STOP! Please read. I know you want to scroll down quickly and see the results. And you can. But please read the following intro now or later to understand the “why” behind this list. What is it? What is it not? What went into the naming and placement of each honoree?
This year’s Palette Awards come with a little plot twist: For the first time, I am formally widening my dining radius to include Broward County. The invisible culinary border between the 305 and the 954 has been weakening for a while, and my reservation history proves it. Some of my most memorable dinners this past year required a quick drive up I-95 and a Miami bass playlist I could dance to in the car #truestory. Maybe even some Uber rides too because, you know, vino.
The rules still stand. This is not a “hot right now” list built off press releases, paid influencer reels, or a single cute bite for the feed. It’s the result of months of obsessive photo-taking, repeat visits, IG rants, and all the receipts (sooooo many). These are restaurants I visit to sit for dinner, start to finish. Properly. The TOTAL PACKAGE. The kind of places that make you want to arrive early for a drink, linger with a bottle of wine, order dessert even when you swear you are “so full,” and then still say yes to that plus a cafecito.
Most of the names will look familiar if you follow me on any of my social platforms or listen to my podcast. Some have been in my life long enough to feel like old friends. Others are surprisingly newer crushes that quickly demanded a permanent spot in my rotation (and heart). Together, they tell the story of a South Florida dining scene that refuses to coast.
This is my 13th year posting a version of this list, and the sixth year attaching an official PALETTE AWARD to it. I reserved, ordered, photographed, ate, and paid at these restaurants. No one asked me to do it. No one paid me to do it. I do it because me da la gana I care deeply about this scene, and I want you to experience it at its best.
CRITERIA
What do I mean by “the total package”?
EXCEPTIONAL FOOD
First, obviously, the food. These are the dishes that haunt me long after I’ve left the dining room. Menus that feel intentional and cohesive, not copy-paste. Technique, product, and plating all matter, but the bottom line is simple: is it unforgettable and ridiculously good?
CONSISTENCY
The awards technically focus on performance every year, but I always zoom out. Has this restaurant shown up for years (a plus), not just for one buzzy season? When I go back again (and again), do they keep delivering at the same level?
SIPS
Most of these spots make it impossible not to order something fun to drink. Thoughtful wine lists, smart pairings, proper cocktails, and teams who actually care about what’s in your glass.
VISITS
I only add a new restaurant once I’ve visited at least three times. For long-time favorites, the visit count is… a lot. I follow their progress, I listen when service wobbles, and I pay attention when they quietly level up.
AND MORE
From the tiniest mom-and-pop to the most polished hotel dining room, each of these restaurants has a pulse the moment you walk in. I look at how reservations are handled, how issues are fixed, how staff moves through the room, how ingredients are sourced, and whether the concept actually belongs to South Florida rather than feeling like one of the many soulless imports.
What you will NOT find
“It’s a dive, but it has the best ______.”
“The service is amazing, even if the food is just OK.”
“Such a pretty view, you almost forget about the plate.”
“I don’t really love it, but the owners are sooooo nice.”
“Never been, but everyone on Instagram is posting it.”
“I went to school with the chef, so of course I had to add it.”
“Order at the counter and wait for your buzzer to vibrate.”
“I’m mostly here for the DJ and the bottle parade.”
“I received the press release and went to the media night, so I’m obligated to include them.”
Those lists exist, just not here. There is a time and place for late-night chaos, shots (the alcohol type) in South Beach, and drive-through cravings (hellooooo Taco Bell). But this list celebrates restaurants that deliver the most complete, sit-down dinner experiences in our corner of the world. The South Florida bubble.
Ready? Set? Dale!
Use this list when you are choosing where to spend real money and real time, whether you are a local planning your next date night or a visitor trying to understand why we will not stop talking about food.
25. Dojo Izakaya
(First-year Palette Award winner)
This new izakaya concept from the team behind local favorite Zitz Sum is on its way to becoming quite the hot spot, and with good reason. A fine-tuned menu of hot and cold snacks plus incredible house specialties will tempt you to order them all, as I usually do. The okonomiyaki and uni butter yakisoba noodles caught my attention on the first day. You have been warned.
24. Blue Collar
(First-year Palette Award winner, long time fan)
On Biscayne Boulevard in the MiMo District, Blue Collar is proof that “comfort food” can still require great skill. Way back when, Chef Daniel Serfer built a neighborhood spot that worked just as well on a random Tuesday as it does for a low-key celebration. Add a new spacious location and the addition of a full bar, and we’ve got ourselves a total kickass package.
The menu reads like a greatest-hits list of things you actually want to eat: big flavors, generous portions, and specials boards that demand a close read. Add a surprisingly thoughtful wine and beer lineup, and you understand why this dining room keeps surviving every wave of “what’s new” in Miami. Forget what’s new, and go for what’s blue.
23. The Katherine
(First-year Palette Award winner)
In downtown Fort Lauderdale, The Katherine feels like the house party you always want to be invited to, only with much better food and someone to do the dirty work for you. Chef Timon Balloo cooks the way he always has at his best: globally influenced, rooted in comfort, and unapologetically personal.
The room is small, the vibe is neighborhood-casual, and the plates carry big, craveable flavors that make “just one more bite” a dangerous game. Every return visit has only confirmed that this was the right year to let Broward into the chat.
22. Cotoa
(First-year Palette Award winner)
Cotoa had my attention before the rest of the world caught on when it resided inside a tiny food hall off Biscayne Boulevard. It first popped onto my radar as one of my top bites of 2024, then landed on the MICHELIN Florida teaser list and confirmed I was not imagining things.
Classically trained Chef Alejandra Espinoza creates food that is simultaneously rich, dainty, unexpected, and comforting. The new-to-me Ecuadorian cooking is fun yet focused, with plates that feel both rooted and adventurous. Plus, when was the last time the menu read cacao, palo santo, and ishpingo alongside maduros? It’s the kind of small, personality-driven restaurant that keeps pushing Miami’s dining scene forward. I’m in love.
I’m already looking forward to the next chapter of this exciting story. Mark my words: 2026 will be a huge year for Cotoa.
21. Ghee
2018 2019 2021 2022 2023 2024
Headquartered in Downtown Dadeland, with a new gorgeous Wynwood location, Ghee remains one of Miami’s most soulful dining rooms. Chef Niven Patel’s Indian cooking channels the comfort of a family table and highlights the bounty of his Homestead farm.
Many ingredients travel straight from Rancho Patel to your plate, which is why dining here feels alive and deeply personal. I come for the layers of spice, the hospitality that remembers you, and that lingering feeling that you’ve just eaten in someone’s home rather than a restaurant.
20. La Fresa Francesa
2018 2019 2021 2022 2023 2024
In East Hialeah, La Fresa Francesa is my little portal to Paris. Chef Benoit and Sandy run this concept with the kind of warmth you cannot fake, surrounded by antiques, mismatched treasures, and just the right amount of romantic chaos.
The menu reads French bistro, yet the tropical touches remind you exactly where you are. This is where you go for crepes that ruin you for all others, for dishes laced with guayaba and papaya, and for the kind of charm you simply cannot manufacture.
19. Phuc Yea
2018 2019 2021 2022 2023 2024
What started as a pop-up is now a Miami legend, powered by Ani Meinhold and Chef Cesar Zapata’s relentless work ethic and very personal storytelling.
The food doesn’t fit into a neat little box, which is exactly why I love it. The flavors are loud, the playlist hits, the strong cocktails play along, and certain dishes have become non-negotiables on my order. Phuc Yea has soul, and it shows up on every plate.
18. Macchialina
2013 2014 2022 2023 2024
On Alton Road in Miami Beach, Macchialina is the answer whenever someone asks me, “Where can I get a guaranteed great dinner?” Even with its newer expansion, it feels more like a beloved living room than a restaurant, just with sexier lighting and way better pasta.
The remodel opened up the space without losing its heartbeat. Service is warm, the wine list rewards curiosity, and the kitchen continues to send out dishes that demand silence at the table. This is a Miami classic for a reason.
17. COTE Korean Steakhouse
2021 2022 2023 2024
In the Miami Design District, COTE is where Korean barbecue and steakhouse theater meet, then invite a sommelier to the party. The room hums with neon energy, and the experience is tightly choreographed, from the grill in the center of the table to the parade of perfectly curated sides.
The steak omakase format makes decisions easy and lets the team show off. Smoke, sizzle, and an impressive wine and beverage program make COTE one of the most purely fun “special night out” options in the city.
16. Sunny’s Steakhouse
(First-year Palette Award winner)
Tucked into Little River in Miami, Sunny’s Steakhouse feels like a very South Florida answer to the steakhouse question. It blends serious food and smart wine with a relaxed, playful atmosphere that’s a little bit backyard party. Pero…fancy.
The menu leans into shareable plates and confident mains, the kind that make you eye everyone else’s table, and the whole experience feels fun and hipsterish in a way big-box steakhouses rarely manage.
15. Evelyn’s
(First-year Palette Award winner)
Evelyn’s, at the Four Seasons Hotel and Residences Fort Lauderdale, brings an elegant, coastal energy to the 6th floor overlooking the pool deck and beachfront. It was “love at first tasting menu” for me. Then, the special collaboration dinners, where the kitchen showed just how flexible and expressive it can be.
Eastern Mediterranean flavors, bright vegetables, and a strong beverage program all come together in a bright and breezy space that still feels like a “real” restaurant, not a hotel afterthought. It is one of my favorite excuses to head north. You too can do it, Miami. Cross the border!
14. Tambourine Room
2023 2024
Hidden in the Carillon Miami Wellness Resort on Miami Beach, this restaurant proves that a petite dining room can carry very big ambitions. The experience leans classic in all the right ways: precise cooking, intimate pacing, and a staff that remembers they are hosting you, not just serving you.
This is not the place for sparklers and bottle shows. This is where you surrender to a tasting menu, watch the kitchen dial in every plate, and realize you just spent a few hours fully present at the table. From the talented hands of Chef Timo Steubing to incoming Chef Logan McNeil, Tambourine Room never fails to impress.
13. Kojin 2.0
2022 2024
Kojin’s story winds from an unforgettable pop-up to a secret counter to a full-fledged restaurant, and I have happily followed every chapter. The husband-and-wife team, Pedro and Katherine Mederos, cook with fine-dining precision and a touch of Miami attitude.
In its current Coral Gables home, the tasting menu leans deeply into Japanese technique while still allowing the team to play. It is intimate, geeky in the best way, and the kind of meal that sends you straight into a long debrief in the car ride home.
12. Shingo
2024
Shingo, in Coral Gables, is one of those omakase rooms where time flies by too quickly. Chef Shingo Akikuni’s counter feels both serious and relaxed, with a progression that builds quietly, then hits a beautiful stride mid-meal.
It is the attention to rice, temperature, and seasoning that stays with me, plus a team that clearly takes pride in delivering a polished yet human experience. Shingo delivers.
11. Zitz Sum
2021 2022 2023 2024
Hidden on the ground floor of an office building in Coral Gables, Zitz Sum is what happens when a chef refuses to color inside the lines. Pablo Zitzmann’s cooking pulls from his own global path from his German-Mexican roots in Bogotá, Colombia, through his culinary adventures across Asia. He channels it into a tasting menu full of crunchy, chewy, saucy, “wait, what was that?” moments. The menu changes often, which keeps dining exciting.
But remember, kids: if Zitz ever removes the Bing Bread, Wonton in Brodo, or HK Style French Toast… we riot!
10. Ogawa
2024
Ogawa, in Little River, is my current example of how omakase can still surprise me. The evening begins with an extended procession of small plates from the kitchen, then shifts into a focused nigiri sequence, a hand roll, and a quietly elegant finale.
The pacing, the seasonal product, and the interactive, exhilarating energy of the room give it a different rhythm than many Miami omakase counters. It’s a dinner built for people who truly love the craft, admire the process, and relish every single bite. Currently rated one star in the MICHELIN Guide Florida, this would be my choice to level up to two-star status. I said what I said.
9. Brasserie Laurel
2023 2024
In Downtown Miami, at Miami Worldcenter, Brasserie Laurel is proof that French-inspired cooking can still feel modern and a little dangerous. Gold and deep blue details, moody lighting, and a jazzy soundtrack set the scene for a menu that rarely misses and genuinely engaged hospitality.
Under the Ariete Hospitality Group umbrella, the kitchen cooks with swagger, and the plates arrive refined and focused. It is the kind of place that follows you into your dreams for days after, dish after dish replayed in your head. Laurel’s take on classics like French Onion Soup, Foie Gras, Escargot, and Boeuf En Croûte are easily among the best I’ve ever had.
8. Calusso
(First-year Palette Award winner)
At the newly renovated Pier Sixty-Six in Fort Lauderdale, Calusso is a waterfront escape that leans into Riviera fantasy in the best possible way. The room is sleek and sexy, with views that remind you you’re in a city built on water and sunset light.
On the table, you’ll find a mix of refined seafood, pastas, and luxurious touches that make it perfect for milestones, romantic escapades, and long, lingering dinners. I dare you to find one miss on the menu. It doesn’t exist. At the hands of the very talented Jonathan Kaiser (formerly at Robuchon Vegas, Florida Keys Ocean Reef Club, and Fort Lauderdale’s MAASS), this is one of the Broward openings that convinced me it was time to officially invite the 954 into these awards.
Rolling in with ocean views, a flex-worthy chef, and food so good it might just make you cancel your Brickell rez. This is one to watch closely!
7. Daniel’s
(First-year Palette Award winner)
From the powerhouse team that brought you Fiola in Coral Gables. And you KNOW I was president of the Fiola Fan Club. This isn’t just another steakhouse; it’s theeeee spot. Local. Luxe. Legit.
Built on partnerships with the best ranchers, the steak program is next level. Think heritage farms in North Florida like Suwannee River Wagyu, Providence Cattle, and Arrowhead Beef, paired with world-class Australian Wagyu from Stone Axe and Margaret River. Add Prime cuts, a signature tableside Prime Rib cart, and you’ve got your steak dreams on lock.
The wine list is impeccable with smooth, sharp service.
I rarely say this, but Daniel’s Miami is pretty flawless. It delivers every time: the place to sip, savor, and celebrate. Glam Floridacentric flavors with global swagger.
6. Recoveco
(First-year Palette Award winner)
In South Miami, Recoveco tells the story of chefs María Teresa Gallina and Nico Martinez through plates. I’ve experienced their personal journey firsthand over the years and have been left fixated on how they layer flavor and emotion into the menu. The goals. The details. The precision. I die.
Strategically placed lush greens inside and out warm up the industrial-inspired interiors, with shabby chic art as a focal point. Warm but never overly polished, the room opens onto an active kitchen where the team works quietly, exhibiting real talent and focus. Dishes feel personally crafted rather than showy, and the whole experience carries a sense that you’re witnessing the early chapters of something special. It’s no surprise that every major culinary outlet has now caught on. With good reason, the secret is officially out.
A breath of fresh air.
5. Ariete
2018 2019 2021 2022 2023 2024
In Coconut Grove, Ariete is one of the beating hearts of Miami dining. I have watched it grow from promising newcomer to full powerhouse, and the evolution has been wild to witness. They continue to easily earn their place in my top five. Next month, they will celebrate their 10-year anniversary. That’s probably a good 20 years in Miami math.
Inside, the lighting is moody, the playlist slides from blues to classics, and the open kitchen runs at full throttle while you sip and sway in your seat. Every experience feels deeply rooted in Chef Michael Beltran’s identity: French technique pushed through a Cuban lens, obsessive sauce work, and storytelling that shows up on every plate.
The room hums with energy from the open kitchen, service remains warm, and the menu continues to introduce dishes that linger. Ariete consistently levels up, year after year. It is one of South Florida’s defining restaurants and a place I return to whenever I want to remember why this city’s dining scene has become so special. And, to be honest, the candy cap mushroom flan.
4. Stubborn Seed
2017 2018 2019 2021 2022 2023 2024
On Washington Avenue in South Beach, Stubborn Seed continues to prove how far a focused, intimate dining room can go when every detail matters. Chef Jeremy Ford’s tasting menus have long been a masterclass in layered flavors, technical precision, and that “I need to remember this bite forever” feeling I’ve written about for years. The restaurant keeps evolving without losing its heartbeat, and that is no small feat.
The addition of Ford’s Farm in Homestead has only strengthened the restaurant’s identity. It tightened the connection between product and plate, giving the team access to ingredients at their peak and allowing dishes to feel literally rooted and alive. You can taste that farm confidence of the menu, the brightness of the herbs, and the clarity of the vegetables and greens that now move from soil to service with almost no distance between them.
Ford himself is a force behind this ranking. His energy is infectious, his dedication unmistakable, and his presence in his kitchens is something I still love to highlight. He has perfected the restaurant rotation dance: tasting, adjusting, and noticing everything. Never misses a beat. That level of intense involvement is rare, and it’s a major reason the restaurant continues to land on my top five year after year. It performs because the person leading it never stops showing up.
3. L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon
2019 2021 2022 2023 2024
In the Design District, the city’s lone two-star Michelin restaurant remains Miami’s master class in discipline and restraint. Over the years, I have consistently described it as the city’s most technically precise dining room. Robuchon is a place where the entire experience unfolds in a perfectly choreographed manner. The counter seating pulls you into the kitchen’s orbit, giving diners a front-row view of the exacting execution.
What keeps it in my top tier is the consistency. Visit after visit, the team delivers a beautiful level of finesse that rarely wavers. The plates feel timeless rather than trendy. L’Atelier refuses to compromise on the details: something I highly value.
One of the things I’ve always admired is how flexible each experience can be. Diners can choose from multiple tasting menus (Evolution, Seasonal Discovery, or Signature) or opt for à la carte if that’s more their speed. Some nights are meant for the full splurge, a parade of courses that showcases everything from pristine seafood preparations to the silky Robuchon mashed potato. Other nights, you slide in specifically for Le Burger, their iconic slider-style wagyu and foie gras burger with caramelized bell peppers that remains one of my personal obsessions. How hungry are you? How much do you want to invest? L’Atelier gives you range without ever compromising its identity.
Despite its storied pedigree, the room never feels cold. Whichever route you choose, the message is the same: perfection is not an accident.
2. The Surf Club Restaurant
2019 2021 2022 2023 2024
At The Surf Club in Surfside, Keller’s team delivers one of Miami’s most polished expressions of classic dining. They have perfected elevating old-school Continental dishes until they feel timeless rather than nostalgic. The lighting, the pacing, the way the room hums at a low, murmured volume …everything works together to create a setting that feels glamorous yet not pretentious.
The menu reinforces that point. From the tableside Caesar to the Lobster Thermidor, Dover Sole, and Prime Beef Short Rib Wellington, these are dishes executed with such precision and consistency that they remind you why they became classics in the first place. A balance that very few places pull off. Especially in South Florida.
What keeps The Surf Club on my top-restaurant list year after year isn’t just the food; it’s 100% the total package. It’s the unwavering service standards, the careful attention to detail, and the way you immediately settle into a celebratory state of mind the moment you sit down. Whether you’re marking a milestone or simply dressing up for a “just because” dinner, this dining room knows exactly how to rise to the occasion. That’s why it remains one of Miami’s most essential restaurants.
CONFESSION: The lounge has become my favorite place in the entire city to dine solo. There’s a quiet magic in sitting at that bar with a perfectly made martini or glass of Keller’s Modicum, nibbling through a few small plates, watching the room soften as the night unfolds, while listening to the soft live jazz. If I ever go missing, check there first. Chances are, I’ve settled in for the evening, blissfully unreachable. A dream.
1. MAASS
(First-year Palette Award winner and 2025 #1)
From the moment MAASS opened, something shifted. I kept returning. Again… and again… and again. It became my most-visited restaurant of the entire year, which says everything. The fact that this Fort Lauderdale newcomer not only breaks into the Palette Awards but debuts straight at #1 is unheard of. And earned. To be honest, had Broward been included last year, it would have topped the list as well. So there’s that.
My long-standing appreciation and devotion to Chef Ryan Ratino’s universe, from Jônt in D.C. to OMO by Jônt in Orlando (which I’ve gushed about more times than I can count), meant my expectations were high before I ever walked in. What MAASS delivers exceeds even that bar. It’s the flame-driven precision of Jônt translated into a coastal South Florida heartbeat: smoky, meticulous, layered, deeply technical, yet never cold. Chef David Brito has also become a standout addition to the team, weaving touches of his Mexican heritage into the menu with a natural ease that feels unexpected but yet perfectly aligned with the restaurant’s identity. His perspective adds a new layer of character to an already disciplined kitchen. The way his flavors integrate into Ratino’s speaks to real collaboration, and it’s one of the many reasons the experience at MAASS keeps evolving in the best possible way.
The dining room itself, inside the Four Seasons, gives the food a stage worthy of it: warm lighting, elegant pacing, a team that moves with the quiet assurance of a restaurant that has been open for many years. The kitchen is worthy of a magazine spread. Plus, the hospitality is polished and personal. They learn you. They track your preferences. They remember. Just like the North (insert geeky GOT joke).
To have a Broward restaurant debut in these awards and immediately take the top spot says more than any adjective or write-up ever could. MAASS became the restaurant I didn’t know I was waiting for.
The answer is MAASS. Every. Single. Time.
Congratulations!
That’s the 2025 Palette Awards lineup. You can now discuss it with your friends in the group chat, plan your next birthday, or finally book that place you keep saving on Instagram and never actually reserved. Perhaps congratulate the winners. They ALL deserve your attention and support.
Skipped the intro and went straight to the results? Understandable. But scroll back up when you have a minute — the context matters.
Thank you for visiting my website, reading, and sharing. As always, from my “palette” to yours…
Cheers!
Brenda Popritkin
Photos by: The Whet Palette
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