2 Seaspice_Riverside-yacht.jpg

(Courtesy Seaspice Brasserie and Lounge)

An overhead view of Seaspice Brasserie and Lounge with boat slips

Dock and Dine

Waterfront restaurants provide sailing enthusiasts a convenient way to enjoy an al fresco meal – often without disembarking the boat

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Imagine one of those picture-perfect Miami Days, with a bright blue sky, and a breeze that makes the heat from the sun pleasant. You’re sailing on the shimmering water of Biscayne Bay or the Miami River, enjoying the view and soaking up the sunshine. There’s only one thing that would make such a lovely day even better – a great meal at a waterfront restaurant.

Dock-and-dine restaurants offer a range of culinary choices, from coastal Mediterranean to upscale dining experiences. Located on the water, they offer beautiful water views and a relaxing, waterfront atmosphere. Many have designated docking areas or arrangements with nearby marinas to accommodate boaters. Some offer dinghy or water taxi service to pick up and drop off diners at the restaurant from the docking area.

Seaspice Brasserie and Lounge (305.440.4200) 412 Northwest North River Dr., Miami, is set against a spectacular backdrop of the Miami skyline on the Miami River, with a perfect vantage point for watching the passing parade of yachts as you enjoy waterfront dining.

Seaspice's Mediterranean Tapas Brunch on Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. is a must. Choose from gambas "a la ajillo" (jumbo Oishii shrimp) with creamy polenta and toasted garlic; truffle tagliatelle with poached egg and parmesan fondue; Maine lobster Benedict with potato rösti, spinach, and chive hollandaise (for $15 extra); shiitake mushroom filo crisps with tomato labneh; million-layer potatoes with brava sauce, egg yolk, and garlic aioli; or smoked salmon Benedict in puff pastry, with poached egg, glazed haricot verts, and dill hollandaise.

Guests can choose to arrive either by land or sea for their dining experience. If you arrive by boat and dock at the restaurant, the waitstaff will serve you on board if you prefer to stay on board for privacy or convenience. (Be sure to reserve your spot in advance.) You might even spot a celebrity or two also arriving by boat.

To make the appropriate reservations for dockage, call Seaspice. There is a dockage fee: Tuesday-Friday before 5 p.m., the fee is $3 per foot. Friday after 5 p.m. through Sunday is $5 per foot.

The dockage fee covers an average dining period of two hours and is usually based on the amount of people dining, the time they can stay, and if Seaspice is having any special events. The extended docking requests require advance notice and may incur additional costs, depending on the duration and specifics.

The number of boat slips available at any given time depends on the size of the boat and the space they have available. Seaspice can accommodate boats up to 9 feet. Anything higher than that would have to be determined by management.

YAYA Miami (305-967-8020) 7999 NE Bayshore Ct., Miami, featuring expansive water and skyline views, is located right on Biscayne Bay in North Miami. YAYA  has its own dock, and offers a membership for Miami’s boating community, complete with marina access with 14 boat slips, and a private dining room.

Started by hospitality veteran Angel Febres with executive chef Todd Zimmer at the helm, YAYA features coastal Mediterranean cuisine. The menu is divided into raw bar and cold mezze, hot mezze, seafood platters and towers, salads, entrees, sides, and desserts.

Try the lobster risotto with fresh lobster chunks; steamed little neck clams with Spanish chorizo, crushed tomatoes, white wine, and fresh herbs. Burger lovers will love the Arayes burger made with beef and lamb, harissa ketchup, tahini sauce and torchi, along with the loaded Greek truffle fries topped with Parmesan, feta, za’atar, roasted garlic, Greek yogurt aioli, and parsley. 

For dessert, save room for the hazelnut milk chocolate torte, with varying textures of chocolate: dark chocolate Devil’s Dood cake, crunchy gianduja chocolate mousse, and hazelnut brittle. Or try the olive cake made with Meyer lemon and served with blueberries, Chantilly cream, and pine nut pralines – a taste of the Amalfi coastline.

There are 14 boat slips available at YAYA, and to dock your boat, you must call ahead. If there is availability, management will allow a random pull-up. The dockage fee is $50, and they don’t currently have a time limit. YAYA can accommodate boats up to 40 feet in the majority of the slips, and have one space that can fit up to a 70-foot yacht.

“Restaurant guests tend to sit on the terrace for quite a while, often for  three hours, so they enjoy the no-time limit allowance,” said Jessica Rosenblum, creative director/partner at YAYA Miami.  

Following the success of its luxurious Sunday buffet brunch, waterfront hotspot Casadonna (305-475-2272) 1737 N. Bayshore Dr., Miami, has introduced a Saturday Yacht Club Lunch set against the backdrop of Biscayne Bay. Indulge in Coastal-Italian-inspired dishes at the Yacht Club lunch, which is available each Saturday from noon to 3 p.m.

Curated by Groot Hospitality’s executive vice president of culinary, Dan Perretta, Casadonna's Yacht Club Lunch menu features recipes based on classic culinary techniques found in Italian seaside towns such as Naples, Taormina, Bari, Positano, and Gaeta. Lunch classics include raw bar specialties and crudos; a caviar service; Mediterranean salads; and artisanal pizzettas. Handmade pastas include lumache bolognese pasta; King Crab tortellini, and more. Signature seafood dishes are salt-baked branzino and turbot en papillote with little neck clams, artichoke hearts, and yellow zucchini. Indulge in bespoke cocktails and spritzes, and wines from the curated wine cellar to further celebrate the spirit of la dolce vita.

Guests arriving by boat are invited to use Dock and Dine at Casadonna, arriving in any size vessel from day to night. Docking begins at $7 per foot for a minimum of three hours with a charge of $2.50 per hour for each additional hour. Pick-up and drop-off at Casadonna are also available for $5 per foot. Guests are able to book boats up to 120 feet.

Dock and Dine guests are seated at exclusive tables reserved for dockside visitors. Upon arrival, order your welcome toast of Moët & Chandon “Imperial” Brut Champagne. Casadonna features a coveted al fresco dining room for those arriving by boat. The luxury Dock and Dine Champagne experience is available for an additional $30 per person, plus tax and service charge.

Bookings must be made in advance at casadonnamiami.com. Dock reservations, by contacting

marina@casadonnamiami.com or by calling 786-785-1679.

The Deck at Island Gardens (786-627-4949) 888 MacArthur Cswy., Miami, is an al fresco waterfront restaurant adjacent to a luxury superyacht yacht marina that specializes in docking jaw-dropping superyachts. The restaurant, which serves Mediterranean fare, offers breathtaking views of Biscayne Bay and the Downtown Miami skyline in a posh dockside setting. It's best known for its fun Sunday brunch, offering delicious seafood options such as east and west coast oysters, shrimp cocktails, ceviches of the day, Ahi tuna tartare, Alaskan King crab, stone crabs (in season) and a premium seafood tower. Best bets are the lobster frites, with grilled Maine Lobster served with truffle fries; roasted branzino filet; filet mignon Rossino; and grilled lamb chops. For sides, try the wild mushrooms, sauteed broccolini, and the grilled asparagus.

Arriving by boat? The Deck at Island Gardens is known for its exquisite superyacht marina, primarily designed for superyachts and larger vessels, and is not for small-boat docking. While it does have some dock space available on a first-come, first-served basis, it's unlikely it will have room for small boats. It has 50 superyacht berths, with maximum length of 550 feet, and maximum draft of 27 feet. There are accommodations for small boats at other nearby marinas.

Irene Moore is a Miami-based writer and certified sommelier whose vivid descriptions take readers through culinary cultures around the world.