RESTAURANTS • FOUND Table
The Backstory: When Tâm Tâm opened in 2023, it quickly became a staple of the downtown dining scene. Born from chef Tam Pham’s frustration with Miami’s lack of Vietnamese food, the restaurant evolved from supper club to a series of pop-up events (at 1-800-LUCKY), and finally, to this fantastic downtown spot.
The Experience: Tâm Tâm radiates groovy, nostalgic energy with its retro Asian diner aesthetic, as warm red and yellow lighting casts a cinematic glow over wood-paneled walls. A green neon sign welcomes you, while the bric-a-brac and oddball touches give the space personality. It’s compact, making it better suited for intimate dinners or low-key dates than large group hangs. There’s a street-food spirit to the proceedings: grab a seat on a plastic chair, hunch over the “lamb wrap situation,” and sip on spiked Vietnamese coffee.
The food is bold and shareable, like jungle steak tartare with wagyu and fire ant salt, scallop pomelo goi layered with coconut nuoc cham and crispy garlic, rich bone marrow with sourdough and bird's eye chili fish sauce, and five-spiced duck noodles with pickled papaya and shiitake mushrooms. Messy, but worth it: the betel-leaf-wrapped lamb with banh hoi noodles is a standout.
Why it’s Found: True to its roots, Tâm Tâm offers outrageously delicious Vietnamese food in an inviting, lively atmosphere. Just over two years in, it continues to be the perfect start to a night out downtown. –Katelin Stecz
→ Tâm Tâm (Downtown) • 99 NW 1st St • Tue-Thu 6-1030p, Fri-Sat 6-11p • Reserve.