Where To Dine Out In Miami For Christmas 2017

If you’re looking to ease some holiday stress and enjoy the holidays by dining out on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, Miami’s best restaurants are here to help with special holiday offerings and celebrations perfect for your whole family. Allow yourself to sit back, relax and indulge while someone else does all the cooking. Here, we take a look at some of the best hot spots in town to celebrate the festivities.

Scarpetta by Scott Conant 

Photo Credit: Scarpetta

For an elegant, home-style meal, head to the historic Fontainebleau Hotel for Christmas Eve and Christmas day dinner. The renowned Italian restaurant will offer a special four-course prix-fixe menu from 6-11 p.m. that includes gourmet offerings like Zuppa Di Mare with mussels, clams, prawns, and scallops followed by Tagliatelle with lobster, crab, and pickled ramps; Seared Branzino with roasted sunchoke purée, concentrated tomatoes and salsa verde; and for dessert, Bread Pudding with panettone, rum and cranberry sorbet. The regular A La Carte menu will also be available both evenings.

Faena Miami Beach 

Photo Credit: Nik Koenig

For an extravagant affair, head to South Beach favorite, Faena Hotel, for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. On Christmas Eve, guests can indulge in chef Francis Mallmann‘s Argentinian delicacies at Los Fuegos, which will offer its regular Sunday Asado menu for lunch and a limited a la carte menu and prix fixe special tasting menu at $125/person. Prix-fixe menu items include Florida Stone Crab “Milanesa,” Wood Oven Gnocchi Souffle, Slow Cook Ribeye and Roasted Pineapple with Illanka chocolate Yul Log and coconut cream for dessert.

On Christmas Day, the hotel’s other famed restaurant, Pao by Paul Qui, will have its own take on a Christmas spread for guests to enjoy. Pao will offer a limited a la carte menu and a prix-fixe special tasting menu at $125/person with menu items including Toro, Rabbit Adobo, Milk Crusted Fluke, Lechon, Aged Peking Duck and a Frozen Tainori Chocolate Yule Log for dessert. At Los Fuegos by Francis Mallmann, the restaurant offer a Holiday Asado menu for lunch at $95/person and their regular a la carte menu for dinner.

Three Restaurant – Wynwood Arcade

Photo Credit: Open i studios @open_i_studios

Miami’s newest fine dining restaurant, Three, located in the hip Wynwood Arcade, is setting off its first holiday season with a special Christmas Eve Dinner. Renowned chef Norman Van Aken and Southbound Hospitality recently debuted the three-party hospitality destination, Three Wynwood, No. 3 Social (Wynwood’s first rooftop bar) and the cooking school, which have been widely acclaimed throughout the city. On Christmas Eve, the restaurant will offer a special four-course, prix-fixe menu that includes decadent plates like a Winter Citrus Salad Composé; Sherry and Vanilla Chestnut Soup; Pan-Cooked Florida Pompano; Black Garlic Molasses Glazed Pork Belly; Roasted Rohan Duck Breast; Grilled Beef Rib Cap with Creole Mustard Crust; a Tres Leches Cake; and Warm Chocolate Brownie with Spanish Turrón.

Jaya at The Setai

Photo Credit: Jaya at The Setai

The gorgeous hotel restaurant is offering a special holiday-themed lineup for both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to celebrate. For brunch, Jaya will feature a special Holiday Champagne Brunch including a live jazz band, special appearances by Mrs. Claus on Christmas Eve and Santa Claus on Christmas Day, free-flowing Roederer Champagne and holiday-inspired dishes like gammon ham and free-range organic turkey, an extensive array of fresh seafood options and Jaya’s signature Indian-Asian cuisine. There’s also something for the little ones, with child-friendly favorites. Brunch takes place from 11:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. | $125/ person, $63/child ages 5-12.

For dinner, Jaya will offer a five-course, prix-fixe menu with a combination of Jaya signatures and Christmas fixtures on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Dishes include savory dumplings, a Butternut Squash Risotto, Wagyu Filet Mignon or Christmas Turkey, as well as Jaya’s regular dinner menu, offered A La Carte. Dinner takes place from 6 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. | $110/person, $55/child ages 5-12.

Habitat by José Mendín at 1 Hotel South Beach 

Photo Credit: Habitat

1 Hotel South Beach‘s newest restaurant, Habitat by José Mendín, is offering a decadent Christmas Eve brunch featuring a tasty combination of classic holiday dishes with a Spanish twist. The brunch will feature unlimited Bloody Mary’s and Micheladas and a menu inspired by Land, Sea and Fire, including Habitat’s unique flair on the standard dishes—Oysters, Sushi Rolls, Danish & Tart Selections, Omelet’s, Chilaquiles, Waffles, Pancakes and more. Brunch will run from 12 p.m. until 4 p.m. priced at $80/person. On Christmas Day, the brunch festivities will ensue, treating guests with buffet selections and featuring unlimited Mimosas, Bloody Mary’s and Micheladas for $95 per person (excluding tax and gratuity).

Forte Dei Marmi 

Photo Credit: Forte Dei Marmi

Forte Dei Marmi will bring a taste of Italy to your holiday lineup with a special Christmas brunch, lunch and dinner. On Christmas brunch, guests will be treated to an appearance by Santa Claus as he welcomes guests and children into the homey Italian dining destination. The menu is priced at $85/person, offering their classic buffet dishes with a Christmas twist, including delicacies like the Bronze Table Antipasti Bar (marinated artichokes, stuffed zucchini, red peppers and more); Foie Gras Torchon; Linguine “alla Nerano”‘; Risotto Red Beets; Branzino and more. And of course, a generous spread of homemade Italian desserts like the “Pannetone” and Bitter Chocolate “Zabaglione” will be on display to indulge your sweet tooth after dinner.

For Christmas Eve Dinner and Christmas Day Lunch, Two Michelin Starred chef Antonio Mellino will deliver a gourmet Italian feast with some of the restaurant’s finest dishes prepared specially for the holidays, including Roasted Scallops with cauliflower puree and black olives, Organic Buckwheat “Scialatielli” Seafood with cherry tomatoes and capers or Risotto Red Beets and gorgonzola blue cheese and 24 karat gold laced leaves. The Christmas specials dinner menu will be available on December 24 for dinner at 6:30 – 11:30 p.m. and on Monday, December 25 from 11:30 a.m. through 2:30 p.m.

Enjoy Christmas in Miami as you dine on Nautilus Cabana Club‘s sweeping terrace overlooking the pool and ocean with a Mediterranean-inspired buffet spread. The Christmas Eve Elegant Buffet runs at $65/person and is served from 6 p.m. – 11 p.m., featuring a sprawling holiday feast that includes a welcome glass of Champagne and appetizers and salads such as Seafood Ceviche, Oysters, Faro and Barley Salad, Tomato and Mozzarella, Kale Salad, Roasted Beet Salad and Orzo and Sundried Tomato Salad, Mezze and more. Additionally, there will be a carving station with a Roasted Whole Pig seasoned with onion mojo, Atlantic Salmon with brown butter sauce, Prime Rib with roasted garlic and rosemary au jus and Lamb, as well as a holiday-inspired dessert station.

DÔA

Photo Credit: DÔA