13 November 5-11, 2026 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com NEW TIMES | CONTENTS | LETTERS | NEWS | NIGHT+DAY | CULTURE | CAFE | MUSIC | Month XX–Month XX, 2008 miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | CONTENTS | LETTERS | RIPTIDE | METRO | NIGHT+DAY | STAGE | ART | FILM | CAFE | MUSIC | Fresh out the frying pan The hottest new restaurants in Miami right now. BY NICOLE LOPEZ-ALVAR I f you’re having trouble keeping track of all the new restaurants that have opened in Miami since September, I’ve got you covered. Fall is officially the busiest time of year for Miami’s dining scene. And this season is already off to a seri- ously impressive start. In just the past few weeks, we’ve welcomed everything from a much-needed modern Filipino restaurant in Little River to a New York City pasta bar mak- ing its South Florida debut. What makes this latest wave of openings especially exciting is just how different they all are. Celebrity chef José Andrés has made his grand return to Miami Beach with Bazaar Meat. Plus, the team behind beloved Caracas Bakery has opened a tiny rotisserie chicken shop in MiMo that might become your new fa- vorite takeout spot. Over in Wynwood, Lito is bringing Southern European cooking to the neighborhood. Up in Fort Lauderdale, Las Olas Boulevard welcomes two major newcom- ers: Naia and Caviar Club. And then there’s Anako, where two talented chefs are giving Filipino cuisine the attention it deserves. Whether you’re looking for your next date-night spot or a casual lunch that won’t break the bank, consider this your official fall dining guide. I’ve rounded up nine of the hot- test new restaurants in South Florida right now, and the best part? They’re all open, so you can actually go try them this week. Happy eating, Miami! Anako Miami has no shortage of new restaurants, but Filipino food remains surprisingly hard to find — until now. Opened Oct. 22, the inti- mate restaurant comes from chefs Leicel Ros and Nancy Dominguez. They’re the duo be- hind the former Sili pop-up at 1-800-Lucky, who are putting a modern spin on Filipino family recipes with influences from across Southeast Asia. Standouts include pork-and- shrimp lumpia, slow-braised oxtail kare-kare, Wagyu bistek tartare, and crispy banana frit- ters with sesame caramel. With just over 40 seats, an open kitchen, and a separate walk-in cocktail bar, Anako offers something Miami’s dining scene has been missing. It’s a chef- driven Filipino restaurant that feels equally suited for a serious dinner or a casual night out. 8222 NE Second Ave., Miami; 786-309- 5252; anakomiami.com. A Pasta Bar New York City’s popular A Pasta Bar has fi- nally opened in Sunset Harbour. Opened Oct. 21, the SoHo favorite brings its signa- ture handmade pastas and theatrical dining experience to Miami. It features a stunning marble pasta bar and a 17-seat chef’s coun- ter where diners can watch their meals come together. Expect black truffle ta- gliatelle, beef-filled agnolotti, and a Miami- exclusive saffron pasta finished tableside with bone marrow. Plus, there’s a five- course pasta tasting menu for serious carb lovers. The restaurant also offers gluten- free, vegan, and protein-enriched pasta op- tions, along with a daily Italian-style aperitivo from 5 to 7 p.m. 1784 West Ave., Miami Beach; apastabar.com. Bazaar Meat by José Andrés Celebrity chef José Andrés is back in Miami Beach with a steakhouse that’s anything but ordinary. Opened Oct. 22 inside the An- daz Miami Beach Re- sort & Spa, Bazaar Meat marks the re- turn of Andrés’ be- loved Bazaar to South Florida. This time it opens with a carnivore-focused menu. It features dry-aged steaks cooked over an open flame, prized Spanish jamón Ibérico, and his famous “caviar cones.” It also offers a Mi- ami-exclusive spin on his signature airbread inspired by a Cuban sandwich, along with lobster, paella, and other seafood dishes. With a theatrical dining room inspired by Salvador Dalí and Pablo Picasso, Bazaar Meat is one of Miami’s biggest chef-driven openings this fall. At Andaz Miami Beach Resort & Spa, 4041 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; 305-397-8309; thebazaar.com. Caviar Club Las Olas just got a whole lot more decadent with Caviar Club. It’s a retro-glam American steakhouse channeling the unapologetic excess of the 1980s. Expect martinis and caviar bites at the bar, then go all-in on dry-aged and Wagyu beef and tableside Dover sole. Plus, an over- the-top steakhouse indulgence in the main din- ing room. Despite its name, Caviar Club is neither strictly a caviar bar nor an exclusively members-only operation. “We are a retro-glam American steakhouse inspired by the excess and decadence and unapologetic luxury of the 1980s,” they tell New Times. 833 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; caviarclubftl.com. La Sponda Ristorante & Grille One of Miami’s most exclusive waterfront en- claves has a stunning new Italian restaurant to match. Located at the Vita at Grove Isle in Coconut Grove, La Sponda is the latest ven- ture from Thomas and Kassidy Angelo, the father-and-daughter team behind Daniel’s Miami. Led by chef Danny Ganem, the up- scale restaurant serves handmade pastas, truffle-topped spaghetti alla chitarra, fresh Mediterranean seafood, and a massive Wagyu bistecca Fiorentina, all inspired by the Angelo family’s roots in southern Italy. With white tablecloths, a baby grand piano, and an ele- gant dining room filled with furnishings im- ported from Italy, La Sponda brings a taste of old-world Italian glamour to one of Miami’s most coveted waterfront addresses. 4 Grove Isle Drive, Miami; laspondamiami.com. Lito Wynwood has a new dinner spot that trades flashy gimmicks for Southern European cooking meant to be shared. Lito is the latest venture from partners Liz Mattos, Eduardo Antunes, and Brazilian-born chef Santos. The menu draws inspiration from the coastal cui- sines of Italy, Spain, and beyond. Expect Flor- ida blue crab gnocco fritto, charred tiger prawns with ‘nduja butter, handmade pastas, and butterflied branzino with Sicilian salmoriglio. Plus, there are larger plates like veal alla Milanese. With a seafood-forward menu, citrus-driven cocktails, and an empha- sis on sharing, Lito brings a refreshing new option for a proper sit-down dinner in Wyn- wood. 137 NW 26th St., Miami; litotable.com. Naia One of Fort Lauderdale’s most recognizable restaurant spaces has a swanky new tenant. Opened Oct. 22 in the former Mango’s on Las Olas Boulevard, Naia is the latest venture from The Restaurant People, the hospitality group behind YOLO, bringing a Mediterra- nean-inspired menu with Asian influences to the heart of downtown Fort Lauderdale. Led by executive chef Miguel Casanova, the mas- sive 200-plus-seat restaurant serves every- thing from robata-grilled skewers and wagyu dumplings to sushi made with seafood sourced from Tokyo’s famed Toyosu Fish Market. With a stunning open kitchen, a lively corner bar, weekday happy hour, and late-night dining until 2 a.m. on week- ▼ Café Photo by Lorenzo Franco Chefs at A Pasta Bar experiment with limited- run shapes and fillings. CELEBRITY CHEF JOSÉ ANDRÉS HAS MADE HIS GRAND RETURN TO MIAMI BEACH WITH BAZAAR MEAT. >> p14