The best restaurants in Little River, Miami to explore right now

Sunny's was a beacon of light during the pandemic, an outdoor restaurant where we felt safe and snug sipping 'tinis and slurping oysters under the canopy of the banyan tree. Its trajectory from a laidback pop-up to one of the best new restaurants in Miami is no coincidence. The original superstar team (with some new additions) has remodeled and reopened in Little River. Yes, it's a more "elevated" steakhouse now, but it still brings us back to the friendly service, celebratory vibe and amazing food and drinks we fell in love with. There's a proper indoor dining room and an expanded menu, too, including a solid lineup of fresh pasta. 

Time Out tip: If you can't get a reservation, try showing up around happy hour. The picnic tables by the bar outside are first-come-first-serve and just as fun.

Ogawa isn't so much a Japanese restaurant as it is an embassy of Japan, a Shinto shrine of sorts with a zen garden out back and a sushi counter where 18 courses or so will turn anyone into a Japanophile. 

Time Out tip: Master sushi chef Masayuki Komatsu will tailor his menu to your wants, but if you’re ever going to try new things, this is the place.

Off Site offers simple takes on bar food—from burgers to wings to hot dogs—that are among the best versions of them in town.

Order this: It might look like nothing special, but the burger here is constructed of the finest of ingredients, including the patty, a mix of brisket, short rib and koji-cured chuck to provide both richness and deep umami flavor.

It’s a food hall, rooftop bar,  multi-purpose event space and also a kick-starter for the entire Little River Business District.  

Order this: Grab a pie from Stanzione Pizza and a burger from USBS and it’s like you’re building your own best of Miami food plate.

Unassuming and no-frills are adjectives that might describe the look of this forever busy and very colorful market along 79th Street, but inside you'll find some of the best Caribbean food in the city.

Order this: The curry oxtail is like a baseline that you could use to compare all other versions of this dish.

Chef Jon Nguyen’s groovy, 20-seat restaurant serves up Vietnamese comfort food in a small but mighty space with a compact menu culled from chef’s own family recipes. 

Order this: The broth in the pho simmers for eight hours before landing in your comically large bowl.

Founded by Argentinian-born meat importer Pablo Liberato and helmed by Uruguayan chef Juan Pablo Soria, Gaucho Ranch Grill & Wines is a cozy Little River outpost where they can let their organic, grass-fed and hormone-free meats shine in a warm, unpretentious restaurant setting. Each cut here is meticulously curated and prepared “asado”-style over a live fire like the South American cowboys would do.

Time Out tip: Like what you ate? Swing by the Gaucho Ranch retail boutique nearby to stock up on your own cuts to cook at home (or order online).

Ironside Pizza whips up traditional Neapolitan pies and classic Italian dishes, utilizing a wood-fired oven. 

Order this: Be sure the table orders one margarita, done here just as it should be with nothing more or less than fior di latte mozzarella, San Marzano tomatoes and basil.

Oori is putting out long-fermented sourdough bread, oozy brown butter chocolate chip cookies and fluffy Japanese milk bread from a tiny little bakeshop. 

Order this: The jet-black charcoal Parker House rolls are topped in everything seasoning, an irresistible Wednesday Addams of the dinner table.

Pizzas made from dough fermented for 48 hours and natural wines are the stars at this quirky spot in Little River that’s still good enough for it to earn a spot in the Michelin Guide. 

Order this: Among the cut-it-yourself pies is a pretty tomato number that comes with large, oozy hunks of basil and a few bits of basil dropped like fall leaves. 

The cafeteria-style ordering system at The Plantisserie, a light-filled, plant-based organic deli and market, makes for a quick meal in the airy dining room or a speedy stop for takeout. 

Order this: The Thai-inspired sauce on the veggie coconut curry makes this worthy of the trip alone. 

What began in the 1970s as a veggie food truck has established itself as a solid choice for Caribbean food and authentic Haitian dishes in Miami. Expect fair prices, big portions and lots of leftovers, which are just as good, if not better, the next day.  

Order this: The curry goat is a headliner on a can’t-miss menu that also includes a hefty vegan section.