Miami Dining
In the world’s most glamorous winter sun destination, man-about town Hugo Campbell-Dayvs hunts out the places to dine in style
By Hugo Campbell-Dayvs
September 24 2019
TRADITIONAL EATS AT JOE’S STONE CRAB
The most famous crab shack in town opened in 1913, and is still family run. Wait in line for plates stacked with Florida stone crab claws and the legendary Key Lime Pie.
CLASSIC BRUNCHING AT THE BILTMORE
Opened in 1926, the Biltmore Hotel housed everyone from Al Capone to Franklin D Roosevelt, and remains a national institution. It also serves up the country’s most celebrated and lavish Champagne brunches in the stunning Fontana restaurant.
EPIC VIEWS AT JUVIA
Sitting atop a Herzog & de Meuron designed parking garage (really) at 1111 Lincoln Road, Juvia is a penthouse restaurant fusing Asian/Latin/French cuisine with vast views over South Beach. Throw in water features, a vertical garden by internationally acclaimed botanist Patrick Blanc and a DJ, and you have pure Miami showmanship.
ASIAN AND ARTY AT KYU
Among the uber-fashionable restaurants of Miami’s Wynwood art district, Asian style eatery Kyu, from former Zuma chef Michael Lewis, is the stand-out, with a menu inspired by Japanese and Korean yakiniku grilling, peppered with American Southern barbecue influences.
AUTHENTIC CUBAN AT VERSAILLES
The city’s long-standing Cuban cuisine institution opened in 1971 and, since then, has become a staple for locals and tourists alike. The dining room is illuminated by golden chandeliers and surrounded by mirrors mimicking Versailles Palace’s Hall of Mirrors but the food is as authentically Cuban as it gets.
WATERFRONT DINING AT SMITH & WOLLENSKY
It’s all about USDA Prime dry-aged steaks, premium seafood, sunshine and sea air at the Miami Beach outpost of the upmarket steakhouse empire. Head here for sublime outdoor dining on the waterfront, complete with sweeping views of exclusive Fisher Island and the Government Cut shipping channel to the Atlantic. Reservations recommended.
SEE AND BE SCENE AT SWAN & BAR BEVY
Pop superstar Pharrell Williams’ first foray into the restaurant business is a modish affair in the thriving Miami Design District, mixing old-school glam with some serious funk. The restaurant, Swan, is a fairytale of pinks, blues and jades on the first floor, while the discreet Bar Bevy offers guests and passing celebs a sumptuous cocktail retreat upstairs.
