CONNECTING MIAMI & THE MIDDLE EAST THROUGH LUXURY, BUSINESS & CULTURE

Home / 2026 / September

Miami has become one of the world’s most dynamic dining destinations, where celebrated chefs, global influences, striking design and a distinctive sense of hospitality have helped transform the restaurant scene into an essential part of the city’s lifestyle. As Miami Spice 2026 celebrates its 25th anniversary, more than 300 restaurants across Greater Miami and Miami Beach take part in the annual celebration — from Michelin-recognized destinations and acclaimed fine-dining restaurants to longtime local favorites and notable newcomers.

 

Now in its 25th year, Miami Spice brings together more than 300 restaurants across Greater Miami and Miami Beach, with three-course prix-fixe menus designed to offer a taste of their culinary worlds. Running through September 30, the 2026 edition introduces a new chapter with Miami Spice Reserve, alongside menus priced at $40 for brunch and lunch and $50 to $65 for dinner. Reserve experiences begin at $95.

 

But Miami Spice has never been only about the price. At its best, it offers something far more interesting: an invitation into the restaurants, chefs and culinary experiences that continue to shape Miami’s dining landscape.

A city that eats beautifully

Miami has long understood that dining is an art of living.

 

Its culinary identity has evolved dramatically, shaped by an extraordinary mix of cultures, international chefs, design-driven hospitality groups and a restaurant scene that reflects the city’s increasingly global character.

 

Today, a dinner in Miami can mean Mediterranean seafood in a beautifully restrained dining room, Japanese-Peruvian cuisine served with precision, or an evening beneath the palms where dining, design and entertainment naturally intersect.

 

Miami Spice captures that evolution.

 

Rather than defining luxury solely through exclusivity, the program offers an opportunity to discover the personality, craftsmanship and culinary vision behind some of Miami’s most sought-after dining experiences.

MILA: Where Miami meets the Mediterranean

Few addresses embody Miami’s contemporary aesthetic quite as naturally as MILA.

 

Perched above Miami Beach, the rooftop restaurant brings together Mediterranean and Japanese influences in a setting that feels unmistakably of the city: elegant, sensual and energetic.

 

The experience is carefully choreographed. Architecture, lighting, cocktails and cuisine come together to create what the restaurant describes as a multi-sensory culinary and lifestyle experience.

 

During Miami Spice, guests have the opportunity to explore its signature blend of Mediterranean and Japanese-inspired cuisine through an elevated tasting experience.

 

The attraction is as much about the atmosphere as it is about the food — a rooftop setting that captures the energy and sophistication of Miami Beach.

 

Sushis Restaurant Mila Miami

Estiatorio Milos: The luxury of simplicity

At Estiatorio Milos, luxury takes a quieter form.

 

Located in South Beach’s South of Fifth neighborhood, the restaurant is renowned for its fish and seafood and its refined approach to Greek cuisine.

 

For Miami Spice 2026, Milos participates in the new Reserve tier with a $115 experience that includes a premium three-course menu paired with a sommelier-guided Greek wine flight. Among the offerings are smoked fish with caviar, Maryland crab cake, whole grilled Mediterranean sea bass for two, lobster pasta and lamb chops.

 

There is something particularly timeless about Milos. In a city known for spectacle, the restaurant places the emphasis on the quality of its ingredients and the traditions of Greek cuisine.

 

Grilled octopus dish served at Estiatorio Milos restaurant in Miami

Jaya at The Setai: An evening designed as an experience

At The Setai Miami Beach, dining becomes part of a larger sense of place.

 

Jaya’s sophisticated dining room and serene courtyard create an elegant setting inspired by Asia, while the cuisine draws from across the continent.

 

The menu features dishes such as Peking Duck, Truffle Dumplings and Thali Platter, complemented by an Asian-inspired cocktail program, sake selection and extensive wine list.

 

For Miami Spice, Jaya offers an opportunity to experience its modern Asian cuisine in one of Miami Beach’s most distinctive hospitality settings.

 

Here, the setting is very much part of the experience.

 

Assorted dishes and cocktails served at Jaya at The Setai restaurant in Miami

CATCH Miami Beach: The social side of luxury

There is another side to Miami’s dining culture — one where the restaurant is also a stage.

 

CATCH Miami Beach, located in South of Fifth, embraces that energy. Its 23,000-square-foot dining and event destination combines seafood, sushi and steak with a lively, shareable style of dining.

 

Its Miami Spice dinner menu brings together dishes such as crispy shrimp, salmon poke roll, herb-roasted branzino, sushi and maki, lobster mafaldine and New York strip.

 

For those seeking a more elevated experience, CATCH also offers a Miami Spice Reserve menu at $95, featuring premium ingredients including Japanese Wagyu and Kaluga caviar.

 

It is a distinctly Miami approach to dining: sophisticated, social and designed for an evening that extends well beyond the table.

 

Sushi and seafood spread served at CATCH restaurant in Miami

Hutong: A different expression of sophistication

In Brickell, Hutong offers another interpretation of the city’s increasingly international culinary landscape.

 

The restaurant specializes in sophisticated Northern Chinese cuisine, with artisanal dim sum and Peking duck among its signatures. Its elegant pop-art-inspired interior combines Chinese antiques with soaring ceilings and dramatic light projections.

 

For Miami Spice, the menu includes dishes such as Prawn & Black Truffle Dumplings, Ma La Chili Prawns, Mapo Tofu, Kung Po Iberico Pork and Steamed Chilean Sea Bass.

 

It is a reminder that Miami’s luxury dining scene is no longer defined by a single aesthetic. Its greatest strength may now be its diversity.

 

nterior dining room of Hutong restaurant in Miami

CLAUDIE: A Riviera state of mind

With CLAUDIE, Brickell takes on the spirit of the French Riviera.

 

The restaurant describes itself as a Riviera table in Miami, inspired by the coastlines, colors and flavors of the French and Italian Riviera. Its Mediterranean cuisine, terrace and social atmosphere create a setting that evokes the Côte d’Azur while remaining unmistakably connected to Miami.

 

The Miami Spice menu features dishes such as heirloom tomato gazpacho, branzino filet, ricotta ravioli, rotisserie herb chicken and Faroe Island salmon.

 

For those looking to elevate the experience, CLAUDIE’s $120 Mediterranean Tasting Experience offers an eight-course journey through Mediterranean-inspired cuisine.

 

It is elegant without feeling formal — a fitting expression of contemporary Miami hospitality.

 

Fish dish in tomato broth served at Claudie restaurant in Miami

MAMO: The timeless appeal of Italian dining

Some culinary experiences need little explanation.

 

Italian cuisine is one of them.

 

At MAMO Miami, classic Italian dishes are presented with a contemporary sensibility. Cacio & Pepe, Rigatoni alla Bolognese, cavatelli with branzino, seabream, tagliata and Cotoletta alla Milanese appear among the Miami Spice offerings.

 

With Miami Spice lunch at $40 and dinner at $65, MAMO offers an elegant introduction to its Italian culinary identity.

 

The restaurant offers something increasingly valuable in a rapidly changing city: familiarity, warmth and a sense of permanence.

 

Interior dining room of Mamo restaurant in Miami

Osaka Nikkei Miami: A global culinary language

Perhaps nowhere is Miami’s international character more evident than in its Nikkei cuisine.

 

At Osaka Nikkei Miami, Japanese techniques meet Peruvian ingredients and flavors. The restaurant, which describes itself as a pioneer of the Nikkei culinary movement, brings together food, architecture, music and mixology in a distinctly multisensory experience.

 

For Miami Spice 2026, Osaka offers a $95 Miami Spice Reserve experience in an Izakaya-style, family-style format, featuring dishes from its Nikkei Bar and Peruvian Izakaya.

 

The result is precisely the kind of culinary experience that reflects Miami today: international by nature, sophisticated by choice and constantly evolving.

 

Sliced fish carpaccio dish served at Osaka restaurant in Miami

Uchiko Miami Beach: A Japanese Culinary Experience

Located in Sunset Harbour, Uchiko Miami Beach brings a contemporary Japanese dining experience to Miami Spice 2026.

 

As part of this year’s exclusive Signature Dining Experiences, Uchiko is offering an intimate omakase experience at the sushi bar, placing the chef’s craft at the centre of the dining experience.

 

It is a fitting addition to Miami Spice’s new premium offering, highlighting the diversity of culinary experiences available throughout Greater Miami and Miami Beach.

 

Lobster dish served in broth at Uchiko restaurant in Miami

The evolution of Miami Spice

After a quarter century, Miami Spice has become more than a restaurant promotion.

 

It has become a reflection of Miami itself.

 

The introduction of Miami Spice Reserve in 2026 is particularly telling. The new premium tier is designed for restaurants with higher everyday price points and offers elevated prix-fixe and tasting-menu experiences beginning at $95.

 

As Miami’s culinary scene continues to evolve, the definition of a luxury dining experience is expanding. It is no longer simply about the most expensive ingredients or the most exclusive address.

 

It is about provenance. Craftsmanship. Design. Service. Atmosphere. And, increasingly, the story behind the restaurant.

 

That evolution mirrors Miami’s transformation into an increasingly sophisticated global destination — a city where gastronomy, hospitality, culture, design and international influences continue to intersect.

The final weeks

There is still time to experience Miami Spice 2026 before the program concludes on September 30.

 

For those who know Miami well, it is an opportunity to revisit a favourite table through a different lens. For those discovering the city, it offers an invitation to explore the restaurants and culinary experiences contributing to Miami’s next chapter.

 

And perhaps that is the greatest luxury of all: not simply having access to extraordinary places, but having the time and curiosity to discover them.

 

In Miami, the table has always been more than a place to eat.

 

It is where the city comes together.

 

And this season, Miami Spice offers an especially elegant invitation to take a seat.

 

> Explore Miami Spice 2026

Max Tappeiner, President of Wynn Al Marjan Island Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates © Wynn All Marjan Island

 

By Jeannette Paulino, Middle East Section Editor

 

On a man-made island off the coast of Ras Al Khaimah, Wynn Resorts is creating something the Arabian Gulf has never seen before. Set to open in 2027, Wynn Al Marjan Island will bring the brand’s signature approach to luxury hospitality to the United Arab Emirates, combining luxury accommodations and residences with world-class dining, entertainment, nightlife, wellness, beach experiences, retail, and gaming within a single integrated resort.

 

In this exclusive interview, EXCLUSIVE LUXURY MAGAZINE speaks with Max Tappeiner, President of Wynn Al Marjan Island, who brings more than 20 years of international hospitality experience spanning luxury boutique hotels, large-scale integrated casino resorts, and ultra-luxury properties across New York, Washington D.C., Las Vegas, London, and Berlin. Tappeiner shares what will set Wynn Al Marjan Island apart, the vision behind its guest experience and design, and why Ras Al Khaimah was the right destination for Wynn’s arrival in the Arabian Gulf.

Q&R with Max Tappeiner

What will set Wynn Al Marjan Island apart within the region’s already competitive luxury hospitality landscape?

The region has extraordinary hotels. What it does not yet have is a fully integrated resort in which accommodation, dining, entertainment, wellness, nightlife, beach, retail, and leisure are designed as a single connected experience. That is the fundamental difference.

 

When guests arrive, they enter a self-contained world. The setting on a private island allows for a clear transition; the moment you cross the bridge; you are somewhere entirely distinct. From there, the experience unfolds by design. A guest can spend several days with us and never repeat an experience, because each element has been planned as part of a wider whole, rather than as individual offerings.

 

In this market, guests are already accustomed to the highest standards. What is new is the ability to experience that depth and variety, all in one place, and all working together seamlessly.

 

Wynn Al Marjan Porte Cochere Entrance, Ras Al Khaimah

Wynn Al Marjan Enclave Porte Cochere © Courtesy of Wynn Resorts

Wynn is entering Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) at a pivotal moment in the emirate’s evolution. Why was now the right time to establish a long-term presence in RAK?

Ras Al Khaimah is a genuinely exciting place right now, and there is a real ambition here that aligns with what Wynn does best. Ninety-five percent of the world’s population is within an eight-hour flight, and around a third is within just four hours. The fundamentals are exceptional.

 

Beyond the numbers, what drew us here is the spirit of the emirate. Ras Al Khaimah has 7,000 years of history, extraordinary natural terrain, and leadership with a clear vision for growth. The emirate is evolving into a true experience destination; one defined not just by its natural beauty but by the quality and breadth of what visitors can do here. That aligns perfectly with what an integrated resort delivers. We see our role as being part of that story.

 

Royal Promenade entrance hall, Wynn Al Marjan Island townhomes

Wynn Al Marjan Island Townhomes Royal Promenade © Courtesy of Wynn Resorts

Beyond gaming, how will dining, nightlife, wellness, beach culture, and live entertainment shape the Wynn Al Marjan Island experience?

These features don’t play a role alongside the accommodation; they are the experience. That is what an integrated resort truly means. Every element from dining, entertainment, wellness, the pools, the beach club 420-meter private white sand beach, the theater, the nightlife, the shopping, the marina is designed to work as part of a single, cohesive guest experience.

 

The resort is structured like a piece of music that builds a crescendo: the east side is quiet and intimate; the energy builds as you move west toward the beach club, the nightclub, and Delilah.

 

Wynn Al Marjan Island will offer 22 restaurants, lounges and bars across fine dining, casual dining, social dining, day/nightlife and beach club concepts, a program designed to establish the resort as one of the region’s most compelling culinary destinations.

 

Wynn Al Marjan Island recently announced a landmark partnership with Punchdrunk, the internationally acclaimed immersive theater company behind the global phenomenon Sleep No More. This will be Punchdrunk’s first production in the MENA region.

 

Further nightlife concepts and partners will be announced in due course.

 

A guest could spend three nights with us and never repeat an experience because every possible mood, moment, and occasion has been considered. That is the open-ended promise of an integrated resort, and that is what sets Wynn Al Marjan Island apart.

 

Lower bar lounge at Delilah, Wynn Al Marjan Island

Wynn Al Marjan Delilah Lower Bar © Courtesy of Wynn Resorts

King bedroom suite with ocean view, Wynn Al Marjan Island

Wynn Al Marjan Island King Bedroom © Courtesy of Wynn Resorts © R.Miller

Enclave king suite living room, Wynn Al Marjan Island

Wynn Al Marjan Island Enclave King Living Room © Courtesy of Wynn Resorts © R.Miller

Wynn properties are known for creating a strong sense of place. How have Ras Al Khaimah’s natural landscape, culture, and identity influenced the design and guest experience?

The resort has been designed from the water out. We deliberately oriented the building toward the open sea, ensuring the primary focus is the majesty of the Gulf. Our palette is sun-washed and airy, blond stone, chalk whites, and sea-tinted glass. If you know our Las Vegas resorts, you know they are deeply saturated with rich, dark tones specific to that setting. Here, everything responds to water, light, and the natural landscape.

 

Our aim is to make Wynn feel like a neighbor, not a Western brand imposing its ideas on a region rich in culture and identity. This mindset directly informs how we design privacy and personal space. For example, floor plans allow staff to enter discreetly without intruding on a guest environment, and wardrobes are generously sized to accommodate extended family stays.

 

Coral Court promenade entrance, Wynn Al Marjan Island

Wynn Al Marjan Island Coral Court Promenade © Courtesy of Wynn Resorts

How do you see Wynn complementing rather than competing with the existing hospitality ecosystem across Ras Al Khaimah and the wider UAE?

We complement the existing hospitality ecosystem here by introducing a category that simply doesn’t exist yet: a self-contained world where accommodation, dining, a 900-person-capacity theater, a beach club, nightlife, 12 pools, each offering a completely different experience from serene, adults-only retreats on the east side to a lively family poolscape with a splash pad toward the west, a 98-berth deep-water marina, a shopping parterre, and a five-star spa are all conceived as one interconnected experience. Several branded developments on Al Marjan Island already highlight their proximity to Wynn, underscoring the energy this project is generating. We are not here to compete; we are here to expand what’s possible.

 

Ocean promenade lobby corridor, Wynn Al Marjan Resort

Wynn Al Marjan Resort Ocean Promenade © Courtesy of Wynn Al Marjan

Looking ahead five to ten years, how do you hope Wynn Al Marjan Island will shape Ras Al Khaimah’s position on the global luxury tourism map, particularly among audiences who traditionally vacation in destinations like Miami, Las Vegas, Monaco, or Ibiza?

What we’re creating at Wynn Al Marjan Island is a category of experience that our guests already seek from Wynn around the world: exceptional hospitality, world-class dining and entertainment, beautiful accommodations, and a level of service that feels both highly personal and effortless.

 

What makes this project unique is the opportunity to bring that experience to a beachfront island setting unlike anywhere else in our portfolio. Our focus is on creating something distinctive to Wynn, an experience guests will travel for because it simply cannot be found elsewhere.

 

Aerial view of Wynn Al Marjan Island, Ras Al Khaimah

Wynn Al Marjan Island

Miami and the UAE are both emerging as global hubs for luxury, hospitality, and entertainment. Do you see opportunities for collaboration between Wynn and Miami-based brands, concepts, or talent in the future?

Our focus today is on creating a truly distinctive Wynn experience in Ras Al Khaimah, but we are always interested in ideas, talent, and partnerships that could further elevate the resort.

 

 

Wynn Al Marjan Island logo