Where to Eat This Season: The Best Restaurants in Bal Harbour, Surfside & Sunny Isles (2026–27)

By Chris King, North Miami Real Estate Advisor, Compass FL

Season is here. And let’s be honest, half the reason people spend the winter on this stretch of beach is the food.

From Michelin-starred dining rooms to old-Hollywood steakhouses and oceanfront Italian, the strip from Bal Harbour to Sunny Isles has never eaten better. So whether you’re a snowbird landing for the winter, in town for Art Basel, or a local hunting for the best Bal Harbour restaurants, here’s where I’d book a table this season.

Bal Harbour Restaurants: The Shops Just Got Hungrier

First, the biggest news on the beach: Bal Harbour Shops has turned into a dining destination.

Slim’s. Stephen Starr’s new steakhouse opened in March in the original Makoto space, and it’s already the hardest table at the Shops. Think old Hollywood meets tropical luxury: leather banquettes, checkerboard marble floors and a martini-forward bar. Order the Wagyu cheesesteak with foie gras and black truffle, then save room for the pink champagne cake. It was made for Instagram, and it tastes even better.

China Grill. The South Beach legend that defined Miami dining in the ’90s is back after more than a decade, now at the entrance to the Shops. The classics returned too: lobster pancakes, crispy spinach and wasabi mashed potatoes, plus a new Peking duck.

Makoto. Still one of the best sushi rooms on the beach, upstairs at the Shops since its move in 2022.

BH Prime at the St. Regis. The St. Regis opened its own steakhouse in 2025. It’s a polished option for a client dinner or a big night out, a few steps from the Shops.

Artisan Beach House at the Ritz-Carlton. Seasonal seafood, oceanfront. This is my pick for a long lunch with sand in view.

Insider tip: with the Shops expansion under way, the 9700 Collins entrance has been closed. Use the 96th Street garage, or valet at Saks.

Surfside: Michelin Stars and Main Street Charm

Next, Surfside, where you can go from a Michelin star to a neighborhood bakery in a five-minute walk.

The Surf Club Restaurant. Thomas Keller’s first Florida restaurant holds a Michelin star, and it’s the most classic night out on the beach. Think tableside Caesar salad, avocado Louie and a perfect New York strip in a room that feels like 1950s Miami. Book well ahead during season.

Lido at The Surf Club. Coastal Italian in the club’s original ballroom. And for Sunday, brunch on the Lido Terrace, oceanfront with champagne, is hard to beat.

The Champagne Bar. Same building, one of the biggest wine and Champagne lists in Florida. It’s the perfect pre-dinner stop.

La Plage. French-Mediterranean at the Grand Beach Hotel, with a rooftop bar for sunset.

Harding Avenue. Surfside’s little main street is where locals actually eat. Grab sourdough from Gifted Crust Bakery, a kosher burger at Bibi’s, or rotisserie chicken at Roast Surfside. It’s a small-town feel two blocks from the ocean.

Sunny Isles: Old-School Glamour, Reinvented

Meanwhile, up the beach, Sunny Isles is having its own moment.

Il Mulino New York at Acqualina. The oceanfront Italian institution just finished a full renovation for its 20th anniversary, with a refreshed dining room and a new seasonal menu. The tableside Dover sole is still the move.

La Cabrera. The famous Buenos Aires parrilla brought its first Miami location to Sunny Isles, and it’s still the spot for a serious Argentine steak dinner.

Mykonos Kitchen & Bar. Greek and Mediterranean, relaxed and fun, especially for Sunday brunch.

The Sunny. The old Newport Beachside has been reimagined as The Sunny, a Hilton Curio Collection hotel. It’s worth a sunset drink to see what they’ve done with the place.

Worth the Drive: Just Over the Causeway

Finally, a bonus for anyone willing to cross the Broad Causeway, because some of the best food in Miami right now is in North Miami.

Mutra. This spring, Mutra became the first kosher restaurant in the world to earn a Michelin star. It was also the only Miami restaurant to earn a new star in 2026. It’s a 10-minute drive from Bal Harbour.

Cotoa. The Michelin Bib Gourmand Ecuadorian restaurant just moved into a bigger space on NE 125th Street, with a full bar and private dining room.

Art Basel Week: How to Actually Get a Table

Art Basel Miami Beach runs December 4–6 this year, and the week around it is the busiest of the season. A few tips:

• Book now. The Surf Club Restaurant, Slim’s and Il Mulino fill up fast during Basel week.
• Go early or late. Lunch and late seatings are your best shot at a last-minute table.
• Stay north. While everyone fights for tables in South Beach, the restaurants up here are 20 minutes from the convention center and a lot more relaxed.

Why This Matters for Your Next Move

Here’s the real estate angle, and I’ll keep it short. When the best restaurants open in a neighborhood, they’re betting on the people living there. A Michelin star in Surfside, a new star in North Miami, and Stephen Starr opening at the Shops all say the same thing: this stretch of beach is where people want to be.

So if a great dinner has you wondering what it would be like to live here year-round, call me at 954-857-1017. I’ll give you the inside track on the neighborhoods, and the restaurants.

See you at dinner.

Sources

• Stephen Starr’s glamorous new steakhouse – Time Out Miami
• One of Miami’s most influential restaurants just reopened in Bal Harbour – Time Out Miami
• Bal Harbour Dining in 2026 – Kim Rodstein
• BH Prime opens at The St. Regis Bal Harbour – Resident
• Four Seasons Surf Club dining
• Every Michelin-Starred Restaurant in Florida for 2026 – MICHELIN Guide
• Food and Beverage – Town of Surfside
• Il Mulino New York Miami unveils new look – The Miami Guide
• The Sunny Isles Dining Map – Mariela Hopen
• The Sunny – Visit Florida
• North Miami kosher restaurant becomes first ever to win Michelin Star – Local 10
• Art Basel Miami Beach 2026 Guide – LUXX Miami