Miami is a destination getaway all year round, whether you’re looking for an exciting spring break or a warm respite during the winter months. For the visiting food-and-wine lover, the eight restaurants below offer an exciting range of experiences in both cuisine and atmosphere. From fine dining fusion to pizzas and pastas, these Restaurant Award–winning eateries showcase stellar wine lists in sunny settings.
For more Miami-area wine destinations, browse 30-plus Restaurant Award winners in southern Florida. To check out more wine-and-food destinations around the world, see Wine Spectator’s nearly 3,200 Restaurant Award–winning picks, including the dozens of Grand Award recipients worldwide that hold our highest honor.
Do you have a favorite you’d like to see on this list? Send your recommendations to restaurantawards@mshanken.com. We want to hear from you!
Note: Opening hours and menus are subject to change as the industry continues to adjust to evolving regulations.
Carbone Miami
49 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, Fla.
Website www.carbonemiami.com
Best of Award of Excellence
Major Food Group’s Carbone came to Miami in 2021. It has since become the latest Best of Award of Excellence winner in chef Mario Carbone’s acclaimed portfolio, joining award-winning sibling locations in Las Vegas and New York City. Working with the five-person Miami sommelier team, wine directors John Slover and Patrick Wert offer guests a wine list of more than 1,400 selections, having added 400 in just the past year. Though Italy-focused, the list also offers impressive options from California and France, with a notable range of grower Champagnes. Italy is the star of chef Evan Davis’ menu as well, with offerings such as fresh prosciutto with mozzarella, jumbo shrimp scampi and Carbone’s well-known rigatoni in a spicy vodka sauce.
Chica
5556 N.E. Fourth Court, Miami
Telephone (786) 632-7725
Website www.chicarestaurant.com/miami
Best of Award of Excellence
In the heart of Miami’s MiMo District, Chica is not only a fine dining restaurant with an impressive wine list, but also a popular nightlife destination for live performances and craft cocktails. The lush and eclectic interior offers an escape from the Miami heat, whether that means kicking back with a glass of wine or diving into a dish from chef Lorena Garcia’s menu of Latin cuisine—or both! Wine director Dave Gerardu and sommelier Karley Blackwell oversee the 380-selection wine list, which holds a Best of Award of Excellence and is packed with picks from California, France and Italy. Whichever wine region they look to, guests will find something to pair with Chica’s nice array of dishes, such as Tijuana Caesar salad with cherry tomato confit and a chorizo crumble, Oaxacan rotisserie chicken with chintextle crema and an avocado sauce or the 42-ounce tomahawk steak served with homemade tortillas and a peppery queso.
Cote Miami
3900 N.E. 2nd Ave., Miami
Telephone (305) 434-4668
Website www.cotemiami.com
Best of Award of Excellence
Want to know the true Miami heat? Then claim your seat around a grill at Best of Award of Excellence winner Cote Miami in the Design District. An offshoot of restaurateur Simon Kim’s Best of Award of Excellence–winning Cote in New York, this celebrated steak house opened in Miami in 2021. With a beverage program from leading sommelier Victoria James and Master Sommelier Mia Van de Water (the same team behind the acclaimed cellar at the NYC location), the 1,300-label wine list highlights Burgundy, Bordeaux, Champagne, California and Italy, with additional picks from Argentina, South Africa, Australia and beyond. Roughly a dozen wines are available in either 5- or 8-ounce pours, with a pair of rare Tokaji Essencias served by the spoon. Chef David Shim’s menu showcases several cuts of steak to grill at your table, including dry-aged New York strips and rib-eyes, plus Korean cuisine options, such as a veggie-and-egg bibimbap, a pork belly kimchi stew and a rich crudo salad.
Council Oak Steaks & Seafood
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, 1 Seminole Way, Hollywood, Fla.
Telephone (954) 327-7625
Website www.seminolehardrockhollywood.com
Best of Award of Excellence
One of five Restaurant Award–winning locations, Award of Excellence winner Council Oak Steaks & Seafood in the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino of Hollywood, Fla., features a classic steak house menu and a wine program of 440 selections. To complement chef Tyler Givens’ dry-aged cuts, wine director Zoltan Fodor has built a predominantly red list that excels in California Cabernet Sauvignons and Pinot Noirs, rounded out by myriad Tempranillos, super Tuscans and other picks. This includes a horizontal from leading Napa Valley winery Bond as well as trophy bottles, such as first-growth Bordeaux from acclaimed vintages. There’s also plenty of Champagne from celebrated names such as Krug and Perrier-Jouët, plus white wines such as California Chardonnay, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and German Riesling.
Ferraro’s Kitchen Miami
1099 N.E. 79th St., Miami
Telephone (786) 534-2136
Website www.ferraroskitchen.com
Best of Award of Excellence
Originally from Venice, Italy, Igor Ferraro has been serving Miami the flavors of northern Italy since 2013, when he opened his first restaurant in the Magic City, La Bottega in Coconut Grove. In central Miami’s MiMo District, the chef continues that legacy at Best of Award of Excellence winner Ferraro's Kitchen, where he offers top-notch dining in a relaxed setting, along with an impressive wine list. Arranged by Ferraro himself, the 400-label wine list largely centers on Italy, particularly Piedmont and Tuscany; it also features picks from well-known wineries in France and California. Among the red options are Barolo and Brunello verticals, as well as an impressive vertical of super Tuscan Masseto. These wines join a wide-ranging menu of classic Italian fare, including red tuna carpaccio with black truffles, linguine with clams, cacio e pepe and seafood risotto.
MILA Miami Beach
1636 Meridian Ave., Miami Beach, Fla.
Telephone (786) 706-0744
Website www.milarestaurant.com
Best of Award of Excellence
MILA Miami Beach is a wine destination that's a feast for all the senses, simultaneously peaceful and luxurious. Taking inspiration from Mediterranean and Japanese cuisines, chef Jose Icardi's izakaya-style tasting menu seamlessly blends the two culinary worlds for dishes such as Wagyu beef carpaccio flecked with seaweed and shaved black truffles, tuna tartare with a fennel-tofu aioli and a seasonal mushroom hot pot. Wine director Zach Gossard's Best of Award of Excellence–winning list concentrates on France (particularly Champagne), including 14 vintages of Château Latour. There are also verticals from leading wineries in California and Italy, including Screaming Eagle, Gaja and Romano dal Forno. Designer Olya Volkova put together MILA’s Cyclades-influenced space, which is accented with natural materials and pieces from painters, potters and crafters across the globe.
Leku
1100 N.W. 23rd St., Miami
Telephone (786) 464-0394
Website www.lekumiami.com
Award of Excellence
Located within Miami’s celebrated Rubell Museum, Award of Excellence winner Leku offers its own spin on traditional Basque cuisine in the heart of the diverse Allapattah neighborhood. Art carries into the restaurant, where a Guernica-inspired mural by Allison Zuckerman is showcased in the dining room. Guests can also dine outdoors in the Rubell courtyard or the museum’s garden, which becomes an intimate lounge area at night. General manager and wine director Alex Perez oversees a 245-selection wine list focused on Spain as well as France, Italy and California, among other regions. Leku also offers an array of craft cocktails and Basque ciders. Many of the items on chef Mikel Goikolea’s menu will be familiar to lovers of Basque and Spanish cuisine; think elevated tapas, including arroz dishes and wood-fired meats and seafood, including a whole branzino. A 10-course tasting menu is also available for $125, with wine pairings for an additional $79.
Macchialina
820 Alton Road, Miami Beach, Fla.
Telephone (305) 534-2124
Website www.macchialina.com
Award of Excellence
Macchialina invites guests to soak up Miami Beach’s sun while enjoying a glass of wine on the patio. And there’s plenty on offer, thanks to the Award of Excellence–winning wine list of about 100 selections. Overseen by co-owner and wine director Jacqueline Pirolo, the restaurant’s 900-bottle cellar is Italy-focused, with a wide range of options from up and down the boot. These range from sparkling picks such as Franciacorta to skin-contact blends from Liguria and leading bottles from Piedmont and Umbria. Using a Coravin preservation system, the restaurant’s team can serve almost all of these wines by the half-bottle or as by-the-glass specials, allowing guests to explore and expand their palates. Pirolo also leads a wine club, with a focus on boutique growers and unique finds. As for food at Macchialina, Michael Pirolo (Jacqueline's brother) prepares a menu of traditional Italian dishes, such as insalata tricolore, gnocco fritto and spaghetti pomodoro, as well as hearty mains, such as short-rib lasagna with Taleggio cheese.
—Edited by Collin Dreizen, Emma Grant, Julia Larson and Megan Tkacy
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