10 April 23-29, 2026 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | NEWS | LETTERS | CONTENTS | Month XX–Month XX, 2008 miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | ART | STAGE | NIGHT+DAY | METRO | RIPTIDE | LETTERS | CONTENTS | Last week, the Champagne Bar at the Surf Club was named the best hotel bar in the United States, surpassing a field of storied lounges in cit- ies like New York, Chicago, and New Orleans. The honor comes via Food & Wine’s 2026 Global Tastemakers Awards, which placed the Surfside destination at the very top of a category long dominated by legacy institutions. For Miami, it lands as both recognition and something closer to confirmation. How so? Be- cause long before the national spotlight arrived, it was already on our radar. In 2025, New Times named the Champagne Bar the best hotel bar in Miami, noting at the time, “A friend of ours, a worldly fellow, assures us that Four Seasons hotels are a cut above, nigh peerless. We wouldn’t know. Opulence and os- tentation make us uncomfortable, as does obse- quiousness, and we find that the three tend to travel in a pack. That’s the thing about the Cham- pagne Bar at the Surf Club: Granted, it’s opulently appointed, lovingly restored to its early-20th- century glory, and with all mod cons. A bona fide throwback in a town full of construction cranes. But that’s where it stops.” That observation holds. Because what distin- guishes the Champagne Bar is not simply its de- sign, though it is undeniably beautiful. It’s the ease of it all. Tucked just outside Lido at the Surf Club Res- taurant, the Champagne Bar serves as the hotel’s living room. It’s anchored by its signature emer- ald-green bar and opens onto a wide lounge and a palm-lined terrace. There’s truly a transportive quality to the space that feels as though you’re transported to a different era. The drinks follow suit. Cocktails here are clas- sic, with subtle variations that reference the Surf Club’s early days. There’s an extensive Cham- pagne selection, of course. However, here, the martini, the gimlet, and classic cocktails are done exceptionally well. They are not inexpensive. Around $25 a drink is standard. However, the value here is about beautiful execution, consistency, and a certain re- straint that is increasingly rare. Plus, the service and each bartender who works here are a delight. The Champagne Bar sits within the original 1930s clubhouse of the Surf Club. As you can imagine, it was once home to some of South Flori- da’s most extravagant social gatherings. The space itself was originally the ballroom. It hosted galas and lavish parties that helped define Miami’s early identity as a playground for the well-heeled. When the Four Seasons Hotel at the Surf Club reopened in March 2017, the bar was redeveloped to preserve its legacy. It has since maintained the spirit of the original clubhouse while introducing a more modern rhythm. Today, the palm-fringed terrace, beautiful de- cor, and refined atmosphere all nod to a version of Miami that existed long before. Even the menu reflects that lineage, from the expansive Cham- pagne selection to the classic cocktails that echo the club’s earliest days. In a city that is constantly reinventing itself, the Champagne Bar offers a connection to the best of old South Florida. The Champagne Bar at the Surf Club. 9011 Col- lins Ave., Surfside; 305-381-3333; fourseasons. com. NICOLE LOPEZ-ALVAR Taste Test from p9
