The best outdoor restaurants in Miami
Where you’re eating outside when the weather is bearable & breezy
Jan
24
2023
The best outdoor restaurants in Miami and where to eat outside when the weather is bearable & breezy.
We’ve had our cold fronts but for now it seems like Miami will stay in the 75 °F range for a little longer. Which we of course will take.
This is the time to dine in the open air and enjoy the Miami “winter”. Here is an updated guide for where to eat outside.
Some of these spots are new, while others are classics that never disappoint us. What do they all have in common? An amazing outdoor setting and a guaranteed delicious meal.
LEVEL 6 AT AMAL
Neighborhood: Coconut Grove
Address: 3480 Main Hwy
Cuisine: Modern Lebanese
Good for: date night, chisme with a view, dinner with friends
From the team behind Byblos, Level 6 by Amal in Coconut Grove is the latest rooftop lounge and restaurant with the most amazing views of Biscayne Bay to open in Miami. You’re stopping by for some craft cocktails and a modern take on Spanish tapas like the tuna tartare avocado and lavosh crackers with truffle and crème fraîche and the seafood paella that is served with Argentinian shrimp, and clams.
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KLAW ROOFTOP
Neighborhood: Edgewater
Address: 1737 N Bayshore Dr
Cuisine: Seafood
Good for: cocktails with friends, light bites, dinner with a view, date night
Klaw is the newest restaurant and the only rooftop in Edgewater. Corporate Executive Chef Phil Campbell and Executive Chef Micheal Paley are serving a high-quality beef program and sea delicacies.
It’s rare to find a restaurant in Miami with views this nice and where the food is actually good. You have two dining options at Klaw. One is the main dining room and then there’s the rooftop. For this time, we’re recommending you head to the roof.
The menu is a more condensed version and although you won’t be able to order the tableside Norweigan King crab legs, it’s still worth it.
You can still get the black grouper crudo with caviar, yuzu kosho, finger lime, scallion, avocado, and leche de tigre; the baby-size crab tacos with spicy dashi butter, avocado, lime, and kimchi; and the stracciatella with grilled black mission fig, shaved speck ham, buttered croutons aged balsamic, toasted walnuts, basil oil, and herb salad. Order the Maine lobster roll and picanha that are only available at the rooftop lounge.
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MACCHIALINA
Neighborhood: Miami Beach
Address: 820 Alton Road
Cuisine: Italian
Good for: date night, birthday, family dinner
Macchialina is that neighborhood Italian restaurant we’ve loved for so many years. Since 2021 they’ve expanded, taking over what once was a small hostel and transforming it into “Il Gardino” an outdoor covered backyard patio that is cozy and a great outdoor dining option. Stop by of course for the cavatelli Macchialina and the spaghetti pomodoro.
For dessert, don’t skip the most refreshing tiramisu you’ve had. It’s made with dulce de leche and an espresso granita giving it an additional texture that is not usual when eating tiramisu. Make sure you dive deep in with your spoon.
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THE LIDO BAYSIDE GRILL
Neighborhood: Miami Beach
Address: 40 Island Ave
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Good for: chisme with a view, people-watching, out-of-towners
The Standard has always been at the top of our list for out-of-towners but it’s also that spot where locals can remember why they love Miami. It’s all about the views, the boats, and the people watching. Located on the Venetian Islands, you’re going to want to catch the spectacular sunset and hear the waves.
The Standard is refreshingly casual, serving American fare. We’d keep it simple with the Lido Burger and some Parmesan fries. Don’t miss the High Tides Happy Hour – Monday through Thursday from 4 to 6PM. They also serve brunch which we have yet to try.
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NAVÉ
Neighborhood: Coconut Grove
Address: 3540 Main Hwy
Cuisine: Italian seafood
Good for: date night, dinner with a group
Chef Michael Beltran has made Coconut Grove home to four of his restaurants and a bar (Chug’s Diner, Ariete, Taurus, and Nave) with more on the way. Navé, an Italian and seafood-driven concept is one of our favorite spots for dinner in the Grove. We could be here for hours sipping on wine, cocktails, and enjoying seafood-centric dishes.
To start the night we’d get the hamachi crudo with torched grapefruit, Thai basil, and Calabrian chili crunch. We also love the broiled Miami clams with medianoche butter and melted gruyere cheese for Happy Hour. As a main, we’d go with the snapper Milanese with tomato compote, arugula, olive tapenade
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MICHAEL’S GENUINE
Neighborhood: Design District
Address: 130 NE 40th St
Cuisine: Contemporary American
Good for: dinner with a group, people watching
The newly expanded Michael’s Genuine is a hotspot when dining in the Design District and looking for a lively ambiance for lunch, brunch, and dinner. The renovated outdoor terrace is bigger and bustling with guests. We’d choose Michael’s if you’re looking for a place where you can try a little bit of everything and get more than one dessert. The menu changes often, but we always go for their house-made bucatini. The one on the menu right now has paddlefish caviar, crème fraîche, chives and a poached egg. We also love their crispy pork belly with kimchi, crushed peanuts, and cilantro. As far as desserts go, the cookies & confections are a must, with a scoop or two of their housemade seasonal sorbets and ice creams.
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EDITOR PIZZA
Neighborhood: Miami Beach
Address: 803 5th St
Cuisine: Gourmet pizzeria
Good for: dinner with a group, date night
Located in the Urbanica Fifth Hotel, this pizzeria feels very sleek-New York City. It has this incredible encapsulated bar with seating available on both sides, depending on if you want to sit indoors or outdoors. We recommend you opt for the outdoor patio. On the menu, you will find antipasti, pasta dishes, and pizza, as well as a branzino and roasted chicken if you’re staying away from the carbs. Not us, we’re stopping by for the full bar experience and some pizza.
The crust is airy yet crispy, and one of the best we’ve had in recent times. Order the simple margherita, with mozzarella, mozzarella di Bufala, tomato sauce, and fresh basil; and the nduja with mozzarella, mozzarella di Bufala, tomato sauce, chili oil, spicy pork sausage. We’d also like to note that their lasagna is one that made us feel cozy inside. It’s made with fresh pasta, bolognese sauce, bechamel, and Parmigiano.
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ITAMAE
Neighborhood: Design District
Address: 140 NE 39th St #136
Cuisine: Nikkei
Good for: lunch or early dinner with friends or the fam
Although Itamae has a small indoor section, the outdoor area is where you want to sit. Located in Design District’s Palm Court with tables nicely spread out, you will have one of the best Peruvian meals. Also, the people-watching is highly entertaining if you’re into that.
This Nikkei-inspired restaurant by Chef/Owner Fernando “Papa” Chang and his talented daughter and son, Chefs Valerie and Nando Chang proved to be a game-changer in Miami’s dining scene. Using Peruvian ingredients with Japanese technique, the team behind Itamae offers a rotating menu with the most refreshing flavor combinations.
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ABBALE TLV KITCHEN
Neighborhood: Miami Beach
Address: 864 Commerce St
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Good for: date night, Sunday brunch
Abbale TLV Kitchen is cozy Telavivian cafe in Miami Beach’s South of Fifth neighborhood with indoor seating and an outdoor terrace. Expect a Middle Eastern and Mediterranean menu that draws influence from Chef Sam Gorenstein’s Syrian background and Chef Horev’s Moroccan roots.
For brunch, we’d go for the frozen limonana with lemon and mint, you can always spike it with some prosecco. Followed by the typical Israeli breakfast plate (Abba’s breakfast) that comes with house-made arak citrus cured salmon, two eggs, labneh, cured olives, shuk salad, hummus, pickled onions, and a toasted Jerusalem bagel.
For dinner get the Moroccan spiced local fish with spicy tomato braise, roasted cipollini, grilled Jerusalem bagel, and lemon aioli.
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LUCA OSTERIA
Neighborhood: Coral Gables
Address: 116 Giralda Ave
Cuisine: Italian
Good for: date night, dinner with friends, vegetarians
At Osteria Luca, there is dim lighting, outdoor seating, and an Italian menu by Chef Giorgio Rapicavoli that will make your mouth water. Expect to order half of the antipasti on the menu.
For sure you’ve seen this on the gram: patate fritte. It’s their soft potato balls/bites covered in Parmigiano fondue, egg yolk, and black truffle specks. Yes, get this. The grilled wild mushroom should also be at the center of the table. These mushrooms are served with Bagna Cauda, a sauce from Piedmont with garlic, salted anchovies, and olive oil; and shaved bottarga di muggine or grey mullet roe. The simple little gem lettuce with a cacio e pepe dressing is light, has a great crunch, and is finished with some limoncito. We’d share a few of that pasta dishes including the pasta al limone with 24-month Parmigiano Reggiano and the pasta al pesto. Simple, delicious, not bad for people-watching, and one of our favorite new restaurants of 2021.
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LEKU
Neighborhood: Allapattah
Address: 1100 NW 23rd St
Cuisine: Basque
Good for: date night, dinner with friends
Leku is a modern, Basque-inspired restaurant serving beautiful Northern Spanish dishes. The open-aired spot located inside the Rubell Museum has a beautiful garden view that will make you forget you’re in the industrial Allapattah neighborhood.
You’ll want to start with one of their delicious gin and tonic cocktails. You can pair your choice of macerado (infusion) such as rosemary & Florida citrus or basil & strawberries with the tonic of your liking.
Our favorite dainty dishes for sharing include the croquetas de ibérico made with 5 jotas ham, the simple and tasty tomato basil cracker, and the grilled country bread with a trio of house-made butters. Off the menu, we’d go for the salt-baked gambas. Think of this dish as an A+ science project. Presented tableside, your server pours what looks like water on the uncooked shrimp. Wait a moment and you’ll start seeing a mountain of salt, forming and cooking the gambas. Your server will then remove the excess salt to the side of the plate. Chef Mikel Goikolea recommends sucking the shrimp head for maximum flavor and we couldn’t agree more. We’d also order the grilled wild mushroom rice with homemade aioli and the jamón Ibérico tartare.
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AMARA AT PARAISO
Neighborhood: Edgewater
Address: 3101 NE 7th Ave
Cuisine: Latin American inspired
Good for: Lunch with friends, date night
If you’re looking for a great place to have a weekday lunch. Check out Amara at Paraiso, Chef Michael Schwartz’s Edgewater restaurant. We love the ocean views especially when we’re looking to disconnect from the world. Take in the perfect Miami skyline, of course, snap a photo and dig into their Latin-focused menu.
Start your meal with one of the Snacks & Apps—we recommend the Yuca Cheese Puffs, a bite-sized crowd-pleaser topped with parmesan and sea salt. We’re also huge fans of briny Island Creek Oysters, which always taste best by the water. If you’re craving something a bit more hearty, try the Grilled Local Fish with cilantro rice, toasted cashew, pickled vegetables, crispy onions, and green curry for a nice spicy kick.
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MANDOLIN AEGEAN BISTRO
Neighborhood: Design District
Address: 4312 NE 2nd Ave
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Good for: Lunch with friends, date night
Mandolin Aegean Bistro is a Miami favorite serving Greek and Turkish fare. If there is a place to see-and-be-seen in Miami, Mandolin’s patio is definitely it. Head over to the Design District and enjoy a little trip to the Mediterranean with an Aegean white sangria inside this picturesque white and blue house. It’s almost always fully booked, so we definitely suggest you plan ahead.
We recommend the mussels with white wine, garlic, lemon, and oregano; the grilled Halloumi with heirloom cherry tomatoes and fresh oregano; and grilled octopus to start.
From the sandwich section, we’d go for the spicy mandolin kebab, with a grilled house blend of ground beef and lamb, onion, parsley, sumac, and spicy greek yogurt. If you are trying to cut back on calories, then whole mediterranean sea bass grilled with extra virgin aegean olive oil, lemon, and oregano is the way to go. But don’t forget to order a side of house cut fires with garlic greek yogurt to share.
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LA MAR BY GASTON ACURIO
Neighborhood: Brickell
Address: 500 Brickell Key Dr
Cuisine: Peruvian
Good for: Dinner with the whole fam and/or with the suegros.
La Mar by Gaston Acurio is located inside the Mandarin Oriental in Brickell Key. This restaurant serves some of Miami’s best Peruvian dishes accompanied by impressive skyline views. A rare find in Miami because often times the food at restaurants by the water aren’t all that great. La Mar is definitely one of the exceptions.
We suggest you start your evening with any pisco infused cocktail outside for a breezy night out.
To start off the meal, we’d get the Roll Hiro, from the Piqueos section of the menu, made with sushi rice, tuna tartare, takuan, tobiko, and avocado; from the Cebiche Bar we’d order the Tiradito Bachiche, a fluke tiradito with 24-month parmesan cheese, leche de tigre, colatura, garlic chips, and basil oil.
We recommend the Arroz con Mariscos, from the hot dishes, a seafood rice with shrimp, octopus, and calamari made at the wok, with ají amarillo sauce and criolla.
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