It’s October already, how did that happen?! While you’re busy wondering where the year has gone, you can rejoice in knowing that Miami Spice has added another full month to it’s calendar. Thank goodness because we were hating that Hurricane Irma took away two full weeks of our dining out time and this gives us a chance to help our local restaurants get back on their feet.

This edition of Miami Spice Mondays is featuring three spots we tried in September and are really excited to get the chance to go back to, in between checking off a few others on our Miami Spice bucket list.

Prime Italian, 101 Ocean Drive Miami Beach, FL 33139

This South Beach guilty pleasure is a up high on our Miami Spice list. The portions are huge and the menu has tons of options. On a recent visit we started with the calamari and chopped salads as our first course. When it came to entrees we were all about the Kobe meatball served with a small mountain of spaghetti (one of the restaurant’s signature dishes) and the chicken parmesan that was covered in gooey melted cheese. For dessert we went for the mini cannolis and the fried Oreos. While the cannolis weren’t our favorite, the Oreos were everything we wanted them to be.

Mignonette Uptown, 13951 Biscayne Blvd Miami, FL 33154

Danny Serfer is killing it at his newest spot in North Miami. We stopped in to check out the Miami Spice menu and were quickly blown away. We began the meal with the Greek salad. It was as light and refreshing as it was full of color. We also had the royal red shrimp served over orzo “risotto” and it was out of this world. I may dare to say it has been my favorite dish all of Miami Spice. For entrees we had the crispy skin sea bream and the braised lamb shank. So well cooked and so delicious. As always, gotta save room for dessert. We were so happy we did when we were served a red wine red velvet cake with brown butter cream cheese icing and fresh cherries. SO freaking good.

Fooq’s, 1035 N Miami Ave Miami, FL 33127

Always a favorite in Downtown Miami, Fooq’s is dishing it out well for Miami Spice. At Fooq’s we recommend going for the meatballs and the crispy honey glazed brussels. For entrees, you can’t go wrong with the bucatini amatriciana. The pasta is served in a hearty bowl and is almost enough for two meals. If you’re looking to keep it vegetarian the summer khoresh with crispy rice is a delicious option. When it comes to dessert, the gelato is made in house and the flavors vary by day. I’m always a sucker for the pistachio and it never disappoints.