The Miami Design District is known for its fancy shops, over-the-top storefronts, and artwork that probably costs more than your house. It’s also a beautiful neighborhood to walk around, especially once Miami gives us a break from the heat. And somewhere between all that shopping and public art, you’ll find some of Miami’s best restaurants. These are the best restaurants in the Miami Design District — shopping budget entirely optional.
COTE
COTE remains one of my favorite restaurants in Miami, and I think most of The Leftovers crew would agree. The dark, lively restaurant has grills built into the tables, where the staff cook your beef while you work through the banchan. First-timers should order the Butcher’s Feast, which includes four cuts of beef, Korean accompaniments, and stews. It’s a lot of food and a fun way to spend a few hours with friends, particularly once the martinis arrive. I’ve yet to have a bad meal here, and the ice cream regularly convinces me to ignore my lactose intolerance. And if you think it’s out of your budget, it’s also home to one of Miami’s best happy hours.
Pro Tip: Go for lunch, when getting a reservation is much easier than competing for a prime dinner slot.
@cotemiami // 3900 NE 2nd Ave., Miami
KARYU
KARYU is a 10-seat Japanese counter tucked down a hallway beside Le Specialità, with an entire tasting menu devoted to wagyu. The Tokyo import serves Tajimaguro beef, and sitting this close to the chefs gives you a good view of how much care goes into preparing it. On my visit, the meal went from beef nigiri to a fried tenderloin sandwich on milk bread, then into dishes like sukiyaki with rice and egg yolk. I usually spend a sushi omakase looking forward to the meat course, so having several of them suited me very well. Even with all that beef, I made it to the final curry without feeling like I’d overdone it.
Pro Tip: You choose the size of your final beef curry, so save some appetite if you want the large.
@karyu_mia // 40 NE 41st St., Miami
L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon
L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon is Florida’s only two-Michelin-star restaurant, and though that award might have lost its luster if you love proper fine dining, it belongs on your bucket list. The counter faces an open kitchen, giving you a close view of the team preparing the modern French menu. Alongside the tasting menus, Robuchon signature dishes like those creamy mashed potatoes are on the menu. You should be comfortable spending a couple hundred dollars per person, potentially much more depending on how you order. The staff are a big part of why I recommend it - that level of attention and care is worth experiencing if you have the funds.
Pro Tip: Try the $155 Miami Spice Reserve dinner, through October 31, before tax and gratuity.
@latelier_robuchon_miami // 151 NE 41st St., Suite 235, Miami
Le Specialità
My first dinner at Le Specialità, the Milan import, was in a nearly empty restaurant, and the food impressed me enough to come back. For whatever reason, Miami keeps opening fancy Italian restaurants, but this was one of the meals that made me understand the excitement. The menu features thin-crust pizzas and pastas, with Milanese dishes like saffron risotto and a breaded veal cutlet in the miz. Contemporary art and a mosaic pizza oven give you plenty to look at while you eat. On subsequent visits, though, I’ve spent more time looking at the crowd: the place has been packed with beautiful people, sometimes to the point that walking in wasn’t an option.
Pro Tip: Make a reservation, even for a random weeknight.
@lespecialita_mia // 40 NE 41st St., Miami
Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink
During my years working in the Design District, I spent plenty of evenings at Michael’s Genuine at happy hour here sipping a Manhattan and munching on onion dip with extra chips. A recent dinner reminded me how much there is to like beyond my usual snack order, including a citrus-brined pork chop with fennel salad and roast chicken over bread salad soaked in pan juices. I’d gone years without ordering that chicken, which now feels like an oversight. Michael’s is still an easy recommendation for visiting parents, a business dinner, or catching up with someone you haven’t seen in too long.
Pro Tip: Order the roast chicken as soon as you sit down, it takes about an hour.
@michaelsgenuine // 130 NE 40th St., Miami
Nami Nori
I don’t usually seek out raw fish, which makes my affection for Nami Nori a pretty strong endorsement. The bright restaurant, decorated in neutrals and pale pink, has a patio and a relaxed feel that works well for lunch. The specialty is open-style temaki, with combinations like coconut shrimp with green curry and lime, spicy lobster with crispy potato, and a whole plant-based section that includes sweet potato tempura. You can order a few hand rolls or keep going, adding snacks like furikake fries and Japanese fried chicken along the way. I especially love bringing gluten-free friends because they can choose from the whole food menu without feeling left out.
Pro Tip: Order the $55 golden osetra caviar service, which comes with crispy rice chips and onion cream, and add some to your hand rolls. A steal in this town.
156 NE 41st St., Miami
Peppi’s Pizza
Ryan McKeown of Below Deck Down Under opened Peppi’s Pizza in the former Old Greg’s space, and I did not expect a Bravo connection to lead me to one of my favorite pizza spots in Miami. The Philly-born chef serves New York-style pies alongside cheesesteaks with Cooper sharp American cheese and hoagies on house-baked bread. The red pie comes with mozzarella, pecorino, and Sicilian oregano, while the white pie goes heavier on garlic and herb cream; the restaurant also serves Italian dishes beyond pizza. With local artwork and neon signage, it’s a casual place to come hungry.
Pro Tip: Call ahead to check the kitchen’s wait before heading over.
@peppispizza__ // 3620 NE 2nd Ave., Miami