Get FREE email communications from Fodor's Travel, covering must-see travel destinations, expert trip planning advice, and travel inspiration to fuel your passion.
We've compiled the best of the best in Downtown - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
This posh taverna featuring grilled fish and classic mezes is also a good place for celebrity sightings—from local basketball stars to pop music moguls. The lush waterfront hideaway has an inviting patio with blooming bougainvillea, whitewashed walls, secluded “cabana” tables, and navy-cushioned seating. Chef Steven Rhee sources ingredients like olive oil, honey, and spices from Greece while also maintaining a local and seasonal menu.
Under the glow of a green neon light in a hip industrial space, this locally loved, independent coffee shop offers quick service and a curated list of rotating coffee blends, pastries, and sandwiches for breakfast and lunch. Coffee connoisseurs will delight in the several preparations of nitro cold brew, pour over, and carefully crafted lattes. Most popular of the bites is the Runny & Everything sandwich, an aptly named sunny-side up egg sandwich with bacon, cheddar, lettuce, and tomato on an Everything brioche bun, but you'll also find local staples like croquetas and fresh-squeezed Florida orange juice.
High atop the 16th floor of Downtown Miami's Kimpton EPIC Hotel, memorable and sustainable ocean-to-table cuisine is prepared in the bustling, beautiful open kitchen. Look forward to a seafood-centric menu with innovative flavors and a hefty portion of ethos—all fruits of the sea here are certified by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch.
Half the fun of dining at this sophisticated brasserie on the Miami River is watching stylish patrons arrive by yacht. Reserve a table outdoors on the patio for the best views of Downtown, and rest assured that a knowledgeable server will guide you through an eclectic menu highlighting fresh seafood, wood-fired casseroles, and refreshing cocktails.
The slick, contemporary waterfront restaurant at Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) offers seating both indoors and out, with chic decor and accessories true to its "green" name that blend seamlessly with the living walls and hanging gardens strewn across the museum's exterior. The exceptionally affordable, one-page menu features eclectic epicurean lunch plates that include a variety of flatbreads, a house chopped salad (with green goddess dressing), and a gourmet cheeseburger with applewood-smoked bacon.
Museum admission is not required to eat here, but the restaurant is open only during museum hours, meaning lunch only, except on Thursday, when the museum remains open until 9.
