A guide to eating your way through the city and where to rest in between

Jesse Bratter

The art of reservations in Miami Beach

As art lovers from around the world descend on Miami for Art Basel Miami Beach and its weeklong feast for the eyes, there’s another kind of indulgence that beckons: restaurants and hotels where collectors and fairgoers can refuel and reset before the next art hunt. We’ve gathered some of our favorite local staples and talked-about newcomers where the menu and interiors are as curated as the exhibition you’ll have just enjoyed.


	WHERE TO EAT


	Casa Tua


	The vibe: Art and gastronomy collide at Casa Tua, an institution for almost 20 years that celebrates emerging and established artists alongside its cuisine. The Mediterranean villa, designed by Michele Bönan with owners Miky and Leticia Grendene, houses a boutique hotel, members club, and restaurant with several intimate dining areas including candlelit and lantern-laden tropical gardens.


	The menu: Enjoy Italian-inspired fare – from beef tenderloin with seared foie gras, toasted hazelnuts, and sauteed leeks to veal osso buco with truffle mashed potatoes and kale – and pair it with selections from an extensive wine list.

CarboneThe vibe: Carbone brings a piece of Manhattan to Miami Beach with its South of Fifth outpost designed by Ken Fulk. A moody palette of terra cotta, emerald greens, and malachite ceiling beams creates a backdrop for an art collection curated by Vito Schnabel including works by Julian Schnabel, Gus Van Sant, and Harmony Korine.The menu: The New York-style Italian eatery features its signature spicy rigatoni vodka along with octopus pizzaiolo, whole branzino, and cherry pepper ribs.

MILAThe vibe: Designed by OV &amp; Co. and STA Architectural Group, rooftop restaurant, and mixology bar MILA in Miami Beach embodies a wanderlust spirit with warm woods and other natural elements that underscore its well-traveled dishes. French artist Etienne Moyat carved large-scale cedarwood panels that adorn one wall of the restaurant.The menu: Under Michelin-starred chef Michael Michaelidis and executive chef Helmy Saadon, MILA offers a mix of Mediterranean and Asian cuisine served in an informal izakaya sharing style. Think shawarma spiced wagyu gyozas and salmon crudo with Aegean-mountain-tea dressing, bottarga, and yuzu air. Its handcrafted artisanal cocktails include the Beach Walk – a pina colada-inspired drink made with E11EVEN vodka, Japanese melon, coconut, peppercorn honey, pineapple, lemon, and makrut lime leaf.

COTE MiamiThe vibe: COTE Miami is a Michelin-starred restaurant in the Miami Design District that marries high-spirited Korean barbecue and classic American steakhouse concepts. The interiors by MNDPC pay homage to COTE owner Simon Kim’s native Seoul and feature soapstone tables with heated elements that allow guests’ food to be cooked in front of them. You’ll find art pieces by Ed Ruscha and Barbara Kruger, with an entry inspired by the works of Olafur Eliasson.The menu: ‘COTE serves our beef raw,’ says executive chef David Shim, ‘which means the beef is the showpiece to every table that we serve and we do our best to shine the ingredient by using butcher blocks to give contrast in color and elevation.’ You’ll pair your American Black Angus, American wagyu, and Japanese wagyu meats with a selection from COTE’s award-winning wine program.

LEKUThe vibe: After delighting your eye with the private collection of works inside Rubell Museum Miami in Allapattah, you can delight your taste buds with the equally art-minded indoor-outdoor restaurant LEKU, located at the museum.The menu: Seasonal ingredients and simplistic cooking methods create an innovative menu inspired by the Basque region of Spain. Artful presentations speak to the Basque culture as well as the collections at Rubell Museum Miami. Try the tartar de remolacha starter (beet tartare with olive oil caviar) or the Allison cocktail (Carlos I brandy, Havana club añejo, falernum, lemon juice, chirimoya syrup, and egg white).Mandolin Aegean BistroThe vibe: Imagine a friend inviting you over for dinner. And now imagine that friend lives on a Greek island, in a 1940s home with intimate patio space and an enchanting blue and white facade hugged by vibrant bougainvillea. Dining at Mandolin Aegean Bistro in the Miami Design District is like jet-setting to a coastal Mediterranean town on the Aegean SeaThe menu: The owners, husband-and-wife team Ahmet Erkaya and Anastasia Koutsioukis, have married their roots to bring patrons Greek and Turkish coastal dishes like manti dumplings (minced beef, garlic yogurt, Aleppo pepper, and burnt butter) and ali nazik (ground lamb over smoked eggplant yogurt).

Sexy FishThe vibe: The opulent interiors of Sexy Fish in Brickell, designed by Martin Brudnizki Design Studio, is part bras­serie, part under-the-sea fantasy featuring 10 sculptures by Damien Hirst and 26 bespoke lamps by Frank Gehry. The menu: Michelin-starred chef director Bjoern Weissgerber’s Asian-fusion menu serves up cured Ora King salmon bao buns, lobster with sancho pepper and shiso butter, and matcha and roasted banana sorbet. Sip on the Blueberry &amp; Maple – blueberry-infused Kaiyō ‘The Single’ whisky with maple and blueberry syrup, sweet vermouth, and manzanilla.

WHERE TO STAYEsmé Miami BeachNestled within Miami Beach’s sto­ried Española Way, Esmé Miami Beach encompasses a network of two boutique hotel spaces, restaurants, and bars connected by European-inspired pas­sageways. Designed by Jessica Schuster, each jewel-toned space provides an enchanting and sultry occasion to get lost in another time and place. ‘Esmé Miami Beach is in the heart of what was once called “the Spanish Village”, an area originally developed as a bohemian enclave for arts and culture in the 1920s,’ says James Stuart, director of hospitality. ‘Infinity Hospitality’s $40 million renovation has restored this artful intention within the hotel’s eight historic buildings, providing guests the opportunity to experience where Miami’s art scene began.’

Life House, South of FifthTudor architecture meets the ocean in Life House, South of Fifth, a historic 1930s Miami Beach getaway rei­magined for the modern traveler. ‘Our South of Fifth house is an artisan’s eclectic retreat by the shore,’ says Rami Zeidan, founder and CEO of Life House. Coastal-minded materials give this sunny spot a sense of place while a plant-forward restaurant, bar, and lounge ­­– Pretty Swell – pays homage to surf culture and sustainability.

The Setai, Miami BeachA collection of art deco rooms, ocean suites, and a penthouse infused with elements of the Far East, thanks to Jean-Michel Gathy and Jaya Ibrahim, give The Setai, Miami Beach its distinct identity. The restored 1936 landmark building includes three infinity pools, a private beach club, and authentic dining experiences at Jaya and the Ocean Grill. In another global twist, the Valmont for the Spa at The Setai restores the body using traditional Swiss medicine. This art season, the hotel partners with Palm Angels to create bespoke fashion items available only to hotel guests checking in during Art Basel.

SLS Hotels and ResidencesPast meets present at SLS South Beach, where Philippe Starck resurrected old French aristocracy using a contemporary brush and a dash of surrealism, and Kravitz Design lent a rock star touch to the Villa and Tower penthouses. On the city side, boasting panoramic views of downtown Miami, SLS Brickell Hotel &amp; Residences marries Starck’s modern interiors with works by artists such as Ester Partegàs and Bernardi Roig, curated by the Related Group. A mural by German artist Markus Linnenbrink distinguishes the structure. Both properties will host several activations during Miami Art Week. And don’t forget SLS Lux Brickell Hotel &amp; Residences, designed by Yabu Pushelberg and Arquitectonica, which enjoys its own art collection and multichromatic mural – this one by Argentine artist Fabián Burgos.&nbsp;

W South BeachUrban Robot Associates gave W South Beach a mindful makeover in 2020, infusing the guest rooms with a sandy-hued palette that elicits a sense of calm. A $100 million art collection punctuates the sophisticated beach backdrop with works by Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and French photographer Jean-Philippe Piter, plus hand-painted murals by local artist Juan Manuel Rozas. ‘Art is ingrained in the fabric of W South Beach,’ says Aby Rosen, co-owner of W South Beach and RFR Holding. ‘So, when Art Basel comes around, we celebrate some of the biggest and emerging names in the arts world through exclusive exhibits and interactive experiences that support the evolution of Miami.’

This article was originally commissioned for the&nbsp;Art Basel Miami Beach&nbsp;magazine 2022.Captions for full-bleed images: 1. Table overview at COTE Miami. Photo by World Red Eye. 2. Rooftop pool at&nbsp;Esmé Miami Beach. Photo by Jen Castro. 3. The reception area of W South Beach. Photo by Chris Carter.

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