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Intro Blah Blah LUXE Insider LUXE Loves LUXE Loathes Fab vs. Drab LUXE ItinerariesP1 / LUXE MIAMI

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Miami

BIENVENIDOS A MIAMI, AMERICA’S GOOD TIMES CAPITAL AND PLAYGROUND OF THE RICH AND FAMOUS.

Miami is home to miles of sandy

beaches, balmy weather, an

abundance of art deco architecture,

and nightlife like nowhere else.

While most people think of Miami

as Miami Beach and South Beach

specifically, it’s not all bikini bodies

and velvet ropes – the city also

boasts a top-notch art scene, thriving

restaurants and serious shopping.

With more than half the population

being of Hispanic origin, Miami also

serves as the unofficial gateway to

Latin America, giving it an incredible

multicultural energy and passion.

Time to brush up on your Spanish,

pack your chicest swimwear and party

like a rock star. Vamos!

The cult pocket city guides and mobile

apps for the busy, sophisticated traveler

www.luxecityguides.comCITI PRESENTS LUXE CITY GUIDES


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• Balmy Dec-Apr is a whirlwind of

people and parties. Hot, moist and

blowy hurricane season hits Jun-

Nov, crowds depart, businesses

close or cut hours, and sanity

prevails

• Hotel prices skyrocket on weekends,

especially Dec-Apr

• Miami International Airport to South

Beach: 20mMins / $32 fixed fare +

tips + fuel surcharge by taxi ($25 to

Downtown)

• Taxis are best for South Beach, but

there’s much more to Miami, so get

out and explore – you’ll need a car

• GPS is not essential. Miami’s easy

to navigate grid system begins

Downtown at 0/0 at the junction of

Miami Ave and Flagler St (e.g. 4000

NE 2nd Ave is NE of 0/0 on 2nd Ave

and 40th St, lop the last two digits

off to get the cross street)

Blah blah• Streets generally run east/west,

Avenues north/south

• Miami Beach follows the same

principle, on a different grid

• Parking and valet is an industry and

a law unto itself, especially on South

Beach – you’ll be fleeced at hotels,

restaurants and private ‘patrolled’

parking lots. There’s often street

parking and municipal-run lots and

garages nearby

• Take advantage of handy DecoBike

hourly bike-sharing scheme with

stations all over Miami Beach / www.

decobike.com

• Try to be Bi – Spanish and English

are equally widely spoken

• Sales tax is 7%, among the lowest in

the US. Spend up!

• Miami is not known for service, yet

many restaurants automatically tack

on a 15-18% tip. Check the check

• No smoking in restaurants, but OK in

bars, clubs and outside

• The city books out with conventions

all year – plan ahead

• Miami proper is still rough,

especially at night, so don’t walk

• Pace yourself, bars close at 5am in

SoBe, 3am in Miami

• Intl code is +1. 305 and 786 are the

two main area codes, which you

must dial even when calling local.

Call 911 in an emergency


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LUXE INSIDER

Anick Vorbe / FASHION DESIGNER

Caribbean-born fashion designer

Anick Vorbe cites her childhood

trips to the dressmaker as an early

influence, and Botticelli’s La Primavera

painting, with its “kaftan-clad Greek

goddesses”, as the defining moment in

her career as a designer. Now based in

Miami, her premier collection consists

of one-of-a-kind, handmade kaftans,

tunics, capelets and dresses made

with chiffon and silk, in wow-factor

prints, and all designed to show off a

woman’s body. Her collection has been

embraced with acclaim by the likes

of Vogue Magazine, and praised by

stylish women from Miami to London.

www.anickvorbe.com


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1) WHAT DO YOU MOST LOVE ABOUT MIAMI?

What I love most about Miami is the

mixture of all these cultures that

blend so well together. Everybody

feels at home here. And since I am

from the island of Haiti, I’m happy

anywhere with coconut trees and sun!

2) WHERE DO YOU RECOMMEND FRIENDS TO STAY IN MIAMI?

Circa the Prince, newly fitted out and

with new food direction, a must-have

being the clam and shrimp ma pu.

Then try Cutler and Co. in Fitzroy,

and make sure you try the five or so

snacks on the menu before ordering

your entrée and main. A must if you

like Vietnamese pho is Pho Dzung. I

order the beef and chicken medium

with fresh rolled prawn cakes, mint

and iceberg.

Pho Dzung / 234 Russell St / +61 3

9663 8885

www.sohobeachhouse.com

www.setai.com

www.wsouthbeach.com

3) WHAT’S THE BEST PLACE TO GO FOR WEEKEND BRUNCH?

The Soho Beach House offers

delicious breakfast and Sunday

brunch, in a beautiful setting with

comfortable upholstered chairs and

sofas to lounge in while you enjoy

your meal under the trees. I also

must recommend Zuma restaurant

for lunch, dinner or great Sunday

brunches. If you feel like walking

around casually dressed in Havanaias,

which is typical attire for locals, I

highly suggest Morgan’s restaurant

in Wynwood (trendy and artsy

neighborhood) or Georgia’s Union

in Miami Beach. They both serve an

amazing decadent breakfast and

Sunday brunch – pancakes, waffles,

grits – pure indulgence!

Georgia’s Union / 1787 Purdy Ave /

Miami Beach / +1 305 397 8753


www.zumarestaurant.com

www.themorgansrestaurant.com

4) WHAT ABOUT WHEN YOU WANT TO SPLURGE ON A MEAL?

When I want to splurge, I go to

Sardinia Enoteca, Cecconi’s at the

Soho Beach House, or Mandolin for

delicious Greek and Turkish cuisine,

it’s casual but one of the most

romantic restaurants – like Mykonos in

the heart of the Miami design district.

Zuma, of course, Bond St for great

sushi and a great little hideaway place,

and of course Joe’s Stone Crab when

I crave for them and when it’s the

season. And I cannot forget Casa Tua

restaurant, my favourite place to go to

because it feels like home. The setting

is unique, the food is amazing, and

the people are all beautiful! Plus, best

risotto and tiramisu ever.

www.sardinia-ristorante.com

www.cecconismiamibeach.com

www.mandolinmiami.com


www.townhousehotel.com

www.joesstonecrab.com

www.casatualifestyle.com

5) WHERE IS YOUR GO-TO SPOT FOR COCKTAILS IN MIAMI?

For cocktails I go to the bar at Casa

Tua to see and to be seen, or the bar

at the Soho Beach House for the best

Bloody Marys ever. The bar at Zuma

has an exotic menu of cocktails with

passion fruits, lychees, etc – one of

my favorites is called the ‘Robabu’

with passion fruit. I’m a Haitian girl by

blood but a Miami girl by heart, so I do

love my mojitos by the ocean!

www.casatualifestyle.com/miami


LUXE INSIDER

Anick Vorbe / FASHION DESIGNER


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SLS SOUTH BEACH

Accomodation

Iconic Starck designs hit South Beach

with white, luxurious beachside

suites boasting an extensive array of

amenities and city or sea views. With

nightlife destination Hyde Beach, The

Salon spa, and two impressive West

Coast-imported eateries, The Bazaar

and Katsuya, the SLS makes its Miami

debut in style.

ALTAMARE Dining

Smart SoBe 30-somethings flock

to seafood-focused Altamare for

Chef Claudio Gordano’s line-caught

fish, fresh ceviche, and local crudo.

Whether you like it raw, grilled, pan-

seared or beer battered, you can not

only get it but also see the magic

happen in the restaurant’s open

kitchen.

SOHO BEACH HOUSE Accommodation

This homey 50-room enclave is a

jetsetter’s favorite for its ideal Mid-

Beach locale, away from crowded

SoBe. Guests have access to all the

club’s facilities, including a private

beach, library, screening room, two

pools, Cowshed spa and Cecconi’s,

one of Miami’s hottest tables. Reserve

beachside tower wing rooms for

balconies and the best ocean views.

4385 Collins Ave / Mid-Beach /

+1 786 507 7900


1701 Collins Ave / Miami Beach /

+1 305 674 1701

www.slshotels.com/southbeach

1223 Lincoln / SoBe / +1 305 532

3061 / lunch Mon-Sat in winter /

dinner daily

www.altamarerestaurant.com

LUXE Loves


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LUXE Loves

TOMAS MAIER Shopping

All hail to the sultan of swimwear and

Bottega Veneta’s creative director

Tomas Maier, whose Miami world of

beachwear, cashmere knits, T’s, teas,

scents, ceramics and books is a one-

stop shop to get you outfitted from

noon to a night out, and pick up some

stylish gifts too.

170 NE 40th St / Design District /

+1 305 576 8383 / closed Sun

www.tomasmaier.com

THE KAMPONG

Activities

Set on beautiful greens sloping down to

stunning Biscayne Bay, The Kampong

gardens serve as a lush escape into

imported exotic forests, with heritage

collections from Southeast Asia, Central

and South Americas, and the Caribbean.

Pack a picnic from Epicure Market for

an afternoon in the tropics.

The Kampong / 4013 S Douglas /

Coconut Grove / +1 305 442 7169 /

10am-2pm Tue-Fri by appointment,

guided tours by appointment

10.30am on selected Wed & Sat

www.ntbg.org

Epicure Market / 1656 Alton / SoBe / +1

305 672 1861 / daily

www.epicuremarket.com

RUBELL FAMILY COLLECTION Activities

Visit this privately held contemporary

art collection in a 45,000 sq ft concrete

bunker right in the middle of Wynwood

Art District, where you can expect to

see big names like Jean-Michel Basquiat

and Keith Haring alongside lesser-

known local talents like Bert Rodriguez.

There’s also an awesome art library and

bookstore to browse on your way out.

95 NW 29th St / Wynwood /

+1 305 573 6090

www.rfc.museu

THE WEBSTER Shopping

Stellar 20,000 sq ft deco boutique

boasting an haute couture line-up

for ladies and gents, with Balenciaga,

Chanel, and Tom Ford among others

on the racks, and a 1,100 sq ft rooftop

bar and lounge for a mid-retail glass

of champagne and DJ-ed parties later

in the evening.

1220 Collins / SoBe /

+1 305 674 7899 / daily

www.thewebstermiami.com

ZUMA Dining

Hot dates, beautiful people, sizzling

kitchen action and a lively bar paint the

scene at this modern Japanese eatery

at the mouth of the Miami River, but it’s

the spicy beef tenderloin and desserts

that steal the spotlight.

Epic Hotel / 270 Biscayne Blvd Way /

Downtown / +1 305 577 0277 /

lunch & dinner daily


GARCIA’S

Dining

From mid-October to mid-May every

year, it’s the season for Florida’s stone

crabs, which are harvested specifically

for their oh-so-delicious black-tipped

claws, simply boiled and served with

lemon, butter or mayo. Fishermen and

foodies know the stone crab is sweeter

at this basic, out of the way riverside

dive and seafood market.

398 NW N River Dr / Downtown / +1

305 375 0765 / lunch & dinner


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LUXE LovesHIGHBAR

Bar

Hotels rule Miami Beach’s cocktail

circuit, and Highbar atop the Dream

South Beach is A+ for sundowners

in high season. The palette of white

surfaces, gold details, and blue-

tiled pool perfectly complement the

beautiful bronzed bodies soaking up

the panoramic sea views from this

rooftop perch.

THE WELL Bar

A 4,000 sq ft venue that boasts

prime beach position minus the pain

(no cover, no lines, no bottle service

required for a table), The Well is a

laidback Aspen ski lodge-inspired

lounge with a warm ambiance, good

drink selection of craft beers and

signature cocktails like the Absolut

Vanilla and Crème de Cacao Après Ski,

sensible audio levels and a menu of

shareable small plates.

THE VILLA BY BARTON G Hotel

If you are a Versace fan, this may well

be your dream destination. The Villa by

Barton G is a 10-suite luxury boutique

hotel that’s as mind-blowingly opulent

as you’d expect of the mansion where

Gianni and Donatella used to live. With

personal butlers and features like the

24-karat gold tile pool and a formal

supper parlor, The Dining Room,

there’s precious little need to venture

out at all.

YARRA VALLEY Spa

ELLE Magazine’s beauty editors’ spa

fantasy comes to life, with 22,000

sq ft of steamy indulgence, including

rooftop cabanas, Finnish saunas, and

four pools. Insiders book Anja for

wraps and rubs, and Julie for facials,

made even better with one of Dee’s

famed foot massages, and a stop in

the spa shop afterwards.

Eden Roc Renaissance / 4525 Collins /

Mid-Beach / +1 305 674 5585

www.ellespamiami.com444 41st St / Mid-Beach /

+1 305 532 1312 / daily

www.thewellmb.com

1116 Ocean Drive / SoBe /

+1 305 576 8003

www.thevillabybartong.com

Dream South Beach / 1111 Collins

/ SoBe / +1 305 534 8455 /

from 10am daily

www.highbarmiami.com

MACCHIALINA

Dining

Happening, exposed brick tavern

for rustic Italian fare from the team

behind SoBe staples Pubbelly and

Barceloneta. Super Chef Pirolo serves

up classic pizzas and pastas to a

lively, loyal crowd, including not-to-be-

missed cavatelli with baby meatballs

and porchetta, and lasagna with short

ribs and taleggio. Go early.

820 Alton Road / SoBe

+1 305 532 7555

www.macchialina.com


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LUXE LoathesVELVET ROPES

You’ll need a police escort just to get

past the crowds to get to the door on

weekends.

EXTORTIONATE PARKING FEES AND TIPS

If you drive, this is the price you pay.

AUTOMATIC GRATUITY

Despite bad (or rather, no) service,

most restaurants automatically add

15-18% tip to your bill.


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Fab vs. DrabPRIVATE CHARTERS

Forget sitting on the dry land –

soar into the big blue above on a

sightseeing flight with Helicopters

Over Miami, or sail onto the big

blue below with charters from

The Advantaged.

www.helicoptersovermiami.com

www.theadvantaged.com

ART APPRECIATION

With a global art scene to be reckoned

with, Miami is an excellent place to

expand your collection, but rather

than diving in unaided, call Stefanie

Reed – she handles Art Basel VIPs and

will have you sorted in a jiffy.

+1 305 740 0050 /

[email protected]

BIKINI FABULOUSNESS

There is simply no excuse for suiting

up in a blah bikini in Miami, of all

places, so ditch the dud cossie and

hightail it to the ateliers of sultan of

swimwear Tomas Maier and queen

of kaftans Anick Vorbe for a SoBe-

worthy getup.

www.anickvorbe.com

STONE CRAB SCOOP

Don’t queue with the tourists at

overrated places during stone crab

season, but follow the fishermen and

foodies to riverside shack Garcia’s for

the coast’s most coveted claws (see

LUXE Loves).

SUN WORSHIP

There’s no need to forgo the beach

just because your hotel in Downtown

Miami has no exclusive sand setup,

simply call the Boucher Brothers, who

have the monopoly on beach loungers,

with three locations along Miami

Beach plus a host of watersports.

www.boucherbrothers.com


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With its high temps, good vibes and

fabulous food, Miami is an idyllic city

for a romantic rendezvous. Start

your day in the sunshine state with

breakfast and breath-taking views of

the Atlantic Ocean from the balcony

of your spacious suite at One Bal

Harbour Resort & Spa, conveniently

located on a quiet stretch of pristine,

sandy Bal Harbour Beach. If you

want to suit up and head out for a

cooling dip beyond the hotel pool

and beachfront, venture down to

the sands at Mid-Beach, or to brave

the SoBe scene, follow the clued-in

locals to Ocean Beach Park on 3rd

Street. After you’ve toweled off and

tossed on an Anick Vorbe kaftan (see

LUXE Insider), head to SoBe seafood

LUXE ITINERARY

Romanceinstitution Altamare (see LUXE Loves)

for a lunch of just-caught fish and

flip-fresh ceviche, before stopping

for a quick change at your hotel, and

from there charging straight towards

hip Downtown. Even if you’re not here

in December for Art Basel, Miami’s

art scene is captivating, and nowhere

better captured than at Miami Art

Museum, with its abundant Miamian,

American and Latin American C.20th-

21st works, and the Rubell Family

Collection (see LUXE Loves), an

enormous concrete bunker with an

impressive, international collection

of contemporary art. It’s a quick taxi

ride now to The Kampong gardens

(see LUXE Loves) in Coconut Grove,

where you can stroll amidst the lush

greenery and flora imported from

Southeast Asia, South America,

and other parts of the world, before

following the slope to overlook

beautiful Biscayne Bay at sunset –

perfect time to pop open the bottle

of bubbly you packed from Epicure

Market. Supper is nearby at Michy’s,

where Chef Michelle Bernstein’s

Latin-meets-Southern American fare

is best sampled with the family-style

chef’s tasting menu. After dinner, visit

the intimate Downtown bar Kork for

a bottle of wine and a cheese plate to

share, before returning for a romantic

stroll along the moonlit beach at Bal

Harbour.


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LUXE ITINERARY

Style

America’s sunshine capital is slinky

and stylish, and you’ll fit right in if

you abide by this golden rule – when

in Miami, skimp on quantity, but not

quality. With that in mind, rise and

shine in your seaside suite at SLS

South Beach (see LUXE Loves), don

your slickest dress, and head for

coffee and pastries at Argentinian

bistro Panizza. Embark next on a SoBe

shopping spree, pencilling in stops at

fashion garage Alchemist for racks

of Rick Owens and Givenchy, trendy

lifestyle mecca Base for apparel,

accessories and books, and big-name

boutique The Webster (see LUXE

Loves) for all the haute labels you

could dream of, and maybe a mid-

retail tipple on the rooftop lounge,

too. If you’re in town during stone crab

season, now’s the time to drop off the

bags, roll up the sleeves, and follow

the fishermen to riverside seafood

market Garcia’s (see LUXE Loves)

for the coveted crab claws, plus the

freshest catches and fabulous skyline

views. Spend the afternoon wandering

the nearby Design District, a funky

warehouse precinct of art, fashion

and design, and be sure not to miss

Tomas Maier (see LUXE Loves) for

the ultimate Miami souvenir—sizzling

swimwear, of course. Cross back over

to Mid-Beach and check in for your

appointment at urban oasis ELLE

Spa (see LUXE Loves), the 22,000

sq ft, ELLE editor-approved fantasy

salon boasting facilities including

private rooftop cabanas, a scrub bar,

sensory pools, and a nail and hair

salon that will leave you pampered

top to toe. Now slip on your new

swimsuit and step out in style for

cocktails at hybrid pool-lounge-club

Hyde Bar at SLS South Beach, where

Hollywood glamour meets the Miami

sunset. Later, make for your dinner

table at Japanese hotspot Zuma (see

LUXE Loves), and feast on modern

Izakaya-style dishes before partying

until sunrise with Miami’s sleekest and

chicest at 1920s speakeasy Bardot.


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LUXE ITINERARY

South Beach

If you’re in Miami for the beaches

and the parties, you need look no

further than (and need never stray

from) South Beach – this vertical isle

sandwiched between Biscayne Bay

and the Atlantic Ocean is home to

a hip, happening scene from early

morning to late night. From your

oceanfront, balconied suite at Soho

Beach House (see LUXE Loves), you

can either head straight to the hotel’s

private beach or two pools, or begin

your day out on the big blue sea and

catch a wave with SoBe Surf (or if

you’d rather be in the water, grab a

scuba mask with South Beach Divers).

Enjoy a café con leche afterwards at

Cuban diner Puerta Sagua, a no-frills,

family-run SoBe institution that’s been

around since 1962, then continue

up Collins Ave for a quick shopping

session, with slinky swimwear at

OndadeMar, tunics and kaftans at

Taj by Sabrina, and dandy gents’

footwear at Lina Cantillo. For a culture

fix, just close by is The Wolfsonian-

FIU, where an encyclopedic archive

of C.19th-20th North American and

European objects and rare books is

on display. Take lunch further up the

road at discreet, glamorous Casa

Tua, serving Northern Italian eats

in a Mediterranean villa with sunny

outdoor garden. From here, it’s just

around the corner and up in the lift to

a blissful milk and honey rub at Agua

Spa, located atop The Delano and

offering panoramic city and sea views.

Feeling renewed, set off now to take

in more vistas and sunset cocktails at

Dream South Beach’s rooftop Highbar

(see LUXE Loves), before joining the

inevitable dinner queue outside Joe’s

Stone Crab, where the sweet, seasonal

crabmeat is well worth the wait. Later,

keep the concierge on speed dial and

waltz past the velvet rope at The Wall

at W, then dance until dawn with the

city’s boldest and most beautiful.


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LUXE ITINERARY

The Essentials

• One Bal Harbour Resort & Spa

10295 Collins Ave / Bal Harbour /

+1 305 455 1926

www.oneluxuryhotels.com

• Ocean Beach Park

1230 Ocean Drive / +1 305 672 2579

www.hotelocean.com

• Anick Vorbe

(see LUXE Insider)

• Altamare

(see LUXE Loves)

• Miami Art Museum

101 W Flagler / Downtown /

+1 305 375 3000 / 10am-5pm Tue-

Fri, noon-5pm Sat-Sun

www.miamiartmuseum.org

• Rubell Family Collection

(see LUXE Loves)

• The Kampong

(see LUXE Loves)

• Epicure Market

1656 Alton / SoBe / +1 305 318 3973

www.epicuremarket.com

• Michy’s / 6927 Biscayne Blvd /

Upper East Side / +1 3050759 2001

www.michysmiami.com

• Kork

2 Sth Miami Ave / Downtown /

+1 305 377 8899

www.korkwineandcheese.com

ROMANTIC ITINERARY


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LUXE ITINERARY

The EssentialsSTYLISH ITINERARY

• SLS South Beach

(see LUXE Loves)

• Panizza

1229 Lincoln / SoBe / +1 305 695

8800 / all day daily

• Alchemist

1111 Lincoln / Level 5 / Sobe /

+1 305 531 4815

www.shopalchemist.com

• Base

939 Lincoln / Sobe /

+1 305 531 4982

www.baseworld.com

• The Webster

(see LUXE Loves)

• Garcia’s

(see LUXE Loves)

• Tomas Maier

(see LUXE Loves)

• ELLE Spa

(see LUXE Loves)

• Hyde Bar

SLS South Beach

• Zuma

(see LUXE Loves)

• Bardot

3456 N Miami Ave / Wynwood / +1

305 576 5570 / till 3am Tue-Wed, till

5am Thu-Sat / no cameras

www.bardotmiami.com


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LUXE ITINERARY

The EssentialsSOUTH BEACH ITINERARY

• Soho Beach House

(see LUXE Loves)

• SoBe Surf

South Beach Divers/

+1 786 216 7703

www.sobesurf.com

• Puerta Sagua

700 Collins Ave / SoBe /

+1 305 673 1115

• OndadeMar

#231A / 8th St / +1 305 531 5950

www.ondademar.com

• Taj by Sabrina

Suite 4/ 760 Ocean Drive/

+1 305 534 6187

www.tajbysabrina.com

• Lina Cantillo

Suite 4/ 760 Ocean Drive /

+1 305 695 0204

www.linacantillo.com

• The Wolfsonian-FIU

1001 Washington / SoBe / +1 305 531

1001 / noon-6pm Sat-Tue & Thu,

noon-9pm Fri

www.wolfsonian.org

• Casa Tua

1700 James / SoBe / +1 305 673

1010 / Dinner Daily

www.casatualifestyle.com

• Agua Spa

The Delano / 1685 Collins / SoBe /

+1 305 674 6100

• Highbar

(see LUXE Loves)

• Joe’s Stone Crab

11 Washington / SoBe / +1 305 673

0365 / lunch Tue-Sat, dinner daily /

closed Aug-mid Oct / crabs Oct-May

/ no res

www.joesstonecrab.com

• The Wall / W South Beach /

2201 Collins / SoBe /

+1 305 938 3131 / Thu-Sat

www.wallmiami.com


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