I usually share my vacations all in one neat and tidy blog post, but this year’s trip to Miami required a post JUST for the food.
I have incredible food every year, but 2016 was one for the books. We stuck with our favorites, but branched out to all the right places (minus one).
Our first night, we ate at Joe’s Stone Crab — One of my favorite spots in Miami. You just can’t go wrong here. It’s a SoBe staple! (If you ever go, GET THE KEY LIME PIE!)
Our first full day in Miami was just that — a FULL day. I finally had time to try Ladurée macarons. And OMG, they did not disappoint! (I recommend the pistachio flavor.)
I also tried Aroma Espresso Bar for the first time ever. And it was addiction at first sip. LOVED this place! They may or may not have had my order memorized by the last day of our trip. . .
Dinner that night was an unforgettable experience. If you go to one place in Miami, go to The Bazaar by José Andrés (in the SLS Hotel). Its tapas menu will change your life, for the better, forever.
We started with Dragon Fruit Ceviche. Followed by Caprese Salad (with LIQUID mozzarella).
We had to try the Cuban-Coffee Churrasca Steak (of course).
The Fish en Papillote was presented beautifully.
The spicy sauces for the potatoes were SO good. (I dipped everything in them. Per usual.)
The pork sliders were wonderful. And the dessert was AWESOME, to say the least. We had the Key Lime Pie (Jose’s way), and the S’more-Chocolate Cake.
From beginning to end, everything we tried was like a party in our mouths. So damn good! And so different!
Our third day was even better. We had a small lunch at Yardbird (another one of my favorites).
Followed by pre-dinner drinks at Lido (at The Standard Spa).
The view at Lido was bomb. And so was the people-watching.
Unfortunately, our dinner that night was a BIG flop. DO NOT go to Jaya. I repeat, DO NOT GO to Jaya! The atmosphere was super sexy, but the menu and service was everything BUT sexy.
Saturday was a little chilly, so it was the one day we didn’t go to the beach. We brunched at News Cafe. (Totally basic. Don’t waste your time. Unless you’re piss drunk at 4 a.m.) Then we watched the TTU basketball game at Clevelander Sports Bar. (They have great piña coladas.) Aaaaand then we had dinner…an epic dinner!
Il Gabbiano, y’all. If you like Italian food, GO HERE! The service was impeccable, the food was to die for, and the view was fabulous. Located in downtown Miami, right on the bay, Il Gabbiano was honestly just as good as the food we had IN Italy.
And we left feeling satisfied, not disgustingly full. I love that!
Our last day in Miami was perfect. We fit in some beach time, and we even had time to Uber downtown JUST to get my favorite Piña Colada from Let’s Make a Daiquiri.
We kept it simple for our final Miami dinner. But Lord have mercy, simple never tasted so good. SHAKE SHACK. Whaaaaaat have I been doing with my life, y’all?!?! Why have I never tried this glorious place?! I loathe burgers (except for In-N-Out), but I LOVED Shake Shack. L O V E D!!!!!
What are some of your favorite Miami spots? Anything I need to try next time?
Happy weekend, friends! Xo
