21 Best Restaurants in South Beach (2026) 🌴

By Fernando Yemail, owner of Out.Miami and a Miami yacht captain and broker.

The 21 best restaurants in South Beach for 2026, from Joe's Stone Crab and Stubborn Seed to Carbone, Lucali and Cuban classics. Checked open September 2026.

🌴 21 restaurants · 📅 Checked September 2026

The best restaurants in South Beach in 2026 run from Joe's Stone Crab, open since 1913, to Jeremy Ford's Michelin-starred Stubborn Seed, Carbone's Italian-American theatre and Lucali's pizza. This guide covers 21 restaurants between South of Fifth and Lincoln Road, built from Miami New Times, The Infatuation, miamiandbeaches.com and OpenTable's 2026 rankings, and every one was checked as open in September 2026.

Pick your dinner

• Icons and institutions: Joe's Stone Crab, Prime 112, Puerto Sagua, Palace Bar
• Fine dining: Stubborn Seed, estiatorio Milos, The Den at Azabu, Sushi | Bar, The Joyce
• Italian: Carbone, Macchialina, Lucali, Call Me Gaby, Casa Tua
• A scene with dinner: MILA, Queen
• Cuban and casual: Havana 1957, Esquina Cubana, CRAFT South Beach, AVIV, Zaytinya

Before you go

• Booking: Lucali, Stubborn Seed and Carbone are the hardest tables. Joe's takes no reservations at all, so arrive early.
• Stone crab season: Joe's serves claws from October to May, and the rest of the year the menu shifts.
• Ocean Drive: stick to the places on this list rather than the pavement touts, and check the bill for automatic service charges.
• Getting around: most of these sit within walking distance between 1st and 17th Street, so park once and walk.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best restaurant in South Beach?

Joe's Stone Crab is the institution, Stubborn Seed holds the Michelin star, and Lucali has the best pizza in the city.

Where should I eat on Ocean Drive?

Havana 1957 for Cuban food with live music and Palace Bar for drag brunch. Most of the better South Beach restaurants sit a block or two off Ocean Drive.

Which South Beach restaurants need booking weeks ahead?

Lucali, Stubborn Seed, Carbone and Casa Tua. Joe's Stone Crab does not take reservations, so go early and expect to wait.

Where can I eat well in South Beach without spending a fortune?

CRAFT South Beach, Esquina Cubana and Puerto Sagua all keep prices reasonable in an expensive neighbourhood.

How did you choose these restaurants?

Every pick comes from current 2026 sources and our own local knowledge, and each one was checked as open on Google in September 2026. See how we rank our guides for the full method.

More Miami dining

See the 60 best restaurants in Miami, the best date night restaurants in Miami, sushi in Miami and the best brunch in Miami, plus everything in South Beach, and read how we rank our guides.

Compare at a glance

1. 1. Joe's Stone Crab

   Open since 1913 and still the most famous restaurant in Florida, serving stone crab claws by the weight with mustard sauce, creamed spinach and hash browns. No reservations, so put your name down early or use the takeaway counter next door. Stone crab season runs October to May. On the pricier side. Open daily except Monday and Tuesday, opening as early as 11:30am and closing as late as 10pm.

   ✅ Best for: the South Beach institution · 📍 11 Washington Ave., South Beach

2. 2. Stubborn Seed

   Jeremy Ford's Michelin-starred restaurant in South of Fifth, serving a tasting menu that changes with the season in a room far more relaxed than the cooking suggests. Book several weeks out for a weekend table. A splurge. Open daily, opening as early as 6pm and closing as late as 11pm on Friday and Saturday.

   ✅ Best for: a Michelin-starred tasting menu · 📍 101 Washington Ave., South Beach

3. 3. Carbone

   The Miami branch of the New York restaurant, all 1950s styling, tableside service and captains in dinner jackets. Spicy rigatoni is the order everyone photographs. Prices are steep and the room knows it, but service is the best part of the night. A splurge. Open daily, 5:30pm to 11pm.

   ✅ Best for: a night of Italian-American theatre · 📍 49 Collins Ave, South Beach

4. 4. AVIV

   Michael Solomonov's Miami restaurant at 1 Hotel, bringing the hummus and grilled meats that made Zahav and Laser Wolf famous. The Turkish hummus and the shishlik are the dishes to build a meal around, and breakfast is served daily. Open daily, opening as early as 7am and closing as late as 11pm on Friday and Saturday.

   ✅ Best for: modern Israeli cooking · 📍 2341 Collins Ave, South Beach

5. 5. estiatorio Milos

   A Greek seafood restaurant where the fish is displayed on ice and sold by the pound, grilled simply or baked in salt. The lunch prix fixe and the Miami Spice menu are the affordable ways in. On the pricier side. Open daily, opening as early as noon and closing as late as midnight on Friday and Saturday.

   ✅ Best for: whole fish and a Greek room · 📍 730 1st St., South Beach

6. 6. MILA

   A MediterrAsian restaurant and rooftop lounge on Lincoln Road, where dinner runs into a DJ set as the evening goes on. There is an intimate omakase counter upstairs, named Best Omakase by Miami New Times in 2026. A splurge. Open daily, opening as early as 11:30am and closing as late as 2:30am on Friday and Saturday.

   ✅ Best for: a rooftop dinner and a scene · 📍 1636 Meridian Ave Rooftop, South Beach

7. 7. Queen

   An opulent Japanese restaurant and lounge in the restored Paris Theater, with aerialists, a DJ and a hidden omakase room upstairs. The most theatrical dinner in South Beach, and priced accordingly. A splurge. Open daily except Monday and Sunday, opening as early as 6pm and closing as late as 2am on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

   ✅ Best for: dinner as a performance · 📍 550 Washington Ave, South Beach

8. 8. Casa Tua

   An Italian restaurant inside a 1925 Mediterranean villa on James Avenue, with a candlelit garden terrace that feels like a private house rather than a restaurant. Calm, discreet and a long-standing choice for anniversaries. A splurge. Open daily, opening as early as 6pm and closing as late as 11:30pm on Wednesday to Saturday.

   ✅ Best for: a quiet, grown-up dinner · 📍 1700 James Ave, South Beach

9. 9. Macchialina

   A rustic Italian restaurant open since 2012, still turning out some of the best pasta in the city from a small, warm room. Close tables, a well-chosen wine list and staff who handle celebrations well. On the pricier side. Open daily, opening as early as 5pm and closing as late as 11pm on Friday to Sunday.

   ✅ Best for: handmade pasta · 📍 820 Alton Rd., South Beach

10. 10. Lucali

    The Miami outpost of the Brooklyn pizzeria, hand-rolling thin-crust pies in a small room with no menu beyond pizza and calzones. Reservations are famously hard, and the walk-in list opens in the afternoon. Moderately priced. Open daily, opening as early as noon and closing as late as midnight on Friday and Saturday.

    ✅ Best for: the best pizza in Miami · 📍 1930 Bay Rd., South Beach

11. 11. Call Me Gaby

    An Italian restaurant in South of Fifth whose twinkle-lit patio does most of the romantic work. Cacio e pepe, wood-fired pizza and tiramisu, served until midnight every night. On the pricier side. Open daily, noon to midnight.

    ✅ Best for: a string-lit patio dinner · 📍 22 Washington Ave, South Beach

12. 12. Prime 112

    The steakhouse that defined big-night dining in South Beach, still busy with celebrity sightings and oversized portions. Book well ahead and expect a loud, high-energy room. A splurge. Open daily, opening as early as noon and closing as late as 1am on Friday and Saturday.

    ✅ Best for: a classic South Beach steak night · 📍 101 Ocean Dr, South Beach

13. 13. The Joyce

    A contemporary restaurant with a confident kitchen and a room designed for a long evening rather than a quick meal. One of the more grown-up openings on the beach in recent years. A splurge. Open daily except Monday and Tuesday, opening as early as 6:30pm and closing as late as 10:30pm on Friday and Saturday.

    ✅ Best for: a modern South Beach dinner · 📍 448 Espanola Way, South Beach

14. 14. Zaytinya

    José Andrés' Mediterranean mezze restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton on Lincoln Road, serving Turkish, Greek and Lebanese small plates. Breakfast through dinner daily, and the chef's tasting is the easiest way to try a spread. On the pricier side. Open daily, opening as early as 7am and closing as late as 11pm on Friday and Saturday.

    ✅ Best for: mezze to share · 📍 1 Lincoln Rd, South Beach

15. 15. The Den at Azabu

    A speakeasy-style room inside Azabu in South of Fifth, reached through the restaurant, serving a tiered Edomae omakase at a horseshoe counter. One of the gentler introductions to serious sushi in the city. A splurge.

    ✅ Best for: a hidden omakase · 📍 Marriott Stanton South Beach, South Beach

16. 16. Sushi | Bar

    An intimate counter on Washington Avenue running its omakase like a performance, opening with a welcome cocktail and moving through around 17 courses. Books out on weekends. A splurge. Open daily except Monday and Tuesday, 5pm to 10pm.

    ✅ Best for: omakase as a show · 📍 1438 Washington Ave, South Beach

17. 17. CRAFT South Beach

    An all-day cafe and restaurant on Española Way, open from breakfast until late with pizza, sandwiches, cocktails and a happy hour. One of the highest-rated casual spots in South Beach and a rare good-value option in the middle of the tourist district. Moderately priced. Open daily, opening as early as 8am and closing as late as 11:30pm on Friday and Saturday.

    ✅ Best for: an all-day table on Española Way · 📍 445 Española Wy, South Beach

18. 18. Havana 1957

    A Cuban restaurant on Ocean Drive with live music, mojitos and the classics done properly: ropa vieja, lechón and croquetas. Touristy by location, but the kitchen holds up and it is open until midnight at weekends. Moderately priced. Open daily, opening as early as noon and closing as late as midnight on Friday and Saturday.

    ✅ Best for: Cuban food on Ocean Drive · 📍 1410 Ocean Dr, South Beach

19. 19. Puerto Sagua

    A Collins Avenue diner open since 1962, serving full Cuban plates at a counter and booths that have not changed in decades. Cash preferred, open late, and one of the last genuinely old-school rooms on the beach. Moderately priced. Open daily, 7am to 11pm.

    ✅ Best for: an old-school Cuban diner · 📍 700 Collins Ave, South Beach

20. 20. Esquina Cubana

    A casual Cuban spot serving sandwiches, croquetas and cafecito to a steady queue of locals and workers. Fast, cheap and a useful antidote to Ocean Drive pricing. Moderately priced. Open daily, opening as early as 9am and closing as late as 12:45am on Friday and Saturday.

    ✅ Best for: a quick Cuban lunch · 📍 710 Washington Ave, South Beach

21. 21. Palace Bar

    The Ocean Drive institution behind South Beach's best-known drag brunch, with performers working the sidewalk and the street stopping to watch. Shows run at weekends and tipping the queens is the custom. Open daily, opening as early as 11am and closing as late as 2am on Friday to Sunday.

    ✅ Best for: drag brunch on Ocean Drive · 📍 1052 Ocean Dr, South Beach