Amal Miami marries a captivating environment with a refined culinary experience

The setting and design of Amal Miami's main dining room in Coconut Grove create an elegant Mediterranean-inspired environment. Designed by Studio Munge, the space draws on nature and organic patterns to evoke a sense of relaxation and restoration.

An architectural centerpiece bar is stocked with spirits and wines. Among the cocktails worth trying is the Phoenician Connection, an elevated interpretation of a traditional jalapeño margarita, with smoky and nutty notes and a spicy, savory Tajín rim.

The Rooftop Oasis, located on Level 6, offers panoramic views of the surrounding area and Biscayne Bay.

Amal Miami, just like its sister restaurant in Toronto, is owned and operated by INK Entertainment Group. Its CEO and founder, Charles Khabouth, developed the restaurant concept as a tribute to his Lebanese roots.

Amal's menu presents a modern interpretation of Lebanese cuisine. Helmed by Executive Chef Wissam Baki, the menu is built around shared plates and the tradition of Middle Eastern hospitality, with an emphasis on selected ingredients.

For our visit, we were offered the Miami Spice Restaurant Months fixed-price menu, which features a three-course dinner for $50 every night, with several dishes drawn from the restaurant's regular menu. A $40 lunch menu is also available Monday-Friday through September.

Service is attentive without being intrusive. The staff is knowledgeable about the menu and willing to explain the dishes and ingredients.

Starters

The Miami Spice dinner menu offers a choice of traditional hummus, fattoush salad, kibbeh, or roasted cauliflower, accompanied by either pita bread or side sauce.

For those looking for a more substantial starter, we highly recommend the Dip Sampler, available for a $5 supplement. It includes hummus, baba ghanoush, muhammara and pita bread.

The muhammara deserves special attention. Made with fire-roasted red peppers blended with ground toasted walnuts and a combination of house spices, then finished with a drizzle of tangy-sweet pomegranate molasses, it achieves a compelling balance of sweet, savory, smoky and mildly spicy flavors.

Other starter options include truffle rakakat rolls and grilled octopus, each available for a $10 supplement.

Main Courses

The Miami Spice dinner experience includes a choice of Beef Tenderloin, Chicken Tawook, Pistachio Kebab or Branzino.

We chose the Pistachio Kebab, made with minced beef and lamb thoroughly mixed with a complex house spice blend and finely ground raw pistachios.

The mixture is molded and charbroiled, allowing the natural oils from the pistachios to blend into the meat. The result is a juicy and tender kebab with a distinctive nutty character.

It is served with perfectly cooked basmati rice topped with roasted almonds, biwaz—a classic Lebanese garnish made with shaved onions, parsley and sumac—as well as grilled tomato, grilled onion and a fiery grilled serrano pepper.

Lamb chops are also available for a $10 supplement. Another option is the Skewer Sampler, with a $15 supplement, featuring a selection of beef tenderloin, pistachio kebab and chicken tawook, accompanied by biwaz and pita.

Desserts

The sweet side of the menu continues the Middle Eastern theme with traditional baklava served with vanilla ice cream or mastika ice cream.

Baklava is a historic cross-cultural dessert claimed and enjoyed across numerous regions of the Middle East, the Mediterranean, the Balkans and the Caucasus. At Amal, however, the preparation follows the Lebanese tradition: delicate, flaky sheets of buttered phyllo dough are layered into crisp pastry and filled with crushed pistachios and walnuts, accented with warm cinnamon. It is served alongside delicate vanilla ice cream.

There is also Date Cake, available for a $5 supplement and recommended by local diners. The warm, soft and moist sponge cake is sweetened and flavored with rich dates and served in a pool of buttery butterscotch sauce. Whipped cream and a scoop of vanilla ice cream add richness, while a delicate, thin and crispy caramel-like cookie provides a contrasting texture.

Amal has brought a vibrant setting and a sophisticated Middle Eastern dining experience to Miami's culinary scene. The combination of distinctive design, attentive service and refined Lebanese-inspired cuisine makes it a compelling addition to Coconut Grove's restaurant landscape.

While Amal reflects the high-end pricing typical of upscale Miami restaurants, the Miami Spice menu provides an excellent opportunity to experience the restaurant's core flavors through a more economical fixed-price format.

Amal Miami

3480 Main Hwy.

Miami, FL

(786) 369-0846

Parking is available.