Restaurants in Miami and Coral Gables named the best places to eat in 2024

An Argentine restaurant in Miami and an Italian spot in Coral Gables are two of the dining experiences you absolutely need to try in 2024, according to Yelp.

The website and mobile app has just released its 2024 Top 100 Places to Eat list for the United States to highlight locally-owned restaurants across the country, and two Miami-Dade businesses made the list: the Italian gem Fratellino in Coral Gables and the Argentine bar and restaurant Bunbury in downtown Miami.

Located on Miracle Mile, Fratellino was no. 5 on the list (it was no. 1 in 2022). The restaurant, opened in 2014 by partners Beto DiCarlo and Sergio Tarantini, serves homemade pastas and other Italian favorites, and is beloved by locals for service that makes guests feel like part of the family.

Bunbury (no. 56), which began its life in Edgewater and moved to its current location west of the Adrienne Arsht Center in 2019, is known for its eclectic design, robust wine selection, steaks, empanadas, specialty cocktails and a lively late-night bar atmosphere.

In February, Bunbury, which also made Yelp’s list last year, will add new bar, a relaxed spot for watching sports on a big-screen TV, playing pool on a vintage table or just chilling out with a cocktail.

Owner Paula Costa says that making the list again is instrumental in introducing new customers to Bunbury.

“It’s important for us,” says the Argentine-born chef, sommelier and entrepreneur. “Last year was acknowledging our quality. We felt so good about it. We consider ourselves fighters, we’re always working hard because this is a family business. Working with these little margins is hard. We feel we’re going in the right direction, and this reminds us we have got to keep doing it.”

Also making the Yelp list are two Broward County breakfast restaurants. Amy’s French Bakery & Bistro in Pompano Beach (no. 34) is known for its breakfast pastries, while Bulegreen Cafe Yard in Oakland Park (no. 73) is an all-outdoor space that specializes in all-day brunch. Neither is open for dinner.

Also making the list was How Ya Dough’n (70), a pizza place in Boca Raton that began during the pandemic in the owners’ backyard and took orders via Instagram. There were also winners in Tampa, Jacksonville Beach and Orlando.

Vagner Carli, who co owns Bulegreen Cafe Yard with his partner Carlos Riveiro De Castro, says that making the list means a lot to his business. The brunch spot, which features crepes, waffles, sandwiches and specialty coffees, is named for the pot (a “bule”) in which they make coffee, a nod to the owners’ Brazilian backgrounds.

“It shows us we are doing something right,” Carli says of the list. “Somehow, people like what we do. That recognition gives us the fuel to continue. For us, it’s not only about giving the best food but also the best service. We like to give people an experience.”

The top restaurant on the Yelp list was Tumerico, a vegetarian restaurant in Tucson, Arizona.

To compile the list, Yelp users nominated upscale restaurants, mom and pop spots and food trucks. Then Yelp editors narrowed down the list with help from community managers and Trend Expert.

Top South Florida restaurants for 2024

Fratellino: 264 Miracle Mile, Miami; 786-452-0068

Bunbury: 55 NE 14th St., Miami; www.bunburymiami.com; 305-333-6929

Bulegreen Cafe Yard: 3299 Dixie Highway., Oakland Park; www.bulegreen.us; 954-530-5852

Amy’s French Bakery & Bistro: 1441 S Dixie Highway W, Pompano Beach; amysfrenchbakerybistro.com; 954-781-4211

How Ya Dough’in: 4251 N Federal Highway, Boca Raton; www.howyadoughn.com; 561-617-1579

This story was originally published January 23, 2024 at 4:30 AM.