Escaping Chicago's cold winter for sunny Florida was the perfect way to kick off the new year. Miami is filled with culture, good weather, and great food. It's the perfect destination for a girls' trip, and when we all travel together, we come prepared...reservations locked in and appetites ready.
Miami has many restaurants that deliver on beautiful ambiance, lively atmosphere, and excellent food, primarily the seafood. From cafés to waterfront restaurants, we ate our way through the city and had a lot of fun doing it. We hit a few different neighborhoods and areas and shared a bunch of dishes. I really enjoy venturing into new neighborhoods and areas of cities I frequently visit because there is always something new to discover. Here is everything we ate, what we ordered, and where I would go back:
Carbone - Miami Beach: Our first dinner was set for Carbone in Miami Beach, a highly regarded Italian restaurant, and I was very excited about this one. I have to be honest...when a restaurant gets as much notoriety as Carbone does, there was a slight part of me that wondered "will this actually live up to my expectations and the hype?" I was nervous, but it absolutely delivered and is worthy of all of the fame it's received. I can only imagine how good the original Carbone in New York must be. Carbone also starts the table off with a bread basket that has some of the best foccacia I have ever tasted. We ordered a range of food from seafood appetizers to pasta, and the Spicy Rigatoni Vodka was a true favorite. My favorite dishes aside from the Spicy Rigatoni Vodka was the Caesar alla ZZ, the Calamari Marco, and a tuna crudo dish we ordered with the waiter. The only dish I was not crazy about and probably wouldn't order again was the Orecchiette Vito. It's a relatively simple pasta, but I thought it lacked flavor. I would definitely go back to Carbone.
Shiso - Wynwood: Shiso in Wynwood was my personal favorite dinner of the trip. Shiso is about a month old and is in the center of Miami's quickly-developing neighborhood, Wynwood. Wynwood used to be considered a rough, industrial area in Miami, but in the last decade or so it has completely transformed into an artistic, lively neighborhood with great food. It reminds me a lot of the transformation of West Loop in Chicago. Shiso is an Asian smokehouse that uses wood-fired BBQ cooking techniques and combines them with popular Asian dishes. It's an open-kitchen dining room with a big, beautiful bar in the center. The graffiti covered concrete walls give the luxe restaurant a more gritty feeling, which I really liked. The cocktails list is so incredibly creative, and the menu ranks each drink's bitterness, dryness, and fruit levels right there on the menu so you know exactly what you're getting. It's a thoughtful touch that makes choosing a drink much easier. The food was excellent and had a lot of great shareable plates. Some of my favorite dishes we ordered were the Bluefin Tuna maki, the Chilean Sea Bass, Oxtail Udon Noodles, Duck Dumplings, and my absolute favorite: the Sliced Hamachi. The Sliced Hamachi was one of the best dishes I've ever had. It comes in a coconut vin with a smoked herb oil drizzled on top and a lychee relish. It had many bright and herby flavors, and I would definitely order this again. The only dish we ordered that I probably would not order again was the Uni Rice, but if you are an Uni lover, this is a great dish to order. Overall, I will definitely be going back to Shiso.
Casa Neos - Downtown: Casa Neos is located on the Miami River, and has an incredible ambiance. The restaurant makes you feel like your at a tropical beach club on an island, and has a very lively atmosphere. The restaurant is open air with big open windows and direct view of the river. Casa Neos is Mediterranean cuisine with Japanese influences. All of the food we ordered was delicious, and the highlights for me on the menu were the Truffle Hamachi, the Spicy Yellowfin Tuna, Black Truffle Arancini, and the Wagyu Skirt Steak. I wasn't a big fan of the Black Truffle Pasta, I felt like it didn't have a lot of flavor. The cocktails were creative and refreshing, too. One of the best aspects of Casa Neos is that it transforms at night with DJ sets and bottle service, and is a great place if you want dinner and the party in one spot. Overall, the vibes of the restaurant and the food were great, and I would go back again.
Cowy Burger - Wynwood: My little cousin has deemed Cowy Burger his favorite burger, and I've learned he's somewhat of a burger connoisseur, so I was excited to try it. Cowy Burger won the Best Burger Award at the 2024 South Beach Wine and Food Fest and is deemed to be the best smash burger in Miami on popular food sites like The Infatuation and The Hungry Post. Cowy Burger is located in Wynwood and it's a great ultra-casual restaurant in Miami to go grab a quick bite to eat. It's relatively small inside and typically has a line, but well worth the wait. I ordered the Cowy Burger which has American cheese, bacon jam, grilled onions, and their special cowy sauce. It was fantastic, probably one of my favorite smash burgers I've ever had. We ordered the truffle fries and sweet potato fries, and those were ok. The burger definitely steals the show. Highly recommend if you are looking for a quick-casual bite in Miami. It's in a great location in Wynwood too, with lots of stores close by to walk off that burger.
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