Super 7: The Best Restaurants in Brickell

All those finance bros gotta eat somewhere

Courtesy of Major Food Group/Dirty French

Ahhh, Brickell. The default favorite neighborhood of people from New York who walk around, look at the tall buildings, and say, “This place is just like New York! Except you can’t find a good bagel! And the pizza is terrible! Blah blah blah…THE WATER!” Miamians take these amateur hydrologists about as seriously as we take red lights, but sometimes it can be challenging to find a good restaurant in Miami’s financial district. To help, here’s our picks for the Best Restaurants in Brickell.

Casa Tua Cucina

Will you get waves of envy from your legions of followers when you post from this Brickell City Center offshoot of South Beach’s exclusive Casa Tua? Probably not. Is Casa Tua Cucina’s made-that-day pasta possibly the best fettuccine pomodoro or tagliolini cacio e pepe you’ll ever have. Yes. And if you’re the odd Miami who actually eats their food then this is your go-to Italian in Brickell. The wood-fired pizzas make for a nice, quick dinner too. And the selections of wine by the glass are mostly Italian blends you’ve not tried before.

Pro tip: Go after the lunch rush and before dinner, generally 2-6 pm. Otherwise, you may find yourself waiting for a while.

Insta: @casatuacucina // 70 SW 7th St., Brickell

NAOE

Years before omakase counters popped up in Miami faster than 7-11s, there was NAOE. The five-seat omakase counter on Brickell Key is hard to find, highly exclusive, and once-in-a-lifetime expensive. But not one person who’s dined there has ever complained about the price. Chef Kevin Cory has held it down since 2012, notching a AAA Five-Diamond rating, five stars from Forbes, and an almost-perfect rating from Zagat.

Pro Tip: Pack your wallet. NAOE is expensive even by omakase standards, and the experience is no fun is you’re stressed about the price. Only go if it’s in your budget.

Insta: @naoemiami // 661 Brickell Key Drive, Brickell

Courtesy of Major Food Group/Dirty French

Dirty French Steakhouse

Everything from the heavily-mirrored dining room to the neon sign shining above the valet stand at Dirty French Steakhouse feels like it was ripped from a movie set for 1980s Miamis. The dry-aged steaks are superb, but you’re not there for the food so much as the immersive experience.

Pro tip: If you’re not up for dropping a Kia payment on dinner, grab a drink at the bar whose décor is equally as impressive.

Insta: @dirtyfrench // 1200 Brickell Ave., Brickell

LPM Restaurant and Bar

European purists might turn up their noses at LPM’s modern take on French food, but those who appreciate adaptation will tell you there’s not a bad dish on the menu. LPM’s especially fun at happy hour, where you can munch on stuff like escargot and tuna tartare at the delightfully well-appointed bar.

Pro tip: The martinis are the stuff of Miami after-work legends, and at $12 each are one of the better happy hour bargains in Brickell.

@lpmrestaurants_US // 1300 Brickell Bay Dr., Brickell

Courtesy of Osaka Nikkei

Osaka

Try and follow along here: Osaka is a Peruvian restaurant in Miami that got its start in Lima. Confusing geography aside, Osaka is Brickell’s shining example of Nikkei cuisine – the flavorful mix of Peruvian and Japanese that brings us stuff like tuna yuzu ceviche and aji Amarillo nigiris.

Pro tip: Its cocktail bar is a hidden gem at night, a dim, sexy space slinging the best Asian-inspired drinks in the city.

Insta: @osakanikkei.miami // 1300 Brickell Bay Dr., Brickell

Moxie’s

Is it basic? Sure. Is it always crowded? Also yes, and in a city where restaurant competition is fierce, having all your tables filled every night definitely says something. There’s literally something for everyone on the menu at Moxie’s, from fresh guac to prime steaks to curry. My go-to is the chipotle mango chicken with lemon quinoa.

Pro tip: Get a seat at the bar. On busy nights, it’s almost impossible to drop in for a spontaneous dinner. But bar seats are often in large supply.

Insta: @moxiesusa // 900 S. Miami Ave. Suite 161., Brickell

Motek

Is there anything better than enjoying an end-of-the-day glass of wine over fresh baked pita and mushroom hummus? No there is not, and that’s a huge part of why Motek is a hit everywhere it opens. Its Brickell outpost is an indoor-outdoor number on the top of Brickell City Centre, where you can enjoy the balmy breezes from the front patio, kebab in hand.

Pro tip: If you’re not up for a full meal, post up at the bar and down a week’s worth of carbs while scooping up Motek’s dips, like muhammara and babaganoush.

Insta: @motekcafe // 702 S. Miami Ave. #412A, Brickell