Miami Spice returns this August with prix fixes at some of the finest restaurants for the reduced price of $23 for lunch and brunch and $39 for dinner.

Spice, which runs August 1 through September 30 and is returning for its 17th year, is designed to encourage visitors and locals to explore new restaurants and visit old favorites by providing discounted three-course meals. The promotion also helps many eateries survive Miami's summer slump, when attendance drops as locals flock to cooler climes and tourists opt for European destinations.

So far, 206 restaurants have signed on to participate in Miami Spice, down from 2017's 236 eateries. Twenty-four new restaurants will join the promotion, including Planta, Chotto Matte, Habitat Miami Beach, Palat, and Azabu. Returning favorites include Scarpetta, Edge Steak & Bar, Red the Steakhouse, and Palme d'Or.

For the first time ever, Miami Spice will participate with Slow Food Miami, the local nonprofit that recognizes restaurants and businesses that practice sustainability and authenticity in their food and beverage programs. The Spice website will note the restaurants that have earned Slow Food's Snail of Approval.

Also returning is the Miami Spice mashup series, where participating chefs collaborate on menus featuring their respective Spice dishes. The first dinner in the series sees chef Patrick Ochs from the Strand Bar & Grill at the Carillon Miami Beach Wellness Resort (6801 Collins Ave.) host Diego Oka (La Mar by Gastón Acurio) and Michael Beltran (Ariete) for a special dinner Thursday, June 28, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $75 (excluding tax and tip) and must be purchased in advance via eventbrite.com.

The official 2018 Miami Spice website, ilovemiamispice.com, lists the participating restaurants and sample menus. Here's the full lineup of participants:

