What’s unique about Miami, Florida, is that it embodies the true essence of “Floribbean Cuisine,” the term used to reflect the fusion restaurants and dishes found in Florida. With its proximity to the Caribbean (more than anywhere else in the United States), Miami is full of an extraordinary number of restaurants influenced by Latin America, Caribbean countries, and even America’s South.
Eating at Black-owned restaurants alone in Miami will take you through an incredible cultural journey that explores the richness of Black cultures and the many facets of the African diaspora. There’s inarguably no other city in the United States that can do this like Miami. So, after exploring South Beach and dancing the night away in Little Havana, set your intentions on exploring the city’s Black culinary diversity as you visit historic areas such as Overtown, Virginia Key Beach, and Little Haiti.
Bar ONE
Afro-Caribbean cuisine and tropical cocktails are on the menu at Bar ONE. Guests will enjoy explosive Caribbean flavors like fall-off-the-bone oxtails, homemade curry chicken, and grilled branzino. You can pair these signature dishes with a coconut martini or peach sangria.
All of this fantastic food is matched by incredible views of Biscayne Bay and the Downtown Miami skyline, which can be enjoyed on the patio.
- Location: Miami Beach
- Owner: Peter Thomas
- Type of Cuisine: Caribbean
- Menu Spotlight: Oxtails, Chicken Curry
- Before you go: Reservations can be made. All guests must be present to be seated. There is a 15-minute grace period before the reservation is canceled.
Clive’s Cafe
“We Make it With Love.” That’s the tagline of Miami’s beloved Jamaican restaurant, Clive’s Cafe. Love is the essential ingredient that has made Clive’s an award-winning establishment. Nestled in Miami’s Little Haiti, Clive’s Cafe is renowned for serving the best Jamaican cuisine in town. A local and tourist favorite is their traditional mannish water soup with goat. The menu boasts a wide variety of meat options, including jerk chicken or pork, curry chicken, curry goat, brown stew chicken, beef stew, cow foot, and more. Clive’s also caters to vegetarians with dishes like callaloo, vegetarian stew chunks, and a veggie platter. Complement any meal with sides like rice and peas, macaroni, or steamed cabbage.
- Location: Little Haiti
- Owner: Norman Murray ( a family business of more than 30 years)
- Type of Cuisine: Jamaican
- Menu Spotlight: Oxtails, curry chicken, jerk chicken
- Before you go: Customers can order online. Vegetarian options are available.
Chef Creole Seasoned Kitchen
A notable favorite of the late Anthony Bourdain, Chef Creole is the Miami powerhouse for Haitian cuisine. What has been a Miami staple for more than 30 years, Chef Creole is the crown jewel for Haitian dishes. Notable figures and A-list celebrities who have visited include the Obamas, Jay-Z, Dwayne Wade, and more.
Once inside, indulge in dishes like fried fish, grilled and fried conch, griot (fried pork), Creole wings or shrimp, and oxtails.
Pro Tip: To blend in with the locals, join a dominoes game in the outdoor dining area. With a beer in hand and a side of pikliz, you might forget you’re still stateside. Most locals frequent the 54th Street location.
- Locations: Various, Miami International Airport, Hard Rock Stadium concession in Miami Gardens
- Owner: Chef Wilkinson “Ken” Sejour
- Type of Cuisine: Haitian
- Menu Spotlight: Griot, oxtails, conch fritters.
- Before you go: Online ordering is available.
Conch Heaven
With its close proximity to the Bahamas, it should come as no surprise that there’s a place to experience Bahamian heaven where you will indulge in the flavors of Nassau. Famous for its conch salad, Conch Heaven boasts a menu of traditional Bahamian dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Treat yourself to the fish stew or the oxtails after you inhale a big bowl of its conch salad.
- Location: Hialeah
- Owner: Richie Evans
- Type of Cuisine: Bahamian
- Menu Spotlight: Conch Fritters, Cracked Conch and Fries, fried red snapper, Conch Salad, Steamed Conch and Grits, and Cracked Conch with Peas and Rice.
- Before you go: Atlanta has two locations, so make sure you plug the Miami location into your GPS.
Dukunoo Jamaican Kitchen
The term “Dukunoo” is deeply rooted in West African history, meaning “sweet thing” and referring to a traditional sweet staple from the Motherland. This treat, with regional variations, is typically a starchy, pudding-like dessert wrapped in a leaf, tied, and steamed.
This family-owned restaurant embraces the essence of Dukunoo by making its entire menu “a sweet thing” — something everyone must try. Since its launch in 2019, the co-founders of Dukunoo proudly claim it as Miami’s first upscale Caribbean restaurant.
- Location: Wynwood
- Owner: Husband/wife Duo Rodrick Leighton and Dr. Shrusan Gray
- Type of Cuisine: Jamaican
- Menu Spotlight: Fever grass shrimp served with spicy tomato sauce, coconut flakes, and white rice.
- Before you go: The restaurant accepts reservations. There’s a Sunday brunch. Happy hour is “Irie Hour.”
D’Vine by 9701
D’vine is a restaurant by day and a club by night. Created by Chef Ingrid Bayoro, its immaculate plate-ups are heavily influenced by roots deeply connected to the Ivory Coast and Haiti. Expect the best griot in town, and be sure to check out the infamous plantain sandwich and their excellent cocktails. This budding hotspot is also a great place to start an amazing night out in the Magic City.
- Location: Miami Shores
- Owner: Dorcas Bayaro & Antoine Cadet
- Type of Cuisine: Haitian and Ivory Coast-inspired
- Menu Spotlight: Djon Djon Rice, Griot,
- Before you go: Online ordering is available.
Jackson Soul Food
If anything has improved with time, it’s Jackson Soul Food. The restaurant has served the Overtown community home-style cooking for over 30 years. The key ingredients in every dish here are authenticity and love for the community, which you can taste in every bite. Whenever you need comfort food for the soul or to celebrate a big moment, Jackson Soul Food will give you what your heart and taste buds desire.
- Location: Overtown
- Owners: Shirlene Ingraham and Michael Svagdis
- Type of Cuisine: Southern
- Menu Spotlight: Smothered Chicken Wings, Shrimp and Grits,
- Before you go: Closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Online ordering is available.
Lil Greenhouse Grill
When you take a bite of the comforting food at Lil Greenhouse Grill, remember that it was built on love, determination, and a passion for building community. Lil Greenhouse Grill began as a humble food truck concept before finding a permanent home in the heart of Overtown. Staff want customers to feel like they are part of a family, so they make it their duty to provide amazing food in a positive and uplifting atmosphere.
The menu offers “edgy neo-soul” cuisine, including favorites from BBQ to seafood to the best lemon pepper wings in town. Stop in to catch a vibe; you may just roll up on a spoken word, musical performance, or open mic night.
- Location: Overtown.
- Owners: Nicole Gates and Chef Karim Bryant
- Type of Cuisine: Southern, Soul Food
- Menu Spotlight: Seafood Cake Burger, Smoked Wing Dinner, Chicken and Waffles.
- Before you go: The restaurant accepts reservations. Vegetarian options are available.
Manjay Restaurant
The owner, Christian Dominique, serves high-quality food that pays homage to his Caribbean roots. Thanks to his grandmother, who taught him how to cook in college, guests will get a taste of “grandma’s best.” Dominique was surprisingly good at cooking, so he switched his major, ultimately putting him on a trek to provide customers with tasty, reasonably priced food made with high-standard ingredients.
Manjay is a celebration of diversity with its Caribbean-inspired cuisine.
- Location: Wynwood, Citadel Food Hall, Doral Gateway Plaza
- Owner: Christian Dominique
- Type of Cuisine: Caribbean
- Menu Spotlight: Jerk Chicken Bites, Fried Chicken Sandwich, Steak Frites.
- Before you go: Vegetarian and vegan options are available. You can order online.
World Famous House of Mac
If every country had a World-Famous House of Mac, we would all be better off. With mac and cheese this exceptional, there’d be no room for sadness or anger. Until that dream becomes a reality, you can only find this delight in Miami.
What started as a humble food truck has now become the ultimate destination for a bowl of gooey, cheesy perfection. Derrick “Chef Teach” Turton transitioned from managing music artists to serving Yo Gotti, N.O.R.E., Bun B, and many more his renowned mac and cheese.
- Location: Wynwood
- Owner: Derrick “Chef Teach” Turton
- Type of Cuisine: American
- Menu Spotlight: Jerk Chicken Mac and Cheese, Pizza Mac and Cheese
- Before you go: Other items on the menu include pizza, sandwiches, wings, and burgers. Vegetarian and vegan options are available. You can order online.
Miami is the second largest travel destination in the United States, known for its premier beaches and culinary scene. Black restaurant owners play a significant role in Miami’s culinary reputation. Black restaurant owners provide a one-of-a-kind experience that allows you to be in a different Caribbean country without having to go far or get a passport stamped. You can explore Haiti one day, Jamaica or West Africa next, or stay stateside as you explore the influences from across the south.
