58 June 26 – July 2, 2025 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com NEW TIMES miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com NEW TIMES B E S T º F M I A M I ® 2 0 2 5 budget. It can feel a bit overwhelming at first, but if you take your time surveying the vendors, you’re bound to find something special. Unlike much of Miami, parking here is plentiful and free. Just be sure to call ahead, as many vendors close up shop for several weeks during the summer for vacation. BEST BRIDAL SHOP Chernaya Bridal 2066 N. Bayshore Dr. Miami 33137 305-576-6000 chernayabridalhouse.com Chernaya Bridal is a wedding-dress shop straight out of a rom-com dream. Situated off Biscayne Boulevard in Miami’s Edgewater neighborhood, the sprawling bridal salon fea- tures floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook Biscayne Bay and showcase racks of intri- cately designed white gowns displayed in stunning wood-and-glass cases. Unlike many other popular bridal shops in Miami that of- ten carry the same designers, Chernaya offers a curated selection from more distinctive — yet equally renowned — names like Naeem Khan, Marchesa, Viktor&Rolf, Birzenwig, Elie Youssef Couture, and Reem Acra. Working alongside the shop’s in-house ateliers, Cher- naya’s stylists are never pushy and always fo- cused on their mission to help you find your dream look and ensure it fits like a glove. BEST MAKEUP ARTIST Patricia’s Canvas 305-450-0785 instagram.com/patriciascanvas They’re called makeup artists for a reason, and Patricia Desamours could have her own solo show at PAMM for the absolute sorcery she can cast on a face. Sometimes we want to look like elevated versions of ourselves, and some- times we want to break necks while walking into a party. No matter the vibe, Patricia deliv- ers the perfect look. As head MUA for Ultra Music Festival, she’s no stranger to working under pressure. She also knows how to keep makeup fresh for hours of sweating, dancing, and surviving the Miami humidity. With pric- ing starting at $200, her soft glam option is perfect for weddings, professional soirées, and charity events. As a bonus, the Haitian-Cana- dian beauty happens to be an absolute delight to hang out with while in her chair. BEST SALON IGK Salon 56 NE 41st St. Miami 33137 305-573-5520 igkhair.com If Miami had a cool-girl hair uniform, it would be the signature IGK waves. Named after the first initial of the founders’ last names, IGK Salon’s Miami flagship (man- aged by parent company Luxury Brand Partners) is run by partners and brothers Franck and Leo Izquierdo. The second-gen- eration hair masters brought their talents from Paris, France, to Miami in the early aughts and have steadily grown their up- scale salon and product line ever since. They also employ a skilled roster of stylists and colorists who deliver looks that are well worth the cost and wait. Cuts range from $100 to $400, depending on the stylist, and clients can expect to hang out for two to three hours if they’re going for the whole IGK experience (shampoo, cut, blow-dry, and curls). The biggest challenge here might be keeping your head straight for a trim with all the celebrity sightings and gor- geous people sitting in adjacent chairs. Luckily, there are plenty of mirrors for more incognito scoping. BEST BARBERSHOP Pete’s Suniland Barber Shop 11505 S. Dixie Hwy. Miami 33156 305-251-5893 There is no way on God’s green earth that this Pinecrest institution will ever put up a neon sign that says, “Blow me away.” There certainly won’t be an iPad asking you to pick 15, 20, or 25 percent for a tip. But the cash- only beauty of Pete’s Suniland Barber Shop lies in its simplicity, as it has for 60 years. Just as your grandparents might have, you plop down on a leather chair and wait your turn. Your child can rock on the old-school animal spring riders and chew on some Hubba Bubba fresh off the line. The barbers are easy to chat with as they do what they do best — no matter the event, they’ve got you covered. But perhaps the best part of this classic barbershop is the feeling of a barber applying warm shaving cream to your neck and clearing it away with an old-fashioned razor blade. BEST GYM Life Time at the Falls 8778 SW 136th St. Miami 33176 786-977-6100 lifetime.life/locations/fl/miami A chain gym usually doesn’t drum up much hype, but Life Time at the Falls has had tongues flapping since it opened in 2023. Oc- cupying the old Macy’s space, this luxury gym offers amenities usually reserved for resorts and country clubs. The 120,000-square-foot, three-story facility has it all, from spa ameni- ties to indoor pickleball to kids’ club activi- ties. That’s right, you can add your kids to memberships at a discounted price. That means they can go HAM on the outdoor pool area that looks more like a water park with waterslides and a splash pad. So yes, this may be a chain, but a chain that’s thought of every- thing to keep your bottom perky and your kids occupied. BEST MASSAGE Carillon Miami 6801 Collins Ave. Miami Beach 33141 866-800-3858 carillonhotel.com There is no stress — no deranged news story, no day-with-screaming-children — that cannot be reset by one of the many cu- rated massages at the Carillon Miami Wellness Resort. Let the masseuse go to town on your muscles with a deep tissue massage, stimulate your senses with an aro- matherapy massage, or loosen your limbs with warm Himalayan salt stones. You can also amp up each experience with an add- on like the Body Strategist Leg Gel to stimu- late circulation or a CBD massage upgrade. If that’s not enough to stretch your rock- hard back muscles, the Carillon has every wellness treatment under the blazing sun, as well as specialized retreats, including “Inner Glow: A Menopause and Perimeno- pause Retreat” for those with dwindling ovaries and erratic hormones. BEST MANI/PEDI Menta y Canela multiple area locations, including: 2030 Douglas Rd., Ste. 118 Coral Gables 33134 786-664-1199 mentaycanelanailsalons.com At Menta y Canela, high-end nails don’t have to come with a price tag that requires you to open a new line of credit. This homegrown Miami chain has exploded with new loca- tions across the city, offering mani-pedi com- bos at prices starting at a jaw-dropping $19.99. And the quality is anything but basic. Their techs are perfectionists, and every shop’s vibe feels like a mini oasis, whether you’re sneaking in a quick lunchtime refresh or treating yourself to a complete glam out- ing. Plus, Menta y Canela offers tons of extra services like gel designs, waxing, and even spa treatments, all without making your wal- let cry. Accessible, affordable, and seriously stylish, Menta y Canela is proof you don’t have to break the bank to keep your hands (and toes) looking flawless. BEST FACIAL Silver Mirror Facial Bar 712 SW First Ct. Miami 33130 786-899-0600 and 2955 Ponce De Leon Blvd., Ste. 222 Coral Gables 33134 786-988-0520 silvermirror.com/ locations/?location=miami Silver Mirror isn’t just another facial spot; it’s a self-care paradise you’ll want to move into after your first appointment. Between the Brickell and Coral Gables locations, the facial bar looks like the inside of a lifestyle influenc- er’s dream home — bright, clean, and ridicu- lously calming — as opposed to a sterile, LED-lit doctor’s office. But the real magic is in the actual facials. Whether you’re dealing with stubborn breakouts, dullness, or just need an instant glow-up, their expert estheti- cians tailor treatments that actually work. First-timers get $30 off, and the new mem- bership program is a game-changer if you’re ready to make good skin your entire personal- ity. Bonus: They’ll shape your brows to per- fection with threading, tinting, and other little extras that make a big difference in your overall look. After one session, you’ll wonder why you ever thought facials were just “spe- cial occasion” splurges. BEST MEDSPA Hola MD 1470 NW 107th Ave., Ste. K Miami 33172 305-800-4652 holamd.co This is Miami, where every face and body is expected to be sculpted to the extreme. And to achieve that snatched flesh that makes you feel and look fantastic, we need our MedSpas. The newly opened Hola MD in Doral, led by Dr. Jose “JD” Suarez, is the one that best combines expert medical care and cutting-edge treatments. “Hola” means “hello,” and Hola MD lives up to the name. The staff makes you feel at home while
