{"id":85655,"date":"2025-12-16T19:25:09","date_gmt":"2025-12-16T19:25:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/85655\/"},"modified":"2025-12-16T19:25:09","modified_gmt":"2025-12-16T19:25:09","slug":"ggs-guide-to-miami-beach-garden-gun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/85655\/","title":{"rendered":"G&G\u2019s Guide to Miami Beach \u2013 Garden & Gun"},"content":{"rendered":"

Stay<\/p>\n

Esm\u00e9 Miami Beach<\/a><\/p>\n

Set within a former hostel just a few minutes\u2019 stroll from the beach, this boutique hotel spreads across eight buildings (connected by charming paths) and features a rooftop pool and lounge, along with a cornucopia of alfresco caf\u00e9s and shops. Conjuring the romantic feel of Europe\u2019s leafy, walkable villages, Espa\u00f1ola Way has seen very little change since it was conceived in 1925 as a rambling artists\u2019 colony\u2014which made Esm\u00e9\u2019s opening here in 2021 a monumental occurrence.<\/p>\n

The Shelborne by Proper<\/a><\/p>\n

If the pink-and-red marble walls of the Shelborne by Proper could talk, they\u2019d tell stories of Frank Sinatra, the Beatles, and Marilyn Monroe. Originally opened in 1941, the Shelborne was one of Miami Beach\u2019s glamorous art deco\u2013era hotels frequented by anybody who was anybody. Today, after a $100 million reimagination, its 251 rooms are once again all glammed up. The curvy, organic lines of the furniture, plus abundant artwork and lush greenery, give the whole place a playful vibe, and the photogenic 1950s diving platform still proudly anchors the palm-lined pool.<\/p>\n

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Photo: JOSH ARONSON<\/p>\n

The bar at the Shelborne hotel.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Standard<\/a><\/p>\n

Located in the exclusive Belle Isle neighborhood, this adults-only hotel is the locals\u2019 spot to reset from Miami Beach\u2019s buzzy scene. Idyllic and charmingly hidden behind a forest of flora, the Standard keeps residents intrigued and engaged with its pop-up dining and events, which have included a takeover of its Caf\u00e9 Standard with sushi and Venezuelan breakfasts, and tarot readings.<\/p>\n

Coming Soon: The Delano<\/a> and the Raleigh<\/a><\/p>\n

When they opened in the 1940s, the Delano and the Raleigh cemented Miami Beach\u2019s status as a major getaway for art deco design lovers. The American Institute of Architects even included the Delano, a striking white building located directly on the beach, on its list of America\u2019s Favorite Architecture. Both hotels temporarily shuttered in the past decade, but the rumors are legit: The Delano and the Raleigh have been undergoing major renovations that will maintain their iconic styles. The two are poised to make their exciting returns in 2026 and 2027, respectively.<\/p>\n

Eat & Drink<\/p>\n

Brother\u2019s Keeper Bar<\/a><\/p>\n

Much of the pilot episode of Miami Vice, titled \u201cBrother\u2019s Keeper,\u201d was filmed not far from this aptly named neighborhood bar, a new kid on the block that quickly garnered a following for its retro, neon-lit ambience and inventive cocktails. Brother\u2019s Keeper Bar also benefits from a keen sense of how to mash up lowbrow and high, past and future: Alongside late-night bites like the Cheeseburger in Paradise and Hatch chili queso, you\u2019ll also find a rum-and-Campari Jungle Bird cocktail as well as an entire menu of martinis that includes a bright and briny peperoncini Gibson.<\/p>\n

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Photo: JOSH ARONSON<\/p>\n

The buzzy bar at Brother\u2019s Keeper.<\/p>\n

The Joyce<\/a><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s be clear: The Joyce is more than the steak house it\u2019s advertised to be; it\u2019s a speakeasy-inspired space with a chef whose r\u00e9sum\u00e9 includes Chicago\u2019s Michelin-starred Alinea. Opened early in 2025 off Espa\u00f1ola Way, it\u2019s causing a stir with its moody, velvet-draped dining room and remarkable collection of art. The pomp that comes with dining inside is worth the wait, but if you\u2019re just rolling up for a bite, check out its sister eatery the Patio, a riff on the Cuban ventanita style of sidewalk dining mixed with classic Americana: milkshakes, hand-cut fries, and a perfect paper-wrapped cheeseburger.<\/p>\n

Mila Omakase<\/a><\/p>\n

Ten seats and two seatings. That\u2019s it. The straightforward evening schedule is one of the many ways MILA Omakase makes its Japanese dining experience feel enticingly exclusive, but once you\u2019re in, \u201cyou are not a guest anymore, you are part of the family,\u201d says head server Jose Jimenez. \u201cLike Southern hospitality, the Japanese concept of omotenashi is about making your guests feel warm and welcomed.\u201d Opt for the tasting menu, which might include a mix of sashimi and nigiri with fresh wasabi grated tableside and such surprises as lobster tempura and a truffle hot pot.<\/p>\n

Mimi Chinese<\/a><\/p>\n

An unexpected deep dive into heritage cuisine awaits inside a nondescript white box of a building in South Beach. Red, a lucky color in Chinese culture, swathes the plush banquettes, and a reflective bronze bar sets the stage for intimate dining that doubles as a sensory tour through both the rural and urban regions of China\u2014Sichuan-style cucumbers, a four-foot-long Beijing \u201cbelt noodle,\u201d and fluffy Guangdong Ma Lai Go cream cake to top it off.<\/p>\n

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Photo: JOSH ARONSON<\/p>\n

Mimi Chinese\u2019s four-foot belt noodle.<\/p>\n

Motek<\/a><\/p>\n

In the sea of high-end South of Fifth restaurants, Motek stands out for its relaxed style and light and bright Mediterranean cuisine. The warmth of the family-owned mini-chain, with seven locations across South Florida, comes across in its sunshine-yellow awnings, cascading flora, and zippy flavors in such dishes as made-from-scratch hummus and a whole branzino swimming in citrusy goodness.<\/p>\n

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Photo: JOSH ARONSON<\/p>\n

Motek\u2019s branzino entree, arayes burger, summer salad, and hummus.<\/p>\n

Ray\u2019s Hometown Bar<\/a><\/p>\n

Enter through the Freehand hotel into the nostalgic wood-paneled world that is Ray\u2019s, which sits alongside the famed Broken Shaker bar. The cerulean and salmon-pink checkered floor glimmers by the glow of string lights, and pretty much the only time you can hear the television is when the Dolphins are on. Yes, the beer of choice might be the humble High Life, but the Michelin-starred chefs Jeremiah Stone and Fabi\u00e1n von Hauske Valtierra have heightened bar snacks like mustardy Cuban sandwiches and game-day wings into fine art. For a nightcap, order the Gloraya Estefan, a cheery rum-and-guava sipper.<\/p>\n

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Photo: JOSH ARONSON<\/p>\n

A booth at Ray\u2019s Hometown Bar; the welcoming beacon at Ray\u2019s.<\/p>\n

See & Shop<\/p>\n

The Bass Museum of Art<\/a><\/p>\n

Seeing the fluorescent tower of boulders on the front lawn is how you know you\u2019re at the right place: A short walk from all the Collins Avenue hotels, the Ugo Rondinone masterpiece Miami Mountain signals your arrival to the Bass, Miami Beach\u2019s famed art museum set inside a 1930s art deco building. The Bass will be bumping during December\u2019s Art Basel, but it\u2019s easy to while away any afternoon among the museum\u2019s two floors of works by mid-career and established contemporary artists. Through mid-August 2026, the museum is exhibiting Jack Pierson: The Miami Years, a collection of the artist\u2019s photography from the area.<\/p>\n

Curio at Faena Bazaar<\/a><\/p>\n

This shopping destination\u2019s Mid Beach location forgoes subtlety in favor of bold, thrilling aesthetics (you can\u2019t miss the wallpaper covered in a flock of swans). The massive twenty-thousand-square-foot, four-story space is like a dream department store: craveable designer clothing, shoes, and accessories aplenty, but also homewares and an entire vintage division. Serious fashionistas come for the constant carousel of brands, including resort wear from Eres, Donde Esteban, and Zimmermann that fits right in with the city\u2019s just-got-off-the-beach-for-cocktail-hour vibe.<\/p>\n

The Reefline<\/a><\/p>\n

Leave it to Miami Beach to erect a public park that\u2019s all underwater. The ReefLine is an in-process seven-mile sculpture gallery, snorkel trail, and hybrid reef a mere six or seven hundred feet offshore, meaning you don\u2019t need a boat or scuba gear to access it\u2014just a bit of swimming experience, a snorkel, and a mask. The first phase includes Concrete Coral by Leandro Erlich, a life-size traffic jam of concrete cars designed as habitats for marine life. Other artists signed on to the project\u2019s next stages include Miami\u2019s own Carlos Betancourt and Alberto Latorre.<\/p>\n

Row.<\/a><\/p>\n

A tissue box covered in fringe. A handblown glass vase that appears to be melting. These and more curiosities dot the petite and chic emporium of unexpectedness called row., a homewares boutique founded by the British-born Elise Chetek. \u201cI love having somewhere that people can come in and see things that are pretty and cool,\u201d Chetek says, \u201cthings you don\u2019t see too often.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Photo: JOSH ARONSON<\/p>\n

The exhibition assume vivid astro focus: XI at the Bass Museum; owner Elise Chetek in her store, row.<\/p>\n

Sunset Harbour<\/a><\/p>\n

Small but mightily fun, the bayside Sunset Harbour neighborhood is residents\u2019 go-to place for, well, just about anything. The live-work-play destination covering about three blocks is your best bet for a me-time afternoon full of iced lattes (Panther Coffee<\/a>), facials (cult-favorite Gee Beauty<\/a>), and maybe even a workout (Barry\u2019s gym<\/a>). Depending on your post-spin-class mood, dine as the locals do with fried chicken at Stiltsville Fish Bar<\/a> or an acai bowl at the fast-casual Pura Vida<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Day Trip<\/p>\n

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden<\/a><\/p>\n

Calling a massive tropical paradise a \u201chidden gem\u201d might seem misleading, but Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden has offered Miamians a beloved and quiet respite since its founding nearly ninety years ago. Tucked away near Coral Gables, Fairchild is a strollable ode to natural beauty, with a significant collection of palms, cycads, and rare orchids. Cool fact: It technically counts as the only tropical rainforest in the continental United States.<\/p>\n

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Photo: JOSH ARONSON<\/p>\n

Chef Jeremy Ford harvests shampoo ginger, also known as awapuhi, at his farm.<\/p>\n

Ford\u2019s Farm<\/a><\/p>\n

This bucolic destination is well worth the hour-plus drive from Miami Beach to Homestead to witness a chef making \u201cfarm to table\u201d his personal mission statement. Chef Jeremy Ford, whose fine-dining Miami Beach hot spot Stubborn Seed earned a Michelin star, tends five and a half acres of mangoes, avocados, and such specialty crops as curry leaf and ylang-ylang (part of the Chanel No. 5 perfume formula and a fun experimental cocktail ingredient). The chef opens the farm to the public during monthly (and sometimes twice a month) dinners served inside the cavernous seven-thousand-square-foot barn, which he announces on the Instagram page @fordsfarmmiami<\/a>, as well as through the ticketing partner OpenTable.<\/p>\n

See more:\u00a0Ace Atkins\u2019s Love Letter to Miami Beach<\/a><\/p>\n