Miami Spice 2019: The Best Restaurants for Sushi and Sashimi

The 2019 edition of Miami Spice kicks off tomorrow, August 1, and runs through September 30. More than 250 restaurants are participating this year, so prepare to choose from plenty of well-thought-out menu options.

Fans of sushi and sashimi know a serious meal can be expensive. The two-month dining promotion offers a chance to indulge in three-course meals offering variety, value, and quality for only $23 for lunch and $39 for dinner. (Tax and tip are not included, and menus may vary.)

Here are the restaurants serving the freshest sushi and sashimi during Miami Spice.

Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill

336 21st St., Miami Beach
305-800-0404
blueribbonrestaurants.com

The South Beach outpost of the New York City-based Blue Ribbon offers a bevy of sushi and sashimi options during Miami Spice. At lunchtime, look for a platter with five pieces of assorted sushi and two rolls as an entrée. For dinner, begin with an appetizer of mani sunomono — blue crab wrapped in cucumber with ponzu — followed by a sashimi platter with pieces of tuna, salmon, mackerel, and whitefish. Or opt for the sushi version, served with tuna, yellowtail, salmon, albacore, white fish, mackerel, and cooked shrimp, along with a choice of California, tuna, spicy tuna, or cucumber roll. Dessert options are green tea flan with kokuto honey syrup miso and carrot cake with white chocolate, miso toffee, and candied walnuts. Miami Spice is offered for lunch and dinner Monday through Thursday.

Katsuya

1701 Collins Ave., Miami Beach
305-455-2995
katsuyarestaurant.com

The famous crispy rice with spicy tuna is a must-try appetizer at the tony sushi spot Katsuya. Follow it with the the no soy sushi — a seven-piece sushi sampler with umeshiso. The restaurant also offers options for vegetarians and meat eaters. Finish the meal with your choice of doughnuts or chawanmushi — a miso cake with marshmallow and frozen berries. Miami Spice is offered for dinner Sunday through Thursday.

Novikov

300 S. Biscayne Blvd., Miami
305-489-1000
novikovmiami.com

Miami Spice is the time to visit this swanky downtown eatery and savor some of the freshest sushi in town without leaving a big hole in your wallet. Novikov's promotional lunch menu includes a sophisticated take on spicy salmon maki. For dinner, sit back and enjoy a rotating chef-curated four-piece freshly sliced nigiri selection. Other menu highlights are soft-shell crab and truffle hamachi carpaccio. From the list of sweets, order guava cheesecake or pineapple kakigori. Miami Spice is offered for lunch Sunday through Friday and dinner Sunday through Thursday.

Pubbelly Sushi

Various locations
pubbellyglobal.com

Treat yourself to a four-course Spice meal at any local Pubbelly. Begin with crispy hamachi sashimi with black truffle yuzu soy, frites, and sesame; continue with Jose Mendin's creative rolls. Pubbelly offers a choice of two rolls as an entrée; options include soft-shell crab, lettuce, serrano, avocado, and tomatillo, and shrimp tempura with tuna, onion, cream cheese, avocado, ginger garlic soy, and yakiniku. Finish with seasonal mocha or a soft-serve green tea coconut or sesame ice cream. Miami Spice is offered for lunch Monday through Friday and dinner Sunday through Thursday.

SushiSamba

600 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach
305-673-5337
sushisamba.com

If you like a side of people-watching with your sushi, snag a table facing Lincoln Road and watch the world go by as you enjoy your meal. Though SushiSamba offers Miami Spice for lunch and weekend brunch, if you're seeking sushi, visit during dinner hours. Start with the otoshi — a poke with local snapper, wakame, and ají panca miso. Follow it with the Samba sushi plate, displaying nigiri tuna, salmon, hamachi maki tuna, shishito, asparagus, mango, and sweet ume chili sauce. Finish with arroz con coco leche — a coconut rice pudding with limed pineapple, candied orange zest, coconut tuile, and coconut passionfruit sorbet. Miami Spice is offered for lunch Monday through Friday, dinner Sunday through Friday, and brunch Saturday and Sunday.

Tanuki

1080 Alton Rd., Miami Beach
305-615-1055
tanukimiami.com

Your sushi-centric meal at this South Beach eatery begins with a welcome miso soup served with a sesame chili salad and crispy hamachi roll. A chef's choice of nigiri or sashimi follows, or you can opt for a crispy hamachi roll with cilantro sauce, shallots, shichimi, lettuce, and yuzu soy. Tanuki's Spice entrée list also includes spicy chicken robata, rib-eye topped with sweet butter soy, and roasted cauliflower. To end things on a sweet note, let the chef choose your dessert, or opt for an assortment of mochi. Miami Spice is offered for lunch Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and dinner daily.

Umi Sushi & Sake Bar

1685 Collins Ave., Miami Beach,
305-674-5752
morganshotelgroup.com

The sushi restaurant inside the Delano is turning out a wide variety of sushi rolls for Miami Spice. The spicy yellowtail mixed with serrano and kizami wasabi is featured, but you can also opt for Maine lobster with yuzu kosho aioli and celery; a rainbow roll made with layers of chef's market sashimi selection; spicy tuna with cucumber and spicy aioli; or salmon avocado with ponzu and truffle essence. Offerings also include choices of sushi or sashimi samplers, both with tuna, salmon, and hamachi; sashimi-style tuna pizza; and Japanese ceviche with Fresno chilies and ají amarillo. End your meal with strawberry or green tea mochi. Miami Spice is offered for dinner daily.