Photo by Nicole Lopez-Alvar
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If you’re debating whether it’s worth waiting in line for a sandwich in Coral Gables or booking a table at a flashy new Miami Beach import, welcome to Miami dining right now. Since April, the city has been flooded with buzzy new openings. From glamorous steakhouses and late-night cocktail dens to viral bagel shops and Italian supper clubs, this spring has been jam-packed with openings. Every week seems to bring another grand opening party, reservation frenzy, or TikTok-famous menu item people swear you need to try.
Right now, everyone is talking about Buccan Sandwich Shop, where Miamians are lining up for Palm Beach’s cult-famous beef carpaccio baguettes and “Beef Steak Bomb” sandwiches. They’re also raving about Gaia, the glamorous Dubai import drawing celebrities and seafood lovers to South of Fifth with its dramatic “Ice Market” experience. Then there’s 1986 Steak House in Coconut Grove serving massive steaks and caviar, Leonardo turning dinner into a cabaret-style late-night affair, and Casa Tua Cucina bringing its wildly popular Italian market to Wynwood. Without further ado, here are the 15 new Miami restaurants everyone’s talking about right now.
Photo by Liz Clayman
1986 Steak House – Opened May 1
1986 Steak House officially opened in Coconut Grove on May 1, taking over a prime spot in Mayfair Plaza directly across from Carbone Vino. The highly anticipated next-generation Argentine steakhouse serves premium beef from Argentina, the U.S., and Japan cooked over live fire, alongside cocktails from Buenos Aires’ famed Tres Monos bar team. Created by restaurateur Stefano Cremasco, the glamorous new restaurant blends classic parrilla traditions with modern steakhouse energy, complete with a raw bar, caviar service, and a dramatic four-sided bar at the center of the space. 2911 Grand Ave., Ste. 111, Coconut Grove; 786-542-9845; 1986steakhouse.com.
Photo by the Louis Collection
400 Vinyl Room – Opened April 25
400 Vinyl Room opened in downtown Miami on April 25, bringing a vinyl-only listening lounge and cocktail experience to the ninth floor of the Gale Miami Hotel & Residences. Created by the team behind Yamashiro Miami, the intimate 50-seat space pairs funk, soul, disco, and ’80s Latin records with spirit-forward cocktails, champagne, and caviar service in a moody setting inspired by Tokyo vinyl bars and 1970s hi-fi culture. Designed as a late-night counterpart to Yamashiro, the lounge aims to channel old Hollywood glamour while giving Miami a new destination centered around music, cocktails, and conversation. 159 NE Sixth St., Miami, at the Gale Miami Hotel & Residences, next to Yamashiro Miami, on the ninth floor; folkscreativegroup.com/vinyl400.
Buccan Sandwich Shop photo
Buccan Sandwich Shop – Opened May 9
Buccan Sandwich Shop is definitely one of the 15 new Miami restaurants everyone’s talking about right now. It opened its long-awaited Miami location in Coral Gables on Saturday, May 9, bringing the Palm Beach favorite to Miracle Mile. Known for its cult-following sandwiches like the beef carpaccio baguette and “Beef Steak Bomb,” the gourmet lunch counter has become one of South Florida’s most buzzed-about sandwich destinations. The opening marks the first piece of chef Clay Conley’s larger Miami expansion, which will also bring Buccan and Imoto to Coral Gables later this spring. 100 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables; buccansandwichshop.com.
Photo by Julian Cousins
Casa Caracas – Opened April 10
Award-winning Venezuelan bakery Caracas Bakery officially opened its long-awaited Miami Beach outpost inside Harbour Club in Sunset Harbour on April 10, bringing its cult-favorite sourdough, cachitos, pastries, and breakfast sandwiches to the neighborhood. Founded by James Beard-nominated bakers, the daytime café transforms into “Casa Caracas” at lunch with wood-grilled meats, garlic prawns, hanger steak, cocktails, and other larger plates served inside the members club’s ground-floor space. The expansion marks the bakery’s first permanent Miami Beach location after building a devoted following in MiMo, Doral, and Coral Gables. 1916 Bay Rd., Miami Beach; caracasbakery.com.
Photo by Miguel Ducos
Casa Tua Cucina – Opened April 17
The beloved Italian market and dining spot from Casa Tua opened its second Miami location on April 17 inside Wynwood’s NoMad Residences. The sprawling 18,500-square-foot space brings the brand’s signature market-style dining experience to the neighborhood, complete with ten open kitchen stations dedicated to handmade pasta, wood-fired dishes, crudo, gelato, and a gourmet Italian mercato. The expansion follows the massive success of its Brickell outpost, which now serves more than one million guests annually, as Casa Tua continues to expand its footprint nationwide. NW 27th Ter. &, NW Second Ave, Miami; 786-772-0726; casatualife.com/cucina.
El Toro Loco – Opened in April
El Toro Loco Steakhouse has opened its seventh South Florida location in Doral, continuing a rapid rise from a single food truck to one of Miami’s fastest-growing restaurants. The Miami-born brand has built a loyal following by serving premium cuts like wagyu and USDA Prime at prices that feel far more approachable than a traditional steakhouse. Located in Doral Square, the new outpost brings the same high-energy atmosphere the concept is known for, with a bold design and space built for celebrations. With new menu additions and more projects on the horizon, El Toro Loco shows no signs of slowing down as demand continues to drive its expansion. 8700 NW 36 St., Ste. 114, Miami; 305-569-2929; eltoroloco.com.
Gaia photo
Gaia – Opened April 28
Gaia officially opened its first U.S. location in Miami Beach on April 28, bringing the Dubai-born Greek-Mediterranean hotspot to South of Fifth. Known for its glamorous Cycladic-inspired design and signature “Ice Market” seafood display, the restaurant has already drawn celebrities, athletes, and major buzz since debuting on South Pointe Drive. The opening also introduced Nyx, an after-dark cocktail lounge hidden beneath the restaurant, transforming the experience from an elegant seafood dinner into late-night Miami nightlife. 801 South Pointe Dr., Unit 105, Miami Beach; 786-319-9415; gaia-restaurants.com/miami/gaia-miami.
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Gigi Rigolatto – Opened May 7
Gigi Rigolatto opened at the Delano Miami Beach on May 7, marking the brand’s first U.S. location and bringing a full Italian Riviera fantasy to South Beach. Taking over much of the hotel’s ground floor and pool area, the restaurant pairs yellow Siena marble, beach cabanas, and Bellinis with a menu of housemade pastas, grilled octopus, Wagyu beef, giant prawns, and its famous pistachio gelato. (It became so popular in Dubai that it’s now a signature at every Gigi worldwide.) The splashy restaurant already has outposts in Paris, Dubai, and Bodrum, but Miami’s version fully leans into the glamorous coastal Italian daydream.1685 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, at Delano Miami Beach; 305-359-7580; delanohotels.com/miami-beach/gigi-rigolatto.
La Traila Barbecue photo
La Traila Barbecue – Opened April 15
South Miami’s barbecue scene got a serious Texas upgrade as La Traila Barbecue returned this April, bringing back the pandemic-era favorite that once earned Best Barbecue honors. Led by Austin-born pitmaster Mel Rodriguez, the new outpost leans into bold Tejano roots with smoky brisket, ribs, and standout cuts like beef cheek barbacoa. But the real game-changer is its breakfast taco program, which serves house-made flour tortillas packed with smoked meats, eggs, and crispy potatoes, available daily starting at 9 a.m. With massive custom pits, a full bar, and a space built for both day and late-night crowds, La Traila is poised to become South Miami’s next must-visit barbecue destination. 5840 SW 71st St., South Miami; latraila-bbq.com.
Leonardo photo
Leonardo – Opened April 17
Leonardo officially opened in Miami Beach on April 17, bringing “Old World Italian dining” and late-night energy to Collins Avenue. Created by restaurateur Igor Dze, the glamorous new restaurant blends handmade pastas, tableside presentations, live music, and cabaret performances inside a moody space inspired by the golden era of Italian-American dining. Led by Florence-born executive chef Andrea Albanese, Leonardo’s menu features dishes like Parmesan-wheel fettuccine, lobster linguine, whole branzino flambéed tableside, and cocktails including a pancetta-washed Italian Old-Fashioned. 2000 Collins Ave., Ste. 2, Miami Beach; leonardomiami.com.
The Mexican photo
The Mexican – Opened April 9
Acclaimed Dallas hotspot the Mexican opened its first Miami location this April in a stunning waterfront setting. The restaurant brings a high-end take on Northern Mexican cuisine, with fire-driven dishes like Wagyu cuts, seafood-forward plates, and bold flavors that go far beyond standard Tex-Mex. Known for being named one of the “World’s Most Beautiful Restaurants,” the Miami outpost promises equally striking interiors, complete with a tequila gallery and dramatic architectural design. With skyline views, a sprawling terrace, and a serious mezcal and tequila program, the Mexican is poised to become one of Brickell’s most buzzed-about openings. 601 Brickell Key Dr., Ste. 100, Miami; themexican.com.
Delano Miami Beach photo
Mimi Kakushi – Opened May 1
Mimi Kakushi opened on May 1 on the fourth floor of Delano Miami Beach, bringing a moody, Japanese-inspired concept rooted in 1920s Osaka jazz culture. The restaurant leans heavily into theatrical luxury with dishes such as Wagyu and foie gras gyoza, caviar-topped tuna tartare, miso-black cod, and bone marrow paired with beef tartare. Cocktails are just as over-the-top, including the signature Nara Nara Martini served inside a block of ice at minus four degrees Fahrenheit, which the team says makes it one of the coldest martinis in the world. 1685 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, at Delano Miami Beach; 305-359-7580; delanohotels.com/miami-beach/mimi-kakushi.
Pizza Tropical photo
Pizza Tropical – Opened April 7
Pizza Tropical is officially back, finding new life on the Upper East Side after the closure of its beloved late-night window at Gramps Wynwood. Now operating out of a permanent space on Biscayne Boulevard, the cult-favorite pizzeria brings its signature thin slices, garlic rolls, and iconic pies like the “El Peppe” to a neighborhood that still feels distinctly old-school Miami. The revival continues the partnership between founders Frank Pinello and Adam Gersten, preserving the flavors and energy that built its following over the past decade. With delivery now in the mix and a more accessible location, Pizza Tropical is entering a new era—one that trades late-night chaos for neighborhood staple status without losing its soul. 7010 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; doordash.com/store/40770171.
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PopUp Bagels Aventura – Opened April 24
Miami’s bagel boom continues as the viral East Coast favorite, PopUp Bagels, opened its first Miami location in Aventura. The shop skips traditional sandwiches in favor of whole bagels paired with rotating schmears. After generating buzz in Delray and West Palm, the shop is expected to draw major crowds in Miami. With its simple approach, PopUp Bagels might become one of the most talked-about breakfast spots of the season. 2958 NE 199th St., Aventura; popupbagels.com.
Séptimo photo
Séptimo – Opened April 29
Séptimo officially opened inside Four Seasons Hotel Miami on April 29, bringing an intimate new cocktail destination to the seventh floor above Brickell. Led by acclaimed beverage director Jacopo Rosito, the bar blends Golden Age mixology with modern techniques in cocktails such as the Oyster Martini, Café Caribe, and Elmy’s Margarita. Designed with velvet drapery, ambient lighting, live music, and refined bites like lobster rolls, caviar-topped chicken nuggets, and tableside Crêpes Suzette, Séptimo aims to offer a glamorous escape high above the city. 1435 Brickell Ave., Miami, at Four Seasons Hotel Miami; fourseasons.com.
