Hey, Miami
The Hey Mrs. Solomon Guide
Miami is where I live, and it’s also at the very fiber of my identity. I’m sure that’s why I’m getting a lot of questions about what to do in Miami, especially as a former East Coaster and especially when winter (wait, what’s that again? Sorry.) is starting to roll in. So I thought I would write it all down here.
Leave the straw hat at home … If you want to blend.
When I would go to Florida pre living here, I’d always take my — all caps — SUMMER CLOTHES! But people here don’t wear linen, straw hats, natural raffia bags, or even much white in winter. They’re excited to put on jeans and even a sweater at night. Nights are chilly, and you’re going to want to be outdoors, so bring a leather jacket and/or blazer and a thin sweater. And people here wear a lot of black. So you do you! I’m just into knowing the landscape.
Miami isn’t very walkable
I’m a walker. When I went looking for where to live in Miami, I had two criteria. I wanted to see a lot of water, and I wanted to be able to walk to the Design District. I ended up in a somewhat odd area, not Miami Beach, but Miami. Edgewater to be exact. There’s no good hotel near me. I hear a Louis Vuitton Hotel will open in the Design District soon. (When it does, I’ll update this!) If you wanted to AirBnB, this is nearby, in a great building with a restaurant I love and a 15-20 minute walk to the Design District. What’s nice about this neighborhood too is that it’s just at the end of the bridge to Miami Beach, so if you want to go to Belle Isle or South of Fifth, it would be an easy Uber.
Speaking of Uber …
I would not rent a car; I’d just Uber. There’s valet, but then you’re paying and/or tipping, and just getting a ride is easier, especially when the traffic can be rough. It’s particularly bad in Brickell/Downtown (so the Kimpton Epic, the Mandarin Oriental, we’ve stayed at both and spent way too much time sitting in traffic).
To South Beach or Not to South Beach (that’s a key question)
South Beach, at one point, was the place where all the good stuff was. But you know things change, kind of like how New York things were once on the Upper West Side but now when I go to New York I want to be in the East Village or Brooklyn.
Everything isn’t around South Beach anymore, and that area is touristy, so wouldn’t be my first choice of where to stay. But if you’re a beach person, and your goal is to spend all day on a beach, maybe it is. So start by assessing what you want the trip days to look and feel like.
Stay here
Off South Beach. My first choice Miami hotel would be The Standard Hotel on Belle Island, a beautiful renovation of the art deco Lido Hotel and Spa. The Standard is very centrally located IMO. You are close enough to South Beach. You are close to the South of Fifth (or SoFi) area with great restaurants and yet you can easily enough get to the Design District and interesting places like the Little River neighborhood. Beyond that I just love this hotel. It’s got kind of a chilled out version of luxury, a coolness to it. The landscaping is magical, with lots of stunning tropical pockets for reading and a pool on an active stretch of water for boat spotting. That said, if your idea of accommodations are at the Ritz or the Four Seasons, this is not that. There will be a gal at the pool whose tampon string is showing because that’s how small her thong is, and you’ll definitely get a whiff of MJ. (Do we still say MJ?) The restaurant is super casual and the service is sporadic but you’re eating in front of the best view out there and the spa itself is ah-may-zing. (more on that forthcoming) …
South Beach: If I were staying at the Beach, I’d stay at the One Hotel. I’be stayed at the One in Brooklyn, and I love their sustainable luxury philosophy and the quality of all the elements (from food to bedding). But most importantly, this hotel is a beach hotel that’s off the beaten path — less directly in the tourist swarm and with easier access to the good restaurants, neighborhoods, etc.
Eat here
My current favorites, in order from uber casual to fancy…
- Rivereno Gelato: The best I’ve had anywhere. And if you’re non dairy, even their sorbets are creamy and come in pistachio and coconut, not just fruit.
- Organic Kings: They call themselves Miami Vegan Comfort Food and that nails it. I don’t want to want it and yet I can’t stop thinking about it. This is a random place behind the post office in Midtown (fairly close to the Design District and Amara, see below). The Yeti Deluxe Vegan Burger just haunts my dreams.
- El Kiosko: If you are a foodie who loves little joints, I think you’ll be as blown away as my chef husband and I were. Puerto Rican food but also a killer Cuban sandwich. If you want great Latin food in Miami, this is where I’d suggest. It’s worth the drive and easy to miss — look for the oddly shaped building with the green awning.
- Uptown 66: Favorite tacos here to date. Especially the mushroom ones. Super fresh. I had it and then I had it like 3 more nights in a row. That good. A cute little spot, on a highway but with little tables.
- Mia Market: It’s a lively and really well done food hall with indoor and outdoor seating and much more relaxed and comfy than others. Don’t miss the omelet at Bocadoro and the coffee at Sabal. There’s even a bar scene in the center.
- Borti: Insane homemade pasta; my hub says the best since Rome. Counter seating in a food and shopping hall called The Citadel that would be fun for kids.
- Old Greg’s: Was a crazy popular Wynwood truck, now at the edge of the Design District and it’s perfect. Perfect pizza, farm-to-table ingredients, sunny yellow tables, low key neighborhood charm. Get the square pizza.
- La Natural: Introduced to me by a film producer IG pal from LA. In the Little River neighborhood, which is up and coming and a star. My friend Victoria who owns Capsool and is a native Neopolitan hugged me when I said this was my pizza place of choice. A charming neighborhood spot, gorgeously designed, with epic sourdough pizzas, but also really special little plates featuring lots of fresh produce. The kind of place that feels special and you can dress up if you’re in the mood to yet it’s inexpensive and low key.
- Walrus Rodeo: Same team as Boia de below; this is their new spot across the parking lot and it’s equally delicious. Even more causal. Drink wine on folding chairs while you wait for your table. Don’t skip the cabbage carbonara.
- Boia De: A tiny Italian spot in a mostly abandoned strip mall, denoted only by a neon pink exclamation mark. Cozy, locals, unforgettable food, date-y.
- Uchi/Doya tossup: Both great, special eating in Wynwood. Uchi for experimental Japanese that really wowed me and Doya a go-to for outdoor Turkish inspired dining with very special cocktails. (Note: I’ve loved Kyu but it’s currently closed.) Doya is open for lunch, too, and I like that even better since the garden is so beautiful it’s nice to see in the light.
- Amara: Michael’s Genuine is still a favorite spot; it’s the restaurant that really made the Design District what it is (and if you eat at Michael’s, get the cookie platter). This is the chef’s newer (but not new) place. The food is very good, but I come here for the unprecedented view. You must sit waterside, and you’re right there on the water’s edge. I love the atmosphere out there too — it’s the base of a condo building so you’ll see people strolling past with their dogs. The lights on the causeway. The sinking sun. The moon gleam. All of it.
- Abbale Telavivan Kitchen: South of Fifth. Perfect Israeli food in a beautiful setting. I’m especially partial to the brunch. The Jerusalem bagel!
- Mandolin: Turkish, unassuming, totally enchanting. Right near the Design District. Eat perfect mezze in an outdoor garden under twinkle lights. Also good for brunch — same food. Go for the specials; always a lot of love in those. I am not a wine lover and yet their wines I love. Cute shop for gifts in back.
- Hiden: We’ve had several really cool Omakase experiences but you’ll never forget punching in a special code for this teeny spot behind a locked door inside a popular taco shop.
- Cote: It’s a Michelin star Korean restaurant in the Design District with a cool, nightclub feel and the food is OFF THE HOOK. I’ve now been three times and I seriously can’t get enough. They seamlessly cook it for you without ever hovering. You want to order the “feast” that’s in the middle of the menu and if they have the Steak and Eggs appetizer that night, you want that too. There is nothing about this that isn’t 100% worth it. Do not skip the cocktails, especially “Heat”: Arette Tequila, Chinola Passion Fruit, Lime, Coffee, Dried Chili Peppers. (Coffee! In a cocktail!)
Culture here
The Rubell Museum is so special and packs in so much: Compelling art, an award winning restaurant, Lekku (ask for the cracker that puffs up and have your camera ready), and a sculpture garden to chill in.
The Design District: It’s known for shopping, yes, but you’ll also find The ICA, the Haitian Museum, The de la Cruz Collection (I haven’t been yet!), small galleries, and incredible public outdoor art. For kids, I think it would be cool to have them go off and photograph as many of the public pieces as they can.
Wynwood Walls: If you’re in the area, worth a stop and the price of admission to see the graffiti walls that have become the heart of this district, plus roam studio/gallery spaces. In the neighborhood you should also look for graffiti down side streets. (And Panther Coffee is where you fuel up here.)
Ball + Chain: I am not much for concerts, the way my hub is. BUT I really enjoyed this spot. You get a table, which is nice for the sitting fans among us (hands up) and you can experience live music on a pineapple-shaped stage.
Chill here
Sofia: The food is very good (not epic) at this new restaurant in the Design District but you can’t beat the vibe outdoors in the evening. Palm trees swaying, couches outside. Order truffle pizza,insalata invernale, the steak for 2 (ok yum!) and a French 75 and just kick back — you can’t go wrong.
The swings at MIA Market: Not just for kids! There are roomy swings under a trellis outside MIA Market and it’s just the most relaxing thing. Get an iced coffee and your book and swing away.
The Spa at The Standard: Even if you’re not staying there, get any spa treatment and you can use the facilities all day. I loved lying on (my first!) hammam!
Jaguar Sun: Are cocktails your jam? They’re not my hub’s but he loved this place too — the pasta’s great and the servers know their way around a cocktail — they’ll walk you through expertly. It feels like a true cocktail lounge randomly inside an apartment building and hard to find. You won’t think you’re there when you’re there.
The Sculpture Garden at the Rubell: Go to the museum before it opens with a cup of coffee for some chill time here.
Mimi Yoga: Goooooood morning! That is the warm calling card of the effervescently authentic Mimi Ghandour. I know her IRL, and she’s even better than the hype, inside and out. Get your downward dog on at the city’s most acclaimed studio.
Shop here
Capsool: This by-appointment experience will be an unforgettable memory, and you’ll find treasures. You’ll also be shopping sustainably, and I promise you’ll walk away feeling inspired.
The Design District: Every high end store imaginable. What’s special is that it’s outside, there’s public art, delicious food and coffee, plenty of places to sit, and killer people watching. Start at the top of the street at Miu Miu and Patron of the New (a mother-son curated shop with outposts in Brooklyn and here). Visit the Haitian Heritage Museum. Break for a pistachio milk macchiato at Sabal. There are 2 acclaimed sushi spots for lunch.
Margiela: And if you only have time for one shop in the Design District, make it this one. In addition to how special and artful the pieces are, these are far and away the warmest, most joyful and informed associates around.
Q: Why not go to Bal Harbour? When I’m on vacation I don’t want to be inside a mall. Having said that, if you are ok with it, do it! Even more shopping than the Design District. An incredible new restaurant called Makoto. Make a plan to see Alexa at Saks — who can source anything under the sun, have it ready, and style you. And hit The Webster while you’re at it; one of the first curated shopping experiences.
Oberti Luxury World: Ok this is in Aventura, which is a haul. But if you are obsessed with cool, flattering eyeglasses, I’ve never experienced anything like it. People stop me on the street to talk about my glasses from here. It’s worth having them do the whole thing and ship to you — they are experts not only in the frames but in the lenses, too.
Consignment options: I’ve generally been happier in Boston and NYC. The handbag offerings are extensive and impressive at Consign of the Times (just a few minutes from The Standard) but don’t expect some major bargain. The Consignment Bar may yield treasure. It’s is owned and run by cool, kind women and worth a spin — it’s pretty close to the Design District.
One more thing: Smile here. People smile more here. At first it’s weird. And if someone stares at you? They’re about to tell you they like what you’re wearing. Feel free to do the same.
That’s what I’ve got! Drop any questions here or on IG @heymrssolomon
