Central Fare
Central Fare will make you rethink train station food entirely. Instead of sad options, Brightline’s station own food hall offers tacos, bagels, empanadas, sushi, cheesesteaks, and some of the city’s best Neapolitan pies. Wolf of Tacos runs half-off Tuesdays, natch, Josh’s Corner Diner flips a burger on Japanese milk bread, plus Cotoita’s cheese empanadas travel well if you’re boarding a train.
Pro Tip: Don’t sleep on Stanzione’s penne alla vodka. It’s one of the sleeper hits of the hall. @centralfaremiami // 600 NW First Ave., Miami
Mignonette
Mignonette has held steady as downtown’s seafood go-to for over a decade(!!), with oysters and shellfish towers front and center but plenty of other plates that keep people loyal. Chef Danny Serfer has been a fixture in Miami kitchens for two decades, and his menu still never disappoints. Oysters Rockefeller, lobster deviled eggs, shrimp and grits, and miso-marinated cod are standouts, while the veggie board keeps non–seafood and or picky eaters satisfied. Housed in a converted gas station, it manages to feel both classic and cool with high roofs and modern walls.
Pro Tip: If you want to show off, order the caviar service. It delivers. @mignonettemiami // 210 NE 18th St., Miami
Mr. Omakase
Here, the chefs call the shots. Pick a 10, 14, or 18-course menu and settle in for sashimi, nigiri, a hand roll, miso soup, and a dessert from Superbon Bakehouse. If you want to flex, add A5 wagyu or shrimp topped with uni, but even the base menus are excellent. With just ten seats, it’s focused, calm, and (somewhat) affordable compared to most omakase in the city.
Pro Tip: The 14-course menu hits the sweet spot. Long enough to feel special, short enough to keep you standing upright. @mromakase // 163 SE First St., Miami
Niu Kitchen
It’s barely big enough for a dozen tables, but Niu Kitchen still serves the most interesting Spanish food in the city. Chef Deme Lomas leans on his Catalan roots with dishes like branzino tartare with cold garlic soup, clams with jamón ibérico, and charbroiled octopus with romesco. The natural wine list is just as much a draw as the food, and the room has that cozy feel that makes it a date night go-to.
Pro Tip: Order the cold tomato soup with mustard ice cream. It’s the dish the most memorable version of tomato soup you may ever have. @niukitchen // 104 NE Second Ave., Miami
Over Under
A bar that feels like Florida through and through. Over Under calls itself a subtropical honky tonk, and the food backs it up: gator bites, catfish po’boys, shrimp skewers with roti, and sour orange pie. Everyone know that the burger is the move here, a Big Mac homage that’s actually better than the original. Drinks lean frozen and citrusy, the vibe flips from laid-back happy hour to late-night party, and nobody takes themselves too seriously.
Pro Tip: Happy hour runs every day from 5–7 p.m., even on weekends. @overundermiami // 151 E. Flagler St., Miami
Tam Tam
Tam Tam moved into a onetime Cuban diner and quickly became one of Miami’s most interesting restaurants. Saigon-born chef Tam Pham and husband Harrison Ramhofer built their following with the Phamily Kitchen supper club and a string of pop-ups before settling here. The menu riffs on quán nhậu, Vietnam’s drinking culture, with bold plates like fish sauce caramel wings, betel-wrapped lamb, scallops with pomelo, and jungle steak tartare with fire ant salt. It’s a tight room with big energy, equal parts laid-back and lively.
Pro Tip: The karaoke bathroom is real and a must-try experience. @tamtam_mia // 99 NW First St., Miami
ViceVersa
This is the rare aperitivo bar that actually has the chops to back it up. The team behind Jaguar Sun (#RIP) and Sunny’s Steakhouse joined bartender Valentino Longo to create a space with serious talent behind the bar and a Negroni list that could fill a textbook. The raw bar is strong, and while plenty of people come just for drinks, the pizzas are a popular order if you’re eating—clam with lemon, mortadella with pistachio pesto, and spicy pepperoni with hot honey. Sleek without being stuffy, ViceVersa works for drinks, dinner, or both.
Pro Tip: Grab a seat at the bar and order the Aperitivo Fizz with a clam pie. That combo never misses. @viceversamia // 98 NE Fifth St., Miami