14 September 18-24, 2025 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | NEWS | LETTERS | CONTENTS | September 18-24, 2025 miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | ART | STAGE | NIGHT+DAY | METRO | RIPTIDE | LETTERS | CONTENTS | a meal made with fresh, farm-to-table ingre- dients, no matter the time of day. For break- fast, try the steak, egg, and cheese “burrito,” featuring quinoa and cheese. For lunch, try the pizza of the day. Or bring a date for din- ner, and splurge on a Australian Waygu pi- chana steak for two. Elcielo Miami 31 SE Fifth St., Miami 786-694-9525 elcielomiami.com When Colombian chef Juan “Juanma” Man- uel Barrientos first set foot in Miami, he envi- sioned opening a stateside outpost of his fine-dining restaurant Elcielo. . Like its sister establishments in cities like Bogotá and Washington, D.C., the restaurant is centered on a multisensory tasting menu known as “the Experience.” Standout moments might include plucking tufts of spice-dusted yuca bread off branches from an edible “Tree of Life” bonsai tree to bathing your hands in melted chocolate before devouring the “Chocotherapy” dessert. Estiatorio Milos 730 First St., Miami Beach 305-604-6800 estiatoriomilos.com Greek cuisine is rooted in simplicity and qual- ity ingredients. At Estiatorio Milos in South Beach, there’s something new to discover on every visit. The fish selection changes daily depending on what fishermen haul in. The day’s catch is prepared to your liking and priced according to weight. There’s nothing newfangled here, but when it comes to top- notch seafood, Milos is in a league of its own. One of the restaurant’s specialties is melt-in- your-mouth, charcoal-broiled octopus sea- soned with white balsamic vinegar and olive oil produced by the owner’s sister in Greece. The Greek salad is the real deal, made with heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers, green pep- pers, onions, kalamata olives, and feta cheese. And the housemade Greek yogurt dessert is so thick and creamy that you’ll never believe you’re eating something good for you. Note: The restaurant has a sister location in West Palm Beach. Finka Table & Tap 14690 SW 26th St., Miami 305-227-8818 finkarestaurant.com Siblings Eileen and Jonathan Andrade de- scend from Miami dining royalty. Their grandparents founded Islas Canarias, the shrine of Cuban comfort food revered for its croquetas. Their parents carried on that tra- dition. It was on the sage advice of Mom and Dad that Eileen and Jonathan opened Finka Table & Tap — employing a funky spelling of finca, the Spanish word for “farm” — out in the far-western reaches of Miami-Dade. Gas- tropubs are a dime a dozen on the east side of the county, but Finka has a monopoly out west, and a crowd lines up nightly for the An- drades’ Peruvian-Korean-Cuban fare: Cuban fried rice, Korean fried chicken, and the famed croquetas from the old family recipe, available in ham, chicken, or fish. Fiorito 5555 NE Second Ave., Miami 305-754-2899 fioritomiami.com An Argentine-inspired gem awaits in Little Haiti, identifiable by an unmistakable wel- come sign: the towering mural of soccer icon (and newly minted South Floridian) Lionel Messi above the entrance. Soccer is a major theme here — the name itself is a homage to Argentine legend Diego Maradona’s city of birth. It’s a relaxed and inviting space that creates an easygoing atmosphere perfect for families and locals looking to unwind. The heart of the menu is the meat: USDA prime beef cooked to perfection on the grill. The va- cio (flank steak) and churrasco (skirt steak) are standout options, but don’t ignore the juicy empanadas and hearty pasta dishes. Homemade desserts like flan and crepes offer a sweet ending. Whether you’re a diehard soccer fan or simply in search of great food and community vibes, Fiorito brings Argenti- na’s lively spirit to Miami’s dining scene. Flanigan’s Seafood Bar & Grill 2721 Bird Ave., Miami 305-446-1114 flanigans.net Ask nearly anyone in Miami, and they’re likely to tell you that their favorite place to have an unpretentious round of drinks is Fla- nigan’s. Joe “Big Daddy” Flanigan opened the first Flanigan’s in 1959 in Pompano Beach. The nautical-themed bar was a hit for its ice- cold beer, fresh seafood, and baby back ribs. The only thing that has changed since then is that, with two dozen locations in South Flor- ida, you could probably spin around and throw a dart and hit a Flanigan’s. Now that’s progress. Garcia’s Seafood Grille & Fish Market 398 NW North River Dr., Miami 305-375-0765 garciasmiami.com Garcia’s Seafood Grille & Fish Market has been serving up a winning combination of fresh fish dishes and family hos- pitality for nearly 60 years. In- the-know Miamians flock to this indoor/outdoor restaurant overlooking the Miami River — overseen these days by broth- ers Luis Garcia and Esteban Garcia Jr., whose parents founded the local institution in 1966 — for the freshest catch reeled in daily and available for purchase on the menu or by the pound at the fish market next door. If you choose to stay, you can dine amid dark-wood surroundings or enjoy the laid-back vibe and river view outdoors. Choose blackboard spe- cials or house favorites such as fried grouper fingers or blackened or breaded preparations of your favorite fish. The famous fish dip or crab cakes make tasty starters, and each en- trée comes with your choice of two sides. Be- fore you leave, pick up some fresh seafood at the market to cook at home tomorrow! Ghee Indian Kitchen 8965 SW 72nd Pl., Miami 305-968-1850 gheemiami.com In, of all places, Dadeland, chef Niven Patel and his crew have opened Miami’s eyes to the cuisine of western India, a culinary culture that comprises infinitely more than tandoori chicken and lamb rogan josh. At Ghee Indian Kitchen, which earned a Michelin Bib Gour- mand designation in 2022, you’ll find the simple street snack of puffed rice called bhel, juiced up with sweet Florida avocado and meaty hunks of raw tuna. Though the restau- rant offers chicken tikka masala for the unad- venturous, do not miss the sizable vegetable section on the menu, for which many of the ingredients are harvested from Patel’s own farm. Note: Ghee has a second location in Wynwood. Hiden 313 NW 25th St., Miami hidenmiami.com Hiden is one of Miami’s coolest dining desti- nations. It’s hidden behind a Wynwood taco shop, accessible only by entering a secret passcode into a silver keypad. But there’s more: Once the copper wall slides open, you find yourself transported from ground zero of trendy Miami to Japan as you step through into an intimate, eight-seat omakase counter. Every night is a surprise, with a 15-course menu of fish flown in from Japan, crafted into dishes by executive chef Seijun Okano. With its speakeasy-style entrance, world-class su- shi, and air of mystery — all of which add up to a Michelin star, for those who roll with those — Hiden is a culinary portal that takes you halfway around the world. Hiyakawa 2700 N. Miami Ave., Miami 305-333-2417 hiyakawamiami.com Alvaro Perez Miranda, the Venezuelan res- taurateur and art dealer who also owns the growing Midorie mini-chain, has created a sparse yet beautiful dining room for Hi- yakawa in Wynwood. The scene feels like walking into a museum exhibit — the interior is decorated in Japanese wood architecture with curved ceiling arches that resemble the unfinished frame of a sailing vessel or the inside of a giant whale. Either way, it’s a remarkable backdrop for a restaurant that specializes in fish flown in daily from the Toyosu Fish Market in Tokyo. The menu offers à la carte items, but order one of the many sushi plat- ters (or the omakase experience) to get the full effect of this palace of sushi. Islas Canarias Cafe, Restaurant, & Bakery 3804 SW 137th Ave., Miami 305-559-0111 islascanariasrestaurant.com Head to this beloved Cuban joint out west the next time you’re hungover or hungry and in need of caffeine. There are few better cures for either than Cuban coffee and hot croqu- etas. Opened in 1977 by Raul and Amelia Gar- cia, Islas Canarias has earned its spot as one of the best cafecitas — those adorable Cuban coffee shops/bakeries — in Miami-Dade County. People crave the kitchen’s made-to- order beef or chicken empanadas, medi- anoche sandwiches, pan con bistec, and those famous ham croquetas. Jackson Soul Food 950 NW Third Ave., Miami 305-374-7661 instagram.com/jacksonsoulfood In 1946, Jessie and Demas Jackson opened Mama’s Cafe in Overtown. The restaurant saw Miami’s historic Black community rise, fall, and rise again. Generations later, the family business had become legendary for its traditional soul food. In addition to Over- TOP TOP 100 100 RESTAURANTS Hiden Photo by Nicole Lopez-Alvar
