Miami Spice Returns This Summer
More than 250 Miami restaurants offer three-course meal deals in August and September
If you’re from anywhere in the world, planning a summer vacation in Miami might be the most boneheaded move you’ll make.
Instead of basking in a tropical paradise with gentle tradewinds, you’ll encounter daily temperatures inching up to the triple digits, humidity that will turn any outfit into a wet sponge, and the daily threat of monsoon-like storms that can cause flash flooding on city streets. Let’s not forget the threat of tropical storms, hurricanes, and mosquitos the size of Labradoodles.
There’s only one reason to visit Miami in the Summer — Miami Spice. Each summer, the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) offers a two-month promotion from August 1 to September 30, where more than 250 Miami restaurants offer prix fixe, three-course meals for $30 or $35 (depending on the restaurant) for lunch and brunch, and $45 or $60 for dinner.
Miami Spice started as the Magic City’s version of New York City’s Restaurant Week, and now enters its 23rd year. The program is wildly successful and serves two important needs: attract visitors to Miami during its historically slow time and help keep restaurants afloat until the fall season arrives.
The annual question that comes up this time each year is whether all of the participating restaurants offer menus that are a good value. The answer is a resounding “No”.
To participate, each restaurateur is supposed to submit a menu to the GMCVB that reflects a three-course meal that should reflect a 30 to 40 percent discount from a comparable meal at the restaurant. That would reflect a considerable value to the consumer.
In reality, many participating restaurants cheapen out when it comes to Miami Spice. I’ve seen steak houses offer a menu that doesn’t even include steak, places that consider one sad defrosted shrimp an appetizer, and too many places phone in offerings like farm-raised salmon or grilled chicken.
There are also a ridiculous amount of chain restaurants that, frankly, shouldn’t be allowed to participate in a promotion designed to help local restaurateurs through Miami’s toughest months.
So, how does one choose which restaurants to visit? Here are a few tips:
Visit the Miami Spice website, where you can see representative menus for each participating restaurant. The restaurants can (and do) change their menus, but you’ll get a good idea of what to expect. The site will populate the menus throughout July, so check back often.
Don’t think a big Miami restaurant name like, say, Joe’s Stone Crab, will offer the best value. Remember — stone crabs aren’t in season during Miami Spice so you won’t be feasting on the restaurant’s signature dish. A better bet would be to go to Joe’s Takeaway in the summer and get a picnic to-go.
Miami Spice does, however, offer the opportunity to dine at Michelin favorites like Cote Miami (which usually offers a carnivorous dinner), Estatorio Milos for fish flown in daily from the Mediterranean, and the distinctly Miami experience that is Café La Trova.
Check the days of the week Miami Spice is offered for your favorite restaurant — many of the best places don’t offer Miami Spice meals during the weekend.
Check the restaurant’s website and compare the Miami Spice meal to an actual meal at the restaurant.
Be on the lookout for “upcharges” to the Miami Spice menus at restaurants — they can double or even triple your check.
Conversely, look for restaurants that offer generous “add-ons” like a complimentary glass of wine, an amuse bouche, or bubbles at brunch.
In the coming weeks, Broken Palate will analyze the menus and recommend the restaurants worthy of your dollars. For now, make those hotel reservations, stock up on sunscreen and anti-frizz hair mousse, and take a look at the participating restaurant list.
1107 Steak and Bar
27 Restaurant and Bar
94th Aero Squadron Restaurant
A Fish Called Avalon
A Love Story Winery and Bistro
Aba Miami - Bal Harbour
Amal Miami
Amalia Restaurant
American Social
Americana Kitchen
Area 31 Brickell
Aromas Del Peru Coral Gables
Atlantiko -The St. Regis Bal Harbour
Avra Estiatorio Miami
Azabu Miami Beach
Azzurro Italian Restaurant & Bar
Bagatelle Miami
Bakan
Balan's
Baleen Kitchen
Baoli
Bar Central at SLS South Beach
Bar Collins
Barsecco
Bayshore Club
Beauty and The Butcher
Bellini
Blind Tiger
BLT Prime
Blue Collar
Blue Matisse Restaurant and Nau Lounge
Boulud Sud
Brasserie Brickell Key
Brasserie Laurel
Bugatti Bistro
Bulla Gastrobar Coral Gables
Bulla Gastrobar Doral
Bulla Gastrobar The Falls
Bunbury
Byblos Miami
Certo
Cafe Catula Fine Restaurant and Art Gallery
Cafe Americano Brickell
Cafe Americano Ocean Drive
Cafe La Trova
Cafe Prima Pasta
Cajun Boil Seafood Restaurant
CalaMillor Gourmet Experience
Calle Dragones Miami
Cane Fire Grille
Cartagena at SLS South Beach
Casa Isola Osteria
Casa Mariano
Casa Neos
Casadonna
Cecconi's Miami Beach at Soho Beach House
Cerveceria La Tropical
Champions Bar & Grill
Chef Adrianne's Vineyard Restaurant and Bar
Chica
Chug's Diner
ConSentido
Cote Miami
Crust
DiLido Beach Club
Dolce Italian Restaurant
doma Restaurant
Donna Mare Trattoria
Dragonfly Izakaya & Fish Market
Earls Kitchen + Bar
Eating House
Essensia At The Palms Hotel & Spa
Estiatorio Milos
Fabel Miami
Fairways at the Biltmore
Ferraro's Kitchen Restaurant
Fiola Miami
Fontana
Fratelli La Bufala
French Bistro
Gekko
Giselle Miami
Glass & Vine
Gold Coast Kitchen + Cocktails
Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ Brickell
Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ Pinecrest
Hakkasan
Happy Wine in the Grove
Havana 1957 - Breakwater
Havana 1957 - Ocean Drive
Havana Harry's
Hell's Kitchen Miami
Hotel AKA Brickell
Hutong
Il Mulino New York
Isabella's
Jaguar Restaurant
Jarana Aventura
Joe's Stone Crab Restaurant
Joey Aventura
Joia Beach Restaurant and Beach Lounge
Kao Sushi & Grill
Kaori
Katsuya South Beach
Ke-Uh at Acqualina Resort
Kissaki Sushi
Koko
Komma Restaurant
Komodo
Korner67
La Terraza Cafe & Bar
Le Jardinier Miami
Le Zoo Restaurant
Levant
Level 6 Rooftop Restaurant
Lido Restaurant and Bayside Grill
Lido Restaurant at The Surf Club
Lira Beirut Eatery
Los Fuegos at Faena Miami Beach
LPM Restaurant & Bar
LT Steak & Seafood
Mamo Restaurant Miami
Marabu
Mareva 1939 at the National Hotel
Marfil Bistro
Mastro's
Mayami
Mayu Miami by Aromas del Peru
Mercato Della Pescheria Miami Beach
MesaMar Seafood Table
Mignonette
MILA Restaurant
Minty Z
Mirabella
Morton's The Steakhouse - Coral Gables
Morton's The Steakhouse - North Miami
Mosaico Kitchen + Bar
Mr. Chow Miami
News Cafe
Nikki Beach
Noma Beach at Redfish
North Italia - Aventura
North Italia - Miami Brickell
North Italia Dadeland
Novecento Aventura
Novecento Brickell
Novecento Doral
Novecento Key Biscayne
Ocean Social
Oh! Mexico
Ola Restaurant
Old Lisbon Sunset Drive
One K
Orilla Bar & Grill
Osteria
Pao by Paul Qui at Faena Miami Beach
Paperfish Sushi
Papi Steak
Pascal's On Ponce
Pasta
Perl By Chef IP
Petralunga
Pink Taco
Pinstripes Aventura
Pisco y Nazca Coral Gables
Pisco y Nazca Doral
Pisco y Nazca Kendall
Planta Queen
PLANTA South Beach
Platea Miami
Playa Miami
Prime 54
Prime Italian
Primo's Italian Restaurant and Bar
Pubbelly Sushi Brickell City Centre
Pubbelly Sushi Dadeland
Pubbelly Sushi Miami Beach
Pubbelly Sushi Aventura
Red Rooster Overtown
RED South Beach
Redfarm Miami
Reunion Ktchn Bar
Root & Bone South Miami
Rosa Sky Rooftop
Rusty Pelican
Ruth's Chris Steak House
Sérêvène Miami
Sala'o Cuban Restaurant & Bar
Salty Flame
Salumeria 104
Salvaje Miami
Sawa Restaurant & Lounge
Seaspice
Serena Miami
Sexy Fish Miami
Sha Wynwood
Social Club
Sofia Design District
Stiltsville Fish Bar
Strand at Carillon Miami, The
Sushi | Bar Miami
Swan
Talavera Cocina Mexicana
Taquerias El Mexicano and Los Altos
Tequiztlan Mexican Restaurant and Tequila Bar
The Amalfi LLama
The Capital Grille
The Deck at Island Gardens
The Gibson Room
The Hampton Social - Brickell Miami
The Henry
The Palm - Miami
The Pilot House Bar & Restaurant
The River Oyster Bar
The Wagyu Bar
Toku Modern Asian - Miami
Toro Toro
Truluck's Ocean's Finest Seafood and Crab
Tulum
Tur Kitchen
Two Chefs Restaurant
UVA Restaurant & Bar
Varsol Sushi Bar
Via Emilia 9
Villa Azur Restaurant & Lounge
Vinya Table
W Miami
Whitney's Restaurant
Yardbird Southern Table & Bar
Zaytinya South Beach
Zeru Miami
Zoi Restaurant & Lounge
Zuma Miami
We have a home in Fort Lauderdale and it's so hot down there, that we stay up here, in DC, and use it only for a few weeks in the dead of winter. The restaurants, the good ones, have AC, and can get very crowded now. No one wants to eat outside. I personally think the restaurants elsewhere have food just as good, if not better.