Top 10 Toughest Miami Restaurants To Get Into For Holiday Travel

06.11.2023 - 21:17 / forbes.com / Art Basel

Miami’s holiday travel season kicks off in earnest with Art Basel (Dec. 8 - 10), runs through February, then begins to taper off. It’s a time when securing a reservation in the thriving local restaurant scene becomes nearly impossible. Here are ten of the toughest Miami restaurants to get into for holiday travelers (put in those reservation requests now!).

At the time of publishing, Mandolin was booked through November and well into December for most nights. Waiting for a table is to be expected, even on a Tuesday or Wednesday night. Combining the owner’s Greek and Turkish backgrounds, respectively, expect to find favorites like Fried Calamari, Cheese Saganaki, and Spanakopita. Fans rave about the Wood Oven Eggplant Chickpeas, Green Pepper and Tahini, and the Lamb Chops over Orzo Pilaf. The restaurant received the Michelin Guide’s Bib Gourmand recognition in 2022 and 2023.

COTE Miami, Simon Kim’s Design District destination, received its first Michelin star within a year after its 2021 grand opening. The Michelin Guide states, “just as you would find at the original location in New York City, top-quality ingredients, astutely seasoned dishes and engaging servers make for a seamless experience.” Yelp reviewers agree that it lives up to its reputation as the leading steakhouse in Miami. Order the steak omakase, pair it with red wine, and you’ll quickly discover that the COTE builds on the reputation of the original (in a cleverly designed round, not square, space). Popular selections include The Butcher’s Feast: four selected cuts of Wagyu beef with traditional Korean vegetable sides. Reservations being as difficult as can be, a suggestion from COTE is to get into their Magic Hour (a.k.a. Happy Hour), which runs daily from 5 to 7 p.m. No reservation is required for Magic Hour.

A Michelin-starred restaurant, Boia De sits quite randomly between a medical center and a laundromat with a bright pink neon exclamation point to draw you in. Some Boia De staples and regulars include the White Truffle Tagliatelle with truffle butter, white truffle and parmesan; and the Crispy Polenta with marinated eggplant and ricotta salata. For dessert, try the Crispy Tiramisu. Sit at the bar close to the prep area, chat with the chefs, and enjoy the friendly and excellent service. A long, high-caliber wine list isn’t a surprise, but the selection of Italian beers is indicative of Boia De’s authenticity.

This much-anticipated Thomas Keller restaurant debuted in Coral Gables in September. The dinner menu at Bouchon Bistro features Steak Frites (a pan-seared flatiron steak with caramelized shallots and maître d’hôtel butter) and Moules au Safran (Maine bouchot mussels steamed with white wine, Dijon mustard and saffron). Keller’s