Here's a thought: Skip the madness that comes with hosting a holiday party and head to one of the city's local eateries instead to enjoy a curated menus of food and drinks.
The ten restaurants listed in alphabetical order below offer the best Christmas meals in town. Tax and gratuity are not included in prices. Reservations are strongly recommended. Unless otherwise specified, all meals are available on Christmas Day only.
Cafe La Trova
971 SW Eighth St., Miami786-615-4379
cafelatrova.com
Celebrate Nochebuena (Christmas Eve) in Little Havana with a prix-fixe menu ($85 per person); or special a la carte dishes like tuna crudo with blood orange, serrano chilies, and shiso ($27), and rosemary-cured prime rib with salt-baked baby potatoes ($55). Master cantinero Julio Cabrera will be serving up a special signature Cuban eggnog for the occasion. Dinner served December 24 from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m.
Cote Miami
3900 NE Second Ave., Miami305-434-4668
cotemiami.com
Cote Miami will treat guests to a "Feast of the Seven Steaks," including the restaurant's finest plates and seven selected cuts of USDA Prime, American wagyu beef and lamb. The holiday dinner comes with an array of Korean accompaniments, including pickled seasonal vegetables and salads, fresh red leaf lettuce with ssamm-jang, a savory egg soufflé, and Korean angel hair pasta with clear anchovy consommé. For dessert: soft-serve ice cream topped with soy sauce caramel. A la carte menu options will also be available. The feast costs $142 per person and is served December 25 from 5 to 11 p.m.
Fiola
1500 San Ignacio Ave., Coral Gables305-912-2639
fiolamiami.com
Fiola will offer a "Feast of the Seven Fishes" on Christmas Eve, December 24. The Italian-inflected dinner will consist of five courses and a dessert. An amuse-bouche of Taylor Bay scallop will be brought to the table first, followed by options of bluefin tuna crudo or "Key West Pink Salad." The second course is wood-oven roasted octopus or Manila clams. Next comes ravioli stuffed with king crab or corzetti with Rhode Island scallops, followed by an entrée of grilled marinated swordfish or fisherman’s-style black cod alla calabrese. End your meal with almond torte or a snowball semifreddo. The feast costs $165 per person and is served on Christmas Eve.
Habitat at 1 Hotel South Beach
2341 Collins Ave., Miami Beach305-804-1000
1hotels.com
Located inside the 1 Hotel Miami Beach, Habitat will offer a Christmas brunch of omelets and breakfast stations, a raw bar, sushi, and seasonal dishes. Brunch costs $95 per adult and $45 per child ten years older and under and is served December 25 from noon to 8 p.m.
Il Mulino
17875 Collins Ave., Sunny Isles Beach305-466-9191
ilmulino.com
Il Mulino in the Acqualina Hotel will serve its regular à la carte menu, along with special offerings of burrata with white asparagus and truffle oil ($37), vitello tonnato ($32), halibut ($65), and braised veal osso bucco with saffron risotto ($75). Available on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Novecento
Four Miami-Dade locations, including:1414 Brickell Ave., Miami
305-403-0900
novecento.com
Novecento restaurants will offer a three-course prix-fixe menu for Christmas. The meal begins with crudite carpaccio or salmon and mango ceviche, followed by an entree choice of putanesca de moriscos, sous vide lamb chops, swordfish or Argentinean New York Strip, accompanied by French fries. The sweet ending will be a dulce de leche crepe with vanilla ice cream. The meal costs $59 and is offered on Christmas Eve, starting at 5 p.m.
Red Rooster Overtown
920 NW Second Ave., Miami305-640-9880
redroosterovertown.com
Head to Red Rooster on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day to enjoy a prix-fixe menu of options like big eye tuna, green tomato carpaccio, wagyu sirloin, and red butter-poached lobster. The holiday meal costs $125 per person and is served December 24 and 25.
Rusty Pelican
3201 Rickenbacker Cswy., Key Biscayne305-361-3818
therustypelican.com
Rusty Pelican will host a Christmas Day brunch. Expect dishes like medium Florida stone crab claws with mustard celery salt and aji amarillo and freshly-shucked pink moon oysters; and a brunch board with lobster Benedict, New York strip, fried chicken and waffles, and fingerling smashed potatoes ($125). Special mimosa flavors will be featured, including apple cider pumpkin spice and dragon fruit and watermelon. For dessert, indulge in an assortment of sweet treats including café con leche bread pudding and key lime pie. Brunch is served December 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Scarpetta by Scott Conant
4441 Collins Ave., Miami Beach (in the Fontainebleau Miami Beach Hotel)305-538-2000
fontainebleau.com
Scarpetta’s Christmas dinner offering will be a four-course menu of dishes such as tuna tartare, beef carpaccio, short rib lasagna, spaghetti, and veal scaloppine. Dessert options include a mascarpone fondente or chocolate millefoglie. The menu is priced at $95 per person and is available from 6 p.m. to midnight on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Seawell Fish N’ Oyster
660 Washington Ave., Miami Beach (in Kimpton Angler's Hotel)786-594-5820
seawellmiami.com
Chef Craig Tooker has put together a festive three-course menu for Christmas. For starters, choose between crab and corn bisque or a winter green salad mixed with Port-poached figs and sweet and spicy pecans. Main course options are black cod with saffron fettuccini, smoked chicken with maitake cannelloni, and a dish of lamb shank, served with spaghetti squash. For dessert, indulge in eggnog creme brûlée or white chocolate cheesecake. The menu costs $55 per person. For dinner and beverage pairing for each course the eatery will charge $80. Available December 24 and December 25.
