Art Basel Miami returns to the Miami Beach Convention Center December 7-10, and this premiere gathering of the world’s most avid art collectors and accomplished exhibitors is sure to be bigger than ever.
While it’s the fantastic art that attracts visitors from across the globe to this annual showcase, Miami has also emerged as a destination for fine and dynamic dining experiences. If you plan on attending Art Basel Miami this year, here’s a sampling of restaurants that are sure to enhance your stay.
Located in the heart of Brickell, Fi’lia offers world-class Italian dining that features only the freshest ingredients for each of its dishes. Handmade Artisanal breads, pizzas and pastas paired with a specially curated wine list make this a favorite among the city’s residents as well as Art Basel Miami visitors.
The menu is relatively simple, but the attention to detail truly sets Fi’lia apart. Guests also enjoy the pre-meal Caesar salads that are prepared table-side. Portions are large and the tastes are memorable. Some of the more popular dishes include the unique cacio e pepe, bucatini and a savory hangar steak served with a sun-dried tomato tapenade and wood-fired vegetables. The chicken parm just may be the best this side of Brooklyn as well.
Fi’lia is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Visit it at 1300 S. Miami Avenue or call 305.239.1350.
You won’t even need to order a main course to realize this Argentinian grill has some of the best cuisine in Miami. The starters – breads, soups and appetizers – are out of this world.
And if you’re in town for Art Basel Miami, you’re sure to appreciate the décor as well, which includes a 10-foot-high, gold wooly mammoth sculpture and a series of chandelier sculptures with more than 800 flashing bulbs.
Inside the red and gold dining room, guests can enjoy favorite dishes such as rib eye steaks, branzino, wine and herb braised lechon, roasted pig and prawns served with smoky saffron rice…to name just a few. Of course, the Argentine-style grilled meats are the main attraction.
The sides and dessert options are equally spectacular.
Visit Los Fuegos in the Faena Hotel, 3201 Collins Ave. in Miami Beach, or go to www.faena.com for more information.
For upscale food that truly caters to the palettes of its tropical-living clientele, this famed restaurant – with roots in New York City and California – serves up incredible dishes such as tequila, cilantro and key lime marinated snapper; and wood-fired prawns.
The wine and spirits menu is 26 pages, and the dessert list is highlighted by a pecan pie cheesecake that doesn’t necessarily scream “Miami!” but definitely says “delicious.”
If you’re looking for a little entertainment while dining at Upland Miami, perhaps you can pull up a chair at the bar overlooking the kitchen. Watching this talented crew, led by Chef Justin Smillie, operate can be nearly as enjoying as savoring their tasty creations.
Upland Miami is located at 49 Collins Ave or can be visited online at www.uplandmiami.com.
One of the Wynwood area’s hottest dining spots, this casual restaurant offers season fare using locally-grown and sourced ingredients. Although it varies depending on time of year, the menu tends to feature seafood dishes, and five-, seven- and eight-course menus are offered.
The cocktail menu is unique as well and includes a wine list featuring producers and artisanal growers from around the world.
Alter’s appearance is intentionally understated, keeping diners comfortable and relaxed, and the emphasis on the food. This unpretentious locale is a big hit with the arts community and is sure to be a popular destination during Art Basel Miami.
Alter is at 223 N.W. 23rd Street in Miami. For more info, call 305.573.5996.
What could be more appropriate for dining during Art Basel Miami than a restaurant located in an art museum? That’s exactly what you’ll find at Verde at the Perez Art Museum Miami. Set on Biscayne Bay, Verde offers indoor and outdoor seating and some of the city’s most spectacular views.
The locally-inspired menu is heavy with fresh seafood dishes, but also offers patrons pasta entrees and a variety of pizzas, soups, salads and sandwiches. Sunday brunch is a popular attraction at Verde as well. A taste of the Lobster Benedict, alone, is worth the visit.
The food is fantastic, the atmosphere is fun, and the experience is memorable. Art Basel Miami attendees – or anyone else interested in good food and a good time — are sure to flock to this museum-based restaurant.
Verde at the Perez Art Museum Miami is located at 1103 Biscayne Blvd. in Miami. Stop by, or call 305. 375.8282.
Modern Asian cuisine is what you’ll find at Pao by Paul Qui, located in the Faena Hotel on Miami Beach. Although dishes are primarily Asian themed, you’ll experience fine dining with a variety of international tastes and flavors, including:
Table-side cooking provides more than just an enjoyable meal – there’s also the unique opportunity to watch your meat cooked table-side over Korean charcoal before being served. And the portions are both delicious and generous.
This makes Pao not only a great spot for a night out on the town, but also an ideal way to celebrate special occasions. It’s fine dining with a fun flair.
Pao by Paul Qui is located at 3201 Collins Ave. in Miami Beach. Visit www.faena.com or call 844.798.9713.
With artwork covering nearly every inch of the Wynwood Kitchen & Bar, Art Basel Miami visitors are sure to love this place. Be sure it’s high on your list of must-see attractions during the four-day festival. In fact, some describe Wynwood as a gallery that also happens to serve incredible food and a drink list that includes 11 signature cocktails (fyi: the Nunca’s Sake Caipirinha might be the most special) and more than 40 handcrafted international beers.
While paintings adorn the interior walls of the Wynwood, the exterior courtyard features concrete slabs painted by graffiti artists from previous Art Basel Miami celebrations.
We could go on and on about the atmosphere and its appeal to the Art Basel Miami crowd, but that would be doing a disservice to the food. A variety of starters, including sausages made in-house, get your meal started on the right foot, while following it up with entrees such as the caramelized grilled ribeye and herb-crusted lamb chops help round out the evening.
Stop by Wynwood Kitchen & Bar at 2550 N.W. Second Ave. in Miami, or visit www.wynwoodkitchenandbar.com.
Since 1953, the Vagabond Kitchen & Bar has served as one of Miami’s trendiest dining spots. Set in the Vagabond Hotel on world-renowned Biscayne Blvd., this restaurant serves up an assortment of small plates, large plates, flatbreads and house-made pastas…to name just a few options.
Good luck finding a more diverse menu in Miami, and enjoy it in a casual, laid-back atmosphere that is sure to make any fan of art feel right at home. Bar, happy hour and brunch menus are also offered, providing the perfect dining options for any time of day or any mood.
Check out www.vagabondkitchenandbar.com or visit it at 7301 Biscayne Blvd. in Miami.
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