Bar Bucce
The Macchialina team turned Bar Bucce into the casual group spot Little River needed, with a large outdoor patio, plenty of room for kids, and food you would happily order without either. The pizzas are excellent, the sandwiches hit, and the on-site bottle shop has an interesting — and well priced — wine selection to drink there or take home. The restaurant also keeps things interesting with constant specials and their Pizza with Friends program aka their guest-chef collaboration series.
Pro Tip: Check Instagram before going to see who is taking over Pizza with Friends that week.
@barbuccemiami // 7220 N. Miami Ave., Miami
Fooq’s
Fooq’s returned to Miami in a Little River location that bears little resemblance to the tiny downtown original — and that’s totally fine. The massive new space has a patio, a proper dining room, a front bar for grabbing a cocktail while you wait, and the upstairs Lion’s Den, which pulls a younger late-night crowd. With chef Roel Alcudia involved, the Persian-inspired food is as solid as ever.
Pro Tip: Start with a drink at the front bar before heading into the dining room.
@fooqsmiami // 150 NW 73rd St., Miami
Gaucho Ranch Grill & Wines
I first ate at Gaucho Ranch Grill & Wines last spring and immediately understood why people keep this place in their back pocket. Grass-fed steaks come off the wood-fired grill at prices that are actually fair, and the small setting works as well for catching up with friends as it does for a date. It’s that kind of spot people are always asking me to find for them.
Pro Tip: Order one of the wood-fired steaks and settle in with a bottle of wine.
@gauchoranch.grillandwines // 8303 NE 2nd Ave., Miami
Ironside Pizza
Ironside Pizza has been tucked inside Miami Ironside for more than a decade, making consistently great Neapolitan pizza while somehow getting left out of the conversation. I’ve gone back a few times recently, and the pizza still comes out exactly as it should while the prices remain reasonable. It also holds a special place in my heart: my first date with my husband happened here, and years later, so did our engagement. I’ll always miss the BYOB days, though. The OGs know.
Pro Tip: Go Tuesday for board games, pizza, and a $6 Aperol spritz.
@ironside_pizza // 7580 NE 4th Ct., Miami
Magie Wine Bar
Magie Wine Bar quickly became one of Miami’s favorite wine bars for good reason: the bottles are well-priced, the place is fun without trying too hard, and most of the space is indoors with air conditioning — a very important detail here in Miami. Chef and co-owner Ivan Barros makes the famous caviar-topped dino nuggets, while coworking days, pop-ups, and other activations give you plenty of reasons to return.
Pro Tip: Grab a cheese plate and check the counter for some lactaid in case you forgot yours.
@magiewinebar // 8281 NE 2nd Ave., Miami
Sunny’s Steakhouse
Almost two years after opening, Sunny’s Steakhouse remains one of Miami’s toughest reservations, and the hype is warranted. The steaks, appetizers, cocktails, and sauces all land, making the full balls-to-the-wall dinner worth planning ahead for. My newer move is the walk-in terrace bar, which serves an abbreviated menu and the restaurant’s dry-aged burger, available only out there. It’s still one of my favorite restaurants in the city.
Pro Tip: Get to the terrace bar early if you want the burger; they make only about 20 each night.
@sunnysmia // 7357 NW Miami Ct., Miami
The Citadel
The Citadel opened in 2019, right at the height of Miami’s food hall craze, and remains one of the few that feels useful instead of relic of the time. The mix runs from Stanzione to USBS, but Bar Kaiju upstairs is the reason I keep going back. The cocktails are creative, very good, and served in one of the few bars in Miami I still get excited to visit.
Pro Tip: Head upstairs to Bar Kaiju and order whatever monster-themed cocktail catches your attention.
@thecitadelmia // 8300 NE 2nd Ave., Miami