Where to Eat in the Brickell District, Miami

In Miami’s trendy Mary Brickell Village, Perricone’s Marketplace & Cafe is the kind of place you can just relax in. The indoor/outdoor patio keeps you out of the blazing Florida sun but still provides a romantic ambience. To start, tear into baked Brie cheese wrapped in puff pastry dough brushed with drawn butter and powdered brown sugar. The top is then sprinkled with shaved almonds and sticky apricot jam. The melty cheese combined with the sweet sugar and jam is a perfect introduction to an unforgettable meal. Continue to the bruschetta bread basket, the lobster ravioli in a pink vodka sauce, and the lamb chops seasoned with rosemary and served perfectly pink atop a bed of couscous and steamed asparagus. Other highlights include the salmon in a lemon-butter sauce. For dessert, sample the house cake, a combination of chocolate and hazelnuts. As rich as a brownie, it’s the kind of dessert that you want to savor and pairs nicely with vanilla bean gelato. There’s an awesome Italian market in the lobby to stock up on pesto, seafood dip, and plenty of to-go truffles. Be sure to try the peanut butter teardrop.

The indoor dining room and lounge and outdoor patios surrounded by greenery at this chic waterfront restaurant in Brickell are elegant, and pretty much every table has an paralleled view of downtown Miami and the bay. The menu is Italian-influenced and consistently good, and the service is always on point. Lighter dishes made with quinoa and vegetables are on offer, along with favorites such as fried chicken and beef short ribs.

Toro Toro by Chef Richard Sandoval is a new 300-seat restaurant and bar that combines culinary flavors of Asia and Latin America. During a recent trip, we sat down in the main dining room to sample the award winning arepas corn cakes, small plates and handcarved steak entrees. The Toro Toro brand originated in Dubai where Sandoval has showcased his homemade empanadas to tens of thousands of diners. The bar is lined with toffee-colored banquettes and stone bull statues. Be sure to try the “Machu Picchu” cocktail consisting of pisco, St-Germain and fresh jalapenos. For groups, create a multi-venue event for 300 pax with the Olay breakfast restaurant next door. Table 40 is the private dining room located inside InterContinental Miami’s contemporary kitchen. Available for group events and intimate dinner parties, Table 40 seats 14 for a luxurious dining experience featuring cuisine by InterContinental Miami’s corporate chef, Alex Feher. “We try to enrich one’s experience at the InterContinental,” says Kovensky. “Whether it’s the level of service, the artistic presentations or the F&B.”

Inspired by the lunar calendar, new spa treatments at the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne resort on an island south of Miami Beach explore the moon’s influence on the senses. Products from Éminence’s biodynamic line utilize ingredients harvested during corresponding phases of the moon.

The Hoxton is one of Downtown Miami‘s newest hotspots. The bar and restaurant is located in Brickell, usually the home to steakhouses and pub, but the Hoxton is a breath of fresh air. The 2-story bar and restaurant is like a beach house in the middle of a totally urban environment. You don’t even feel like you are in downtown once you enter the outdoor patio. You’ll feel like you are in the Hamptons with a variety of plush couches, mood lighting and soft music. The menu includes several seafood favorites including mussels, oysters and chilled Florida shrimp. The cocktails include fresh fruits, juices and herbs, each filled with the exotic flavors of South Florida. Be sure to stop in for happy hour. There’s music and live entertainment nightly, transforming the restaurant into a hot spot for dancing and jamming.

You haven’t experienced a hot dog until you’ve tried the Super Moon Perro from La Moon Restaurant in Brickell. The Super Moon Perro is the dog of all hot dogs. The recipe originated in Colombia, but has made its way to the hip neighborhood of Brickell, satisfying customers at almost all hours, perfect after a few cocktails at some of the local bars. To start, the dog is steamed to get hot, but soft. Then the 12-inch kobe beef hot dog is added. It is then filled with bacon, sausage, garlic mayo, pineapple, homemade mustard, ketchup, cheese, fried onions and a quail egg. Sounds crazy, but trust.. it’s amazing!

Hidden within a historic building in downtown MIami is Soya e Pomodoro, a traditional Italian restaurant placed within an old Beaux Arts office building. The bohemian atmosphere is unlike anything else in Miami. The asthetic is simple, but very cool. There’s live music, and books. The kitchen is small but fast and you’ll be sitting half inside, half outside. There is no air conditioning and it’s a very small space, only seating about 11 tables. You really feel like you are in Italy. The staff is made up of mostly Italians and the food speaks true to the traditional recipes. Be sure to go when there is live entertainment. You’ll sip chanti and listen to scatting jazz music by moonlight. It’s truly magical.

This Brickell eatery on the 25th floor of the Conrad Miami has panoramic views of Biscayne Bay and downtown Miami. With its warm ambience, the sleek contemporary dining room is the perfect spot for a celebratory dinner or a romantic night out. Fortunately, the food can stand up to the view, with a menu of seafood and prime meats such as lobster salad with mango and avocado, and tender confit pork with roasted beets. The curated wine list leans heavily on New World vintages.