The Best Restaurants for Dining in Miami

I’m relatively new to Miami, so I’m not familiar with every single restaurant. However, after spending a month here and eating out every night, I have enough factual basis to have a few favorites. As a result, I am going to chronicle my experiences with my top four favorite restaurants.

First up is probably the greatest Indian restaurant I have eaten at in my life, Bombay Darbar. This might not be saying much, as it’s one of the less common restaurant themes. This one’s right on the Miami coast, somewhat near the Coral Gables in Miami. Great spot to get your food to go and walk along the coast, as they accept take-out orders. If you’re looking for expensive food that isn’t worth the price, go elsewhere. Bombay Darbar has a great selection on their menu and still manages to keep their prices on the lower side, as opposed to some restaurants in Miami that can fall into tourist trap territory. The last restaurant I ate at (which will remain unnamed) had some dirty tables that really ruined my dinner experience. While I reluctantly ate my food, I began thinking about cleaner places that I would rather be eating at. You know a restaurant is good when it’s the first clean lace to eat that comes to mind. In addition, I really appreciated the  service. Having friendly waiters who can balance between making sure you have everything you need but also not bothering you too much really improves your experience at a restaurant. My favorite dish at Bombay Darbar is the mango chicken curry, which I decided to order after reading through all of the positive reviews. Most of them mentioned how good the mango chicken curry was, and I’m a real curry guy, so I knew that I had to try it.

Next up is one of my favorite restaurants in general, Super Subs. Even if you’re not big into sandwiches, they still offer a wide variety of delicious food. This time around you’ll be eating by Coral Terrace in Miami. The strangest part about how good their subs are is the fact that there’s nothing really different about them. There aren’t any special sauces, no exotic spices that they secretly sprinkle in, nothing. Super Subs doesn’t have to be different, because they’re already better. That’s what I love about them. I’m always happy to see the staff wearing gloves, because I’m kind of a selective germaphobe. Mostly when it comes to my food. The owner was very friendly as well, which was a welcome surprise. Nothing’s worse than trying to communicate with employees that aren’t helpful and then having a manager who’s even worse. Super Subs makes really great steak with all the dishes that it’s served in, but I honestly prefer the Italian sub. As if their subs weren’t already affordable, it’s only a dollar more if you upgrade to a bigger size. That’s like twice the sub for only a buck more.  After eating at this restaurant, don’t be afraid to drop your great review right next to mine. Next time I’m there, I’ll have to ask the owner how they manage to keep all of the ingredients so fresh.

Diced is a salad-centric restaurant, which might turn some people away. It is my great honor to tell you that this is not the case. Salad doesn’t sound like a filling meal, it’s only green stuff that tastes bad. However, Diced offers a huge selection of great salads that are filled with stuff for everyone to enjoy. You can get all sorts of different meats, cheeses, and even multiple types of fruits. Still not impressed? Once you’re inside, the place just looks fresh and clean with great lighting and music. Some restaurants blast their music so loud that you feel like you’re at a rock concert, or they have one of those annoying staff musical performances where they stomp their feet and clap super loudly while you’re just trying to enjoy a good meal. Worry not. Diced gets their ambience right, making it an enjoyable place just to be inside of. This one’s found by the Coral Terrace in Miami as well, which is leading me to believe that Coral Terrace is a hot spot for great food. I’m dying to try all the other restaurants nearby as well. Salad probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Miami. When you think of Miami, you think of Cuban food or super high-end restaurant food to eat while sweating like a pig in the thick humidity. Those are options. However, you will not find a better reviewed restaurant that makes great salads. I tried looking it up, and all of the amazing reviews were focused on Diced. I give this place 5 out of 5 croutons.

Last but not least, there’s the best hot dog restaurant in town. Most people don’t see a hot dog place as a restaurant, especially in Miami. Those spots are usually just stands like something you would see in New York City, where some dude sweats by his cart all day waiting for customers. Sweet Dogs breaks the mold by being a full-fledged restaurant, and one that manages to keep you inside long after you’re finished with your food. Here, you’ll be eating in West Miami. Last time I was there, I thought about ordering a second meal even though I wasn’t hungry. I just wanted an excuse to eat more of their amazing hot dogs and look at the pleasing decor they had set up everywhere. One thing that people don’t thing about when grilling food is the grease involved. I have a special insight into this problem, as my parents both worked for a Miami hood cleaning business for many years. Unless Sweet Dogs pays for a great service, they’re liable to start grease fires in the kitchen. Now that I was already thinking about the kitchen, I asked to speak to the owner. Once he arrived, he agreed to let me take a peek inside of the kitchen. You would be surprised at how dirty a kitchen can get. Not this one, though! Great food, great prices, and very sanitary overall. I left a very positive review on Yelp, and you’ll want to as well after eating here.