Shore Club Miami
Miami, United States[view map]
Local restaurants
Mr Chow (+1 305 938 3000) is coming to the soon-to-be-opened W Hotel in summer ‘09. The legendary Chinese restaurant already has locations in New York, Beverly Hills and London, and the South Beach restaurant will add to the already bustling Miami scene. Blue Door at the Delano (+1 305 674 6400) is one of the area’s star-studded venues, providing French-Brazilian fusion food in a glamorous setting that extends out around the pool. The popular Blue Sea sushi restaurant can also be found here, located in a stylish alcove off the lobby. Asia de Cuba spills out onto the lobby at the Mondrian Miami (+1 305 514 1500), fusing Asian and Latin cuisine to create wonderfully intensely-flavoured dishes, such as calamari salad with chayote, palm hearts, banana with cashews, and tuna tartare with olives and almonds.
Local bars
Strictly for open-minded souls who prefer intimate clubs with no big-name DJs, the Laundry Bar (+1 305 531 7700) at 721 Lincoln Lane North is where you’ll hear plenty of groove-ridden underground sounds spun next to the bar – and the fully operational washers and dryers (from 7am). The Florida Room at Delano (+1 305 674 6152) is a modern-day piano lounge inspired by a classic period of South Floridian glamour. The Lucite grand piano played by music legends such as Lenny Kravitz and Jamie Foxx sits sparkling beneath the smoky-bronze mirrored ceiling and custom-designed chandeliers. Expect speciality Cuban cocktails and an intimate ambience. From the Skybar/Florida Room team, Sunset Lounge (+1 305 514 1941) offers fine fushion cuisine and a Brazilian bar with exotic cocktails, such as lychee-elderflower, ginger-pear and peach-lemongrass caipirinhas.
Local cafes
French café and bistro A la Folie (+1 305 538 4484) at 516 Espanola Way is a local favourite with lots of character – just like its sociable owner.
For a full list of eating and drinking recommendations in Miami, check out our Miami eating & drinking guide
Worth getting out of bed for
If you’re interested in brushing up on the local culture, the Art Deco Museum (1001 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach; +1 305 672 2014; www.mdpl.org) is worth a visit. If midnight skinny-dipping’s more your scene, then the ocean at night has cool phosphorescent fish that glow around you while you swim.
For a full list of recommended activities in Miami, check out our Miami destination guide
