6 Best Restaurants in North Beach, Miami and Miami Beach

Stephen Starr's Japanese headliner, executed by celebrity-chef and master of Edomae-style sushi Makoto Okuwa, now sits in a new, much larger space and offers two menus: one devoted solely to sushi, sashimi, and maki, the other to Japanese cold and hot dishes. Look forward to hyperfresh raw dishes, tempuras, meats, and vegetables grilled over Japanese charcoal (robata), rice and noodle dishes, and a variety of steaks and fish inspired by the Land of the Rising Sun.

As expected for its ritzy location, this upscale restaurant matches its high-fashion neighbors: waiters don bow ties and coattails, even for lunch hours, yet are approachable in their knowledge and attentiveness. Practically everything on the menu jumps out, though the handmade mozzarella antipasti, clam linguine, and namesake beef carpaccio are signature dishes. An extensive list of wines from Italy, California, and other locales around the world perfectly complements a meal here.

For decades Il Mulino New York has ranked among the top Italian restaurants in Gotham, so it's no surprise that this Miami outpost is similarly good. Start your food coma with the complimentary starters—fresh cuts of Parmesan cheese, four types of fresh bread, garlicky bruschetta, and spicy, fried zucchini whet the palate—and then move on to antipasti like calamari fritti followed by ever-changing risottos and other classic Italian dishes perfected.

An unconventional Jewish deli that's not exactly kosher, Josh's serves impressive creations like the "Jewbanize," a deli-style take on a Cubano, in addition to more traditional classics like corned beef Reubens and latkes. The menu here changes often and can be found on Instagram. One day it's a barbecue pop-up and the next day it's Chinese, but there's always some sort of deli offering.

Restaurateur Stephen Starr imports a bona fide Parisian brasserie to the swanky Bal Harbour shops—inclusive of vintage decorations, furnishings, and an entire bar, all of which were shipped directly from France. Expect classics perfected, such as onion soup gratiné, steak frites and moules frites, and seafood plateaux (towers); a few delicious deviations like the escargots in hazelnut butter (rather than garlic butter); and plenty of excellent people-watching.

Who doesn't love beachside tacos? These street-style ones are especially adored thanks to fresh, hand-ground blue masa tortillas and fillings, from the classic al pastor (grilled pork topped with pineapple) to chapulines (grasshopper). The latter was Guy Fieri's favorite on his Diners, Drive-ins and Dives visit. Lightly fried, puffed tortillas, called totopos (a Mexican version of chips) are the stars here, served with choice of salsa, guac, or queso. There's also a full liquor bar with specialty drinks and frozen cocktails.