Chances are you’ve passed by many neighborhood restaurants and bars without realizing the secret gems hidden inside. Get off the beaten path and try some of these local spots, much loved by those in the know.
Perhaps you’ve driven by the Rum Room (786.276.4623) at 2100 Washington Ave. in South Beach and never noticed it. Located in a century-old house nestled in a lush palm tree grove next to the Miami Beach Convention Center, its décor hearkens back to old Cuba, with louvered windows to shutter the sun, rum barrels and a cozy vintage ambience. Hemingway would have loved this place!
(Laetitia Joulin for Semilla French American Bistro)
Mussels mariniere at Semilla French American Bistro are a must-not-miss menu option.
Rum is the focal point here, with an array of 400 different options on offer. Savor a tasting of four rums at the chic bar at various price levels. The classic mojito with Bacardi Light rum is a winner, as is the El Floridita, made with Papa’s Pilar Blonde rum. Plop down on the tufted leather couch and enjoy happy hour drinks and snacks for $5 Tuesdays through Fridays, from 5 p.m. to close.
Executive chef Samantha Cruz is in charge of both the Rum Room and Venu, a vintage house just adjacent that serves as its event space. Cruz, part of the Sodexo hospitality team, has cooked at iconic venues such as Hard Rock Stadium, VIP events at Super Bowl LIV, the Miami Open and Art Basel. Her fine dining experience was gained in roles with 50 Eggs, Grove Bay Group, Fiola and Planta.
The fusion Caribbean-Latin American menu elevates classics like conch fritters and fish dip. Carnivores will love the chimichurri skirt steak; for non-meat eaters there are prawns paella style with couscous risotto, peas, carrots and herbs. Sides include Insta-worthy fire-roasted corn with Parmesan foam and corn crumble, and charred broccoli with roasted red pepper aioli.
(Jen Castro for Lost Boy & Co.)
A Midnight Special Cuban-style sandwich at Lost Boy Dry Goods, also known as a “medianoche.”
For dessert, try the espresso tres leches, sinfully drenched with Havana rum espresso, or a throwback to your grandmother, pineapple upside-down cake. This one is updated with rum, confit pineapple and house-made coconut ice cream.
Owner/executive chef Frederic Joulin’s Semilla (305.674.652) French American bistro at 1313 Alton Rd. in South Beach, a neighborhood fave, is always abuzz. The affable Joulin began his career in Paris when he was 17, working in Michelin-starred restaurants such as Le Jules Verne and with Paris’ top chefs, notably three Michelin-starred Guy Savoy. Joulin also served as the private chef to French President Jacques Chirac at the Elysée Palace for two years. In 2005 he moved to Miami and opened Le Café des Arts in South Beach. In 2013, he launched Semilla.
(Courtesy of Lost Boy & Co. and Deep Sleep Design & Public Relations)
Churrasco, morcilla, cochinita pibil and pollo a la brasa at Asado Sunday at Mayfair Grill in Coconut Grove.
The menu features classic French appetizers such as terrine de foie gras with cherry jam; escargots persillés with bone-in marrow; and baked brie. Entrées include mussels marinière in wine sauce with shallots, onions and parsley; honey mustard lamb chops; duck confit; and boeuf bourguignon. Desserts have a starring role here, too. Choices include the divine floating island in crème anglaise, chocolate mousse, profiteroles and red berry Pavlova. There’s a great French wine list, too.
When Lost Boy & Co co-founders Randy Alonso and Chris Hudnall opened Lost Boy Dry Goods (305.372.7303) in the historic Alfred I. Dupont Building at 157 E. Flagler St. in Miami, their goal was to build a community and neighborhood in the downtown corridor.
You could easily mistake the eatery for a store; it’s in a space that formerly housed a retail shop. The vibe is a watering hole that’s part English pub, part Captain’s tavern and part Colorado miner’s saloon, all rolled into one. The happy hour clientele is a mix from Gen Z imbibers to a few old-timers that look like they just stepped out of that Colorado mine. Pairs of cowboy boots tied together over the bar evoke the American West.
Belly up to the bar that sports a vintage brass rail with sexy mermaid finials and enjoy half-off happy hour specials from 4-7 p.m. “Straightforward and no nonsense” house cocktails include a Genepy Cucumber Collins with Los Vecinos mezcal, London dry gin and Genepy herbal liqueur; and Clarified Rum Punch with Coconut Cartel rum, Plantation 3 Stars rum, overproof rum and Cointreau. Biscayne Times featured this hot spot in November 2022.
(TripAdvisor.com)
El Pastor tacos at Oh! Mexico, which now has a third location on Lincoln Road.
Try the spinach artichoke dip with tortilla chips or the bourbon BBQ sliders. Ever heard of a “Sloppy José?” A house specialty, it’s Cuban picadillo on a potato roll. If you love a good Cuban sandwich, go for the Midnight Special – spiced pulled pork, ham, spicy pickle, provolone, Swiss and deli mustard. And you can get a lively game of darts or billiards going anytime from early evening to late night, since the place is open till 3 a.m.
Lost Boy & Co. recently launched Asado Sundays at Mayfair Grill in the Mayfair House Hotel & Garden (305.441.0000) at 3000 Florida Ave. in Coconut Grove. Asados, deeply rooted in South American culture, are a traditional method of cooking meat by grilling or barbecuing over an open flame or hot coals. Asado also refers to the social event or gathering where the meal is enjoyed among friends and family.
(Courtesy of Salt & Straw and The Dana Agency)
Salt & Straw offers a delicious array of ice cream, with decidedly fall harvest flavors now on the menu.
Expect a mouthwatering assortment of meats cooked to bring out rich flavors and smoky aromas. You have the option of two meat selections for $65 or four meat selections for $125, every Sunday from 5-10 p.m.
Choices include wood-fired churrasco with piquillo chimichurri; cochinita pibil, a Yucatan-inspired roast pork dish with banana and tangy pickled onions; pollo a la Bbasa, Peruvian roast chicken served with a zesty ahi salsa; and morcilla, a traditional Argentinian blood sausage offering a unique and rich flavor. They’re served with delectable sides such as char-grilled vegetables with lemon oil and house-blend seasoning salt.
The sweet ending is classic churros coated in cinnamon sugar, accompanied by olive oil and ice cream. To further enhance the experience, Mayfair Grill offers an “Unlimited Pours” option at $36 per person with an extensive selection of premium South American wines.
Openings
With a new, third iteration at 836 Lincoln Rd. in South Beach, Oh! Mexico (305.535.7400) is bringing foodie bliss to even more South Floridians. The restaurant has more than 25 years of experience behind it stemming from its original Española Way location, which we featured in May 2023.
Specialties include freshly prepared guacamole and tacos made with fresh tortillas, accompanied by handmade salsas. The cocktail menu is informed by a large selection of tequilas and mezcal, and there’s a great choice of Mexican beers. Come by on Friday for Mariachi Band Night.
Salt & Straw (786.858.9954), located at 749 Lincoln Rd. in South Beach, is a popular West Coast ice cream shop known for its wild flavors and bold recipes that now claims recently opened locations in Wynwood and Coconut Grove. Its super-creamy scoops (17% butterfat) in flavors like strawberry honey balsamic with black pepper and salted, malted, chocolate chip cookie dough are the epitome of sublime.
The shop’s celebrating the fall season with new fall harvest flavors. There’s a pumpkin-spiced coffee ice cream with a tiramisu cake swirl, coffee mascarpone and chocolate stracciatella; an old-school autumn treat featuring Salt & Straw’s signature Beecher’s Cheese ice cream with apple pie cinnamon rolls and an ooey-gooey cinnamon swirl; caramel apple sherbet with ribbons of vanilla-infused caramel – think back to biting into a creamy caramel apple as a kid; and a sophisticated pinot poached pear sherbet with a Willamette Valley pinot noir, a taste explosion created in collaboration with Sokol Blosser Winery.