"If you’re hosted properly in Miami, you'll see the other side of this amazing city," says David Sinopoli, the founder of III Points festival and co-owner of Club Space. He chose 11 spots that capture the city's current energy.
Less"Boia De is a beautiful gem that a lot of people don't know about in the city. It doesn't have a marquee; all it has is a neon exclamation point outside. The restaurant is kind of Italian and kind of American; it's very, very unique as far as the dishes. I was blown away by the pastas. There are smaller dishes that people can share, an incredible wine menu, and the vibe is laid back—it's not too fancy. Call ahead and get a reservation."
"This is a restaurant in a little house on South Beach, adjacent to Broken Shaker—it's run by the same people from BarLab. Even though it's very laid back, you'll get great service and amazing food. The space is beautifully designed and they have an extensive cocktail menu. The chef is a guy named Jimmy Lebron—he's a superstar young chef from Miami—and the menu is a fusion of Colombian and Israeli. Their falafel is amazing, and their kimchi fried rice is a can't-miss."
"This is definitely a see-and-be-seen spot—a little fancier than the others on this list—but people come to Miami and they want to be in the glitz and glam of the city. This is one of my friend's, Dave Grutman's, spots, and it has a diverse and delicious menu: great sushi, the dumplings are fire, the lettuce wraps are amazing, the wagyu skirt steak is great, and they're known for Peking duck."
"This is one of my classic spots, if my family's in town or if I'm celebrating something or looking for a place for a romantic date. It's a Greek restaurant in the Design District, and it's great for lunch or dinner. You feel like you're in a courtyard in Greece when you're there: There's phenomenal ambiance and incredible service. The saganaki, prawns, branzino, and chicken kebab are all my favorites. And their baklava is the best baklava I've ever had in my life."
"Everyone in Miami calls this place Lot 6. It's a pop-up that started in the pandemic, from the guys from the cocktail bar Jaguar Sun. This place is outdoors—there's a humungous tree in the middle of it—and there's great ambiance and music. The owners Will Thompson and Carey Hynes are very active; their service is really personal. Their Parker House rolls are crazy good, as are their steaks, and their martinis and Manhattans."
"My favorite pizza spot here is Eleventh Street Pizza. They make traditional New York–style pizza, but they also have Sicilian square slices. The Carmine and the Pepperoni Honey are two of my favorites. It's from an O.G. Miami guy named David Foulquier, who used to have a spot called Fooq's, and he transferred it into this spot during the pandemic, and it blew up. Go there and eat the pizza hot. It's right by some really cool bars, too."
"Downtown's really starting to pop, and first and foremost there is Margot, an organic wine bar. They play soul, funk, and R&B and old indie rock music on a very cool sound system, and they're known for incredible organic wine. Everyone in there is basically a somm, but it's not stuffy—it's a laid-back bar vibe. Definitely a Miami if-you-know-you-know type of spot. It's good for pre-dinner or after dinner, and they also have some tapas."
"I definitely have to touch on [one of my spots] Floyd. It's a 150-person dance spot for left-field soulful house music, in the 24-hour zone. The room is inspired by David Lynch's Twin Peaks—it almost feels a little haunted. There's an analog sound system in there, and you'll see everyone from John Talabot to James Murphy to the most up-and-coming DJ out of Miami there. It's a very, very special spot. Look for nightlife legend Alan T outside in full fashion, as there is no marquee for Floyd."
"E11even is a unicorn. It's a megaclub that's friendly—you walk in, and they're nice to you, which can be hard to come by at some of the ultra clubs. It's a strip club, but it's also a club club. If you're in there and you want to go to a strip club, cool, and then Diplo or 50 Cent comes and performs—that'll happen, too. It's open 24 hours like Floyd and Club Space, on that little carveout where Miami allows that. It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It's the Super Bowl of clubs."
"I'm a co-owner of Club Space, an iconic dance club that's been open for 20 years plus. It's known for the sunrise: We have 155 living, breathing plants. You don't see them in the dark, but as the sun comes up, the awning opens, and the plants start to awaken. We serve a huge menu of nonalcoholic items like ginger shots and juices, as well as a full bar. The best electronic DJs in the world have their residencies there. It's 24 hours and a great pairing with E11even to go back and forth."