Miami is supposed to care more about where your plate is sitting (and who’s near it!) than what’s on top of it, but all that schmoozing is hungry work. We’ve tracked down five places where you can eat and drink like a local without having to rush out for a takeaway afterwards. Book your flights now and head south for a cosmopolitan choice of restaurants and bars.
Lo Locanda, Washington Avenue
A great little Italian joint on Washington Avenue, La Locanda specializes in good food for fair prices. Unlike most places in Miami, you can get a main for under $20 without compromising on quality, and the pasta is the best you’ll find outside of Italy. Try the lasagna with La Locanda’s ‘secret’ meat sauce and learn why this place is one of the most popular in town for authentic dishes. Set up by two Italians – an ex-paratrooper and champion boxer – the venue is the friendliest you’ll get on South Beach (just don’t suggest a sparring match!). Get there early to grab a table on the pavement and people-watch as the strollers wander past.
Talavera, Coral Gables
Talavera is one of Quetzalcoatl’s gifts to Miami, an awesome little Mexican place serving fantastic food and strong margaritas that doesn’t cost a bomb. Mexican chef, Oscar del Rivero, who cut his teeth in some of Miami’s best restaurants, checks back into the motherland with a comprehensive menu of delicious dishes, freshly prepared. The guacamole is fabulous, the tacos to die for, and don’t get us started on the pulled pork. A great choice for vegetarians, Talavera also does a mean brunch at weekends, but book in the evenings to avoid missing out. Bright orange walls, lively blue and white pottery, friendly staff and bucket-loads of tequila make this venue an unmissable spot for an evening out.
The Forge, Miami Beach
If you’re looking for an evening of classic Miami Vice, The Forge is the place to unbutton your shirt, slip on a chain and make like Scarface. Once full of mobsters and actors, the current re-design of wood paneling and chandeliers has attracted everyone from presidents to sports stars and makes for a swanky night out. The menu, covering everything from steaks to seafood, is delicious, and not too pricey for the quality. Another bonus is the drinks list, one of the longest we’ve seen in Miami. Head here for everything from champagne cocktails to European beers and an 80-bottle Enomatic wine dispenser. Worth splashing a little cash.
The River, Downtown Miami
Miami’s coastal location makes seafood one of its major selling points, and there are few places for better value than The River. With fresh fish in every day, the menu changes nightly but the quality never falters. Executive chef David Bracha has spent years constructing his perfect fish restaurant and the proof is in the pudding. From Irish salmon to Japanese-inspired sushi, the things this man does incredible things with fish. Get there before 7pm and prop yourself up at the slate and mahogany bar for half-price oysters and drinks specials – you won’t want to leave before closing.
The Deuce, Miami Beach
If you really want to drink like a local, you better be prepared to give your liver a battering, because in Miami they party hard. The Deuce is proof of that; though it does a great line in evening openings, its high point is with the Sunday morning SoBe after party. Get there from 8am to ruin your hangover in the oldest and best dive bar in Miami. An ancient jukebox, worn out pool table and anathema for credit cards hold fast, but don’t doubt the skills of the bartenders, or the strength of their drinks. At two-for-one from 8am to 8pm, you won’t find a better spot to drink all day.
