Miami Spice usually wraps up when September ends. This year it doesn't. For its 25th season, the restaurant program runs through Oct. 31, so a $40 three-course lunch or a $50 dinner at a restaurant you'd normally save for a birthday is still on the table for the rest of the month. The official October list had 281 restaurants on it this week.

What changed, and why

The Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, which runs Miami Spice, announced the extension on Sept. 14. Its reason was simple. This year's August and September run drew more than 400 participating restaurants across Miami-Dade and the Beaches, a record for the program. So the bureau added a month of bonus time.

There's one catch. The bonus month is optional for restaurants. Each one decided for itself whether to keep its Spice menu going, and the bureau posted a fresh October roster on Oct. 1. That's why this week's list has 281 names and not the 400-plus from late summer. If you had a place bookmarked from August, check it's still on the October list before you book.

The prices

The tiers didn't change for the extension:

  • Brunch and lunch: $40 for three courses.
  • Dinner: $50 or $65 for three courses, depending on the restaurant.
  • Miami Spice Reserve: a premium tier of prix-fixe and tasting menus, starting at $95.

Every participating menu has to save diners at least 30 percent compared with ordering the same food off the regular menu. Tax, tip and drinks are on top, so plan for that when you're comparing a $65 dinner with what you'd spend on a normal night out.

Who's still in

The October list runs from neighborhood favorites to rooms that seldom discount anything. Two restaurants flagged on the official listing as Michelin Recommended are still taking Spice reservations: Estiatorio Milos, the Greek seafood house, and Beauty and The Butcher. Others still listed this week include Havana 1957 on Ocean Drive, Mercato della Pescheria in Miami Beach, Novecento in both Brickell and Aventura, Cafe Americano Brickell, Eating House, Blind Tiger, Klaw Miami and XINO, which serves modern Chinese.

The official site lets you filter the October list by neighborhood: South Beach, Downtown, Brickell, Coconut Grove, Wynwood, the Design District, Coral Gables, Doral and Aventura. That beats scrolling 281 cards. Check each restaurant's card for which meals it offers before you plan a Saturday brunch around it.

How to get the most out of it

Ask for the Spice menu by name. The Spice menu may be a separate card from the regular one. Mention it when you book and again when you sit down.

Go for lunch. A $40 lunch at a place whose dinner entrees run past $40 apiece is the best value on the list. Weekday lunch is also when tables are easiest to get.

Don't wait for the last week. The final weekend of October is also Halloween weekend. If a place matters to you, book it now.

Delivery counts too. Uber Eats is the program's exclusive delivery and takeout partner, with Spice deals inside the app for the days you'd rather eat at home.

A small add-on for a good cause

Camillus House, the Miami nonprofit that serves people experiencing homelessness, is this year's official charity. Participating menus carry a QR code where diners can add a donation, and you can also give directly at camillus.org. The program's wine partners this season are Louis Pommery's California sparkling wine and Château La Gordonne rosé, so expect to see both on Spice tables.

If you live in Broward or Palm Beach

Miami Spice is a Miami-Dade program, so the list covers Greater Miami and the Beaches only. For anyone in Fort Lauderdale or Boca, Aventura is the closest cluster on the list: an easy drive down US 1 or I-95 for a weekday lunch that would normally cost twice as much.

The bottom line

Miami Spice runs through Saturday, Oct. 31, with 281 restaurants on the October list this week, $40 lunches and brunches, and $50 or $65 dinners. The full, filterable list is at miamispice.com. In a normal year, today is the day Spice would already be a memory.