Celebrated for its sultry energy, ample sunshine and multicultural diversity, Miami continues to heat up with hot places to eat, sleep and play. In turn, jetsetters with a knack for chic aesthetics are flocking to this urban oasis. Here’s a short list of where to see and be seen in Miami’s hippest neighborhoods.
Eat
Despite opening less than two years ago, Mignonette already has a steady stream of regulars clamoring for oysters, lobster deviled eggs, the Monkfish Carta Fata (a tasty jumble of mussels, clams, shrimp, andouille sausage and rice) and more. The restaurant’s interior — though indisputably on trend with concrete floors, exposed brick, tufted leather seating and accents in marble and copper — is still modest enough to avoid coming off as pretentious.
Located in Miami’s emerging Edgewater neighborhood, Mignonette is just a walk away from the livelier Wynwood Art District.
www.mignonettemiami.com
Sleep
Sure, Surfcomber Hotel in the art-deco district of South Beach might be a drive away from the Wynwood and Edgewater neighborhoods. But the convenience of buzzing nightlife within stumbling distance and direct beach access for swimming off that hangover justifies the extra effort. The 186-room boutique hotel itself isn’t something to be sniffed at, either. For starters, there’s the architectural appeal of its 1948 roots. And, thanks to Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants’ 2011 acquisition and renovation of the property, guests can also admire the brand’s trademark tongue-in-cheek panache found throughout communal areas and guestrooms.
Once hungry again, guests need not wander far: The Social Club, the hotel’s restaurant, dishes out Cuban-inspired regional fare and superb craft cocktails. Follow an order of the Caribbean red snapper with house-made ricotta doughnuts, served in an adorable mini wire basket. There’s also a side of chocolate for dipping — or, in my case, dunking.
www.surfcomber.com
Play
Open to the public at no cost, Wynwood Walls has delighted spectators since its inception in 2009 by late entrepreneur Tony Goldman and co-curator Jeffrey Deitch. That year, more than 40 international artists, including Shepard Fairey, Os Gemeos and other big names in the street-art scene, treated 80,000 square feet of exterior walls as large-scale canvases. In 2010, Goldman added Wynwood Doors — art depicted on roll-up storefront gates. Since then, even more murals have made their way outside the Wynwood Walls vicinity, covering nearby buildings.
New artists showcase their work in the center each year. Spotlighting the often snubbed or misunderstood graffiti genre, Wynwood Walls is a colorful and inspiring feast for the eyes.
www.thewynwoodwalls.com
