While the months of August and September are regarded as “low season” in Miami, it is actually a great time to be in the city for anyone who loves food. Miami Spice is a two-month-long restaurant promotion organized by the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB). From August 1 through September 30, 2019, participating upscale and fine-dining establishments will offer three-course menus at reduced prices of $23 for lunch/ brunch and $39 for dinner (per person). These prices include an appetizer, entrée and dessert. (Tax, tip and service charges are additional, as well as libations, unless otherwise indicated.)
This is Miami Spice’s 18th year and its biggest to date with a total of 257 participating restaurants and 43 new additions, which include: Brad Kilgore’s Ember and Kaido; Michelle Bernstein and Julio Cabrera’s Café La Trova (Trivia: Cabrera was recently named American Bartender of the Year at the 2019 Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards); Jose Mendin’s La Placita; Fabio and Maria Trabocchi’s Fiola Miami; Hemant Mathur’s Maska Indian Kitchen & Bar; and Javier Plascencia’s Pez Miami.
James Beard-nominated Brad Kilgore’s Alter has been part of Miami Spice over the years, and this year, his Japanese-inspired lounge Kaido and wood-fired American bistro Ember in the Design District are participating as well. “We are looking forward to Miami Spice at all the restaurants,” he says. “It’s a great opportunity for the restaurants to be able to show new local diners what we are all about.” Diners can expect to see signatures on the menu like Kaido’s yakitori chicken skewer. “When Daniel Boulud came to eat, he ordered a second one,” shares Kilgore, “[For Miami Spice] we are updating it with the addition of chargrilled and glazed house made baby bok choy kimchi.” Ember is offering its fried chicken (usually served with caviar butter) with Nashville hot style chicken fat and spicy chili dipping, especially for Miami Spice. “Chef Nick Graves worked in Nashville for years and has been waiting to bust this out.” By mid-August, Ember will be debuting lunch for the first time. “We will be offering a Miami Spice style menu with a few a la carte options like an All-American Double Burger with Special Sauce.”
Hemant Mathur—the first Indian chef to receive a Michelin star in the US via his (now-shuttered) Devi in New York—opened Maska in Midtown Miami last December 2018. “Miami Spice is an event that locals look forward to in order to try the best restaurants in town and we couldn’t miss the opportunity of sharing our concept given it is also our first year,” shares Hindi-speaking Portuguese restaurant manager Cristiano Azevedo (who worked previously at Indian Accent in both London and New York). “We decided to portfolio dishes we’re getting known for and [that are] representative of the various states of India so people could be exposed to the different regional cuisines within one menu.” These include Maska chicken, the restaurant’s version of a butter chicken (a must-order!), khoya mushroom (paneer stuffed portobello mushroom), crab tadka dumplings, and kulcha (get the one stuffed with mushroom and truffle). Maska’s Miami Spice offering includes a complimentary cocktail—the Aam-Chi martini, a gin-based cocktail topped with mango lassi foam, “an aperitif inspired by modern and classic India,” describes Azevedo.
Also in its first year, Pez, developed by Baja culinary movement founder Javier Plascencia, “will take guests to Baja with flavor combinations you won’t find anywhere else in Miami,” says owner Frank Neri. Apart from a selection of tostadas and tacos for lunch, hearty mains like pulpo en mole de aceintunas and pork belly al vesuvio can be had for dinner.
As for Novikov, the first US outpost of the London and Moscow celeb favorite, this is their second year. “Our first year participating in Miami Spice could not have been more successful,” discloses Philippine-born head chef Oliver Lustado. “While Novikov Miami debuted at the end of the season, Miami Spice was a great vessel to help grow our awareness within the community. For our second year participating in Miami Spice, we are thrilled to announce we will be offering a three-course dinner menu in addition to lunch. It will be our first year unveiling a specially priced evening menu.” Must-orders from the Japanese-Chinese outpost include chicken and morel siu mai, spicy prawn money bags, robata salmon and black bean chicken.
Speaking of the Philippines, while there aren’t yet any dedicated Filipino restaurants that have emerged in Miami proper per se, diners who would like to experience Filipino flavors can visit Pao by Paul Qui at the Faena Hotel, where head chef Benjamin Murray is serving cobia kinilaw and fried chicken with banana ketchup. Sister restaurant Los Fuegos by Francis Mallmann is also in participation with mains like local snapper a la plancha, ribeye churrasco and cast-iron wild mushroom to look forward to.
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Options are the name of the game at Santiago Gomez’s Tacology at Brickell City Center, where the pioneer of modern Mexican cuisine in Miami has created a menu “where clients can choose from our different taco offerings,” in addition to a starter and dessert. His fine-dining Cantina La Veinte is also participating.
Long-time participant Soho House South Beach’s picturesque Cecconi’s is mixing new seasonal items and local favorites like bucatini topped with bottarga and pappardelle with lamb ragu. “It’s a great way to reach the local community and attract new foodies in the area,” says executive chef Sergio Sigala.
“Ariete loves the Miami Spice time of the year,” says chef-owner Mike Beltran, known for his progressive American cuisine influenced by his Cuban heritage, at his popular Coconut Grove location. “It really is an opportunity to introduce so many new guests to the restaurant. This year, we have actually changed the format completely. The first course and dessert course are completely family style so you get every dish!”
Here is the full list of participating restaurants for Miami Spice 2019:
107 Steak & Bar
1111 Peruvian Bistro
27 Restaurant & Bar
5300 Chop House
7 Spices
94th Aero Squadron Restaurant
A Fish Called Avalon
AD LIB
Add!kt at the W Miami
Alley, The
Alloy Bistro Gourmet
Alma
Alter
Amara at Paraiso
Amare Ristorante
American Social
Amore Restaurant & Bar
Anacapri Italian Restaurant & Wine Bar – Miami Lakes
Anacapri Italian Restaurant & Wine Bar – Pinecrest
AQ Chop House by IL Mulino
Ariete
Aromas de Peru West Miami
Artisan Beach House
Atlantikos – The St. Regis Bal Harbour
Azabu Miami Beach
Bakan
Bagatelle Miami
BALEENkitchen
Bâoli
Bar Collins at Loews Miami Beach
Barsecco
Bazaar by José Andrés, The
Bellmónt Spanish Restaurant
Bird & Bone
BLT Prime
Blue Collar
Blue Matisse Restaurant & NAU Lounge
Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill
Boulud Sud
BOURBON STEAK Miami
Brasserie Brickell Key
Brasserie Central
Brisa Bistro at Hilton Miami Downtown
Bulla Gastrobar Coral Gables
Bulla Gastrobar Doral
Burger Bar & Grill at The St. Regis
Byblos Miami
Café Catula Fine Restaurant and Art Gallery
Cafe Prima Pasta
Cafe La Trova
Cafe Roval
Caffe Vialetto
Caña
Cantina La Veinte
Capital Grille, The
Casa Faena Restaurant
Casablanca Seafood Bar & Grill
Catch Bar + Grill
Cecconi’s Miami Beach at Soho Beach House
Chef Adrianne’s Vineyard Restaurant and Wine Bar
Chotto Matte
Christy’s Restaurant
Cibo Wine Bar Coral Gables
Cipriani Restaurant
CORSAIR kitchen & bar
CRUST
Cleo Miami Beach
CVLTVRA
Da Tang Zhen Wei
Deck at Island Gardens, The
Devon Seafood + Steak
Diez y Seis
Doc B’s Restaurant + Bar
Donna Mare
Dolce Italian Restaurant
Dragonfly Izakaya & Fish Market
Drunken Dragon
EDGE Steak & Bar
EMBER Miami
El Cielo
El Tucan
Estefan Kitchen
Estiatorio Milos
Essensia Restaurant & Lounge
Fi’lia by Michael Schwartz at SLS Brickell
Fi’lia Miami Beach
Fifi’s on the Beach
Fiola Miami
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar Coral Gables
Fogo de Chão Brazilian Steakhouse
Fontana
Fooq’s Miami
Forte dei Marmi
Gianni’s At The Villa
Glass & Vine
Graziano’s Bird Rd
Graziano’s Brickell
Graziano’z Coral Gables
Grill on the Alley, The
Grill at St. Regis, The
Gusto Ristobar
Habitat Miami Beach
Hakkasan at Fontainebleau Miami Beach
IL MULINO NY – Sunny Isles Beach
International Smoke Aventura
Isabelle’s Grill Room & Garden
Jaguar Latin-American Kitchen
Jaya at The Setai
Jim and Neesie, The
Joey’s Italian Cafe
Juvia Miami
Kao Sushi & Grill By SushiClub
Katsuya Brickell
Katsuya South Beach
Kitchen 305
Kaido
Komodo
KYU
La Cerveceria De Barrio
La Estacion American Brasserie
La Fresa Francesca
La Mar by Gastion Acurio
La Moderna
La Petite Maison
La Placita
La Rue Bistronomie
La Sombra
La Terraza Café & Bar
Larios on the Beach
Le Zoo
Leynia at Delano
Lightkeepers
Lima
Lobster Bar Sea Grille Miami Beach
Local House, The
Los Fuegos by Francis Mallmann at Faena Miami Beach
LT Steak & Seafood
Lure Fishbar
Malibu Farm Miami Beach
Marfil Bistro
Marion
Mariposa Restaurant at Neiman Marcus
Market at EDITION
Maska – Indian Kitchen & Bar
Meat Market Miami Beach
MesaMar Seafood Table
Michael’s Genuine® Food & Drink
Mignonette
Mondrian Caffè
Mortons’s The Steakhouse – Coral Gables
Morton’s The Steakhouse – North Miami
Mr. Chow Miami
National Hotel Tamara’s Bistro, The
New Campo Argentino Steakhouse
Ni.Do. Caffe e Ristorante
Nikki Beach Miami
O’lima Signature Cuisine
North Italia
Novecento Aventura
Novecento Brickell
Novecento Key Biscayne
Novecento Doral
Novikov Miami
Obra Kitchen Table
Oggi Ristorante
Old Lisbon Sunset Drive
Oliver’s Bistro
Ortanique on the Mile
Orange Blossom
Osteria Del Teatro
Pairings by Tomas Cuadrado
Palat
Palme d’Or
PAO by Paul Qui at Faena Miami Beach
Paon Eatery
Pascal’s On Ponce
Peacock Garden Bistro
Pez Miami
Phuc Yea
Pied à Terre at the Cadet Hotel
Pisco y Nazca Doral
Pisco y Nazca Kendall
Plant Miami
Planta
PM Fish & Steak House
Prime Fish
Prime Italian
Pubbelly Sushi Aventura
Pubbelly Sushi Brickell City Centre
Pubbelly Sushi Dadeland
Pubbelly Sushi Miami Beach
Quality Meats
R House Wynwood
RED, the Steakhouse
The Redlander at Schnebly Redlands Winery
RWSB
Rioja Grille
Rooftop at E11even
Root & Bone South Miami
Rusty Pelican
Ruth’s Chris Steak House
Saffron Indian Cuisine
Santorini By Georgios
Salinity Restaurant & Terrace
Sardinia Enoteca Ristorante
Sawa Restaurant & Lounge
Scarpetta by Scott Conant at Fontainebleau Miami Beach
Seasons 52
Seaspice
Serafina Miami
Sette Osteria
Seven Dials, The
Shula’s Grill 347 Gables
Shula’s Steak 2 Steak & Sports
Shula’s Steak House, The Original
Silverlake Bistro
Smith & Wollensky
Stiltsville Fishbar
STK Steakhouse
Strada in the Grove
Strand Bar & Grill, The
StripSteak by Michael Mina at Fontainebleau Miami Beach
Stubborn Seed
SUGARCANE raw bar grill
Sushisamba Miami Beach
Sushi Garage
Swan & Bar Bevy
Table 55
Tacology
Talavera Cocina Mexicana
Tanuki Miami
Tap 42 Craft Kitchen & Bar – Aventura
Tap 42 Craft Kitchen & Bar – Coral Gables
Tap 42 Craft Kitchen & Bar – Midtown
Tavolo
Texas de Brazil Miami Beach
Three
Tigertail + Mary
Timo Restaurant & Bar
Toro Toro
Toscana Divino
Traymore by Michael Schwartz
Truluck’s Seafood, Steak & Crab House
Tuck Room, The
Tuna’s Seafood Restaurant & Bar
TUYO @ Miami Culinary Institute
Two Chefs Restaurant
Umi Sushi & Sake Bar
Upland Miami
Villa Azur Restaurant & Lounge
Vista
Wolfgang’s Steakhouse by Wolfgang Zwiener
Wynwood Kitchen & Bar
Yardbird Southern Table & Bar
Zest by Ortanique
Zucca Restaurant
Zuma Miami
