Here at The Leftovers, we’ve eaten our way through plenty of brunches in Miami: some worth the hype, some not, and a handful that stick in our rotation. These are the ones we actually go back to, the spots we’d recommend when someone asks where to book a table on a Saturday or Sunday.
Together we picked 21 places that cover the spectrum, from hotel buffets to neighborhood cafés, scene-heavy patios to everyday staples.
We’ll keep this list updated a few times a year because brunch in Miami doesn’t sit still, and neither do we.
Amara at Paraiso
Amara is redefining waterfront luxury with its buffet set against sweeping views of Biscayne Bay, priced at $89 per adult (and $48 for children under 12). The spread features Latin-inspired and coastal flavors - think artisan breads & bagels, seasonal vegetables and salads, a full raw bar stocked with oysters, chilled shrimp, ceviche and lobster roll. Entrées like salt-baked salmon, charcoal-grilled steak, moqueca and Peruvian roasted chicken, plus sweet bites raging from fresh-baked pastries to gelato.
Drink packages include mimosas, Bloody Marys, Bellinis, and wines. For $65 you can add signature cocktails and house spirits. –EMN
Pro tip: Don’t miss the raw bar because located in the corner by the open kitchen.
@amaraatparaiso // 3101 NE 7th Ave., Miami
Batch Gastropub
To some people, “hair of the dog” means drinking in the morning to kill a hangover. In Brickell, it often means going right back to the bar that made you feel half-dead in the first place. Batch’s brunch party doesn’t rage as hard as its Ladies Nights, but the food brings people in just as well. The cinnamon roll waffles are just as sticky sweet and decadent as they sound, and the chicken and waffles with thick cut bacon are always a favorite of visitors from up north in The South. - MM
Pro tip: If you don’t mind a little sugar crash, the Nutella S’mores cast iron “Thicc” pancakes could be the best menu item in Brickell.
@batchmiami // 30 SW 12th St., Brickell
Gaby by Call Me Gaby
Call Me Gaby offers a brunch menu. Sort of. It’s only on Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM at their Aventura Mall offshoot, Gaby by Call Me Gaby. The menu includes dishes like steak and eggs, crispy eggs on a truffle cheese fondue sauce, scrambled eggs with smoked mozzarella, and a Sabrina Pizzeta dessert. It’s their signature dessert pizzeta with orange marmalade, fresh orange slices, dark chocolate shavings, and powdered sugar. –EMN
Pro tip: If you’re closer to their Miami Beach location, don’t miss the Tuna Nicoise! @gabybycallmegaby // 19656 Biscayne Blvd., Aventura
Casadonna
Some kids think it’s cool to hate on anything even remotely “sceney.” But those people also probably wait in line an hour for a bagel. Casadonna is every Miami stereotype you can imagine all rolled into one delectable bayside scene, with one major exception: The food is fantastic. The spread ranges from fresh Italian pastas to an entire room of pastries from Caracas Bakery. And just behind the live piano player on the patio, you’ll find a fresh juice bar too. So order up another glass of rose and embrace your Miami basicness for an afternoon. Sometimes, it’s more fun being the peoplewatchees. -MM
Pro tip: Uber here. They share a parking lot with Klaw (see below) and the valet is a nightmare. @casasonna // 1737 N Bayshore Drive, Edgewater
Klaw
For brunch with an elevated, King of Miami kinda view, no place tops the rooftop at Klaw. As brunches go, the options here skew a little lighter, so the raw bar oysters, sake-cured salmon, and spinach and avocado benedict sit a little lighter while you bask in the late-morning sun. The view is the main attraction, anyway, where you can order up spritzes and champagne and photograph them against Biscayne Bay and the Miami skyline to your followers’ content. -MM
Pro tip: Two words: Breakfast margaritas. But also the valet thing I mentioned with Casadonna.
@klawrestaurant // 1737 N Bayshore Drive, Edgewater
Lido at the Surfclub
In proper Marco Calenzo fashion, the brunch at the Four Seasons Hotel at the Surf Club’s Lido Restaurant features a buffet with a Mediterranean-Italian focus. And for someone who cannot stand buffet-style dining - this is OMG wow. From the raw-bar selection boasting oysters and jumbo shrimp, to the selection of crudos, a pasta bar, and carving stations with fresh catch and meats - even the dessert spread can be enjoyed with ocean views. And a chic crowd. The experience is priced from $125 per person (food only) and is available from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Add-ons like bottomless Champagne by Ferrari are around $45. –EMN
Pro tip: At the carving station, get the fatty piece of the belly carved for you. You are welcome because for $145 - it’s an unbeatable experience.
@lidoatthesurfclub // 9011 Collins Avenue, Surfside.
Little Hen
Think pastel walls, floral teapots, and rose-petal pancakes. Little Hen is unapologetically over the top and built for celebration. Brunch staples include torched grapefruit, steak and eggs with truffle fries, Nutella croissants, and caviar-topped omelets. It’s the move for a
birthday, baby shower, or just a girls’ day out. -OF
Pro tip: Weekends book fast. Reserve early or don’t bother going at all.
@littlehen_ // 3451 NE 1st Ave., Midtown
Los Fuegos by Francis Mallmann
The Sunday Asado is the way to experience Los Fuegos. For $115 you get endless steak, ribeye, branzino, empanadas, sides, and a dessert spread, all against the backdrop of Faena’s legendary poolside terrace and live music. Champagne packages push it over the top, but even the base brunch feels like a splurge-worthy deal considering Mallmann’s reputation. -OF
Pro tip: Skip dinner here and do brunch instead. It’s the best bang for your buck.
@faenamiami // 3201 Collins Ave., Miami Beach
Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink
Sometimes those who do it first, do it best. And that is unquestionably the case with Michael’s Genuine, who’s been the locomotive of the Miami brunch train since 2005. The menu’s changed over two decades, but Michael Schwartz’s ethos of “make everything genuine” is the same, with fresh ingredient treats like the buttermilk pancakes with fresh blueberries, and the Mexican skillet with eggs baked in posolo rojo, roasted chiles, and avocado. -MM
Pro tip: Kill your hangover with the Sunday morning special, where you get a Bloody Mary back with any draft beer for $8.
@michaelsgenuine // 130 NE 40th St., Design District
Mila
MILA’s Sunday Brunch in Miami Beach is a VIBE! Delve through flavors of the Mediterranean and Asia, at self-serve stations appointed in a stylish, airy space, building a multi-course meal at their own pace. Expect freshly baked breads and pastries, tropical fruits, a cured meats and cheese display, and standout stations like the 5J Hamon carving, raw bar with oysters, mezze offerings, and hot entrées. Desserts are plentiful and thoughtfully crafted, tying together a brunch that feels indulgent without being overwhelming. —EMN
Pro tip: All of Greg Galy’s restaurants are YAS. The end. And book outside during the fall and winter in Miami. It’s ideal and unreal.
@milagroup_miami // 800 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach
Ol’ Days
Not all brunches have to be fancy. Or splurges. Or include enough mid-range sparkling wine to kill a Real Housewife. Sometimes you just want good, fresh food and tasty coffee, and for that Ol’ Days is Miami’s top spot. The Argentine import has a huge menu of fresh pressed juices, and lemonades infused with everything from purple tea to mint and ginger. You can also build your own avocado toast with tempting toppings like smoked salmon and hummus. Or choose from a long list of salads. Bottom line, if Sunday brunch means complementing your workout instead of negating it, Ol’ Days is your move. -MM
Pro tip: Drink your brunch, the healthy way. The pressed juices here are a meal on their own and are ideal even for not-brunch. @oldaysdusa // 3301 1st Ave., Midtown
Palace Bar & Restaurant
Say it with me: Yassssss queen! Because what’s brunch without a little drag on the side? Palace is South Beach’s most famous drag brunch, where queens strut, sing, and dance right on the sidewalk while the crowd cheers them on. The menu covers salmon Benedict, chicken and waffles, steak and eggs, and rainbow pancakes, all paired with bottomless mimosas. It’s rowdy, fabulous, and one of the most fun times you can have on Ocean Drive. -OF
Pro tip: Friday brunch is a local favorite. Outdoor seats with a clear view of the show are the ones to grab.
@palacesobe // 1052 Ocean Dr., Miami Beach
Pastis
The forever scene-y Pastis brought Paris to Wynwood (via NYC)and brunch delivers all the best French classics. Croque madames, quiche Lorraine, seafood towers, and a surprisingly strong burger fill the menu and keep the restaurant perpetually packed. It’s one of the few places where both the scene and the food live up to the reputation. - OF
Pro tip: The patio is always the prize on a sunny day. Book the patio well in advance, especially in season.
@pastismiami // 380 NW 26th St., Wynwood
Phuc Yea
Phuc Yea is a perpetual favorite, and its brunch (just like the rest of its menu) doesn’t disappoint. Brunch here is always changing but never dull. Expect rotating specials alongside staples like Sancocho Pho, smoked short rib steak and eggs, fried chicken biscuit banh mi, and dirty tots with pork belly. It’s lively, a little loud, and perfect for groups who want to share. - OF
Pro tip: Check their site/social media before you go. The menu changes often and the specials are always worth a look. @phucyea // 7100 Biscayne Blvd., MiMo
Rusty Pelican
It might be easy to dismiss a place better known for prom pictures and rehearsal dinners as a “place you pay for the view.” But anyone who says that has never spent a glorious Sunday gazing out at turquoise waters and glimmering glass towers from the Rusty Pelican. Yes, the venerable Pelican has a world-class backdrop. But peep the brunch menu and you’ll be overloaded with things that sound too good not to order. You’ll never go wrong with the giant pistachio cinnamon roll, but the lobster benedict with jalapeno cheddar cornbread ain’t bad either. -MM
Pro tip: This might be the only spot where I wholeheartedly suggest the bottomless mimosas, because the slight buzz creates the perfect magic in this kind of setting. @rustypelicanmiami // 3201 Rickenbacker Causeway, Key Biscayne
Setai
By far the most ‘holy shhhhhh’ brunch in town, The Setai’s weekend brunch is a lavish affair that begins every Saturday and Sunday from around 11:15 AM to 3:00 PM in the elegant Jaya restaurant and the surrounding courtyard. Under Chef Vijay Veena, the spread features an expansive buffet with gourmet highlights: a dedicated caviar station, Peking duck, prime grilled meats and fish, a seafood tower, and a live dessert display. There’s also an assortment of breakfast classics, fresh-squeezed juices, fruit and berries, waffles and pancakes, bakery items, and international touches that keep the experience feeling both indulgent and thoughtfully curated. –EMN
Pro tip: Pricing is roughly rather low considering all of the options and is offered at $110 per adult and $75 per child (ages 5-12), not including tax or service. @thesetaimiamibeach // 2001 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach.
Sexy Fish
Sexy Fish’s Sexy Sunday Brunch is a lavish two-hour dining affair with endless ‘vg’ options for those who are veg lovers. For $58 per person (ecu me), guests enjoy a generous spread that begins with select starters—options like chicken karaage & sesame, seasonal vegetable tempura, tiger prawn tempura, smoked salmon bao buns, crispy duck & watermelon (correct), and more. After hitting the the sushi station (with maki, sashimi, tartare, pickles, and salads), you can then choose one main course—standouts include slow cooked brisket, USDA prime skirt steak & chimichurri, whole baby chicken with yuzu, or Chilean sea bass ala miso & truffle. –EMN
Pro tip: There is lots of parking - from valet to garages, so hello - its a no brainer. And they also have a killer mocktail program for the alcohol-free set.
@sexyfishmiami // 1001 South Miami Ave., Miami
Threefold Cafe
Threefold keeps it casual with an Australian twist, mate (see what I did there?!). Naturally, the avocado toast menu has four versions, eggs Benedict come on hashbrown “pucks,” and French toast shows up in multiple forms. The Call Me Shrooms plate is a personal favorite, plus breakfast runs every day of the week, but the weekends definitely draw a crowd. - OF
Pro tip: Coffee here is serious business — and of course the flat white is fantastic. @threefoldcafe // 141 Giralda Ave., Coral Gables
Tina in the Gables
This super buzzy, all-day Coral Gables café is equal parts chic and playful. Tina’s menu jumps from smoked salmon Benedict and brioche French toast with orange zest to chicken parm on shoku-bun, maple-candied bacon, and those tallow taters everyone talks about. The iced Gables Café Crème is a must, and weekends are packed from open to close. -OF
Pro tip: Arrive before 9:30 a.m. or after 2 p.m. if you don’t want to spend half your morning in line. @tinainthegables // 4700 S Le Jeune Rd., Coral Gables
Zak the Baker
There’s a reason restaurants around Miami brag about their salad croutons coming from Zak the Baker’s bread: Literally everything at this place is fantastic. And while our city certainly has a few bakeries who crank out croissants and cookies that are just as good, nobody packs a top-top-bottom brunch menu quite like Zak. You’d be remiss if you didn’t get a mushroom or avocado toast. And the sandwiches here are the rare double-deckers where the bread outshines what’s between it, though the BLT might be the best you’ve ever had.
Pro tip: Make a reservation. The line at this place wraps around the block sometimes, and while a reservation might not get you sat immediately, it cuts down on the wait time.
@zakthebaker // 295 NW 26th St., Wynwood
Zuma
Zuma was one of the first in Miami to master the big hotel brunch and it still sets the bar. For $98 and up, you’ll score sushi, sashimi, live cooking stations, and dessert platters. Champagne upgrades add caviar and premium pours. A $58 kids’ brunch makes it family friendly-ish. It’s the type of brunch that feels like an event, not just another weekend meal. -OF
Pro tip: Go for the champagne package if you want to truly go all out, it’s worth it.
@zumamiami // 270 Biscayne Blvd. Way, Downtown