has become a sophisticated tourist destination, home to flashy hotels and even flashier restaurants, most of which are actually quite good, despite their penchant for sparkler-festooned champagne bottles and DJ booths.
Stay downtown and you can easily pop over to happy hour at LPM Miami to rub elbows with Brickell power players and try its legendary tomatini served with clarified tomato juice. From there it’s on to dinner at Osaka next door, with dazzling Nikkei-style dishes. Further up the avenue, Claudie channels the South of France, complete with a bubbling fountain in its picturesque courtyard, while across the street, seductive spot Felice dishes up excellent pasta and tiramisu. For a big night out, you'll want—no, need— Brickell’s most over-the-top sushi restaurant Sexy Fish. Bronze mermaids, floating fish, and a large octopus sculpture by Damien Hirst look down on diners in the dining room.
Located in the middle of Brickell's action and adjacent to the gleaming Brickell City Centre shopping destination, the East Miami hotel features a buzzing 40th-floor rooftop bar, the highest in the city, where you can join nightlife types to sip cocktails while enjoying Blade Runner-esque views. Rooms are modern, minimalist, and soothing with dark interiors and wooden furniture that contrasts the pale floors and drapes. Many feature full kitchens and apartment-like amenities, but what makes them stand out are those views of Miami’s skyscraper-filled Brickell canyon, especially from the top floors.
The hotel’s fifth floor restaurant Quinto is inspired by South American wood-fired cooking. Its large communal wood tables and chairs woven with leather straps help make you feel like you're dining in the home of a refined gaucho. Pop in for a hearty meal of grilled meats and seafood along with empanadas and provolone cheese cooked in cast iron pots.
Coconut Grove and Coral Gables
Coconut Grove is Miami’s oldest neighborhood. Known for its Royal Poinciana tree-lined streets, lush green parks, and sweeping bay views, it’s also where you’ll find excellent restaurants led by many of the city’s strongest chefs. Michael Beltran, who was raised in Little Havana, serves seasonally-focused Cuban food at Michelin-starred Ariete. While at Los Felix (another Michelin-starred spot and 2022 Best New Restaurant pick) indigenous agricultural practices underscore chef Sebastian Vargas’s menu. On the glitzier side is Amal, which serves modern Lebanese dishes in its airy cabana-like dining room. Round out your dining agenda with brunch at an "Old Grove" staple Le Bouchon du Grove, a meal at Bombay Darbar (order the tikka masala), and sunset happy hour at Level 6 Rooftop.
The Coral Gables area’s iconic Miracle Mile—with its wide sidewalks and Mediterranean Revival style architecture—is just a short drive south. Stay here and you'll be minutes from restaurants like hummus-and-shnitzel heavy hitter Motek and Italian classics at Salumeria 104. Radiating off the main thoroughfare are noteworthy options including Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bistro, Michael White’s Mika with its impeccable pastas, the Japanese-inspired Zitz Sum, and affordable omakase counter Miss Crispy Rice.
This Cipriani-owned property is the perfect base for this extremely walkable neighborhood. Nestled in the heart of Coconut Grove, it’s situated near the recently-upgraded Cocowalk shopping center, popular sidewalk cafes, and Peacock Park and the adjacent marina.
Upon arrival, you'll be greeted with a signature Mr. C Bellini and led to one of the hotel’s nautical-inspired rooms. Designed by hospitality star Martin Brudnizki, each has a private balcony, glossy walnut wood furniture, bright blue-tiled walk-in showers, and custom-made Italian toiletries. The swanky rooftop Bellini Restaurant and Bar serves the traditional Italian cuisine that the Cipriani family is famous for, like dishes of carpaccio and baked tagliolini to grilled specialties, all of which are served by bow-tied waiters with Italian accents.
South Miami
The South Miami dining scene had previously been a victim of its suburban trappings, attracting mostly large chain restaurants that cater to families and University of Miami students. But in the last 10 years, things have changed for the better.
Now you’ll find a slew of enticing restaurants, like James Beard Award semifinalist Chef Niven Patel’s Ghee, which serves creative Indian cuisine made with produce from his South Miami farm. The recent opening of Daniel’s, a steakhouse by Chef Danny Ganem, has generated considerable buzz due to its sensational steaks and Italian-inspired dishes utilizing produce from Florida farms. The Michelin-recognized Recoveco (one of our Best New Restaurants of 2025) is drawing crowds to its modest dining room off US1 while steakhouse-meets-neighborhood-tavern Beauty and the Butcher attracts folks looking for a good burger and strong cocktails. No trip is complete without a visit to Chef Adrianne's Vineyard Restaurant & Bar. The neighborhood pioneer has been serving Napa wine country-influenced dishes for over 15 years and still impresses with luxe service and extensive wine selection.
The Thesis is located at the intersection of three historic South Florida neighborhoods (South Miami, Coral Gables, and Coconut Grove) and across the street from the University of Miami, making it well situated for easy jaunts to South Miami hotspots. Opened in 2020, the 245-room hotel is also a community hub, regularly hosting local art exhibitions, live music performances, wellness workshops and culinary experiences.
There’s no shortage of good restaurants within the property—Mamey serves eclectic Florida-centric cuisine, the Collab Restaurant features an open kitchen and wood-fired meats and pizzas, and Ivy Rooftop has stunning views of Coral Gables's tree-lined streets and lush waterways. The spacious rooms (which can be surprisingly affordable, particularly in the off season) feature modern design in muted grays with pops of color from contemporary art and jewel-toned furnishings. Hotel guests are also encouraged to use the house bicycles to explore the neighborhood without worrying about parking or traffic.
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