The best Spanish food in Miami right now
Where to eat delicious pan con tomate, runny tortillas, and Basque cheesecake
Apr
19
2023
Keep this guide handy when you’re craving the best Spanish food in Miami.
So lately we’ve been eating a lot of patatas bravas, croquetas de jamon, and seafood paellas. Refreshing our memory and trying different restaurants to keep you updated on where to go for the best Spanish food in Miami right now.
We’ve included casual spots for when you’re craving a delicious sandwich made with imported Spanish pan de cristal, great date night spots with gin & tonics, and even an inventive Japanese and Spanish tapas pop-up.
This guide is for those that can’t go for pintxos in San Sebastián or tapas in Barcelona. Here is where you should go for the best Spanish food in Miami right now.
LEKU
Neighborhood: Allapattah
Address: 1100 NW 23rd St
Cuisine: Basque
Good for: Birthdays, clients, date night, outdoor seating, special occasions
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.
This restaurant is great for special occasions. Let’s say a work promotion or a birthday celebration.
You’ll want to start with one of their delicious gin and tonic cocktails. Always ask for their specials, they usually have really good ones. Our favorite dainty dishes for sharing include the Croquetas de Ibérico made with 5 jotas ham, and the simple and tasty Tomato Basil Cracker. We’d also order the Grilled Wild Mushroom Rice with homemade aioli.
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NIU KITCHEN
Neighborhood: Downtown
Address: 104 NE 2nd Ave
Cuisine: Catalan
Good for: Birthdays, date night, dinner with friends
NIU Kitchen in Downtown Miami is serving Catalan food. Chef Deme Lomas is pushing the boundaries with his creativity and bold flavors in this tiny space.
The menu is constantly evolving so a recurring dinner on the calendar is a smart move. Dishes that might be there when you go are the Pa amb Tomaquet; Octopus Carpaccio; Charbroiled Calmar; and the Ous (poached eggs truffled potato foam, black truffle, and bits of jamon iberico sprinkled on top).
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QP TAPAS
Neighborhood: Coral Gables
Address: 1831 Ponce de Leon B
Cuisine: Spanish, Izakaya
Good for: budget-friendly, date night
QP Tapas, a pop-up serving Izakaya-style Spanish tapas is open Thursday – Saturday night at 5 PM inside MKT Kitchen, with happy hour from 5 to 6 PM. Chef Josh Elliott is behind the dinner-only menu that features crudos, yakitori,
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.
And speaking of Steak Tartar, make sure you order the one at QP Tapas. 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 coriander.
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TROPEZÓN
Neighborhood: South Beach
Address: 512 Española Way
Cuisine: Andalusian
Good for: Birthdays, date night, eating at the bar, dinner with friends, outdoor seating
Tropezón is an Andalusian gin and tapas restaurant by the Lost Boy & Co. restaurant group located on South Beach’s Española Way. This charming and cozy spot is a great stop to sip on gin blends and sample an extensive list of Sherry. You can come here with friends or on a date.
Chef Juan Garrido has created a tapas-style menu full of flavor. Order the Pan con Tomate with plum tomato and heirloom tomato; Gambas al Ajillo cooked in cognac with crispy garlic and árbol chili; thinly sliced Jamón Ibérico de Bellota; the Marinated White Bean Salad with octopus salpicón, Calabrian chili, cherry tomato, cucumber; and the Carrots with chimichurri and yogurt sauce.
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BOCADORO
Neighborhood: Design District
Address: 140 NE 39th St #241
Cuisine: Mediterranean tapas
Good for: Budget-friendly, eating alone, working,
If you find yourself in the Design District and looking for something easy and delicious to eat, stop by the MIA Market. There are all sorts of options at this food hall but for this guide, you’re going to Bocadoro.
This relatively new Spanish concept blew our minds with its Classic Tortilla & also the Special Tortilla of the day, black truffle & brie. Both were perfect in color and texture and slightly runny in the center. At Bocadoro, they also have an amazing sandwich section. We recommend El Tonato with roast beef, tonato sauce, and arugula. All of their sandwiches are made in toasted Spanish Pan de Cristal. Don’t skip the homemade Basque Cheesecake for dessert.
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MAREVA 1939
Neighborhood: South Beach
Address: 1677 Collins Ave
Cuisine: Spanish
Good for: Big groups, birthdays, date night, outdoor seating
Mareva 1939 inside of The National Hotel is a modern Spanish restaurant great for dinner on the Beach without making you feel like you’re in Miami Beach.
Chef Sergio Chamizo will take you on a culinary journey focused on the coastal flavors of Spain. His menu includes classic tapas, vegetable-forward dishes, and a rice section.
You’re getting a little bit of everything and sharing. Our favorite tapas include the Pan con Tomate with Cantabrian anchovies, Patatas Bravas, and the Padron Peppers with soy sherry. If you’re looking for some refreshing flavors to balance your meal, get the Heirloom Tomatoes with confit piquillo peppers, green onions, olives, and anchovies.
Another favorite is the Scallops Crudo with togarashi (a Japanese spice mix), thinly sliced apple, salmon roe and lime zest. The Spanish Octopus is cooked to perfection and presented traditionally with a potato cream, smoked paprika, and finished off with Arbequina olive oil. From their meat section, we recommend the Roasted Bone Marrow with caramelized onions and oxtail marmalade.
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NIU WINE
Neighborhood: Downtown
Address: 134 NE 2nd Ave
Cuisine: Mediterranean tapas, Wine bar
Good for: Budget-friendly, date night, drinks and bites,
NIU Wine is a true wine bar that will make you feel like you’re in Europe, except you’re actually in Downtown. Here they will open up any bottle and serve you by the glass. The wine selections are beautiful, the tapas are yummy and the playlist is on point.
The small menu of dishes includes Anchovies with smoked butter, Patatas Bravas, Oysters, and Deep-fried Brie. The average glass of wine is $12 and we’d plan to be here for hours with someone that can carry a good conversation.
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LUR AT TIME OUT MARKET
Neighborhood: South Beach
Address: 1601 Drexel Ave
Cuisine: Basque
Good for: Budget-friendly, eating alone, working,
If you find yourself in South Beach, looking for a quick bite stop by Time Out Market. Make your way to LUR, Chef Aitor Garate Berasaluze’s Basque concept. We recommend the Angus Tenderloin Sandwich and don’t leave without trying one of the best Basque Cheesecakes in Miami.
On Friday, chef offers a tasting menu of seasonal dishes with seatings at lunch and dinner.
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BARCELONETA
Neighborhood: South Beach
Address: 1400 20th St
Cuisine: Spanish, Mediterranean
Good for: Birthdays, date night, drinks and bites, outdoor seating, dinner with friends
A Sunset Harbor staple that has been around since 2011. This tapas & gin bar is run by regulars. They come here for the bistro-style ambiance, refined tapas, and of course one of the best gin & tonics that mom swears by.
Chef Juliana Gonzalez has created a Spanish Mediterranean-inspired menu that includes small plates that are great for sharing with a group of friends or when you’re on a date.
Some of our favorites include the Esqueixada, a wahoo crudo with grated tomato, pearl onion, olive dust, sherry vinaigrette, and lemon zest; the Bikini C24 sandwich prepared with Iberico ham, mozzarella, mahon, truffle; and the Arroz Negro with black squid ink, Calasparra rice, prawns, aioli, and chopped squid.
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