Food and relaxation recs for very short trip to Miami
February 5, 2024 9:27 AM
I'll be in Miami from March 2-5 for a work event. I'll have Saturday and Sunday to myself before the event starts. I'm not of a mind to try and cram in a proper tourist overview of the city in such a short span. Instead, I'd like to slow down and relax. Seeking recs for nice places to do... nothing... to eat and enjoy a view.
I'll be staying right near the Miami Circle, at a hotel near the river. I'd love to get recs for where I might want to eat and pleasant places to while away some time. I'm thinking coffee or a glass of wine with a view, places no one minds if I linger and relax. If there is an immediately adjacent attraction that might be a low-key way to while away some time, that would be cool. I have only the vaguest notion of the area.
I eat pretty much everything, but am particularly fond of local/idiosyncratic street/casual food. That said, this might be a chance for me to enjoy a truly nice meal, since without my spouse and kid, the bill will be a third as much. So maybe.
I don't think I'm going to be in the right part of town for this kind of shopping, and I doubt I will be of a mind to stray too far from my immediate area. But on the off chance that there is an excellent place to shop for obscure/interesting Blu-Rays, DVDs, etc. I would want to know about that, too.
Mostly, I just want to stroll around and be idle, to sip slowly on a glass of wine or a coffee and look at the ocean or something.
I'll be staying right near the Miami Circle, at a hotel near the river. I'd love to get recs for where I might want to eat and pleasant places to while away some time. I'm thinking coffee or a glass of wine with a view, places no one minds if I linger and relax. If there is an immediately adjacent attraction that might be a low-key way to while away some time, that would be cool. I have only the vaguest notion of the area.
I eat pretty much everything, but am particularly fond of local/idiosyncratic street/casual food. That said, this might be a chance for me to enjoy a truly nice meal, since without my spouse and kid, the bill will be a third as much. So maybe.
I don't think I'm going to be in the right part of town for this kind of shopping, and I doubt I will be of a mind to stray too far from my immediate area. But on the off chance that there is an excellent place to shop for obscure/interesting Blu-Rays, DVDs, etc. I would want to know about that, too.
Mostly, I just want to stroll around and be idle, to sip slowly on a glass of wine or a coffee and look at the ocean or something.
It might be too far for you, but when I was in a similar situation, I went to the Pérez Art Museum and it was awesome. It's been years and I still think about some of the pieces that I saw there.
posted by Carillon at 12:00 PM on February 5
posted by Carillon at 12:00 PM on February 5
I lived in Downtown very close to where you'll be staying for a couple years in the late 2010s. Though it's a fast-changing area and things may have improved since then, Brickell and Downtown are rather sterile neighborhoods. For vibrant street life and interesting places to hang out you're going to want to head up to Wynwood, out to Little Havana, or across the bay to Miami Beach. Coconut Grove could also be an option.
That being said, in the Downtown/Brickell vicinity you could do a lot worse than to spend some time at Garcia's, having a drink and eating great seafood on their deck overlooking the river. It'll be about a 25-30 minute walk away from your hotel (much of it on a path along the river) and it's one of many places that'll be serving delicious stone crab this time of year. Seconding the suggestion of the Pérez Museum, which is very cool and has a restaurant called Verde with an outdoor terrace. It's potentially within walking distance — you can cut through Bayfront Park and Maurice A. Ferré Park for a more pleasant journey — though the (free) elevated Metromover is probably what you'd want.
If you really prefer to stay close to your hotel and you're looking for a drink or meal right on Biscayne Bay, I can suggest a couple options. First is Il Gabbiano, which is a kind-of-schmancy restaurant at the mouth of the river. It's closed Sunday, but you could go on Saturday mid-afternoon before your event and it won't be super busy. You could also try Crazy About You, with so-so food but a nice terrace right on the bay. Both of these places would be about 10-15 minutes walk from your hotel.
Michael's in the Design District is a reliably excellent restaurant. Another one of my favorites was Ariete in Coconut Grove, though I just looked at their website and WOW the prices have more than doubled in the past few years, maybe because of the Michelin star they recently picked up. The pastrami-style short rib is amazing, though, and might be worth it to you if their hours fit your schedule.
If you go out in the evening, in Little Havana Ball & Chain is a great place for live music. If you have a late night there, hit Pinolandia for some great Nicaraguan cuisine before heading back to the hotel.
If you venture out to Miami Beach one place you could linger with a cocktail right by the water and away from most of the crowds is on the back patio at Smith & Wollensky, where you can watch the boats and cruise ships sailing through Government Cut out into the Atlantic.
Spring break will be gearing up, so if you're looking for a mellow beach experience you won't find it in Miami Beach unless you get out there very early in the morning. If you head over to Key Biscayne it can potentially be a bit calmer in Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, though that often fills up too on weekends. Aside from the very pretty beach, there're also walking paths through mangrove forest and hardwood hammocks. Virginia Key also has some quiet-ish spots.
posted by theory at 5:23 PM on February 5
That being said, in the Downtown/Brickell vicinity you could do a lot worse than to spend some time at Garcia's, having a drink and eating great seafood on their deck overlooking the river. It'll be about a 25-30 minute walk away from your hotel (much of it on a path along the river) and it's one of many places that'll be serving delicious stone crab this time of year. Seconding the suggestion of the Pérez Museum, which is very cool and has a restaurant called Verde with an outdoor terrace. It's potentially within walking distance — you can cut through Bayfront Park and Maurice A. Ferré Park for a more pleasant journey — though the (free) elevated Metromover is probably what you'd want.
If you really prefer to stay close to your hotel and you're looking for a drink or meal right on Biscayne Bay, I can suggest a couple options. First is Il Gabbiano, which is a kind-of-schmancy restaurant at the mouth of the river. It's closed Sunday, but you could go on Saturday mid-afternoon before your event and it won't be super busy. You could also try Crazy About You, with so-so food but a nice terrace right on the bay. Both of these places would be about 10-15 minutes walk from your hotel.
Michael's in the Design District is a reliably excellent restaurant. Another one of my favorites was Ariete in Coconut Grove, though I just looked at their website and WOW the prices have more than doubled in the past few years, maybe because of the Michelin star they recently picked up. The pastrami-style short rib is amazing, though, and might be worth it to you if their hours fit your schedule.
If you go out in the evening, in Little Havana Ball & Chain is a great place for live music. If you have a late night there, hit Pinolandia for some great Nicaraguan cuisine before heading back to the hotel.
If you venture out to Miami Beach one place you could linger with a cocktail right by the water and away from most of the crowds is on the back patio at Smith & Wollensky, where you can watch the boats and cruise ships sailing through Government Cut out into the Atlantic.
Spring break will be gearing up, so if you're looking for a mellow beach experience you won't find it in Miami Beach unless you get out there very early in the morning. If you head over to Key Biscayne it can potentially be a bit calmer in Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, though that often fills up too on weekends. Aside from the very pretty beach, there're also walking paths through mangrove forest and hardwood hammocks. Virginia Key also has some quiet-ish spots.
posted by theory at 5:23 PM on February 5
This is now "resolved" but only in the sense that my company canceled our trip until a reorg/selloff happens. (Sigh) I should be fine, but still.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 4:57 AM on February 24
posted by DirtyOldTown at 4:57 AM on February 24
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For whiling away time, one of the classic things to do is checking out the graffiti in Wynwood but I didn't eat there so can't give a recommendation. Superblue is nearby if you're into interactive art.
If you bike, renting one and going up and down there Miami Beach boardwalk is nice. Virginia Key is a nice mellow beach, if it's not rented out for a private event.
posted by Candleman at 11:26 AM on February 5