Where To Go For Miami's Best Brunches: Summer 2016
Ah, brunch – that glorious weekend indulgence between breakfast and lunch. Or, if you're not quite as food obsessed as we are, one sitting where you combine the two meals. Nothing screams summer like lounging outside for a long daytime meal with delicious cocktails. Across Miami, many restaurants offer various brunch offerings from high to low. Here, we've broken down the "can't miss" spots so you know exactly where to unbutton that top button come Sunday afternoon.
CONTINENTAL
Open less than a year; Stephen Starr's Miami outpost of his famed Continental restaurant has already become a local favorite. Guests can enjoy weekend global delights at this mid-century eatery's brunch with dishes like huevos rancheros, Cuban omelet, avocado toast with poached eggs, brioche French toast with seasonal fruit compote, and the unforgettable lobster mac and cheese. A traditional lunch menu is also available with options like the generous Continental Greek salad with oregano vinaigrette, the backyard burger, or the famous cheesesteak eggroll. Brunch is Saturday/Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
WYNWOOD KITCHEN & BAR
A great weekend brunch isn't all about the food; setting is often of equal importance. While many of the options on this list offer a beachy-brunchy vibe, Wynwood Kitchen & Bar is uniquely located in the city's trendiest neighborhood (Jay Z & Beyonce love it), and is the only restaurant nestled directly within the Wynwood Walls — a vibrant outdoor installation filled with world-class graffiti art.
The globally inspired tapas restaurant now offers a Sunday brunch that can be enjoyed while gazing at the colorful wall murals. The menu, from Venezuela-born executive chef Miguel Aguilar, features Latin staples such as cachapas (corn cakes), arepas, and tostadas mixed with more classic brunch offerings like the Wynwood benedict — a poached egg with crab meat, chipotle hollandaise sauce and polenta; steak & eggs — grilled skirt steak served with a fried egg and yucca frita, and granola with yogurt and honey.
Beloved WKB dishes such as the fingerling-chorizo hash with caramelized onions; chicken ropa vieja empanadas with a cilantro crema; and shrimp ceviche are still offered during brunch. Refreshing cocktails like sangrias, bloody Marys, and proseccos with flavor pairings of pineapple and hibiscus accompany the unique dining experience. Beer enthusiasts will delight in 40 of the best international handcrafted beers. Brunch is served on Sundays from 11:30AM to 4:30PM.
LOU'S BEER GARDEN
Lou's Beer Garden is one of the best-kept secrets in Miami. So much so, that we has hesitated — just momentarily — about even sharing this information. The tropical gastropub located in northern Miami Beach is made up of a small bar and roughly fifteen tables, all set around the pool of the boutique hotel, The New Hotel.
The serene, laid-back atmosphere would set Lou's apart on it's own, but the delicious and well-priced food and craft beer really takes it up a notch. Enjoying a relaxing mid-day brunch & cocktail in the midst of a tropical beer garden is your best introduction to Lou's.
Favorite dishes include the beachy morning toast — an open-faced sandwich made with creme fraiche, scrambled eggs, and lox; each morning start is a favorite brunch ceviche, the mary jane — a veggie frittata with potatoes and artisanal bread toast points, and the Oppenheimer death row — a pork cutlet with sunny side up eggs, ranchero sauce, tomato, and brie. Press deli sandwiches, as well as "hangover killers," such as the big Angus burger and steak sandwich round out the menu. All items feature a craft beer suggestion to make the morning really work.
For more info call (305) 704-7879.
BIANCA AT THE DELANO
The Delano has been one of Miami's hottest hotels since it redefined the concept of modern South Beach in 2003. The hotel's restaurant, Bianca (favored by Leo DiCaprio) recently re-launched its Sunday brunch, offering expanded dining options as well as live entertainment. From 11:00 a.m. to 4 p.m., the extravagant brunch service pours endless Veuve Clicquot champagne and Belvedere bloody Marys while serving up classic offerings from an omelet station, a pasta station, and a raw bar.
Included in the brunch price are whimsical food presentations and creative sushi selections that play off the hotel's Alice In Wonderland theme. An over-the-top pastry and dessert display comes from chef Armand Berger while DJ Corrado Rizza is on-hand to keep the party going.
Brunch is priced at $85 per person plus tax and gratuity. To make a reservation please call 305 674 5752.
ZEST
In the heart of Downtown Miami lives the new restaurant Zest from renowned chef Cindy Hutson (known for her longtime Coral Gables favorite, Ortanique on the Mile). Zest takes an innovative approach to island cuisine, providing a tropical experience in the midst of the city's financial district.
Every Sunday, the restaurant is offering a "Reggae Brunch" from 11:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. featuring music and an eclectic blend of Nuevo Latin, New World Caribbean, and Asian fare. The $45 brunch includes three courses, a side, and Mimosa or Bellini. Menu items include original dishes such as jerked pork tenderloin porchetta with tamarind bbq glaze and creamy corn polenta, coffee and cocoa crusted beef brisket with cherry smoked mac n' cheese, and jerk chicken pappardelle with vine ripe tomatoes and scallions tossed in an aromatic spiced piquant brown stew sauce. Fresh ceviches are also available while desserts like homemade pop tarts are the perfect finish to the meal.
For more info call (305) 374-9378.
PRIME FISH
Back in 2011, the acclaimed local Miami eatery Nemo — the first restaurant from famed restaurateur Myles Chefetz (Prime 112) closed down. Fortunately in 2013, after a major renovation, Chefetz opened Prime Fish — a " fish shack meets fine dining experience" in it's place. But, lovers of the famed Nemo brunch still missed their weekend tradition. So, last year, Prime Fish brought the celebrated brunch back, and fans of the original have not been disappointed!
Offering possibly the best deal in town, for $49, diners get to select a large entrée such as brioche French toast, lobster omelette, oysters, or steak and eggs while also pillaging the generous buffet sections such as duck confit hash, fish and pasta salads, omelette and carving stations, homemade granola, and tropical fruit. Best of all, the brunch includes bottomless mimosas, bellinis, prosecco, and housemade bloody Marys. And do not, we repeat, do NOT forget to leave room for the dessert table filled with homemade cookies, brownies, pastries, and cheeses.
For reservations please call (305) 532-4550.
LA MAR
Often, we are conditioned to look for from the same five to ten items — or variations on an item at a typical brunch. At La Mar by Gaston Acurio, the award-winning restaurant in the spectacular waterfront Mandarin Oriental Hotel, this is simply not the case.
The restaurant's brunch menu, which is offered on Sundays, includes a choice of a main entrée such as the Peruvian favorite, Jalea Frita (fried seafood) — calamari, octopus, fish, shrimp, plantain chips, ceviche sauce, chalaca, and yucca; or the meat-lover's delight, Lomo Saltado with friend egg – Angus beef, stir fried potatoes, red onions, tomatoes, soy sauce, cilantro, and rice. Entrées are served with access to the elaborate buffet stations jam-packed with ceviches, fresh seafood and salads, fruit, and a variety of grill items. A chaufa aeropuerto (pork fried rice) is mixed table-side while unlimited brunch cocktails, select wines, and champagne is poured. The food is unique and delicious while the setting — overlooking turquoise water — is sublime.
IZZYs FISH & OYSTER
Izzy's Fish & Oyster, the new outpost from beloved Miami chef Jamie DeRosa (Tongue & Cheek) is delivering reputable New England-inspired seafood in the heart of South Beach. The bright and cozy restaurant recently launched a weekend brunch, served from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Oceanic pleasures served a la cart like the Maine lobster roll served warm (obviously) or cold (you're wrong), the Maryland blue crab roll, the beer battered fish n' chips, and the lobster poutine make for a Yankee-happy meal. Land offerings such as the Painted Hill Farms burger with cave aged cheddar, bacon, and onion jam and the egg white frittata with cheddar, tomatoes, and asparagus ensure no one is left behind. For an extra $25, diners can enjoy bottomless rose, mimosas, and bloody marys.
TRAYMORE
The Traymore – located in the Metropolitan by COMO hotel, is one of those restaurants that manages to be convenient (it's at the most north part of South Beach), but is not grossly overpriced or overrun with spring breakers. The newly developed brunch is offered in a comfortable setting overlooking the ocean.
The menu, from chef Juan Loaisiga is arranged according to "savory" or "sweet" and includes items such as Maine lobster toast, eight hour braised short rib, oysters with passion fruit mignonette, and a cheese board selection for savory lovers. The sweet side features brioche French toast and an assortment of flavored éclairs. The gin-based cocktails, made especially from the Traymore Gin Bar, are well-priced (for South Beach) at $10 each and include creations like the Met breakfast martini (Hayman's gin, combier, orange marmalade, and lemon), the English Garden (Bombay Sapphire gin, cucumber puree, St. Germain, and lime), and the Traymore Mimosa (freshly squeezed orange juice, orange bitters, and prosecco). Brunch is served every Sunday from 11:00am to 3:00pm.