The best restaurants in Coral Gables
Covering old-school restaurants, Italian spots we love, and our favorite dumplings in Miami
Mar
21
2023
Keep this guide handy when you’re in the area and are looking for the best restaurants in Coral Gables.
After months of visiting new restaurants and revisiting some classics, we’ve compiled a list of the best restaurants in Coral Gables. We’ve also come up with some overarching conclusions about this neighborhood that we thought you should hear.
First, Coral Gables has an old soul. Some of the restaurants on this list have been around for at least 30 years. And yes, they’re still ironing out those white tablecloths. Secondly, Coral Gables has a fixation with Italian food. This guide will offer plenty of options for all your pasta cravings. And lastly, although Coral Gables has historically been a buttoned-up neighborhood in the restaurant scene, we’re happy to share that there is some new culinary talent on this list bringing exciting dishes to your table. Check out this guide for the best restaurants in Coral Gables.
QP TAPAS
Address: 1831 Ponce de Leon B
Cuisine: Spanish, Izakaya, tapas
Good for: budget-friendly, date night
QP Tapas is a pop-up serving Izakaya-style Spanish tapas from Thursday – Saturday night at 5 PM inside MKT Kitchen. Chef Josh Elliott is behind the dinner-only menu that features crudos, yakitori, paella, and Okonomiyaki, a savory Osaka-style pancake.
Chef Josh is adding his Asian take on mostly classic Spanish delicacies, but uni risotto and steak tartar do make an appearance on the menu.
Make sure you get the steak tartar. This original dish is served with shrimp crackers for texture and made with a ramen egg and a chili crunch dijonnaise. Other standouts include the stuffed piquillo peppers with confit tuna belly, wasabi aioli; and the tender charred lamb belly prepared with fish sauce, date teriyaki, and coriande
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CAFFE ABBRACCI
Address: 318 Aragon Ave
Cuisine: Italian, pasta
Good for: classics, big groups, clients, eating out with suegros, special occasions, out-of-towners
You’re going to want to binge the Sopranos after dinner at Caffe Abbracci. This Northern Italian restaurant has been serving delicious and oversized pasta dishes since 1989.
When you step inside Abbracci, it’s like stepping inside a time capsule back to the 90s. It seems like nothing has really changed. The friendly team has remained pretty much the same. And it’s always a good sign of hospitality when most of the staff has been around for 10 to 30 plus years.
Stop by with the mindset of sharing large plates. We recommend the thinly sliced Vitello Tonnato, the oven-baked Bocconcino Baci with mozzarella, and a porcini mushrooms and capers sauce from the appetizer section. Followed by the linguine with clams, penne della Nonna with eggplant and marinara sauce, and the veal Scaloppine “Piccata” with a side of fries (yes, do it).
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LUCA OSTERIA
Address: 116 Giralda Ave
Cuisine: Italian, pasta
Good for: birthday, date night, eating at the bar, outdoor seating
Luca Osteria is the second restaurant by Chef Giorgio Rapicavoli. Tapping into his Italian background, Rapicavoli has created a fresh and inventive menu where every ingredient has a purpose. If you’re dining with one other person we recommend a seat at the bar. We also love sitting outside, especially when the weather is nice and we can people watch.
Expect to order half of the antipasti on the menu. Start with the patate fritte. It’s their soft potato balls/bites covered in Parmigiano fondue, egg yolk, and black truffle specks. 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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ZITZ SUM
Address: 396 Alhambra Cir Suite 155
Cuisine: Asian, Japanese
Good for: birthday, date night, outdoor seating, special occasions
We loved Zitz Sum when they first opened in 2021 and we love it even more in 2023. Talk about consistency and the continuous element of surprise.
The Dim Sum & Izakaya concept by Chef Pablo Zitzmann is inspired by Japanese and Chinese street food with a Miami twist. The menu is constantly evolving and we’re always pleasantly surprised by the delicious and balanced dishes that chef Pablo comes up with.
The dumplings are hand-rolled daily and we always want to order that whole section. We can’t get enough of the braised lamb shank bao with a labneh sauce, and the chicken and Foie Gras wontons in brodo. The grilled scallop was perfectly cooked and served with a potato & parmesan sabayon. Don’t skip the yellowfin tuna crudo with a tonnato white soy sauce. And as for staples, we’ll always go for the Korean style tartare hand roll with tobiko, egg salad, and nori.
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PORTOSOLE
Address: 2530 Ponce de Leon
Cuisine: Italian, pasta
Good for: big groups, clients, outdoor seating
Portosole is one of the best restaurants in Coral Gables. Half the guests are Italian, a good sign when you’re at an Italian restaurant. Here you will feel important & well taken care of in a brightly lit, white table cloth setting.
Make sure you order one of the best Melanzane alla Parmigiana we’ve had in Miami, Ravioli di Ossobuco allo Zafferano for those who love saffron, and the classic and traditionally executed Tonnarelli al Cacio e Pepe.
Get the Sgroppino Veneziano, a dessert cocktail made with Prosecco, vanilla ice cream and vodka. Finished off with lemon zest and grounded coffee. Trust us.
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LION & THE RAMBLER
Address: 804 Ponce de Leon
Cuisine: Modern American
Good for: birthday, date night, special occasions
Lion and the Rambler is the most exciting new restaurant we tried in Coral Gables in 2022. Chef Michael Bolen’s modern American concept opened in the former Eating House space. It offers an inventive a la carte menu focused on South Florida flavors, cultured butter, and homemade Koji – a Japanese fermentation starter used to make fresh miso plus produce from the best local farms in town.
Those that nerd out and get excited about sourdough and butter need to stop by Lion & the Rambler. The menu will change frequently. Favorite dishes we’ve tried include the yecora rojo focaccia with house-cultured butter; the steak tartare with green blueberry capers, Shelburne farms two-year aged cheddar; and grilled tiger prawn with Calabrian chile butter and lime. And of course, our favorite, the maitake mushrooms with escargot butter.
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GRAZIANO’S RESTAURANT
Address: 394 Giralda Ave | 9227 Bird Road
Cuisine: Argentinian, steakhouse
Good for: big groups, clients, classics, birthday, special occasions, kid-friendly
Martinis, steak, and the best sobremesa in Miami?! That’s Graziano’s. This classic Argentinian steakhouse has been around since 1962. We love the food and the attentive hospitality. No one is going to rush you out of here. You can literally be here for more than two hours.
Consider ordering the roasting feast of your dreams. A Parrillada with certified Angus beef, raised by three-generation family ranchers and naturally aged for at least 21 days. Our favorite cuts are the skirt steak and Picanha. We’d also get the mussels with leeks in a Marsala wine sauce, the melted Provoleta cheese, the polenta with parmesan in a tomato sauce, and the mashed potato. For dessert, order the crepes with dulce de leche.
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CHRISTY’S RESTAURANT
Address: 3101 Ponce de Leon
Cuisine: Steakhouse, American
Good for: clients, classics, special occasions
Those that romanticize a black-and-white, Frank Sinatra sort of New York will feel right at home when checking out Christy’s. This classic Coral Gables steakhouse has been around since 1978. Inside the regal space, you will find dark red walls and crystal chandeliers.
A Dirty Martini with stuffed blue cheese olives is the way to start. As far as appetizers go we’d share Christy’s famous Caesar salad with house-made rustic croutons, fresh grated Parmesan, and anchovies; The escargot (which you don’t usually get in an American steakhouse) with a classic white wine, garlic, herb butter and the potato skins with sour cream, chives, and caviar.
They have a selection of signature steaks and are known for their Prime Rib of Beef which is hand-carved to order. We’ve yet to try it but we’ll be back for that. If you’re looking for something other than steak, don’t miss the herb-crusted rack of lamb (make it a full rack and lollipop) with a Greek yogurt mint sauce and a sherry honey glaze on a bed of mushrooms and asparagus ragout.
We’re suckers for potato sides so had to go with the potato gratin that was creamy and beautifully layered like a mille-feuille. If you want to finish the night with an over-the-top spectacle, get the Baked Alaska. They flambé the meringue table-side so you can go out with a bang.
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FIOLA
Address: 1500 San Ignacio Ave
Cuisine: Italian, pasta
Good for: clients, special occasions
Famed for their Michelin star standing in Washington, Chef Fabio Trabocchi is bringing that same energy to Fiola in Miami.
Stop by for an Italian meal with some Frank Sinatra in the background.
Your meal will always start with an amuse bouche. Ours had Foie Gras and was similar to a crema Catalana. Order the Pane Pugliese with sheep’s milk ricotta, honey & thyme.
Other dishes we recommend include the Burrata with heirloom & sundried tomato pesto, Fiola Meatballs with shaved royal trumpet mushrooms, Pecorino from Sardinia; Spaghetti alle Vongole with Middleneck & Littleneck Clams, Fresno peppers parsley; Whole Wheat Rigatoni with Classic Bolognese, Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe with whipped Parmigiano & Pecorino.
Fiola is open Monday- Sunday for dinner, Tuesday – Friday for lunch. They also recently launched Sunday Jazz Brunch at La Terrazza rooftop offering a Bellini and Bloody Mary bar, live jazz, classic brunch favorites and some of Fiola’s iconic pastas.
Additionally, they have the option of a Pasta Omakase with 5 course pasta tasting menu, featuring Chef’s choices of pastas & dessert.
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FRATELLINO RISTORANTE
Address: 264 Miracle Mile
Cuisine: Italian, pasta
Good for: classics, date night, outdoor seating
There are neighborhood gems and then there’s Fratellino Ristorante. Located in Coral Gables, this family-run restaurant delivers Italian comfort food but also impeccable and friendly service. The owner Betto is a trip and makes you feel right at home.
This timeless spot loved by locals has indoor and outdoor seating. We’d stop by Fratellino with the people you love the most. Order the classic carpaccio di Manzo and the eggplant parmigiana (it was special when we went) to start. As far as mains go, we’d go for the four cheese gnoochi and the ossobuco alla Milanesa served with champagne risotto.
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BUGATTI BISTRO
Address: 2504 Ponce de Leon
Cuisine: Italian, pasta
Good for: clients, classics
Bugatti is a Coral Gables institution that has been around for 35 years. If you’ve been here before, then you probably grew up with their white lasagna. The first Wednesday of the month was the best and most popular day to visit Bugatti for this meaty dish. There was always a wait but it was worth it.
Now it’s easier to get in and you can have their delicious Bechamel based lasagna every Wednesday of the month. We recently stopped by and can say that just for this dish alone, Bugatti deserves a place on the list of best restaurants in Coral Gables.
However, other dishes that we enjoyed include the stuffed spinach and chicken ravioli Bombay with a curry sauce, topped with diced apples, raisins, almonds and whipped cream. An eccentric dish but when you have the first bite, it all makes sense. For dessert, make sure your order the chocolate mousse. It’s the only place we would order this old-school dessert.
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EATING HOUSE
Address: 128 Giralda Ave
Cuisine: New American
Good for: birthday, date night
After almost a year and a half, the new Eating House has opened on Giralda Plaza and is conveniently located, next to its sister restaurant Luca Osteria. The larger space includes a full bar with wine, beer, and specialty cocktails. Chef Giorgio Rapicavoli’s menu features the must order Crispy Potatoes with whipped gruyere, ‘French’ onions, and pepper; and Wagyu Beef Carpaccio with yuzu, Parmigiano Reggiano, artichoke, and dry miso. Classics like the Heirloom Tomatoes with nuoc cham, herbs, and frozen coconut milk have also returned.
As far as large plates go, try the Amish Chicken ‘Two Ways’ grilled breast, fried thigh, and carrot; and the Cavatelli ‘Carbonara’ with egg yolk, heritage bacon, black truffle, and ‘carbon’ breadcrumbs.
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