With all the building in Edgewater, it can be easy to lose track of what’s happening at street level. Some longtime spots have kept their following as new restaurants opened around them, and there’s more variety here than the primarly residential waterfront neighborhood might suggest. These seven restaurants worth checking out.
Amara at Paraiso
All of us are fans of Michael Schwartz’s Amara at Paraiso, and I recommend the Sunday brunch to people all the time. The raw bar here absolutely deserves your attention, but I’ve had plenty of great dinners here, too, with grilled prawns and seafood parrillada among the orders to consider. Make sure to get a table on the patio, because the view of Biscayne Bay is part of why you’re here.
Pro Tip: Check their Instagram for rotating happy hour, food, and drink specials.
@amaraatparaiso // 3101 NE 7th Ave.
Aoko
Chefs Tomo and Daniel Vanh offer a few ways to eat at Aoko, from nigiri and sashimi selections to a fuller omakase with uni and caviar. The latter includes soba salad, a hand roll, and dessert, all in a casual spot with a small sushi counter and wooden booths. Don’t skip the matcha crème brûlée at the end.
Pro Tip: Order the omakase with uni and caviar.
@aokomiami // 2304 NE 2nd Ave.
Casadonna
Suew, David Grutman’s Casadonna can lean clubstaurant — but I think the food is better than at a lot of places in that category. Inside the historic Miami Women’s Club, the restaurant looks out over Biscayne Bay and the Miami Beach skyline, and those views are hard to beat. Brunch is worth booking, too, with Italian pastas, Caracas Bakery pastries, and a piano player on the patio.
Pro Tip: Take an Uber. The shared valet with Klaw can be a headache.
@casadonnamiami // 1737 N Bayshore Dr.
Enriqueta's Sandwich Shop
Long before Midtown and Wynwood built up around it, Enriqueta’s was feeding the neighborhood Cuban sandwiches and breakfast with café con leche. It’s classic Cuban Miami, with a counter, pan con bistec, and Cuban sandwiches you can order with croquetas inside that also won’t break the bank.
Pro Tip: Get the Cuban sandwich with croquetas pressed inside.
@enriquetas_sandwich_shop // 186 NE 29th St.
Klaw
Some of the best crab I’ve ever eaten has been at Klaw, one of my all-time favorites in Miami. The team keeps king crab in custom tanks inside the historic Miami Women’s Club, then serves it whole and shells it tableside. They have an incredible steak program, too, so this is where I’d go when I wanted to spend on a great dinner (especially if someone else is picking up the tab).
Pro Tip: Have a drink on the rooftop at sunset before heading downstairs for dinner.
@klawrestaurant // 1737 N Bayshore Dr.
Lagniappe
For more than a decade, people have been grabbing bottles from the fridge at Lagniappe and heading out to its New Orleans-style wine garden patio. Finding a seat has been a struggle nearly every time I’ve gone, but, hey, that’s half the fun. With live music and a bottle to share and some cheese boards from the fridge, it’s also a great date spot. And also pup-friendly, if that’s your type of vibe.
Pro Tip: Get there when it opens at 6 p.m. for a better shot at a seat.
@lagniappemiami // 3425 NE 2nd Ave.
Liger’s
After trying a cookie in Kelowna, Canada, photographer and filmmaker Julian Cousins came home to Miami and started working on his own recipe for Liger’s, which quickly became a viral hit. His cookies appeared at various restaurants for years before he opened the little window in Edgewater, and the chocolate chip is the one I’d get. Having worked in branding, I’ve loved watching him develop the brand and build that following before there was a storefront.
Pro Tip: Stop by when the light is on, ideally after dinner, for chocolate chip cookies.
@ligerscookies // 180 NE 24th St.