16 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 | town, Jackson Soul Food has an outpost in Opa-locka; both locations offer traditional fa- vorites, including fried catfish, smothered wings, oxtail, and ribs. A proper soul-food restaurant is known for its sides, and Jackson delivers — from candied yams to fried okra, collard greens, and macaroni & cheese. Jimmy’s Eastside Diner 7201 Biscayne Blvd., Miami 305-754-3692 Jimmy’s Eastside Diner has the casual, been- there-forever feel of a neighborhood hangout. The green-and-brown color scheme is oddly appealing, and the place looks bright and friendly — diner ambiance minus any dingi- ness. If Jimmy’s looks familiar, it’s probably because the diner was used as one of the film- ing locations in Barry Jenkins’ Oscar-winning 2016 film Moonlight. Ready your camera be- cause you’ll want to take a photo for the ‘gram. Seating is all booths, and breakfast is served all day, including monster omelets and refreshing honesty from the waitstaff, as in: “Have the hash browns. The home fries have been sitting all morning.” Philly cheesesteak for Saturday lunch, tuna melts — the fare has all the authentic markings of a classic diner. Joe’s Stone Crab 11 Washington Ave., Miami Beach 305-673-0365 joesstonecrab.com You know Joe’s. The history. The gloriously sweet stone crabs. And, in season, the notori- ously long wait for a table. But often over- looked is the consistently good food, the truly professional service, the free parking, the sur- prising value (except the crabs, which are an extravagance wherever you find them), and the dining room’s stately ambiance. Visit and you’ll find tuxedoed waiters whirling through the dining rooms with oval trays held high above their heads while the buzz of diners subtly tinges the air like the intangible gather- ing of ions before a thunderstorm. Yet you’d be hard-pressed to find such a large space that’s as cozy as this one. Stone crabs are, of course, the mainstay of Joe’s menu, and somehow they seem to taste a little fresher and sweeter here. The rest of the offerings, though, don’t disappoint. And nearly everybody orders Joe’s key lime pie, renowned as the best in town, for dessert. If you show up on a Saturday evening, be prepared to cool your heels for hours. If you don’t want to wait, keep it simple and grab your claws next door at Joe’s Take Away. Kaori Miami 871 S. Miami Ave., Miami 786-878-4493 kaorimiami.com Kaori pairs elevated dining upstairs with a listening bar downstairs that fuses Japanese design, vinyl culture, and craft cocktails into one of Miami’s most unique experiences. On the eats side, the Asian-inspired menu is both artful and indulgent, with standout dishes like Wagyu and foie gras gyoza and bluefin tuna sashimi layered with inventive flavors. The restaurant also shines during happy hour, when $1.50 oysters (!) and $12 craft cocktails set the tone for a refined yet ap- proachable night out. No wonder New Times tapped it as Best Restaurant (Brickell) in 2023 and Michelin starred it, Kaori has cemented itself as a Miami must-visit. Katana Japanese Restaurant 920 71st St., Miami Beach 305-864-0037 katanamiamibeach.com A hidden gem adored by locals, Katana is a compact yet vibrant Normandy Isles spot that boasts a 25-seat circular bar where skilled chefs whip up an array of dishes in a veritable sushi-go-round. The restaurant’s pricing sys- tem, indicated by the color of the plates, adds an element of surprise and exploration to the experience. From classic items like California rolls and gyoza to fancier treats like salmon roe and sea urchin nigiri, Katana’s menu hits all the right notes. Reservations aren’t an op- tion, so swinging by on a weekday or arriving at opening on weekends is your best bet. They have implemented a digital wait list, but if you do find yourself with time to kill, there’s a bar next door where you can kick back with a drink until your turn at the table arrives. Pro tip: Families and larger parties might consider skipping this Miami Beach mini-gem and opting for Katana’s sister oper- ation, Shima, on NW 67th Avenue just north of the Palmetto in Hialeah. Kojin 804 Ponce de Leon, Coral Gables 786-747-1404 kojin2.com Kojin took the intimacy and in- ventiveness of its origins as a six-seat pop-up and expanded those elements into a full- fledged Coral Gables restaurant — all without losing its soul. Equal parts creative, hilarious, and kind, chef Pedro Mederos crafts a hyperseasonal, ever- changing menu that fuses Japa- nese technique with Miami roots, anchored by his now-legendary “Flanigan’s Caesar.” The open-kitchen setting, chef’s counter, and play- ful yet refined energy make every visit add up to a one-of-a-kind experience. Add in desserts by Katherine Mederos (Pedro’s wife), from a key lime ice cream sandwich to a miso-choco- late tarte, and Kojin delivers a meal as memo- rable as it is delicious. Kon Chau Chinese Restaurant 8376 SW 40th St., Miami 305-553-7799 konchauchinesefl.com Located in the same West Miami-Dade shop- ping plaza as long-standing Asian grocery Lucky Oriental Mart, Kon Chau has been dis- proving the slander that you can’t get decent dim sum in Miami since 2011. Rolling carts steam forth from the kitchen stocked with all the usual small-plate suspects — lotus leaf- wrapped sweet sticky rice, sauce-slick chicken feet, Shanghai-style soup dumplings, fluffy steamed pork buns, tender pork siu mai, etc. The cognoscenti know to order lesser-known offerings like salted pork por- ridge with century egg, duck-stuffed dump- lings, and tripe noodle soup. Krüs Kitchen 3413 Main Highway, Coconut Grove 786-518-3998 kruskitchen.com Perched atop Sebastian Vargas’ acclaimed Los Félix Mexican restaurant in Coconut Grove, bright and airy Krüs Kitchen does double duty as a sister restaurant and a wine market. Here Vargas, a veteran of stints at Michelin-starred Osteria Francescana in Italy and Eleven Madi- son Park in New York, taps into his global travels and local farm finds to create an evolving menu that mirrors the seasons. Within the concise list, seafood dishes stand out, highlighted by the “Day’s Catch Ceviche,” mari- nated in coconut milk and abet- ted by pickled mango and grilled pineapple. Among the vegeta- ble-based dishes, grilled oyster mushrooms are meaty and tender, artfully ar- ranged like a crown atop a foam made from aged Parmesan and topped with a runny poached egg. La Camaronera Seafood Joint and Fish Market 1952 W. Flagler St., Miami 305-642-3322 lacamaronera.com Everyone knows La Camaronera as the iconic Little Havana seafood joint founded by a fam- ily of Cuban fishermen. For more than 40 years, the restaurant’s owners, the Garcia brothers, have been cooking up their famous favorites — including grouper soup, shrimp empanadas, conch fritters, and a fresh fish sandwich — along with dozens of other Cu- ban-inspired dishes. Most people flock to the dive for the house specialty: camarones fritos, a dish that has been featured on Michelle Kaori Kaori photo TOP TOP 100 100 RESTAURANTS Kojin Kojin photo
