‘Larger and better than ever’: Miami Spice restaurant deals return to save you money

The reason for struggling through Miami’s nightmarish summer is almost here to offer relief — not from the heat, but for your wallet.

The annual Miami Spice promotion by the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau starts Aug. 1, with more than 230 restaurants around Miami-Dade County offering fixed price brunch, lunch and dinner menus.

Trying out a Miami Spice menu is the perfect way to try the restaurants you’ve never been to at a more comfortable price point (and to distract yourself from the other horrors of Miami summer like, you know, hurricanes). Lunch and brunch prices run $30 or $35, while dinners are $45 or $60 (which, trust us, is a bargain for a three-course meal in this town).

This year’s list of restaurants includes the two Michelin-starred restaurants that participated last year: the Design District spots Cote Miami, a Korean steakhouse, and the French Le Jardinier, the sister to Florida’s only two-star Michelin restaurant, L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon (which sadly isn’t offering a Spice menu but does have an affordable lunch option this summer).

There are also a few Forbes Four-Star restaurants offering Spice menus, glamorous spots like Lido Restaurant at The Surf Club in Surfside; Il Mulino at Acqualina Resort in Sunny Isles Beach and Los Fuegos by Francis Mallman and Pao by Paul Qui at Faena Miami Beach. More restaurants will be added over the next month or so, too.

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David Whitaker, president and CEO of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, said Miami Spice is “larger and better than ever.”

“This program is particularly special as it allows us to showcase the finest culinary experiences our destination has to offer,” he said. “This year, with now nearly 300 participating restaurants (and counting) — including Michelin-rated and the hottest new eateries — food enthusiasts can enjoy special deals to savor the innovative and eclectic cuisine that has positioned Greater Miami & Miami Beach at the forefront of the global dining scene.”

In addition to being a draw for diners, Miami Spice also helps out restaurants in the slowest season. Tom Angelo, owner of Fiola Miami in Coral Gables, calls it “a blessing,” especially in terms of being able to retain staff throughout the summer, including prep cooks, dishwashers and servers.

“It’s a real plus for us,” he told the Miami Herald. “It can be challenging, but Spice is very unique, and we understand that and give good value for it . . . It keeps everybody employed. It’s a cool thing to be able to do that. There’s nothing like Spice.”

Miami Spice will also host a fundraising dinner on July 30 at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Miami, at which diners can indulge in a three-course menu from local chefs Robert Allum (Riverview Bar & Grill), Amaris Jones (Chick’N Jones) and Jimmy Almeida (Bagatelle Miami). Proceeds benefit Camillus House.

Visit www.miamiandbeaches.com/deals/spice-restaurant-months for full interactive list of restaurants offering Miami Spice for 2024. The promotion runs through Sept. 30.

Looking for restaurant deals this summer? Taste the Gables is here for you