Any recommendations?
Original Post
Replies sorted oldest to newest
We do not generally head down there too often.
Some popular spots are:
Mark's South Beach
Nobu
Wish
Touch
Barton G's
I have always enjoyed Pacific Time (have not been there in a year or 2 though).
Azul in the Mandarin Oriental
Some popular spots are:
Mark's South Beach
Nobu
Wish
Touch
Barton G's
I have always enjoyed Pacific Time (have not been there in a year or 2 though).
Azul in the Mandarin Oriental
J,
Thanks for your list.
FWIW I note Mark's, Azul, and Wish are Wine Spectator Award of Excellence recipients. Are these establishments deserving, and are others worth a with a "wine-centric" consideration?
Our preferences are for continental cusine, and an old-world wine list.
Thanks for your list.
FWIW I note Mark's, Azul, and Wish are Wine Spectator Award of Excellence recipients. Are these establishments deserving, and are others worth a with a "wine-centric" consideration?
Our preferences are for continental cusine, and an old-world wine list.
I have not been to these places (I have been to other places owned by Mark Militello from Mark's), so don't know. I doubt any of these places are contintental or have old world lists. Mark's is certainly not.
South Beach is not really the best spot for what it sounds like you are looking for. Maybe Emilio or Miami Atty have some thoughts. La Vielle Maison in Boca would be perfect for you, but is quite far from where you will be.
South Beach is not really the best spot for what it sounds like you are looking for. Maybe Emilio or Miami Atty have some thoughts. La Vielle Maison in Boca would be perfect for you, but is quite far from where you will be.
Joe Crab 
Purple Teeth,
Jcocktosten is right about South Beach not being the best spot for what you're looking for. There are a lot of excellent restaurants on South Beach but it's not the place to be for continental cuisine and old world wine lists. You can find some great eclectic menus or 'Floribbean' menus as they are called here or I could recommend a good Italian or Argentine restaurant that would have very good wine lists. To get a good continental restaurant with an old world wine list you'll need a car and need to be willing to drive about 30 minutes.
Are you coming for the South Beach Food and Wine Festival?
Jcocktosten is right about South Beach not being the best spot for what you're looking for. There are a lot of excellent restaurants on South Beach but it's not the place to be for continental cuisine and old world wine lists. You can find some great eclectic menus or 'Floribbean' menus as they are called here or I could recommend a good Italian or Argentine restaurant that would have very good wine lists. To get a good continental restaurant with an old world wine list you'll need a car and need to be willing to drive about 30 minutes.
Are you coming for the South Beach Food and Wine Festival?
ArieS, I'm not a fan of Joe's Stone Crab. I find I can get the same quality for a lower price without the traffic and congestion at many other places.
I agree with Board-O about Joe's Stone Crab. I had a great meal a few years ago at Mark's when I was in South Beach. If I remember, their wine list had several quality west coast Pinot Noirs at good prices.
Emilio, although a wine festival sounds like fun, we'll be in town for a day or two for business, after a Caribbean cruise.
As of now, it looks like Mark's South Beach may fit the bill. Thank you Pobert and Jcocktosten for the tip.
Other suggestions appreciated.
As of now, it looks like Mark's South Beach may fit the bill. Thank you Pobert and Jcocktosten for the tip.
Other suggestions appreciated.
Yeah, I know about Joe Stone's Crab.
I lived in South Beach about 5 years ago for a year only. Not a lot of good restaurant for what I remember, plus new restaurants keep opening and closing
I used to work at Les Deux Fontaines restaurant on Ocean Drive, it's between the Tide and the Leslie...
I lived in South Beach about 5 years ago for a year only. Not a lot of good restaurant for what I remember, plus new restaurants keep opening and closing
I used to work at Les Deux Fontaines restaurant on Ocean Drive, it's between the Tide and the Leslie...
ArieS,
If you haven't been to South Beach in the last 5 years you might not recognize it. There has been a lot of transition but there are some very good restaurants now. Mark's is excellent as is Nobu, Duo, Prime One twelve and one of the best kept secrets is AltaMar.
The problem with Joe's is that unless you're a well known celebrity or athlete they make you wait (sometimes hours) to get in and it's really not worth the bother.
If you haven't been to South Beach in the last 5 years you might not recognize it. There has been a lot of transition but there are some very good restaurants now. Mark's is excellent as is Nobu, Duo, Prime One twelve and one of the best kept secrets is AltaMar.
The problem with Joe's is that unless you're a well known celebrity or athlete they make you wait (sometimes hours) to get in and it's really not worth the bother.
Purple Teeth,
We visited South Beach for the first time last month, and did the usual "pre-trip" research. We stayed at The Nash Hotel, and Mark's South Beach restaurant is located in the hotel. We had previously decided to eat there, sheer co-incidence we stayed there too. Very good meal, very good wine list. We had a Martinelli Sauvignon Blanc. The wine list wasn't long, but certainly adequate.
FWIW - For an "adult trip" where the wife will wear clothing she won't wear in the hometown area,etc., I'd go to Vegas 10 out of 10 times.
We visited South Beach for the first time last month, and did the usual "pre-trip" research. We stayed at The Nash Hotel, and Mark's South Beach restaurant is located in the hotel. We had previously decided to eat there, sheer co-incidence we stayed there too. Very good meal, very good wine list. We had a Martinelli Sauvignon Blanc. The wine list wasn't long, but certainly adequate.
FWIW - For an "adult trip" where the wife will wear clothing she won't wear in the hometown area,etc., I'd go to Vegas 10 out of 10 times.
Emilio,
After doing some research, Alta Mar sounds like a nice spot. Thanks for the recommendation!
After doing some research, Alta Mar sounds like a nice spot. Thanks for the recommendation!
... continental cusine, and an old-world wine list... The Forge comes to mind. www.theforge.com.
Bon Vivant,
A definite contender.
A definite contender.
Although I have not been there, word is that the Forge has been declining for years.
Purple...if you know me at all, you will know my response. Smith and Wollensky. Call ahead.
Thanks to everybody for their comments. We ended up eating at Mark’s South Beach.
The wine list was a bit thin, but we settled on a bottle of Pouilly Fuisse. My wife and I shared a delicious tuna tartare with avocado and cucumber as an appetizer. We also shared a tasty Arugula salad with roasted peppers, parmesan, capers and balsamic vinaigrette.
For entrees, I had stripped bass served on a bed of green and yellow squash noodles. The wife ordered Pampano with a herbed butter shrimp sauce – a truly superb dish.
The atmosphere was pleasant, dark and relaxed. The service was adequate. The bill including tip was about $200. All and all a pleasant enough experience. Good food, imaginatively prepared, in a pleasant atmosphere. My only complaint – it was cold enough to hang beef in that place! Not only a bit uncomfortable but it cooled the entrees rapidly.
Save for the frigid temperature, Mark's South Beach is a dining experience I would recommend to others.
The wine list was a bit thin, but we settled on a bottle of Pouilly Fuisse. My wife and I shared a delicious tuna tartare with avocado and cucumber as an appetizer. We also shared a tasty Arugula salad with roasted peppers, parmesan, capers and balsamic vinaigrette.
For entrees, I had stripped bass served on a bed of green and yellow squash noodles. The wife ordered Pampano with a herbed butter shrimp sauce – a truly superb dish.
The atmosphere was pleasant, dark and relaxed. The service was adequate. The bill including tip was about $200. All and all a pleasant enough experience. Good food, imaginatively prepared, in a pleasant atmosphere. My only complaint – it was cold enough to hang beef in that place! Not only a bit uncomfortable but it cooled the entrees rapidly.
Save for the frigid temperature, Mark's South Beach is a dining experience I would recommend to others.
Happy it seems to have worked out for you.
Glad you had a good experience. If I recall, I had the Pompano when I went there as well. Agree, a very good dish.
Glad you enjoyed it. Did you get to sample some of the South Beach nightlife? Did you go to Mangoes or at least peek inside?
The nightlife was all over the sidewalks. Besides the indigenous partiers, the first wave of spring breakers had arrived, resulting in a total zoo.
After dinner we watched the mayhem, with a glass of wine, from the safety of a sidewalk Cafe. That was enough nightlife for us, so we skipped the night clubs.
After dinner we watched the mayhem, with a glass of wine, from the safety of a sidewalk Cafe. That was enough nightlife for us, so we skipped the night clubs.
Man, all the regular "commercial" answers for SoBe dining.... no mention of Casa Tua??
f-w-g,
Of course all the 'commercial' answers for SoBe dining because SoBe dining IS commercial for the most part. However I would guess even a lot of locals haven't been to or even heard of AltaMar which I recommended. As far as Casa Tua is concerned I wouldn't recommend it on 2 counts. First is that it's Italian and it really wasn't what PT was looking for and the second is that it is overpriced.
Of course all the 'commercial' answers for SoBe dining because SoBe dining IS commercial for the most part. However I would guess even a lot of locals haven't been to or even heard of AltaMar which I recommended. As far as Casa Tua is concerned I wouldn't recommend it on 2 counts. First is that it's Italian and it really wasn't what PT was looking for and the second is that it is overpriced.