Read our guide below, which features our favorite hotel, restaurants, shops, galleries, and museums that populate this stylish (and hyper-luxe) South Florida locale. Oh, and we added a fun section at the bottom that highlights the neighborhood’s coolest Instagrammable public art pieces (because shouldn’t everything be posted?).
TO STAY:
The Gabriel Downtown Miami
Located south of the design district is The Gabriel Miami. This 5-star hotel offers some of the best views of Biscayne Bay, the causeways, and the city of Miami Beach with its rooftop bar and pool.
TO EAT:
Mandolin Aegean Bistro
If you’re looking for a piece of Greece in Miami, you have to go to Mandolin Aegean Bistro. This primarily outdoor restaurant redefines traditional Greek recipes in new and innovative ways. The space is also gorgeous, giving you the best of both worlds, good food, and a great ambiance.
Swan
Swan is a fashionable sidewalk-chic restaurant that attracts diners not just for the people-watching and the artfully plated European-style dishes, but also for the creatively crafted cocktails beaming with color (think butterfly pea-tinted tequila, a shōchū Purple Reign, and a seashell-colored Fleur de Rose). Serving European-style cuisine, the Ken Fulk-designed space features a blush-toned interior and an expansive garden patio.
TO DRINK:
Baccarat Boutique B Bar and Lounge
If you’re looking for an extravagant place to drink, the Baccarat Boutique B Bar and Lounge is the place to enjoy the finer things in life. The bar & lounge’s brightly colored decor creates a playful vibe within the space, making this the perfect spot for imbibing; all cocktails are served in Baccarat crystal, of course. We highly recommend ordering the Experience drink, which sees a mixologist designs the cocktail of your dreams within any crystal you desire (talk about luxury).
TO VISIT:
Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami
If you love art, the Institute of Contemporary Art of Miami must be on your Florida to-do list. We love the current exhibition, Denzil Forrester’s We Culture, which collates 20 paintings and a dozen drawings from the Grenada-born artist’s initial years. As a whole, the exhibition also showcases how he has influenced the current generation.
De la Cruz Collection
Cuban art collector Carlos de la Cruz and his wife, Rosa, took their passion for collecting art to the next level and opened a 30,000 square-foot museum in the Miami Design District. Expect an assemblage of curated contemporary art that’s due to catch your eye. Oh, and admission is free, which we love.
Shop & Repeat
To know the design district is to know shopping, and if you’re in the mood to spend, you must check out some of the district’s luxury retailers. Some of our favorite shops include MRKT Deux, Maison Margiela, ADRIANA HOYOS Atelier, Glossier, Concetta Limone, and Ermenegildo Zegna. If you are more into Chanel, Prada, and Gucci, they are here too.
Locust Projects
Known as the longest-running nonprofit alternative art space, Locust Projects is where many new artists show their works. Having a revolving exhibit calendar, you’ll see an upcoming artist or even some of your favorites anytime you visit. The current exhibition is Assembling Beneath a Desire for Sabotage by artist Rafael Domenech.
TO INSTAGRAM:
Sou Foujimoto: Building Façade
Paula Crown: Jokester
Buckminster Fuller: Fly Eye’s Dome
