Brenda Popritkin of The Whet Palette runs through her list of Miami’s top 23 restaurants of 2023.
Get Brenda’s full reviews at The Whet Palette here:
00:00 Intro
00:28 No. 23 – Leku
01:03 No. 22 – La Fresa Francesa
01:55 No. 21 – Bourbon Steak
02:27 No. 20 – Lion & The Rambler
03:22 No. 19 – Osaka Cocina Nikkei
04:05 No. 18 – MaryGold’s
04:43 No. 17 – Beauty & The Butcher
05:20 No. 16 – Ghee
05:45 No. 15 – Phuc Yea
06:28 No. 14 – Boia De
07:04 No. 13 – Maty’s
07:49 No. 12 – Macchialina
08:16 No. 11 – Klaw
08:52 No. 10 – Cote Miami
09:32 No. 9 – La Mar
10:08 No. 8 – Zitz Sum
10:48 No. 7 – Tambourine Room
11:19 No. 6 – Brasserie Laurel
12:00 No. 5 – L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon
12:45 No. 4 – Stubborn Seed
13:26 No. 3 – Ariete
14:04 No. 2 – Fiola Miami
14:43 No. 1 – The Surf Club
Watch Brenda’s appearance on Pan Con Podcast with chef Michael Beltran here:
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My name is Brenda and I am the editor host and owner of the wetp palette.com and podcast every year I do a list of my favorite restaurants these are restaurants where you go and you sit for dinner sit for dinner these are restaurants you go to when you’re in it
For the long haul you get the app you get the wine you get your entree you linger for dessert coffee you have the whole experience so every restaurant on this list offers just that number 23 Leu Miami hidden inside the rubel museum is a secretive restaurant you might not
Know it’s there can’t really tell from the outside gorgeous Decor signature dishes delicious food warm service and super sips some of my favorite bites it’s the Iberian pork Tartar and The Basque cheesecake and those are the two must orders there is a neish takeover by Chef Carlos Garcia that might bring on a
Different side we have yet to see so time will tell I am very happy to have this one on my list number 22 La fresa Francesa I love sending diners here it is an East haia off AI chobi Road it is a halalia meets Paris fairy tale
Charming owners chef banoa and Sandy are the heads of this dreamy operation it is full of antiques and Curiosities and tropical touches the food is amazing it is not your typical French cafe you will find some typical dishes you’ll have a cro and a chuffle and cocot but you will
Also have bante WWA and papaya so those touches sometimes come out of nowhere and surprise you there is even a treatment of a dish which I Won’t Say What It Is Secret inside a wava pastelito now the best Dam crepes in Miami are here I said what I said and I
Stand by it La fra Francesa number 21 bourbon steak in Aventura in a place so preoccupied with the latest trends and what is hot it is so nice to know that a place like bourbon steak exists an exceptional Modern Steakhouse classical Roots skills and great panach more importantly their commitment to the food
And the guest is priority number one it also has a very extensive wine less spectacular handmade cocktails and you cannot miss the duck fat french fries bourbon steak in Aventura number 20 Lion and the Rambler by chef Michael Bolan this place in cor’s open last year Chef Bolan has managed to navigate this
Culinary jungle with great skill humility and Grace which is a lot to say he recently introduced the tasting menu which is uh how he had initially opened the restaurant Miami people were confused he did a lart for a little bit and now he’s back to the tasty menu on
Weekends you can also order aart if you like part of his Vibe and his goal is to always do fresh and local local ingredients his bread he’s at the top of the game when it comes to the bread it’s the one constant there you cannot miss and he uses daily fresh milled heirloom
Grains to make everything just seeing how proud he is him and his wife actually run the business together it is a pleasure to support and it is great from beginning to end you have to try Lon and the Ramer number 19 Osaka Cina nay in Brickle this is a transplant one
Of the very few on my list you have Lima wois Santiago um Brazil Kito W London I don’t know about those but in Miami this is a premier spot this nikay gem impresses with their stunning dishes some of my favorites are the hot truffle the tuna the Nik tacha and the B moo
Which is to die for even though it’s one of those big box restaurants and it’s in other cities deliver consistent quality and service and it’s beautiful like every other restaurant on my list this is the complete package the very full experience you get once you go to Osaka
At number 18 marry Gold’s brazzerie this is by Chef Bradley Kilgore who is no stranger to Winwood he had alter amama Ember kaido is a Florida inspired brazer and it’s also a new beginning for Kilgore with his Miami diners a lot of the dishes remind me of actually Ember
You have the beignet and the ricotta pillows but honestly marold stands on its own it is strong enough to stand on its own it’s executed nicely and it’s one that I am very very happy and curious to follow its Journey throughout the following year welcome to the list
Marry Gold’s brazzerie number 17 Beauty And The Butcher by Top Chef Alum Jeremy Ford this is a new restaurant in Coral Gables started off a little timid spread its wings and it’s now ready for the Limelight it is showcasing a new menu which you can tell is a team effort full
Of love everyone on that team’s strength shine through one of my favorite starters is the bread Breads and spreads and you could tell much time and love has gone into that it is the only restaurant that I know of in South Florida that has a gyon cheese service
Which is served tableside local breads spreads and local honey Beauty And The Butcher came to play at number 16 ghee Miami this family-owned Indian Kitchen by Chef Nan Patel of herba Mame and Orno is quite Unforgettable my favorite way to dine there is to do the tasty menu
And then add the smoked lamb neck supplement bite after bite year after year infused with love and spice I am still crushing on ghee number 15 fuia this is not your classic Vietnamese spot it is cool has graffiti neon vintage touches fukas got soul an OG Miami from
Miami from from 2011 boss Annie and Chef cad have fine-tuned this menu and this concept through the years and it is performing at its best in my opinion right now this is also a menu I crave often the crispy Imperial rolls the py noodles the smok short rib might as well
Name it the wet palette special it is a casual and trendy place however they do pay attention to service and they take it very seriously I love you FIA number 14 boad day it is in Little Haiti in an unassuming shopping strip next to a laundromat but you want to go here this
Michelin star one Michelin star is small but Grand in character and style reservations might be a little bit hard to come by but available if you plan accordingly it is better to go with a dinner for four so that you can try more things off the menu another concept that
Is casual but their service and their wine program is taken very very seriously and you cannot not miss the bathroom vodka monkeys and I’m going to leave it right there check it out at number 13 is matis in Midtown Miami I’m very excited about this newcomer it is a
Breath of fresh air compared to all the other openings it is crafted by culinary virtuoso Valerie Chang former itay stepping foot inside feels like stepping into Valerie’s cherished family home the Ambiance is akin to a festive location you’re dining and you’re also swaying to the beat but the food obviously is the
Star here you dance Away by relishing every little morsel of the food that she’s serving it is a beautiful homage to her grandmother you cannot go wrong with the ble and the toras de ma Cina creya made with love and sealed with soul number 12 maelina on Miami Beach
This is my go-to for pasta it is solid Miami OG that we love to support it’s warm inviting it does not feel like you’re walking into a business it feels like you’re walking into a home there’s a familiar Vibe casual it’s effortless it’s not pretentious welcoming and thorough pasta Centric that you will
Love and I am simply addicted and I can always count on finding a new wine gem from their outstanding program at number 11 claw when they say it’s fresh they mean it claw imports their Norwegian king crab once a week it is fresh it is
Alive and they keep them on site it is then served tableside with garlic lemon butter the location was the former home of the Miami Women’s Club and international fine arts college unlike many developers they actually respected and honored each historical and Architectural detail here from the restoration service is professional and
Personal but also approachable they also have great cuts of meat and an upstanding wine program number 10 coat Korean Steakhouse in the Design District this location has one Michelin star the Vibe is electric and contagious however it’s still intimate even though they are at 5900 s ft the staff enthusiastically
Parades with intent and purpose the left hand here knows what the right hand is doing it really is a team effort coat takes great pride in their service but they also take great pride in their domestic Prime grade dry aging which they do inh house they feature All-American wagu hybrid imported
Japanese Waggy only of A5 grade and the marelly must be between 8 and 12 they also take great care and detail of their beverage program number nine Lamar on Brickle Key the unparalleled Miami views which happen to be my favorite in the area win you over before you even take a
Bite the very skilled Diego Oka and team offer upscale Asian perubian at this location the service is on point it is seafood heavy and they have been making Sellar additions this year the new tasty menu is being slowly introduced and it’s being paired with new din wear which is
Handmade by Oka they have a couple of things in the wraps which I won’t talk about yet but there will be some surprises for 2024 number eight zsum in Coral Gables good luck trying to find this location because there’s no signage outside but words cannot adequately
Express how much I love zsum I basically sit there every time thinking how is this much flavor possible coming out of this bite or damn that was good pretty much every dinner have there Chef Pablo continues tweaking and evolving his dream Vision he tweaks he adds he
Creates he never stops you as a diner just sit back and enjoy this phenomenal tasty menu that he has going on right now I do have a note for Chef if you ever take the Bing bread or the bow off the menu I will riot at number seven tambourine room on
Miami Beach in a Historic carolon Hotel it is a team of three in the kitchen and that’s it but they’re doing big things they check all the boxes it’s no surprise that they got one Michelin star this year they’re performing like other two Michelin star restaurants that I
Have been to they take the food very seriously although it’s a relaxed Vibe and friendly the team outside a front of the house is hyper focused on the overall guest experience you cannot go wrong with tambourine room number six brazer Laurel sexy Savory Sensational French inspired Cuisine by the area at
Hospitality Group Next Level dining this is a restaurant that immediately performed upon opening which is so such a hard thing to do I love any other their for GR options in there they have a one with special Berry gastrique and a canel another one is pate with a grape
Mus jelly on top it is so hard to choose any dish for my Entre when I am there do not sleep on the bage burger with Grier and caramelized onions brazer Laurel has the power to overtake any restaurant on my top five list so this one is one to
Watch number five leier the Joel rushan it is Miami’s only two Michelin star restaurant it is a modern French cuisine concept they are all about pursuing Perfection attention to details and caring about the ultimate Diner Adventure miamians by me surprised to learn that the service is neither stuffy nor intimidating they offer specialty
Menus seasonal menus and allart options for every Diner the dishes are proprietary and it is more than food because of Robo Shan’s Legacy it is a taste of History it is executed with mind-blowing Precision it is a worldwide operation and although there have been some kitchen changes impressively they
Have never been rocked it’s a solid Al de Joel rushan number four stubborn seed by Chef Jeremy Ford another restaurant on the list passion grit and a playful flare make this one a fierce keeper on my list year after year it has one Michelin star it offers upscale dishes
Which solidify its Powerhouse status on my list year after year you can usually spot Ford Center Stage happy with his contagious smile cooking away in full culinary Glory only he can make having several restaurants countywide and family life look easy like it’s no big deal Top Shop fans there’s a kud on the
Menu so there’s that what a ride it is to dine at stubborn seed number three aret and cocono Grove this is one of my top tried and choose spots obviously at number three I have been blessed to experience this one the Journey of aret from the very beginning Chef Michael
Belan has navigated an overcome ad adversity it is one Mission star it sits solid and pretty stable to the tune of a killer playlist on my list they offer two tastings alakar and Miami Soul Doug press the dishes are obsessively conceptualized it it’s executed by a tight-knit team they have working there
C been inspired courses nvo Miami Cuisine EO FL number two Fiola and Coral Gables local Chef Danny ganam brings the Miami Heat and passion to the kitchen here the Food Service everything is worthy of Praise I admire this team they execute this on a daily and a large
Scale it is regional Italian classic something for everyone the options can overwhelm it’s a dizzying amount of options they’re brilliant perfectly the descriptions by the team flow easily the dishes all come in highly curated plates trays and bowls stunning to look at but even better to taste the wine program is
One of my personal favorites in Miami number one the Surf Club in Surf Side the beauty of the Surf Club is that it feels effortless it’s a Well choreographed and executed performance worthy of a standing ovation the best without a doubt topnotch everything the absolute best Hospitality in South
Florida and has been consistent since day one chef Thomas Keller’s finesse signature comes off loud and clear Continental quisine interpreted for today’s contemporary guest the CDC Michael Theo brings weekly specials not shockingly they have one solid Mission and star it’s a solid choice to be spoiled or to experience the perfect Night
1 Comment
Thank you SO much for this feature.