There's no denying it: Wynwood is a food mecca. Turn back the clock a decade, though, and there was virtually nowhere to grab a bite. Joey's changed that fact in 2008, when Tony Goldman saw a gourmet future for the neighborhood. Today Wynwood is the place to go for the city's most creative restaurants. Slowly but surely, Miami's arts district is putting as much emphasis on food and drinks as it does on graffiti. And there are no signs of slowing.
Miami's buzz-worthiest restaurant just happens to be in Wynwood thanks to chef Brad Kilgore. The ambiance is unfussy — concrete walls and floors, with a hint of neon. This plain industrial space is the perfect canvas for Kilgore's culinary art. The chef also serves dishes that please vegans, such as a plant-based pastrami.
To venerable chef Norman Van Aken, the number "3" has much meaning, and his new venture in Wynwood is all about
Walk through a tiny record store/bodega to find 1-800-Lucky, Miami's first Asian food market. Discover a 10,000-square-foot space that comprises seven food concepts, two bars, and a karaoke bar. Choices include Lotus + Cleaver, a new concept offering Chinese barbecue, wok dishes, and Peking duck; Hayato Miami, a concept from Japan's
Former Zuma chef Michael Lewis and former Zuma general manager Steven Haigh are the brains behind Kyu, an Asian-inspired restaurant. Kyu (pronounced like the letter q), uses a wood-fired grill as its focal point, where diners can watch their food being cooked via
This small Wynwood shop, resplendent in bright pinks and greens, serves a small menu of food that's delectable and well priced. Ono offers basically one thing — a poke bowl ($13 to $16). But that bowl, customized to your liking, is filled with only really good stuff. The fish — the prize ingredient of a good poke bowl — is made with high-quality sushi-grade fish that's never frozen. In fact, the shop closes when it runs out of seafood for the day. Customize your bowl with rice, greens, ginger, pickled cucumbers, or other delicious toppings until your container looks as colorful as a Hawaiian garden after a rain. The result is the most heavenly lunch that also happens to be nutritious.
R House chef and owner Rocco Carulli has had a long-standing love affair with Wynwood dating back to before the neighborhood became a hot spot. His restaurant is a hip place that's
Beaker & Gray is a lively eatery that places equal importance on
Inside the Taco Stand in Wynwood, a small silver keypad hangs next to a bare copper wall. Enter a secret code, and the wall becomes a sliding door. It opens slowly and carefully, revealing a covert room fit for no more than ten people. This is Hiden, a mysterious omakase restaurant without menus. Your meal will be in the hands of the chef, who will decide what to serve only hours before your arrival. Traditionally, guests are offered two cold appetizers, a soup, seven to eight sushi courses, a hot item, and dessert. The two-hour experience is limited to eight diners and requires reservations.
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If Jay Z and Beyoncé like Joey's, so should the rest of Miami. When the music world's power couple had a romantic lunch at the Italian restaurant, they ordered burrata
For a place to nosh on small plates while taking in art, head to Wynwood Kitchen & Bar (WKB). Since Art Basel 2010, the restaurant's vibrant setting next to Wynwood Walls has made WKB a mecca for eating, drinking, and people-watching. You might even spot a celebrity subtly browsing the works in the street-art museum. While you're waiting for the next star sighting, order some chicken ropa vieja empanadas.
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