Monday Evening Dine Arounds
Sign-up sheets for these dine around events will be at the registation desk.
Puerto Sagua Restaurant
700 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 673-1115
$ Cuban
From Zagat: “Nothing has changed” at this Cuban diner “landmark” in South Beach since “before the revolution” (or at least since it opened in 1962); “waiters in little red jackets” are still ferrying “rock-solid” comfort food around the “greasy spoon”–style digs “without any fuss”, and best of all the bills are still low.
Barceloneta
1400 20th Street, Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 538-9299
$$ Tapas
From Zagat: From the hip young guys behind Pubbelly and Pubbelly Sushi comes this lively, moderately priced arrival serving Spanish/Catalan small bites in a South Beach corner storefront done up with stylish wood and picnic tables outside; if all that jamon and fried croquetas seem too heavy, the raw bar, grilled seafood and lovely Spanish-accented wine list are much lighter. 50% off wine on Monday evenings.
Chalan On the Beach
1580 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 532-8880
$$ Peruvian
From Zagat: Take a “flavorful foray” into Peruvian cuisine via the “wide variety” of “down-home” staples available at these “inexpensive” SoBe and Westchester holes-in-the-wall; no, they’re “not the prettiest” places around, but takeout is available and the staffers are “pleasant” (though “if you don’t speak Spanish, good luck”).
Doraku Sushi
1104 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 695-8383
$$ Sushi
From Zagat: Even if this “hip” sushi joint with “inventive rolls” “doesn’t cost an arm and a leg like other SoBe places”, the kicking DJ “music tells you where you are”: at “the heart of ‘the Road’” (Lincoln, that is); insiders advise “take advantage” of the “amazing happy hour” deals (5–7 pm daily) that extend beyond drink specials to some food items.
Tap Tap Haitian Restaurant
819 5th Street, Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 672-2898
$$ Haitian
From Zagat: “Out-of-towners”, “families” and off-islanders tap into this South Beach “treasure” for “delectable” Haitian fare that’s hard to find anywhere else; the drinks (including the signature mojito) are “sweet and strong”, but it’s the “colorful” murals and “inviting vibe” from the “down-to-earth” staff that make for repeat visits
Sra Martinez
4000 Northeast 2nd Avenue, Miami, FL 33137
(305) 573-5474
$$$ Tapas, Small Plates
From Zagat: “Another winner for Michelle Bernstein”, aka Señora Martinez, this “cool” Spaniard draws a “young, hip Design District crowd” with its “fabulous array” of “exciting” tapas (“good for sharing”), served by a “proficient” staff in a “cavernous” former post office dressed up with “smart”, “colorful” decor; “tabs grow quickly”, but “amazing cocktails” emanating from a “gem of a bar upstairs” ease the pain.
BLT Steak
The Betsy Hotel, 1440 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 673-0044
$$$ Steak House
From Zagat: “A bit more hip” than old-school meat palaces, this Betsy Hotel outpost of a “quality brand” steakhouse chain excels with its “perfectly charred” chops, “inventive” sides and “terrific” wine list – that’s icing on the cake for fans who admit “they had me at the popovers”; tabs are “steep” and some “don’t love the lobbyish atmosphere”, but most deem it a “refined” escape from the SoBe “riffraff.”
Alta Mare
1233 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 532-3061
$$$ Seafood
From Zagat: Claudio the owner is always on hand, “ensuring all are satisfied” with the “beautifully executed” Med-accented seafood, meats and “homemade” pasta emanating from the open kitchen of this SoBe spot; if it’s gotten more “pricey”, it still pleases “locals” who “love the new space” that’s more “stylish” on a “mellow stretch” of Lincoln Road that’s “convenient for movies”, theater and shopping.
Cecconi's
4385 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33140
(786) 507-7902
$$$ Italian
From Zagat: The Venetian offerings from chef Sergio Sigala (ex Casa Tua) at this “chic” London import in Miami Beach’s SoHo Beach House may be “delicious”, but they pale in comparison to the “gorgeous garden” setting with a retractable awning and buttonwood trees strung with lights; “service is not quite up to par” and tabs are “Brink’s”-level, but there are values at the bar serving cicchetti and “excellent” cocktails.
1500° at Eden Roc
4525 Collins Avenue Miami Beach, FL 33140
$$$$ Steak House
From Zagat: Set in Miami Beach’s storied Eden Roc Hotel, this “classy” newcomer is named for the temperature at which chef Paula DaSilva (Hell’s Kitchen finalist and 3030 Ocean alum) cooks “juicy”, “melt-in-your-mouth” steaks, a “specialty” on the “creative” New American menu; it’s expensive and service is “erratic”, but diners appreciate being able to “speak without shouting” in the “pretty” dining room or on the “breezy” patio.
Casa Tua
1700 James Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 673-0973
$$$$ Italian
From Zagat: “There’s no sign” outside this “hidden”, “villa”-like Northern Italian in a SoBe boutique inn, which just adds to its “romantic” allure, especially in the flower-strewn courtyard with “votives hanging from the trees” and “beautiful people” at the tables; most find the food equally “fabulous”, so “if money is no object” and you can ignore the occasional dose of “attitude”, it “does not disappoint” – just “make reservations early.
Hakkasan at Fountainbleu
4441 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33140
(786) 276-1388
$$$$ Chinese
From Zagat: “Wow, so this is Chinese food” declare converts whose “eyes are opened” by the “incredible” modern Cantonese fare at the Miami Beach outpost of the London original hidden in the “sprawling” Fontainebleau; assets include “superior” dim sum (most welcome in a city with a “significant shortage”), generally “knowledgeable” service and “chic” environs that are surprisingly “intimate” given the “big” space – just expect to pay “crazy money” to enjoy it all.