No. 1: Cecconi’s Miami Beach
There is no sexier patio in Miami than the canopied courtyard at Cecconi’s, where trees are strung with white lights and populated by artfully selected varieties of miniscule birds. The ground-floor restaurant is the only one of Soho Beach House’s multiple dining spots that is open to people who are neither club members nor hotel guests, and the “public” misses no opportunity to crowd into the breezy outdoor space and enjoy chef Sergio Sigala’s steak, seafood and Italian dishes.
No. 2: Pax Miami
As a relatively young city, Miami doesn’t have much in the way of old factories to convert into lofts or warehouses and then to turn into nightclubs, but the owners of PAX (Performing Arts Exchange) have taken over a former distribution center of the Miami Herald and set up a new bar-meets-art-house. Former Transit Lounge music scout Roxanne Scalia has curated a spring/summer lineup of events that includes a Words and Wine series and local talents like Big Brooklyn Red, Suenalo and troubadour Brendan O’Hara.
No. 3: The Fontainebleau Miami Beach
Hit this massive resort during peak hours, and you’d think it’s still late 2008 -- the year when this former Rat Pack hangout reopened with a bash that culminated in a Victoria’s Secret fashion show. The property has since faced public financial woes, but that hasn’t gotten in the way of the festivities. When its star-studded pool parties wind down, a slew of top restaurants offer thriving bar scenes. Megaclub LIV has no trouble filling its over-18,000-square-foot space with revelers, and Arkadia -- the newest of the Fontainebleau’s on-site nightclubs -- provides an Ibiza-style experience to a slightly younger set.
No. 4: Club 50 at Viceroy Hotel & Resort
Located 50 stories above ground at the Viceroy Miami, Club 50 offers what is perhaps the best of both worlds in Miami: a sexy, South Beach-style club scene with the sweeping views that come with a spot in one of Brickell’s tallest high-rises. The mainland’s see-and-be-seen lounge makes full use of its location, with wraparound windows and a slick rooftop space that, in the summer, is worth visiting for the breeze alone.
No. 5: The Standard Spa, Miami
Fittingly for a hotel that has built a brand out of its holistic approach to well-being, The Standard Spa, Miami puts a positive spin on the sweltering summer days. Its stunning bayfront grounds represent an ideal destination for both day and night, whether for tropical cocktails served poolside or for its inventive Standard Industry Night party series. Whatever your fancy, it's hard to beat the dress code (swim trunks and bikinis).
No. 6: Area 31 at EPIC Hotel
From Memorial Day to Labor Day, sustainable seafood restaurant Area 31 celebrates summer with legendary parties held on the last Friday of every month. The Epic Hotel restaurant serves legendary cocktails on its 16th-floor terrace, where cigar smokers can also score free Camacho Cigars and thus help create the steamy, smoky ambiance of Cuba’s heyday.
No. 7: db Bistro Moderne at the JW Marriott Marquis
We’re not alone in our contention that the Miami outpost of chef Daniel Boulud’s db Bistro Moderne serves the best dirty martini in the city. Response to Boulud’s Americanized French bistro food, on the other hand, has been mixed: There are ardent fans, patrons outraged at the prices and diners who were favorably impressed but feel that it doesn’t quite live up to expectations. No matter what your take, db is still the place to be right now, as just about everyone trickles in to render their own verdict on a restaurant whose opening was one of the biggest in recent years.
No. 8: The Stage
Every great summer needs a great soundtrack -- that’s where The Stage comes in. Located in the Miami Design District, and infused with styles from New Orleans and New York, The Stage’s summer event calendar is packed with every conceivable sound to complement a hot Miami night -- from dance to jazz to soul.
No. 9: The Royal at The Raleigh Hotel
Restaurateur and chef John DeLucie (of New York City’s famed Waverly Inn and The Lion) set The Raleigh apart from neighboring beachfront properties when he opened The Royal at this historic hotel. In addition to DeLucie’s power-dining scene and well-received “modern American” fare, the velvet-roped Raleigh is the site of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in July, with the models who are stationed in Miami reigning over the festivities.
No. 10: Makoto
Even within the glittery confines of Bal Harbour Shops, brand-new Japanese-style bar Makoto has made a splash. New York City’s Morimoto and Buddakan’s sister restaurant, it is what you would expect from powerhouse restaurateur Stephen Starr’s debut venture in Miami: a sexy, high-walled, dimly lit space where the 12-seat sushi bar that wraps around an open kitchen and the dark-wood booths are currently the hottest tables in town. Namesake chef Makoto Okuwa’s cuisine, exemplified by the tea-crusted tuna tataki and paper-thin slices of Kobe beef, lives up to the hype.
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