Miami Travel Guide
Miami’s year round amazing weather and lively atmosphere makes it a great travel destination at any time. It has countless amazing restaurants, activities and workouts to try out. If you want to escape the cold this winter, I highly suggest going to Miami! Check out this guide for a few of my favorite restaurants and fitness studios there. The hotels in miami are endless so I didn’t include a description below but some of the ones I like to stay in are The Faena, The Edition, and The Four Seasons Surf Club in Bal Harbour.
Dinner in Miami
Novikov – Novikov is a world famous Chinese-Japanese upscale restaurant in Downtown Miami. You can’t go wrong with any dish here, but make sure to try yellowtail cilantro sashimi, the quail egg & truffle gunkan, the yuzu miso black cod and the soy & ginger branzino.
La Petite Maison – La Petit Maison is the first USA location of this internationally acclaimed restaurant. Their French-Mediterranean dishes are superb and the cozy atmosphere makes it perfect for a date night. I love the ratatouille, the burrata with fresh tomatoes, the grilled Chilean sea bass, the whole sea break and the grilled tiger prawns.
Le Sirenuse – This sophisticated waterfront restaurant is one of my favorite Italian restaurants in Miami. They offer intricate tasting menus as well as amazing a la carte options. The blue fin tuna crudite, the Italian eggplant parmigiana, the vegan tartare, and the seasonal truffle gnocchi are must tries.
Swan – This modern European restaurant is Pharell and David Grutman’s newest venture in Miami. Its garden-like interior is stunning and the food is out of the ordinary. Definitely try the burrata with figs, the seared scallops with cauliflower puree and the crispy Brussels sprouts with dates.
Casa Tua – Casa Tua is located inside a boutique hotel and serves Northern Italian food in a very intimate, lantern-lit setting. Some of their classics are the burrata with organic tomatoes, the octopus carpaccio with artichokes, and the fettuccine with wild mushrooms. Their current winter menu has an incredible baby artichoke salad and orecchiette pasta with gamberi.
Nobu – This world renowned Japanese restaurant also has a location in Miami Beach. If you’re looking for a luxurious, upscale restaurant, Nobu is always a great option. You can’t go wrong with any of their classic dishes, but make sure to ask what the current seasonal specials are!
Zuma – Zuma is another classic Japanese spot in the center of downtown Miami. The restaurant overlooks the Miami River and guests often show up to dinner by boat. Some of my favorite dishes are the miso black cod, the rock shrimp, the sweet corn, and the sashimi selection.
Makoto – Makoto is a more casual, yet refined and quality spot for Japanese food. It is located inside of the beautiful, outdoors Bal Harbour mall, so it is a perfect option for dinner after a shopping day. The watermelon ceviche, the hamachi ponzu, the tuna pizza, the dynamite handroll, the whole cauliflower with whipped feta tofu and the miso sea bass are my favorites.
Prime 112 – This is hands down one of the best steakhouses in Miami Beach. The dim lighting and lively atmosphere make this a great date night or girls night out dinner spot. The restaurant offers an extensive selection of USDA Prime and 30-day dry aged meats along with a long list of sauces and sides to pair with.
Milos – If you’ve been following the blog for a while, you know Milos is one of my all time favorite spots in NYC. This exceptional Greek restaurant is just as good in Miami! I love the Greek spreads, the octopus, the grilled vegetables, the Greek salad and of course the fresh Mediterranean market fish which are flown in from Greece, Spain and Portugal.
Pao – Pao is a chic, ocean front Asian restaurant located in the Faena Hotel in Miami Beach. I recommend the hamachi with lychee vinaigrette, the mushroom “bistek,” the heirloom tomato nam tok, the curry and the roasted fish.
KYU – This modern Asian fusion restaurant is located in Miami’s buzzing Wynwood district. KYU is a great dinner option for after a day of exploring the famous Wynwood Walls. I really enjoyed the roasted cauliflower, the grilled shishito peppers, the sliced sea bass, the thai coconut creamed spinach, the japanese sweet potato and the Florida red snapper.
Matador Room – Matador Room is renowned chef Jean Georges’s Latin fare restaurant inside the Edition Hotel. If you’re looking for something fun to do, go to dinner here and then go bowling at the hotel’s own sophisticated bowling alley.
Seaspice – This waterfront restaurant and lounge is a must if you’re in Miami! Come here during sunset for an early dinner and then stay and enjoy the lively atmosphere and music after. This is a great spot if you want to go out and dance while still enjoying Miami’s beautiful weather and views.
Planta – This restaurant’s unique take on plant-based cuisine has been a game changer in Miami’s vegan restaurant scene. Their innovative dishes, such as cauliflower tots, avocado lime tartare, plants burger and gluten free pizzas are delicious.
Papi Steak – This is a great restaurant for a fun night out with friends. The potato with caviar is the best item on the menu and must try if you are a caviar lover like I am.
Lunch Spots
Carpaccio – Carpaccio is an Italian restaurant at the Bal Harbour mall. This is a great option for lunch during a shopping day, The extensive menu includes typical Italian dishes but I especially love the mozzarella caprese, the fresh artichoke carpaccio and the snapper.
Kiki on the River – This Greek, riverfront spot is similar and right next to Seaspice. Come for a late lunch or early dinner and stay to enjoy the view and music afterwards. I recommend the Greek salad, the lavraki, the ahi tuna and the greek yogurt with thyme honey.
Mandolin Aegean Bistro – Mandolin is a beautiful Greek and Turkish restaurant in Miami’s Design District. The stunning, Aegean inspired decor and seating patio are great for a lunch outdoors. Everything on their menu is delicious and fresh! Some of my favorites are the Turkish sampler, the roasted cauliflower, the stuffed zucchini, the greek village salad and the whole mediterranean sea bass.
Joe’s Stone Crab – Joe’s is a classic Miami restaurant. Make sure to come here for the freshest stone crabs around and try a few of their delicious side dishes as well! If you want a little something sweet, they are famous for their key lime pie!
Cecconi’s – Cecconi’s is another classic with several locations in the US. In Miami, this refined Italian restaurant is located in the courtyard of Miami’s Soho Beach House. I love the eggplant parmigiana, the cauliflower with almond aoli, the gemeli pasta with kale pesto and the dover sole.
DIRT – DIRT is one of Miami’s best vegan restaurants. The restaurant prides itself in serving quality, nutritious food at an affordable price. DIRT is a good option for brunch since they have incredible brunch dishes like matcha protein pancakes, avocado toast, as well as great smoothies and lattes.
Pura Vida – This organic cafe serves healthy, fresh food in the heart of South Beach and the Design District. If you’re looking for a quicker, yet nutritious lunch option definitely try this place. Their superfood smoothies and all-day breakfast menu are delicious and Nedi approved! I recommend the almond berry toast, the overnight oats and the supergreens smoothie.
Lilikoi – This Hawaiian inspired, organic eatery in South Beach serves healthy, seasonal dishes in a casual setting. I love the gluten free quinoa waffles, the papaya “our way,” the veggie egg frittata and the shrimp coconut curry bowl.
Dr. Smood – Although we have several Dr. Smood locations in NYC, this is a great option for a quick, healthy bite. Their nutritionist-guided, organic menu is always my go-to option when I am pressed for time. Dr. Smood has incredible soups, low-carb sandwiches, salads, juices and adaptogenic lattes.
Dreamer Matcha – This casual health cafe in Miami Beach offers a selection of fresh, healthy juices, bowls, salads. Dreamer is perfect if you’re on the go and want to grab a quick, healthy bite. They have an extensive and customizable list of fresh pressed juices, smoothies and healthy sandwiches.
Pubbelly Sushi – Pubbelly is a sophisticated, industrial inspired Japanese restaurant with several locations in Miami. It is perfect for lunch since it has locations inside several malls such as Aventura and Brickell City Center. The tuna pizza, salmon tartare taquito, hamachi poblano and the butter crab roll are amazing!
Lucali – We all have nights where we just want to enjoy a quality, delicious pizza. Lucali’s rustic eatery has the best brick-oven pizzas in Miami Beach. Their artichoke appetizer is delicious as well!
Juice & Java – This casual cafe serves organic, Nedi approved dishes that are perfect for a quick lunch. I love grabbing a fresh green juice and salad from here when I am craving a nutritious lunch.
Malibu Farm – Malibu Farm’s oceanfront location at the Eden Roc Hotel serves organic, farm-to-table and locally sourced food. Some of my favorite dishes are the cauliflower crust pizza, the vegan coconut and tofu, the vegan chop salad and the balsamic ginger skirt steak. I recommend renting a hotel chair at the beach during the morning and heading to the restaurant for lunch afterwards.
Workouts
JetSet – This modern pilates studio is great because classes only have about 8 to 15 clients to ensure enough individual attention. The workout is intensive and incorporates a mix of pilates, cardio and strength training.
Sweat440 – Sweat440 is a boutique gym that offers 40-minute workout classes that incorporate HIIT and cross-training aimed at achieving an optimal metabolism boost and fat burn. If you prefer quicker, more intense workouts, this studio is the place for you!
FlyBarre – Flywheel’s innovative barre classes are the best for a full-body burn. Their Sweat Barre class is my favorite because it sculpts your body while optimizing calorie burn by incorporating short cardio intervals.
Barry’s Bootcamp – Barry’s is one of my favorite HIIT classes in NYC, so I love that I can still go when in Miami! I love feeling strong and healthy by keeping up my workout routine while on vacation. If you haven’t tried Barry’s yet, I highly recommend it.
SoulCyle – If you’re more into cardio, SoulCycle is always a great option. It is important to stay active, even during vacation, and I find that Soul’s empowering spin classes are an enjoyable way to do so.
Pulse 163 – Barre is one of my favorite workouts because it really tones every muscle group with low impact and a deep burn. Pulse163 offers several different barre classes such as barre sculpt, cardio barre, and sculpt. I loved the class with instructor Valerie Senior and recommend taking her class if you can!