The Best of South Florida

A week in Miami is not unlike watching an episode of, say, Access Hollywoodwith a little CNN thrown in for good measure. Miami: the city to which J-Lofled when she and Ben Affleck were on the outs; the place where the paparazzicamps out for days hoping to catch a glimpse of something or someone fabu-lous; the place where former President Bill Clinton kibitzes with the head of atop modeling agency at a St. Tropez-ish beach club; where Janet Reno throws apolitically driven dance party at a South Beach nightclub. And that’s just a smallsampling of the surreal, Felliniesque world that exists way down here at the bot-tom of the map. Nothing in Miami is ever what it seems.

What used to be a relatively sleepy beach vacation destination has awakenedfrom its humid slumber, upped its tempo, and finally earned its place in thePalm Pilots of cutting-edge jet-setters worldwide. But don’t be fooled by the hip-per-than-thou, celebrity-drenched playground known as South Beach. Whilethe chic elite do, indeed, flock to Miami’s coolest enclave, it is surprisingly acces-sible to the average Joe, Jane, or José. For every Phillippe Starck–designed, bank-account-busting boutique hotel on South Beach, there’s a kitschy, candy-coatedArt Deco one that’s much less taxing on the pockets. For each Pan-Mediter-ranean-Asian haute cuisinerie, there’s always the down-home, no-nonsenseCuban bodega offering hearty food at ridiculously cheap prices.

Beyond the whole glitzy, Entertainment Tonight-meets-beach-blanket-bacchanalia-as-seen-on-TV, Miami has an endless number of sporting, cultural,and recreational activities to keep you entertained. Our sparkling beaches arebeyond compare. Plus, there’s excellent shopping and nightlife activities thatinclude ballet, theater, and opera (as well as all the celebrity-saturated hotels,restaurants, bars, and clubs that have helped to make Miami so famous).

Leave Miami, be it for the Keys, the Gold Coast, or the Treasure Coast, andyou’ll expose yourself not only to more UV rays, but to a world of cultural, his-torical, and sybaritic surprises where you can take in a spring baseball game,walk in the footsteps of Hemingway, get up close and personal with the area’s sealife, soak up the serenity of unspoiled landscapes, catch the filming of CSI:Miami or a big-budget Hollywood flick, and much more.

Forget what you’ve heard about South Florida being Heaven’s Waiting Room.That slogan is as passé as the concept of early bird dinners (which you can stillget—they just no longer define the region). In fact, according to some people,South Florida is heaven. So what are you waiting for?

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1 Frommer’s Favorite South Florida Experiences• Driving Along Florida A1A:

This oceanfront route, which runsnorth up Miami Beach, throughSunny Isles and Hollywood, and

into Fort Lauderdale (starting atOcean Dr. and First St. in Miamiand merging onto Collins Ave.before running north), embodies

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the essence that is South Florida.From time-warped hotels steepedin Art Deco kitsch to multimillion-dollar modern high-rises, A1A isone of the most scenic, albeitheavily trafficked, roads in all ofFlorida.

• South Beach Nightlife: If youcan handle it, you can boogiedown until the sun comes up incavernous, pulsating dance clubs,which are considered amongst thebest in the world. Lounges aren’ttoo shabby either. There’s Rumi, aswank resto-lounge in which thelikes of Jennifer Lopez and mem-bers of Mötley Crüe mix with acolorful crowd of local and inter-national hipsters and then there’sSkybar at The Shore Club, Mynt,Opium, and, well the list goes on.Where else can us ordinary folkbrush elbows with—or spill Cos-mopolitans on—Hollywood star-lets, entertainment moguls, andliving legends but in South Beach’shot clubs, bars, and restaurants,many of which don’t get goinguntil the crack of dawn? See chap-ter 9 for more on Miami’s nightlife.

• Airboat Ride Through the Out-skirts of the Everglades: Unfet-tered by jet skis, cruise ships, andneon bikinis, the Everglades areFlorida’s outback, resplendent intheir swampy nature. The Ever-glades are best explored either byslow-moving canoes that really getyou acquainted with your sur-roundings or via an airboat thatcan quickly navigate its waythrough the most stubborn of sawgrass while providing you with anup-close and personal (as well asfun) view of the land’s inhabitants,from alligators and manatees toraccoons and Florida panthers.See p. 229.

• Dining at Big Fish restaurant onthe Miami River: Some considerdining on the Miami River to be

industrial chic; others consider itseedy in a Miami Vice sort of way.However you choose to look at it,by all means do look at it; thesleepy Miami River is nestledbelow the sweeping downtownMiami skyline, reminding youthat even though you’re in a majormetropolis, things in this often-frenetic city are capable of slowingdown to a more soothing pace. Seep. 141.

• Vizcaya Museum and Gar-dens: Built in 1916, this ItalianRenaissance–style manse on Bis-cayne Bay in Miami features34 rooms of antiques, art, andtapestries; 10 acres of Italian gar-dens, statues, and fountains; anew orchid display; and a picture-perfect view of the skyline andKey Biscayne. See p. 173.

• Wolfie Cohen’s Rascal House:You will wait on line at MiamiBeach’s landmark diner, but it’snever dull, as the cacophony ofmostly Northeastern U.S. accentswill keep you entertained untilyou are seated in what seems to bean ancient vinyl booth. The octo-genarian waitress will serve youcorned-beef sandwiches, brisket,or potato pancakes, and, if you’relucky, she may tell you about thetime Sinatra and his Rat Pack camein way back when. See p. 135.

• Moonlight Concerts at the Bar-nacle State Historic Site: Once amonth, on or near the full moon(except during July and August),the Barnacle State Historic Sitehosts a concert in the backyardof their charming 1908 CoconutGrove bungalow built on 5 acresof waterfront property. Listenersare welcome to picnic and bask inthis sublime setting for a mere $5.See p. 171.

• Midnight Snacking at Versailles:This iconoclastic, gaudy Cubandiner in the heart of Miami’s Little

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Havana is humming with the buzzof old-timers reminiscing aboutpre-Castro Cuba, local politicostrying to appease them, and a slewof detached people only therefor the fantastically cheap andauthentic Cuban fare. Much likeits French namesake in whoseimage it’s been literally mirrored,Miami’s Versailles provides a pala-tial view of Miami’s ever-changingCuban landscape. See p. 148.

• Watching the Cruise Ships SetSail from South Pointe Park:Unless you’re already on a boat,you can’t get a better view of themonstrous cruise ships leaving thePort of Miami than from SouthPointe Park, located at the south-ern tip of South Beach. If you starelong enough, you will feel likeyou’re moving, which is almost asmuch fun as being on board. Seep. 183.

• Lunch at News Café on OceanDrive: The quintessential SouthBeach experience, lunching atNews Café is more of a spectatorsport than a dining experience.What the Big Mac is to McDon-ald’s, people-watching is to NewsCafé, whose Ocean Drive locationis one of the best sidewalk spotsfrom which to observe the wacky,colorful mix of pedestrians onparade. See p. 128.

• Relishing the View from BillBaggs Cape Florida State Recre-ation Area: You haven’t truly seenSouth Florida until you’ve checkedout the view from the southernpoint of Key Biscayne. Whetherit’s the turquoise water or the sightof Stiltsville—seven still-inhabitedaquatic cabins dating back to the1930s, perched smack in the mid-dle of the Biscayne Channel—itmay take a little coercing to getyou to leave. See p. 175.

• Scuba Diving off Jupiter Beach:In 1988, Jupiter Beach lifeguard

Peter Leo spotted an anchor and acannon while on his routine morn-ing swim. Turns out, they belongedto what is believed to be the ship-wreck of a Spanish galleon datingback to the 16th or 17th century.Giving literal meaning to SouthFlorida’s Treasure and Gold coasts,this wreck is worth holding yourbreath for. See p. 318.

• Happy Hour at Mai Kai: Polyne-sia meets Fort Lauderdale at MaiKai, the trippiest Tiki hut this sideof Tahiti, with its sarong-clad bar-tenders, a fiery hula show, and anexhaustive menu of frozen con-coctions. See p. 334.

• Discovering Your Inner Flipperat the Dolphin Research Center:Learn to communicate with andtouch, swim, or play with themammals at the nonprofit Dol-phin Research Center in MarathonKey, home to a school of approxi-mately 15 dolphins. See p. 255.

• Eyeing the Estates on PalmBeach: The winter playground forthe Lifestyles of the Rich andFamous set, Palm Beach is linedwith jaw-dropping palatial estates.While many of them are hiddenbehind towering shrubbery, headsouth on South County Road,from Brazilian Avenue, where youwill see some of the most opulenthomes ever built. Make sure some-one holds the steering wheel ifyou’re driving, because you will doa double take. See p. 347.

• Lounging Poolside at The ShoreClub: In addition to tanning, thescene here is about striking a poseand pretending not to notice theothers doing the same thing. Ifyou’re staying at Miami’s TheShore Club hotel, and if you’resavvy enough to score one of theluxe lounges, prepare to overhearsome interesting conversationsbetween the movers and shakerswho bake here. See p. 72.

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• Boating Through the Intra-coastal Waterway: The waterwaythat connects the natural bays,lagoons, and rivers along Florida’sEast Coast snakes around fromthe Florida-Georgia border all theway to the port of Miami. A ridethrough the Fort LauderdaleIntracoastal provides a sublimeview of million-dollar waterfronthouses. See p. 316.

• Salsa Lessons at Bongo’s CubanCafé: If the only salsa you’refamiliar with is the kind you puton your tacos, get over to Bongo’s,the hottest salsa club north ofHavana, where Miami’s most tal-ented salsa dancers will teach youhow to move your two left feet inthe right direction. See p. 217.

• Exploring the Design DistrictAfter Dark: After waitingpatiently for this arty, funky areato hit its comeuppance, Miami’shipsters have finally been rewardedwith cool bars, lounges, and restau-rants that exude that New York

City SoHo meets MeatpackingDistrict vibe. See page 54 andChapter 9.

• Sundays at Alabama Jack’s:There is nothing like hanging out,chugging a cheap beer, chowingdown on amazing conch fritters,and watching a bunch of saucedoctogenarians dressed like extrasfrom Hee Haw line dancing toincredible live country music, allin a Sunday’s afternoon. Even bet-ter is the spectacular waterfrontsetting that makes you trulyappreciate why you’re in Florida inthe first place. See page 252.

• Star Stalking at the Skybar: Ifyou can get past the doormanhere, you’ll enter an oasis of fabu-lousness, where the likes of Brit-ney Spears, Jay Z, Beyonce, andjust about every other A-listerbask in their own self importantglow while the rest of us just sip$12 cocktails and hope we canpay the rent next month. Seepage 214.

T H E B E S T B E A C H E S 9

ImpressionsWhat could be better than to sit on the beach playing cards in my shirt-sleeves in January?

—Anonymous Miami Beach resident

2 The Best Beaches• For Tranquility: Matheson Ham-

mock Park Beach (& 305/665-5475) in South Miami features anenclosed man-made lagoon that isflushed naturally by the tidalaction of the adjacent BiscayneBay. The serene beach is sur-rounded by the bay’s warm, calmwaters and a backdrop of tropicalhardwood forest. See p. 160.The beach at Bahia Honda StatePark (& 305/872-2353) in BahiaHonda Key is one of the nicestand most peaceful in Florida,located amidst 635 acres of nature

trails and even a portion of HenryFlagler’s railroad. See p. 275.

• For Watersports: Hobie Beach(& 305/361-2833), located onthe south side of Key Biscayne’sRickenbacker Causeway, is oneof the most popular beaches forwatersport enthusiasts, featuringjet-ski, sailboat, windsurfing, andsailboard rentals; shade, if neces-sary, from the Australian pine; anda sublime view of the picturesquedowntown Miami skyline. Seep. 160.

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• For People-Watching: LummusPark Beach (& 305/673-7714)is world renowned, not necessarilyfor its pristine sands, but for itsmore common name of SouthBeach. Here, seeing, being seen,and, at times, the obscene, gohand in hand with the sunscreenand beach towels. See p. 160.

Not nearly as scenic, but stillheavily populated, Fort Lauder-dale Beach (& 954/468-1597) isthe site of many a bacchana-lian Spring Break, Frankie andAnnette, and now, an eclectic—albeit calmer—mix of young, buffbeach bums. See p. 315.

• For Nature Lovers: MacArthurBeach (& 561/624-6950), inWest Palm Beach, is considered bymany nature enthusiasts to be themost beautiful nature park inSouth Florida, with a nice stretchof beach set against a lush anddiverse background of foliage,plus a state-of-the-art nature cen-ter and renowned sea turtle aware-ness program. See p. 365.

• For Nude Sunbathing: Forthat all-over tan, the place to beis the north end of HauloverBeach (& 305/944-3040), nes-tled between the IntracoastalWaterway and the ocean. A gay,nude beach is also there, as is anarea for nude volleyball. See p. 162.

• For Seclusion: The producersof Survivor could feasibly shoot

their show on the ultra-secluded,picturesque, and deserted Vir-ginia Key (& 305/361-2749), onKey Biscayne, where people go pur-posely not to be found. See p. 163.

• John U. Lloyd Beach State Park(& 954/923-6711) in DaniaBeach is unfettered by high-risecondos, T-shirt shops, and hotels,and remains intact with anuntouched shoreline surroundedby a canopy of Australian pine toensure that your seclusion is,indeed, highly guarded. See p. 316.

• For Gay Beachgoers: SouthBeach’s 12th Street Beach(& 305/673-7714) is the beachof choice for gay residents and trav-elers who come to show off justhow much time they’ve spent inthe gym, and, of course, catch upon the latest gossip and upcomingmust-attend parties and events.Oftentimes, this beach is the venuefor some of the liveliest partiesSouth Beach has ever seen. Seep. 163.

• For Kids: Miami’s Crandon ParkBeach (& 305/361-5421) isextremely popular for familieswith kids because of the shallowwater created by a neighboringsandbar. Convenient parking, pic-nic areas, a winding boardwalk,and a multi-ethnic mix of familiesgrilling, dancing, and relaxing arethe benchmarks of this beach. Seep. 160.

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3 Best Hotel Bets• Best Historic Hotel: With a guest

registry that reads like a who’s whoof history crossed with an engross-ing whodunit, Miami’s monu-mental, Mediterranean revivalist–style Biltmore Hotel (& 800/727-1926 or 305/445-1926) openedits doors in 1926. Guests rangingfrom Al Capone to the duke and

duchess of Windsor loved thestately hotel so much that theynever left, so say those who claimthe hotel is haunted. Ghosts aside,this national landmark boasts thelargest hotel pool in the continen-tal United States as well as a 300-foot bell tower modeled after theCathedral of Seville. See p. 101.

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• Best Cheap-Chic Hotel: WestPalm Beach’s Hotel Biba (& 561/832-0094) is a funky, single-story,converted 1940s motor-lodge-turned-boutique hotel featuringan oversized swimming pool,Asian gardens with sitting areas, areflection pond, and the ultrahipBiba Bar. Rooms start at $79. Seep. 360.

• On South Beach, where chicrooms cost upwards of $500 anight, The Creek (& 866/445-4800 or 305/538-1951) hotel is akitschy-cool hostel turned hipsterhaven with rooms designed bylocal artists. See p. 87.

• Best Celebrity-Saturated Hotel:The Shore Club (& 877/640-9500 or 305/695-3100) reigns asMiami’s number one celebritymagnet, attracting stars and star-lets who you’d find at A-list Holly-wood parties. The terminallytrendy Skybar is also the city’sloftiest night spot. See p. 72.

• Best Role-Playing Hotel: Withrooms such as “Me Tarzan, YouVain,” or “Best Whorehouse,”South Beach’s Pelican Hotel(& 800/7-PELICAN or 305/673-3373) takes the concept ofescapism to an entirely new level.See p. 84.

• Best Out-of-Place Bed-and-Breakfast: Located on the out-skirts of gritty, bustling downtownMiami is the historic MiamiRiver Inn (& 800/468-3589 or305/325-0045), housed in fiverestored clapboard buildings dat-ing back to 1906. By the looksof this place, you could swearyou were somewhere in NewEngland—until you step out for abreath of the balmy air. See p. 100.

• Best Hotel in a League ofIts Own: Jules’ Undersea Lodge(& 305/451-2353) in Key Largoreally gives you the low-downon the full Keys experience by

requiring all guests to scuba 30 feetunderwater to get to their rooms,which are literally located underthe sea, in the mangrove habitat ofEmerald Lagoon. See p. 263.

• Best Art Deco Hotel: TheRaleigh Hotel (& 800/848-1775or 305/534-6300) in Miami is thereigning diva of Deco, dating backto 1940. It features one of themost photographed palm-linedswimming pools, reminiscent ofthe days of Esther Williams. Seep. 78.

• Best Gatsby-esque Hotel: Asyou drive up to the Breakers(& 800/833-3141) in posh PalmBeach, you can’t help but feelthe spirit of Jay Gatsby beckon-ing you into this mammoth Ital-ian Renaissance–style hotel. Seep. 355.

• Best Beach Hotel: Miami’s BeachHouse Bal Harbour (& 877/782-3557 or 305/865-3551) wasinspired by the great beach homesof the Hamptons, Nantucket, andcoastal Maine, and when you stayhere, you will feel like someone’shouseguest rather than an anony-mous hotel guest. See p. 90.

• Best Inexpensive Hotel: It’s hardto find a hotel on South Beachwith both good value and excel-lent service, but the Crest HotelSuites (& 800/531-3880 or 305/531-0321) delivers as one ofMiami’s best bargains as well ascoolest hotels. See p. 81.

• In Key West, the Grand (& 888/947-2630 or 305/294-0590),despite its name, will not leaveyou with a huge tab at the end ofyour stay. The rooms in this hotelare bright and airy and the propri-etor works hard to keep you happy.See p. 299.

• Best for Families: In Miami, theSonesta Beach Resort Key Bis-cayne (& 800/SONESTA or305/361-2021) is known for its

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complimentary children’s programsled by trained counselors whosupervise kids, grouped by age, inpool and beach activities and onfield trips including dinner, movie,and museum excursions. Feesapply for meals/certain excursions.See p. 95.

• In Fort Lauderdale, Marriott’sHarbor Beach (& 800/222-6543or 954/525-4000) has a BeachsideBuddies program for children ages5 to 12, offering half-day and all-day children’s activities that rangefrom seashell collecting to hula-hoop contests. The 8,000-square-foot, free-form swimming pool,expansive sand beach, and instantaccess to water toys also keep kidsentertained. See p. 323.

• The Boca Raton Resort & Club(& 800/327-0101 or 561/395-3000) has activity programsdesigned for distinct age groups.Upon registering children in theprogram, each parent is given abeeper with a 60-mile radius sothat they may be contacted by theirchildren at any time. See p. 340.

• Best for Romance: In Miami, theHotel Place St. Michel (& 800/848-HOTEL or 305/444-1666)is a cozy European-style hotelwhose wood-floored dark-paneledrooms are adorned in antiques,transporting you from sunnyFlorida to gay Paris. See p. 103.

• Imagine an intimate haven onyour own private island andyou’ve got Little Palm Island

(& 800/343-8567 or 305/872-2524), located just 3 miles off-shore in the Florida Keys, accessi-ble only by boat or seaplane, andquite possibly the closest thing toparadise, with only one telephoneon the entire island. See p. 275.

• Although it’s 2 blocks from DuvalStreet—Bourbon Street South—The Gardens Hotel (& 800/526-2664 or 305/294-2661) isKey West’s most romantic, Eden-istic hideaway that’s worlds awayfrom the madness. See p. 292.

• In Palm Beach, modeled after aquaint English inn, the Chester-field Hotel (& 800/243-7871 or561/659-5800) is absolutely seduc-tive, thanks in part to its sexy, sul-try Leopard Lounge, its cozyfireside library, and Churchill’sCigar Room. See p. 357.

• Best Guesthouses/B&Bs: TheVilla Paradiso (& 305/532-0616) may be smack in the heartof frenetic South Beach, but onceyou’re inside you’re worlds away,with rooms facing a sun-drenchedcourtyard and a host who is gen-uinely glad to see you, unlike someof the more attitudinal staff foundin other nearby hotels. See p. 88.

• In Fort Lauderdale, La Casa DelMar (& 954/467-2037) is locatedright on the beach and offerscozily appointed rooms. The own-ers bend over backward to makesure your stay is a fantastic one.See p. 12.

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4 Best Dining Bets• Best for Celebrating a Big Deal:

The Forge Restaurant on MiamiBeach (& 305/538-8533) is amultichambered, ornately deco-rated (and priced) monumentknown for its decadent wines,steak, and fish. See p. 131.

• Best Romantic Restaurant: CasaTua, in South Beach (& 305/673-1010), offers exquisite Italian cui-sine in a Mediterranean villa that’shidden from the street with lushlandscaping and an iron gate,resplendent outdoor garden, cozy

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ImpressionsI come to Miami to relax, so I’ve never had a power lunch or dinner there.

—Madonna

Hamptons-esque dining room,communal kitchen, and intimateupstairs lounge and patio. Seep. 113.

• Best Waterfront Dining: It’s atossup between Biscayne Bay andthe Atlantic Ocean, but whicheveryou prefer, there are two restau-rants that provide front-row seatsto both. The Mandarin OrientalHotel’s global fusion restaurant,Azul (& 305/913-8258), facesthe Miami skyline and beautiful,tranquil Biscayne Bay, while theRitz-Carlton Key Biscayne’s Aria(& 305/365-4500) faces theAtlantic, but its Mediterraneancuisine could have you thinkingyou’re floating off the coast of,say, Spain. Tough decisions, butboth are winners. See p. 138 andp. 95.

• Louie’s Backyard in Key West(& 305/294-1061) offers Carib-bean cuisine and one of the bestviews of the gulf you’ll ever have.See p. 301.

• Best Restaurant Worth the Waitfor a Table: The legendary SouthFlorida institution known as Joe’sStone Crab Restaurant, in MiamiBeach (& 305/673-0365), refusesto take reservations, but thatdoesn’t stop people from clawingtheir way into the restaurant for atable—despite a wait that’s oftenin excess of 3 hours. See p. 114.

• Best Cuban Restaurant: There’salways a debate on who has thebest, most authentic Cuban cui-sine, but for those of you who havenever been to Havana, Miami’sVersailles, in Little Havana(& 305/444-0240), is the quin-tessential Cuban diner, featuring

enormous portions at paltry prices.See p. 148.

• Best Steakhouse: Miami’s Capi-tal Grille (& 305/374-4500)may be part of a chain, but its dry-aged steaks are still a cut above therest. See p. 140.

• In addition to the Forge Restau-rant (see above), Christy’s, inCoral Gables (& 305/446-1400),is another top carnivorous choice,with superb steaks and famousCaesar salads. See p. 152.

• Best New World Cuisine: It’s atossup between the restaurants ofthe original founders of the palate-pleasing fusion of Florida andCaribbean (Floribbean) ingredi-ents: Norman’s, in Coral Gables(& 305/446-6767), owned byJames Beard chef Norman vanAken, and Chef Allen’s, in Aven-tura (& 305/935-2900), ownedby chef Allen Susser. Whicheverchef ’s cuisine you choose, theyboth do wonders with mangoes.See p. 153 and p. 136 respectively.

• Sexiest Restaurant: Grass Restau-rant and Lounge, in Miami’sDesign District (& 305/573-3355), brings an exotic element tothe urban chic neighborhood withan Asian menu, thatched roof tikihuts, and an equally sultry crowdthat always seems to know wherethe grass is greener when it comesto Miami’s ever evolving it list. Seep. 141.

• Best Scene: Nobu, in MiamiBeach (& 305/695-3232), is theunrivaled sushi den in whicheveryone from Justin Timberlaketo Madonna have been spottedswooning over their sashimi. Seep. 115.

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• Taverna Opa, also in MiamiBeach, Hollywood, and Ft. Lau-derdale (& 305/673-6730; 954/929-4010; 954/567-1630), makesthe film My Big Fat Greek Weddinglook like a big fat bore with itsown plate breaking, table dancing,ouzo pouring version of a Greekbacchanalia. See p. 126.

• Best Sunday Brunch: The BlueDoor on Miami Beach (& 305/674-6400) turns the sleek and chicDelano lobby into a help-yourself-to-anything, calorie-busting Sun-day brunch of gourmet fare andinsanely good desserts. See p. 112.

• The Design District’s bohemian,Haight Ashbury-ish 190 (& 305/576-9779) offers up fried greentomatoes, huevos rancheros, andan entire menu and pool tablefull of dishes, all for an unheardof $15 all you can eat price tag.At the stately Biltmore Hotelin Coral Gables, Palme d’Or(& 305/445-1926) rolls out aregal buffet that’s good enough tofeed royalty. Delray Beach’s DeLa Tierra (& 561/272-5678) fea-tures a gourmet all-you-can-eat$35 brunch including alcoholicbeverages—an unheard-of valuethat comes complete with a stun-ning outdoor garden setting.See p. 142, p. 153, and 343respectively.

• Best View: Big Fish, in Miami(& 305/373-1770), is all aboutgritty-chic, located on the MiamiRiver, where tugboats and cargoships slink by as you indulge infresh fish and sip good Italianwine under the glow of the bril-liant downtown skyline hoveringabove. See p. 141. Red Fish Grill(& 305/668-8788) is ensconcedin Coral Gables’ Matheson Ham-mock Park and located on theedge of a saltwater lagoon, a set-ting so blissfully distracting, youmay forget to pay attention to

what’s on your plate. See p. 155.Le Tub (& 954/921-9425) maynot be considered fine dining, butwhen you sink your teeth into oneof their incredible burgers whileoverlooking the Intracoastal, noth-ing could be finer. See p. 332.

• Best Haute Cuisine: Mark’s LasOlas, in Fort Lauderdale (& 954/463-1000), and Miami’s Azul(& 305/913-8254) are both runby celebrity chefs Mark Militello(whose New American cuisinerestores the faith of gourmandswhose palates once belonged tothe Pan-Asian Fusion movement)and the Food Network’s MichelleBernstein (whose Latin, Asian,Caribbean, and French fusion cui-sine is inimitable and worshippedby foodies all over the world). Seep. 327 and p. 138.

• Best People-Watching: The NewsCafé, in South Beach (& 305/538-6397), practically inventedthe sport of people-watching,encouraging its customers to sit atan outdoor table all day if theywant, lingering over the passingparades of people while sipping acappuccino. Lincoln Road’s Euro-fabulous Segafredo Espresso cafe(& 305/673-0047), provides afront-row seat to the hordes of peo-ple who parade along the pedes-trian mall. See p. 128 and p. 214.

• Best Comfort Food: Big Pink, inMiami Beach (& 305/532-4700),serves kitsch in large doses, featur-ing TV dinners served in compart-mentalized trays. It’s fun andfunky, and the food’s pretty good,too. See p. 121.

• Best Italian Food: Miami Beach’sMacaluso’s (& 305/604-1811)would make Tony Soprano veryproud of his Italian heritage,thanks to Chef Michael’s expertlyprepared Staten Island–meets-SoHo cuisine. See p. 124. TuscanToday Trattoria, in Ft. Lauderdale

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(& 954/566-1716), churns outprimo Tuscan fare in its imported-from-Italy wood-burning brickoven. See p. 331.

• Best Kids’ Restaurant: SouthMiami’s GameWorks (& 305/667-4263) is the brainchild of co-owner Steven Spielberg, whosevirtual reality and video gamescontribute to the actual reality ofkids cleaning their plates so thatthey can play. The videogames alsoappeal to adults, as do the restau-rant and full bar, which makenights at GameWorks a 21-and-over hangout. See p. 195.

• Best Mexican: The fresh, authen-tic Mexican fare at El RanchoGrande, in Miami Beach (& 305/673-0480), will have you swearingoff Taco Bell forever. See p. 122.

• Best Star-Studded Sushi Restau-rant: Nobu, at The Shore Clubhotel in Miami Beach (& 305/695-3100), is known for its starsushi chef and owner, the leg-endary Nobu Matsuhisa, but theraw facts about this restaurant areas simple as its stellar clientele(which includes Madonna, amongothers): It’s unquestionably thebest sushi in town. For fabuloussushi minus the Hollywood vibe,Miami Beach’s Shoji Sushi(& 305/532-4245) is at the top ofthe A-list. See p. 115 and p. 120.

• Best Seafood: Grillfish, in SouthBeach (& 305/538-9908), is sim-ple, unpretentious, and consis-tently serves the freshest fish in

town—any which way you desire.See p. 122.

• Best Late-Night Dining: In addi-tion to the 24-hour News Café (seeabove and p. 128) and Big Pink(see above and p. 121), Jerry’sFamous Deli (& 305/534-3244)on South Beach serves a deluge ofdeli food 24/7. Ft. Lauderdale’sLester’s Diner (& 954/525-5641)is a 24-hour institution, servingclassic greasy-spoon fare at ridicu-lously cheap prices. The FloridianRestaurant, also in Fort Lau-derdale (& 954/463-4041), serveseverything from eggs to steaks,24 hours a day, but the vantagepoint for people-watching rateshigher than the food. See p. 123,p. 332, p.331.

• Kitschiest Dining: WolfieCohen’s Rascal House (& 305/947-4581) is a must for thoselooking for a retro-fabulous NorthMiami Beach experience, with await staff as old as the vinyl boothsand the best corned beef on ryesouth of the Lower East Side. Seep. 135. Dogma Grill (& 305/759-8434) is a cool little hotdogstand whose motto is “A Frank Phi-losophy.” See p. 145. Green TurtleInn, on Islamorada (& 305/664-9031), is an old-fashioned FloridaKeys institution since 1947, fea-turing moderately priced steaks,stone crabs, and, yes, turtle, to thetune of campy pianist Tina Mar-tin. See p. 270.

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5 The Rest of the Best• Best Museum: A collector’s dream

come true, Miami’s Wolfsonian isa treasure trove of miscellany (amatchbook that once belonged tothe King of Egypt) and artifactshailing from the propaganda ageof World War II. See p. 171.

• Best Cultural Experience: A walkthrough Little Havana is a fasci-nating study in the juxtapositionand fusion of two very vibrant cul-tures in which pre-Castro Cuba isas alive and well as the McDonald’sright next door. See p. 55.

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• Best Cheap Thrill: Riding theMetrorail in Miami. Originallycreated to relieve traffic conges-tion, the city’s billion-dollar trans-portation network is hardly usedby commuters and is little morethan Miami’s own version of Dis-ney’s Monorail. Nonetheless, forlittle more than a dollar, you cantour many of Miami’s neighbor-hoods and see much of its skylinewithout having to stop, look at amap, or ask for directions. Seep. 56.

• Best Snorkeling Spot: Looe KeyNational Marine Sanctuary,Bahia Honda State Park. With 5.3square miles (8.5 sq. km) of gor-geous coral reef, rock ledges up to35 feet tall, and a colorful and mot-ley marine community, you maynever want to come up for air. Seep. 275.

• Best Public Golf Course: Miami’sBiltmore Golf Course, BiltmoreHotel. If it’s good enough for for-mer President Clinton, it’s goodenough for those of you who don’ttravel with a bevy of Secret Serviceagents. But the real question is:Are you good enough for thecourse? The sixth hole is notori-ously difficult, with distractingwater hazards among other diffi-culties. Nonetheless, it’s an excel-lent course with picture-postcardsetting. See p. 185.

• Best Dive Bar: Jose CuervoUnderwater Bar. In May 2000,the legendary tequila companycelebrated Cinco de Mayo by sub-merging an actual, $45,000 full-size bar and six stools about 600feet off South Beach’s First Streetbeach. For expert divers, this bar ismore than your average wateringhole. See p. 182.

• Best Place to Satisfy Your MorbidCuriosity: The Mystery, Murder,and Mayhem Bus Tour. Not thatwe’re implying anything here, butMiami is a haven for people likeO. J. Simpson and, at one time, AlCapone. It’s a place where shadycharacters come to reinvent them-selves. However, at times, theyalso tend to reincriminate them-selves. See the spots where someof these criminals fell off thewagon—it’s morbidly delicious.See p. 180.

• Best Latin Club: Although thepredominant language spoken atMiami’s La Covacha is Spanish,the only word you really need toknow here is agua, because youwill certainly need it after workingup a sweat on the dance floor.Music—the best Latin music intown—is, in fact, the commonlanguage at this rustic, open-airedLatin dance club that featuressalsa, merengue, and Latin rock.See p. 222.

• Best Dance Club: You knowyou’re in a serious dance clubwhen patrons are fawning all overthe star DJ who flew in from Ger-many rather than Britney Spears,who has been seen sipping cham-pagne in the club’s VIP room. Theaforementioned happens all thetime at crobar, South Beach’sproven dance club champion. Seep. 218.

• Best Offbeat Experience:Although it’s little more than atropical shantytown, Jimbo’s,located at the tip of Virginia Key,is consistently fantastic, with no-frills smoked fish, beer out of thebucket, and colorful locals, all ofwhich make it the best offbeat andoff-the-beaten-track experience inSouth Florida. See p. 149.

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