UPDATED for 2018: Welcome to Miami!  Everyone is always asking us, "Where should I eat in Miami?"  Here are some of MIAbites Contributors Best Bites for "am to pm" dining in and around Miami and Miami Beach.   Dinner reservations are strongly recommended and should be made in advance if possible.

All of the Miami Beach hotels have top restaurants and prices to match.  Jose Andres The Bazaar and Katsuya at the SLS South Beach, Scarpetta, Michael Mina and Hakkasan at The Fontainebleau , The Dutch and Mr. Chow at The W South Beach, Pao by Paul Qui and Los Fuegos at Faena and Jean Georges, The Matador Room at the EDITION are all popular and top picks where chances are you will have a delicious albeit expensive meal. 

So by request, the MIAbites contributors put our heads together to flesh out the restaurant scene and to compile our suggestions for dining while in Miami.  

1.     Best of the City- Popular for consistent and well-prepared dining options and excellent service. These are the "sure-things" in town and priced accordingly.

2.    New and Emerging- Opened in the last couple of years or so and are new hot spots to check out. Innovative and creative chefs abound. 

3.    Casual or Quick Bites- Lunch or more casual for dinner but fun places with good food.

4.    Coffee and Cocktails- Refueling before, during or after the tents, beach or shopping. Or late night cocktails. Step out and try some new cocktails like Peruvian Pisco, Mezcal and Negronis. 

Reservations are probably mandatory and may require multiple calls to secure, so be prepared to be flexible with times and days. Both Open Table, Resy and Table8 are good resources for reservations but you may need to leave credit card information or pay up front. HINT: When in doubt, call directly as many restaurants will block out peak times and days to avoid paying reservation site fee. 

Best of Miami:

Design District/Midtown/Wynwood/MiMo:

Michael's Genuine Food & Drink- 130 NE 40th St, Miami, FL 33137
305 573-5550

MC Kitchen- 4141 Ne 2nd Ave., Suite 101a Miami, FL 33137 305 456-9948

Mandolin-4312 NE 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33137 305 576-6066

Salumeria 104- 3451 NE 1st Ave #104, Miami, FL 33137 305 424-9588

BlackBrick aka Midtown Chinese- 3451 NE 1st Avenue #103 Miami, FL 33137
305 573-8886

Blue Collar -Biscayne Inn, 6730 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL 33138 305 756-0366

SUGARCANE Raw Bar & Grill – 3252 NE 1st Ave, Miami, FL 33137  786 369 -0353 

Miami Beach:

The Dutch - W Hotel 2201 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139 305 938-3111

Scarpetta – The Fontainebleau 4441 Collins Ave. Miami Beach, FL 33140 305 674- 4660

Hakkasan- The Fontainebleau 4441 Collins Ave. Miami Beach, FL 33140 786 276-1410

Casa Tua- 1700 James Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139 305 673-1010

Prime 112- 112 Ocean Dr, Miami Beach, FL 33139 305 532-8112

Red SteakHouse- 119 Washington Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139 305 534-3688

Joe's Stone Crab- 11 Washington Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139  305 673-0365

Pubbelly- 1418 20th St, Miami Beach, FL 33139 305 532-7555

BLT Steak Miami- The Betsy South Beach 1440 Ocean Drive Miami Beach, FL 33139  305 673-0044

Juvia- 1111 Lincoln Rd, Miami Beach, FL 33139 305 763-8272

Lure- The Loews 1601 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139 305 695-4550

Macchialina- 820 Alton Rd, Miami Beach, FL 33139 305 534-2124

Milos- 730 1st St. Miami Beach, FL 33139 305 604-6800

New and Popular- Many open less than two years and hot spots worth checking out!

Design District/Midtown/Wynwood/MiMo:

Alter- 223 NW 23rd Street, Miami, FL 33127 305 573 5996

Coyo Taco- 2300 NW 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33127 305 573-8228 and new Brickell location at 999 Brickell Ave. 

Fooqs- 1035 North Miami Avenue, Miami Fl, 33136  786 536-2749

KYU- 251 NW 25th St. Miami, FL 33127 786 577-0150

Mignonette- 210 NE 18th St, Miami, FL 33132  305 374-4635

Pinch Kitchen- 8601 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL 33138 305 631-2018

Miami Beach:

Byblos-  1545 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139 305 508-5041

27 Restaurant in The Freehand Miami- 2727 Indian Creek Dr, Miami Beach, FL 33140

NaiYaRa- 1854 Bay Road Miami Beach FL 786 275 6005

Matador Room by Jeans George - The EDITION 2901 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33140
786 257- 4600 

Stiltsville- NEW- 1787 Purdy Ave. Miami Beach, FL 786 353 0477

Stubborn Seed- NEW- 101 Washington Ave. Miami Beach, FL 786 322 5211

Casual and Quick Bites- Lunch or casual dinner or snacks

Design District/Midtown/Wynwood/MiMo

Harry's Pizzeria- 3918 N Miami Ave, Miami, FL 33127 786 275-4963

Crumb on Parchment- 3930 NE 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33137 305  572-9444

ella cafe- 140 NE 39th Street #136, Miami, FL 33137  786  534-8177

Mercato- 4141 NE 2nd Ave #101a, Miami, FL 33137  305 456-9948

Buena Vista Deli - 4590 NE 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33137 305 576-3945

La Latina- 3509 NE 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33137 305 571-9655

Zak The Baker- 405 NW 26th St, Miami, FL 33127

Proof Pizza and Pasta -3328 N Miami Ave, Miami, FL 33127 786 536-9562

Miami Beach:

My Ceviche South Beach- 235 Washington Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139 305 397-8710

La Sandwicherie- 229 14th St, Miami Beach, FL 33139 305 532-8934

Taquiza-1506 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139 305 748-6099

Puerto Sagua- 700 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139 305 673-1115

True Loaf Bakery- 1894 Bay Rd, Miami Beach, FL 33139 786 216-7207

Market- The EDITION 2901 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33140
786 257- 4600

Coffee and Cocktails- Hot coffee...even hotter cocktail bars!

Design District/Midtown/Wynwood/MiMo:

Panther Coffee- 2390 NW 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33127 305 677-3952

Miam Cafe & Boutique- 2750 NW 3rd Ave Suite 21, Miami, FL 33127 786 703-1451

Jugo Fresh- 1935 West Ave #102, Miami Beach, FL 33139 786 472-2552

Salty Donut- 50 NW 24th St. Suite 112 Miami FL 305 935 8126

The Anderson Bar- 709 NE 79th St, Miami FL 305 757 3368

Miami Beach:

Panther Coffee in Sunset Harbour- 1875 Purdy Avenue Miami Beach, FL 33139

Broken Shaker at The Freehand- 2727 Indian Creek Dr, Miami Beach, FL 33140 305 531-2727 

The Regent Cocktail Club at The Gale - 1690 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139  305 673-0199

Sweet Liberty Drinks & Supply Company - 237 20th St. Miami Beach FL 33139 305 763 8217

We could go on and on… and each one of us has favorites that did not even make this list. 

There is also many top spots in downtown Miami like Edge Steak House in the Four Seasons,  La Mar at The Mandarin Oriental and Zuma, in the Epic Hotel, recent downtown and Brickell openings like PawnBroker Rooftop Bar and Lounge, and brand new spots, Brava by Brad Kilgore and Fi'lia in the new SLS Brickell, Marion, and MisterO1 for pizza.

And we haven't even touched on the emergence of both Coral Gables and Coconut Grove as excellent dining options. Basically great dining is just "around the corner" !