Small Plates in Miami

3425 NE Second Ave. Midtown/Wynwood/Design District

305-576-0108

Bars and Clubs, Wine Bar, Small Plates, Best Of, Sponsor, DrinkHere

This indoor/outdoor hodgepodge of a place is named for a small gift traditionally bestowed upon a customer by a merchant, and the moniker couldn't be more fitting. At this serve-yourself Midtown bar, you pick your craft beer, cheese, and wine, pay at the counter, and then plant yourself in a lawn chair beneath twinkling lights. Lagniappe offers live music — and sitting under the stars on a balmy night while listening to a band evokes an evening more New Orleans than Miami.

39 articles

Pubbelly Noodle Bar

1418 20th St., Miami Beach South Beach

305-532-7555

Asian, Gastro Pub, Small Plates, Sponsor, Slideshow

The quiet block of 20th Street between Purdy and West Avenues in South Beach has given aspiring restaurateurs nothing but headaches. Nowadays, folks are gathering beneath Pubbelly's high loft ceilings, leaning against the exposed brick walls, and waiting for one of the three dozen seats or dozen barstools to open up. So how did the Asian-accented gastropubs's three young owners succeed where others could not? By offering fresh, creative, flavor-packed cuisine in a cozy urban-tavern setting, along with attentive service and the one thing those failed ventures did not: value. Of course, it helps that Pubbelly embraces popular dining trends such as Asian food, small plates, gastropubs, and pork belly. The small menu somehow encompasses 30-plus items, and a half-dozen of them contain belly meat from the pig. On the low end, the cripsy salmon rolls pack plenty of flavor into a small bun via a melt-in-your-mouth combination of cream cheese, avocado, eel sauce, and spicy mayo that's offset by crispy panko. It's just one of a dozen so-called small plates that anchor the bill of fare. On the pub side: more than a dozen bottled beers, 14-ounce draughts, two dozen boutique red and white wines, and a rotating list of sakes. Service is personable, and the vibe is friendly in a neighborly sort of way. Read our full review of Pubbelly Noodle Bar.

128 articles

Bar Nancy

2007 SW Eighth St. Little Havana

305-397-8971

Small Plates, Sandwiches, Bars and Clubs, Best Of, DrinkHere

Bar Nancy in Little Havana sports rustic, nautical-inspired decor and a healthy selection of craft cocktails. The bar — named for the brigantine Nancy, which transported war supplies during the American Revolution — offers cocktails named after ships or patriotic themes, or both. The "Abigail Adams" is made with Fords gin, peach liqueur, lemon, strawberry, cucumber, and soda; the "Stem to Stern" consists of apricot-infused Bulleit rye, lemon, apricot jam, and ginger ale. There's live music and a daily happy hour from 4 to 7 p.m. offers half-price drinks.

1 event 53 articles

Beaker & Gray

2637 N. Miami Ave. Midtown/Wynwood/Design District

305-699-2637

New American, Small Plates, Recommended, Slideshow

Sure, Beaker & Gray is a restaurant that serves innovative dishes courtesy of co-owner Brian Nasajon. But you'd be remiss if you dismissed its cocktail program, led by Nasajon's partner, Ben Potts, as a side affair. Beaker & Gray's list of libations is as strong as its food menu; for some patrons, it's a destination in itself. Potts and his team have created an extensive drink menu, including classics such as an elegant take on a Moscow mule and the "Ginstagram," made with Tanqueray London Dry, Cocchi Americano, falernum, passionfruit, orgeat, and Peychaud's bitters. Beaker & Gray offers a selection of nonalcoholic cocktails as well, for when you're parched yet "dry."

73 articles

Boho House

111 NE 20th St. Midtown/Wynwood/Design District

669-444-0872

Small Plates, Bars and Clubs, Menu

Bulla Gastrobar

5335 NW 87th Ave. Doral

305-260-6543

Spanish, Small Plates, Gastro Pub

The Spanish gastrobar Bulla (pronounced boo-yah) is younger, cooler, and better than ever. At the freestanding marble bar under the mahogany marquee, it's always time for a drink. Cocktails are delicious and fussy, infused with cardamom and currant syrup, lemongrass, and cucumber purée. Venture to the dining room, where chalkboards listing Spanish dishes swaddle blond-wood walls, to sample the small-plates cuisine. Doused in fried-tomato paste, albondigas — veal and pork meatballs — swim in milky stracciatella. Croquetas de jamón— golden bits of pinguid beauty — gleam beneath a thin fig jam glaze. Insider tip: Saturday and Sunday, Bulla offers a $28 three-course brunch. Try the decadent huevos Bulla — house-made potato chips topped with a jumbo organic egg, potato foam, thin slices of Serrano ham, and a prodigious drizzle of truffle oil.

23 articles

The Corner

1035 N. Miami Ave. Downtown/Overtown

305-961-7887

Bars and Clubs, Sandwiches, Small Plates, Best Of, Slideshow, DrinkHere

If you "know what it means to miss New Orleans," the Corner is the Miami bar for you. Nestled in the downtown nightclub district, this little speakeasy boasts a bar constructed from 150-year-old repurposed wood and a vibe that's more reminiscent of the Big Easy than the neon lights of the Magic City. Maybe that's why the Corner's cocktail collection contains so many New Orleans classics. Drinks such as the Vieux Carré and the Sazerac are properly prepared, and the Corner's hurricane puts Pat O'Brien's French Quarter version to shame. The fact that you can order a cocktail at the Corner till 5 a.m. is a major plus for those looking for "one more round" before heading home.

1 event 62 articles

Elevar Wynwood

3400 Biscayne Blvd. Midtown/Wynwood/Design District

786-677-3119

Tapas, Small Plates

Haven

1237 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach South Beach

305-987-8885

Contemporary, Small Plates, Bars and Clubs, Menu, Slideshow

The snow-capped mountain range is dazzlingly white against an impossibly blue sky, and snowflakes slowly drift to the rhythm of the Tom Tom Club. The Tom Tom Club? Don't ask questions; just go with the flow. The wraparound LCD walls might soon change to images of the Mediterranean. A thousand or so ice-cube lights running in rows on a black ceiling subtly switch hues. The Siberian white-onyx bar changes color too, and if you sit long enough, Haven Gastro-Lounge fills to the brim with an electric late-night South Beach crowd (the room stays plugged in daily till 5 in the morning). Cocktails, placed on our table by a young waitress in a skin-tight micro-skirt, emanate smoke from liquid nitrogen -- also used to great visual effect in creating made-to-order ice creams for dessert. Among the drinks, desserts, and dramatics are a global mix of delectable small plates orchestrated by chef Todd Erickson. There are six categories of haute bar snacks: Crudo, Green, Roll, Crisp, Skewer, and Slider. Everything bursts with clean, fresh flavors, from a spicy tuna roll with crisp rice to coconut-crusted rock shrimp with wasabi-peach marmalade to a skewer of jerked chicken thighs atop a cucumber-pineapple salsa. Scintillating food in a stimulating psychedelic environment for the digital age. Cool.

88 articles

Higher Ground

2217 NW Miami Ct. Midtown/Wynwood/Design District

Bars and Clubs, Small Plates, Seafood, DrinkHere

True to its name, this indoor-outdoor, jungle-themed oasis serves as an elevated respite from the bustling Wynwood bar scene. Located on the third floor of the Arlo Wynwood hotel and accessible from an exterior stairwell off NW 22nd Street or via the hotel elevators, Higher Ground is all about the art of the cocktail. Pair your choice with dishes designed to complement each cocktail with a rotating selection of small plates, flatbreads, and sandwiches.

3 articles

Hotsy-Totsy Bar & Grill

2032 Harrison St. Hollywood

954-544-2383

Wine Bar, American, Small Plates, Best Of

2 articles

Kitchen Social Midtown

3404 N. Miami Ave. Midtown/Wynwood/Design District

305-438-9199

New American, Small Plates, Bars and Clubs, Menu

Little Lotus

25 N. Miami Ave., Ste 107 Downtown/Overtown

305-533-2700

Asian, Small Plates, Sushi, Menu, Slideshow

Secreted within downtown Miami's International Jewelry Center is an izakaya (that's the term for the smallish, Japanese-style pubs littered throughout Tokyo) offering a surprisingly large menu of sushi and tapas-style plates that capture the essence of an authentic Asian kitchen. The small restaurant has only 30 seats, half of which line the outside hallway, plus four stools at the tiny sushi bar. Decorations are modest -- no giant Buddha statue or bamboo garden here. Owner Sari Maharai hails from Jakarta, so a few Indonesian specialties round out the mainly Japanese menu offerings. From yaki tori to yaki udon, everything is fresh and tasty. Chef Inyoman Atmaja deals mainly with the hot kitchen dishes, while chef Michael Asalie oversees the sushi bar. The menu might look familiar. Atmaja hails from North Miami's Yakko-San and brings knowledge from that experience. Crossovers include the crispy baby bok choy ($6.50), grilled eel ($10.95), and trigger fish jerky ($6.50). Asalie worked for Masaharu Morimoto in NYC, so his sushi skills were developed while working under one of the greats, and it shows. Sushi rolls have curious names such as "Angel Heart" (eel tempura with spicy tuna, $11.95) and "Big Mac" (crunchy spicy tuna with snow "krab," $11.95). Delivery is available in the Brickell area, and because most basic rolls (tuna, Cali, salmon skin, etc.) are priced from $3.95 to $5.95, they are an excellent everyday option. Well-priced lunch specials ($7.50 each) range from spicy braised beef with coconut and spices, fried Singapore rice noodles, and chicken simmering in coconut sauce, to the "Japanese Amazing Lunch" ($7.95 to $9.95), covering sushi and sashimi, as well as a teriyaki bento box. We see this little flower blooming big.

3 articles

Magie

3540 Main Highway Coconut Grove

561-427-3462

Wine Bar, Small Plates

Magie

8281 NE Second Ave. Upper Eastside

305-982-7881

Wine Bar, Small Plates, DrinkHere

In a town filled with clubstaurants and fancy out-of-town imports, a low-key, no-fuss, high-quality wine bar was a welcome addition to Miami's dining scene when it arrived in 2024. Located in Little River, Magie opened as a counter-service wine and snack bar where guests pair bottles of wine or craft beer with no-fuss snacks in a lovely, dimly lit setting. The snacks range from tinned fish and caviar to an array of charcuterie choices, designed so you can vibe as if you're having a wine night at home. It's the perfect spot to top off a date-night dinner or to catch up with an old friend. Founder Caroline Strauss, a veteran of the Miami restaurant scene, wanted to create "a pop-up space for the community to hang and do their thing" — a description that fits Magie to a T. (And so popular that a Coconut Grove location debuted in 2025.)

Melinda's

1306 N. Miami Ave. Downtown/Overtown

305-377-2277

Small Plates, Pizza, Bars and Clubs

3 articles

Niu Kitchen

104 NE Second Ave. Downtown/Overtown

786-717-6711

Seafood, Small Plates, Critics' Pick, Slideshow, Essentials

In 2017, Katrina Iglesias, Adam Hughes, and chef and Barcelona native Deme Lomas opened Arson two doors down from their first venture, Niu Kitchen. The two restaurants have since been combined in order to accommodate more outdoor seating. The centerpiece of Arson is the Josper, a charcoal-burning grill/oven hybrid that influences Lomas' gastronomy. Whiffs of Asia and South America rise off the menu, including mainstays like charbroiled oysters, chargrilled prawns, and vegan paella.

9 articles

No Man's Land

666 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale Fort Lauderdale

954-280-9919

Bars and Clubs, Small Plates, Best Of, DrinkHere

There's a reason this vibey cocktail parlor, lounge, and restaurant from Big Brother alum Memphis Garrett is billed as a "refuge from the ordinary." Step inside No Man's Land in Fort Lauderdale, and you immediately feel as though you've been transported to an intimate dinner party, a bespoke experience made complete with an arsenal of creative cocktails and equally inventive small plates served up in a sexy and sophisticated space. Mixed drinks take center stage in the form of a list that changes several times a year but always includes the "NML Old-Fashioned," a blend of bourbon, housemade s'mores syrup, and bitters, garnished with a toasted marshmallow. Dishes are overtly intended to complement the libations.

2 articles

PL8

210 SW Second St. Fort Lauderdale

954-524-1818

American, Bar Food, Contemporary, New American, Seafood, Small Plates, Music Venues, Menu

Formerly known as Himmarshee Bar & Grille, PL8 specializes in small plates, which include seafood, sliders, skewers, pizzas, salads, and greens. A stylish dining room is anchored by bar tables of reclaimed wood and sleek steel. Abstract silk-screens and varied textures nod to nature. Accent lighting is easy on the eyes too, especially in the adjacent room at Sidebar, with its name spelled out in orbs like a retro-sexy Lite Brite. Try the local rock shrimp bruschetta with fresh ricotta, roasted cherry tomatoes, and a touch of balsamic or the arugula and roasted corn salad with smoked almonds and strawberries. In both dishes, the kitchen nods to local ingredients and tends to detail by adding complexity with roasted vegetables. Mini bratwurst sliders are also crowd pleasers, served with red-bliss potato salad as a condiment with violet mustard. The menu encourages sharing, so grab a table, graze on a few plates, and allow yourself to people-watch in one of the most animated stretches of town.

Prohibition

3404 N. Miami Ave. Midtown/Wynwood/Design District

305-438-9199

Small Plates, Recommended, Menu, Readers' Choice

At Prohibition, the food is an eclectic mix of favorites with an emphasis on small plates for sharing. A rundown of dishes includes char-grilled octopus, escargots, lobster truffle macaroni and cheese, chorizo croquettes, beef carpaccio, and hummus. Dinner-size entrées include slow-roasted short rib, Wagyu skirt steak, and pan-roasted salmon with couscous and vegetables. Of course, any place called Prohibition better be on its A-game with cocktails. Classic cocktails are made with fresh fruits, individual mixers (no soda guns), and quality bitters. The drinks menu, featuring quality spirits, is pared down to about a dozen selections from the Prohibition era.

1 event 3 articles

Reunion Ktchn Bar

18167 Biscayne Blvd. Aventura/North Miami Beach

305-931-7401

Small Plates, Seafood, Best Of

7 articles

Rooftop @ 1WLO

1 W. Las Olas Blvd., #700 Fort Lauderdale

954-523-1956

Small Plates, Best Of

1 article

Rosa Sky Rooftop

115 SW Eighth St., 22nd Floor Brickell

786-745-7486

Bars and Clubs, Small Plates, Best Of, DrinkHere

If it's a view you seek, look no further than Rosa Sky Rooftop. Located on the 22nd floor of Brickell's AC & Element Hotel, this chic, modern lounge presents picturesque panoramic views of the Magic City skyline. Come nightfall, the space is bathed in the venue's signature rose-hued glow, making it the perfect spot to share globally inspired small plates and sip whimsical cocktails like the namesake "Rosa Sky," a blend of strawberry- and lemongrass-infused vodka, citrus juice, and sparkling rosé served in a martini glass with a signature rose-shaped ice cube. By day, Rosa Sky offers a "Sunday Soiree" brunch, inviting you to pair bottomless bubbles, sangrias, and rosé with Insta-worthy dishes like the "Rosey Cakes," pink pancakes topped with maple-macerated strawberries and tufts of rosé chantilly cream.

1 event 9 articles

Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill

3252 NE First Ave. Midtown/Wynwood/Design District

786-369-0353

Small Plates, International, Sushi, Asian, Recommended, Best Of, Menu, Readers' Choice

Sugarcane exudes the big-city allure of a longtime landmark oyster bar and grill. The menu is divided into three categories: the raw bar, the Japanese robata grill, and some 20 small plates of globally inspired snacks. Raw bar items include blackboard selections of seasonal oysters, shrimp cocktail, king crab legs, several crudos, and a limited list of sushi, sashimi, and rolls. Among the dozen or so robata dishes, chicken yakitori is a favorite: soft, plump pieces of breast meat interspersed with snippets of thick, almost-leek-like Tokyo scallions, all lightly charred and glazed with a slightly sweet, mirin-and-soy-based sauce. Small-plate highlights include delicate veal meatballs in a sticky-rich sherry-fueled demi-glace, a New England lobster roll with shaved celery and fennel salad, crisp goat cheese croquettes, and steamy white pork buns brightened with apple kimchee and cilantro.

98 articles

Vacillate Wine and Beer Bar

15512 SW 88th St. West Kendall

786-332-4765

Wine Bar, Small Plates, Best Of

1 article

ViceVersa Miami

398 NE Fifth St. Downtown/Overtown

Bars and Clubs, Pizza, Italian, Small Plates, DrinkHere

Helmed by acclaimed Miami bartender Valentino Longo, this Italian aperitivo bar in the Elser Hotel downtown opened with authentic Italian cocktails and a selection of pizzas that even nonna would approve of. Here you'll find Italian influences in every detail, including multiple negroni options, plus three sections stacked with other cocktails. But whatever you order from the bar, you won't want to miss the lineup of neo-Neapolitan pizzas, all made with freshly stretched mozzarella and local flours that undergo a 24-to-48-hour cold fermentation. In short, ViceVersa is how you aperitivo like an Italian.

2 articles

Water Lion Wine + Alchemy

1671 Collins Ave., Miami Beach South Beach

Wine Bar, Small Plates, Best Of, DrinkHere

Tucked just off the lobby of the Sagamore Hotel, Water Lion Wine + Alchemy feels like a secret you don't want to share. This cozy little ten-seat bar and 12-seat dining area is the respite you need in the frenetic epicenter of South Beach. Water Lion specializes in unique offerings that cover wine, beer, cider, sake, and an in-house fermentology-based mixology program of artisanal low- and no-ABV cocktails. The wine menu is an ever-evolving selection that includes a wide range of flavor profiles — from a variety of micro-vintners that offer everything from light and effervescent sparklers to juicy reds and full-bodied whites. For food, find fresh-shucked oysters alongside a bevy of light dishes like charcuterie, a chopped shrimp dip, and deviled eggs. Don't be surprised if all the wine and oysters work a little magic. Word is that this little spot has been the site of more than a few marriage proposals. Guess there's something in the water...lion.

2 articles

Small Plates in Miami

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