MIAGuide
Where To Eat On Lincoln Road, If You Absolutely Have To
If you have to eat on Lincoln Road, go to one of these places.
The conventional knowledge about eating on Lincoln Road is simply, “don’t do it.” But sometimes you don’t have a choice. Maybe returning those pants at Zara took way longer than you expected and now you’re starving. Perhaps a semi-truck carrying rare sea turtles flipped on Alton Road and the cops aren’t letting anyone off the island. Either way, you’re hungry, and the good news is there are some spots nearby that range from good to great. These places fit into that spectrum—and won’t require you to walk more than one block from the strange concrete of Lincoln Road.
THE SPOTS
If you have some time and are looking for a proper sit-down meal, Yardbird is your best bet around here. It’s casual and the interior has a chain restaurant personality—but it still feels upscale compared to the sidewalk cafes a block north on Lincoln. They serve Southern food here, and it’s solid, especially if you’re into fried chicken. If you are, get the chicken and waffles. The shrimp ‘n’ grits and fried green tomato BLT are also good choices in case you’re not feeling the bird.
Frieze has been serving ice cream since Miami Vice was on the air. It’s that kind of charming neighborhood scoop shop with bright fluorescent lights, hypothermia-inducing AC, and a staff exclusively made up of teenagers. The ice cream is kosher and they have non-dairy sorbet made with real fruit too. There are no ridiculous flavors or sundae monstrosities that exist only to be photographed here—just cups and cones you can take with you down Lincoln Road, which should help aggressive hosts get the hint that you’re not interested in their four-for-one, chicken-tender Happy Hour.
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MILA
You’ll notice that just about everywhere on this guide is pretty casual. That’s because Lincoln Road’s pricier restaurants tend to be terrible. But Mila, an untz-untz see-and-be-seen rooftop restaurant, stands out from the rest of the upscale Lincoln Road options—for mostly good reasons. It is, like its peers, pricier than it ought to be. But unlike those peers, the food isn’t an afterthought. Some of it’s actually tasty (although the portions are quite tiny). Plus, the restaurant has a sleek design that’s not aesthetically chaotic and some pretty outdoor patio seating too. This is definitely a place worth picking over Juvia.
Only a block south of the western tip of Lincoln Road, Bodega is a very manageable walk for anyone craving solid tacos and a frozen margarita. The al pastor here is the kind of straightforward but tasty taco you could potentially eat five of—especially after a few of those frozen margaritas. At night, the club attached to the back of Bodega draws big crowds, but things are a lot more chill during the day.
Mister 01 is right behind the Lincoln Road Apple store, and it’s the perfect place to hide from people who are furious at their malfunctioning iPads. It’s located inside a random office building on Michigan Ave, and an employee standing outside has to let you into the lobby. After that, you should hear the tiny, consistently-packed pizzeria (a reservation isn’t a terrible idea). This place serves some of Miami's most oddly delicious pies. Focus on the “extraordinary pizza” section of the menu. The very popular Star Luca has a folded crust stuffed with ricotta, and the delicious Claudio pizza is served at room temperature with a very generous amount of white truffle oil on top.
Harry’s is a pizza spot from the Michael’s Genuine team with a couple locations in Miami—and it’s always a reliable choice for a good meal. The Lincoln Road location also sits in that sweet spot—it’s not too fancy but still nice enough to sit down with a couple friends or share a bottle of wine with a date. You definitely want to get one of the really solid Neapolitan pizzas on the table. But there are appetizers worth ordering too, like the crispy polenta fries or the peaches and stracciatella. It’s very walk-in friendly, so keep it in mind if Mister 01 is too slammed.
Sure, it’s a chain—but it’s still one of the best South Beach burger options if you’re into smash burgers. Shake Shack’s are excellent little handheld versions with thin, crispy patties, melted American cheese, and more toppings like lettuce, tomato, and bacon if you want them. The ’Shroom Burger—with a fried, cheese-filled portobello mushroom—is also a very good reason to go meatless. The Lincoln Road location is never empty, but even with a big crowd the line usually moves quickly, which is also how you’ll consume their reliably delicious burger.
No matter which location you’re at, SuViche is always a safe bet for good, casual, and affordable Peruvian food. The local chain serves a filling lomo saltado and a really solid ceviche. There are sushi rolls too, which are probably better than anything you’ll find on Lincoln Road. The portions are more than enough and we’re really into their marathon Happy Hour, which happens every day from 3-7pm and features specials on food as well as cheap beer, wine, and sake.
Time Out Market is a big food hall on the eastern end of Lincoln Road that’s good for groups suffering from shopping exhaustion or people who aren’t quite sure what they want to eat. Inside there are counters from over a dozen vendors—stuff like fried chicken, burgers, pho, baked goods, vegan options, and more. The seating inside is communal—and there's a lot of it, so you should be able to find a seat. There’s also a full bar in the center of the space.
Crema, which is just a block away from the east end of Lincoln Road, is a decent choice if you just want a quick soup, sandwich, or salad for lunch. It isn’t a place we seek out for any reason other than convenience, because it’s usually not hard to find an open seat here. The food is what we’ll call “good enough” and the prices can best be described as “could be worse.” Still, it can come in handy on a lunch break when you want to eat something simple in relative peace.
