11 December 8-14, 2022 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com New Times | Contents | Letters | news | night+Day | CuLture | Cafe | MusiC | Month XX–Month XX, 2008 miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | CONTENTS | LETTERS | RIPTIDE | METRO | NIGHT+DAY | STAGE | ART | FILM | CAFE | MUSIC | Shop n’ Dine From Michael’s to Mandolin, the ten best Design District restaurants. BY LAINE DOSS T he Design District is a shopping mecca where tourists and locals alike can purchase everything from bananas at Target to diamonds at Tiffany. The adjoining neighborhoods have become much more than places to fill your condo and empty your wallet. There’s public art, a live concert series, and fitness studios. With all of those activities, you’re going to work up an appetite. Here are the ten best places to sate your hunger. Contessa 111 NE 41st St., Miami contessaristorante.com Major Food Group, the restaurant group be- hind the red-sauce Italian restaurant Car- bone, channels another part of Italy’s culinary at Contessa. This time, chef Mario Carbone takes diners on a tour of Northern Italy with a selection of antipasti, salumi, piz- zas, pasta, and meat dishes. The restaurant is also perfect for an apres-shopping Aperol spritz or light lunch to fuel your credit card splurge Cote 3900 NE Second Ave., Miami 305-434-4668 cotemiami.com Simon Kim has brought Cote, his New York cross between a Korean barbecue restaurant and a traditional steakhouse, to the Design District. The res- taurant offers a se- lection of American and A5 Japanese Wagyu sourced from the Miyazaki prefec- ture (where true Wagyu are raised). The steaks are dry- aged for a mini- mum of 45 days in-house and then seasoned with a mixture of British Maldon, Himalayan pink, and Korean thousand-day salts before being presented raw and cooked to order tableside. Cote also serves one of Miami’s finest martinis, so be sure to start your meal with one. The restau- rant’s food beverage program earned it a Mi- chelin star in 2022. Itamae 140 NE 39th St., Miami 786-542-8977 itamaemiami.com Valerie and Nando Chang, along with their fa- ther Fernando, marry the precision of Japa- nese culinary techniques with the bold flavors of Peru, making the dishes bright, flavorful, and supremely interesting. The simple menu offers nigiri, ceviche, a local grilled catch, and tiraditos — all prepared super fresh. The care the Changs put into their 40-seat restaurant has not gone unnoticed: Itamae was a James Beard Award semifinalist and earned a Mi- chelin Bib Gourmand rating in 2022. L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon and Le Jardinier 151 NE 41st St., Miami 305-402-9070 latelier-miami.com Though master chef Joël Robuchon has passed away, his legendary cuisine remains alive at L’Atelier. Chef Christophe Bellanca — culinary director for Joël Robuchon USA — is tasked with this monumental undertaking, and he succeeds with a precise menu of clas- sic yet unpretentious dishes, such as spa- ghetti with black truffle. Its sister eatery, Le Jardinier, offers a vegetable-forward menu using local, seasonal produce, fresh herbs, and greens. For this precision and culinary craft, L’ Atelier is the only two-Michelin- starred restaurant in Miami, with Le Jardi- nier earning one Michelin star. Mandolin Aegean Bistro 4312 NE Second Ave., Miami 305-749-9140 mandolinmiami.com Romantic, friendly, and charming, Mandolin is housed in a vintage Miami cottage and spills out onto a back patio filled with green- ery and twinkle lights. The result is the feel- ing you’ve entered the home of a charming host somewhere in the Mediterranean. The food is simple and real, with many herbs and vegetables grown on the premises. Whole sea bass is grilled with olive oil and lemon, and beets are roasted with tahini yogurt and mint. Mandolin earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand designation for its beautiful menu at an af- fordable price point. MIA Market 40 NE 39th St., Miami 786-542-8977 miamarket.com Not sure what you’re craving after shopping at Dior? You’ll find something wonderful at this upscale food hall that offers 10,000 square feet of options. A hummus tower at Jaffa, fresh pasta at Dal Plin, tacos at Hot Lime, or a hearty báhn mì from Tran Am are just some of the options. Wash it all down with a cocktail or local draft beer at the bar that’s the heart of the hall. Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink 130 NE 40th St., Miami 305-573-5550 michaelsgenuine.com The Design District’s dining OG, Michael’s Genuine, still impresses. Restaurateur Mi- chael Schwartz’s strategy is serving fresh food made with care. The menu rotates sea- sonally, but expect classics such as wood- oven-roasted octopus, a black truffle pizza, and a pan-roasted half chicken. Michael’s also had plenty of vegetable dishes to make everyone happy. The restaurant recently ex- panded, adding an inviting outdoor patio area and expanding the indoor dining room. Mi- chael’s earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand des- ignation for its dedication to wallet-friendly fine dining. OTL 160 NE 40th St., Miami 786-953-7620 otlmia.com This casual café is the perfect antidote to chain coffee shops. The bright, cheery OTL (short for “Out to Lunch”) offers breakfast, lunch, and brunch. Items include overnight oats, avocado toast, and a black bean burger. After a whirlwind shopping spree, sit down with a coffee and a muffin and relax. Pura Vida 3818 NE First Ave., Miami puravida.com Here’s the scenario: You’re hangry after a long day of shopping, but you’ve blown your budget on a pair of Gucci sneakers. Don’t fret. Just walk those designer kiicks right over to Pura Vida. This colorful restaurant serves healthful foods that don’t require a second mortgage. Pura Vida offers açaí berry bowls, salads, soups, smoothies, juices, and more — many of them under ten dollars. Eating mind- fully without breaking the bank, unlike most fashion, never goes out of style. Swan 90 NE 39th St., Miami 305-704-0994 swanbevy.com The collaboration between nightlife and hospitality maven David Grutman and musician Pharrell Williams is decorated in hues of rose, making the dining room feel like a glowing Parisian bistro meets a Victorian parlor. The outdoor patio sees you dining in a lush garden-like setting. The menu offers everything you would want in a bistro: a hearty Caesar, Faroe Island salmon, and a lobster Cobb salad. But there are also some very “Miami” indulgences like a pasta festooned with caviar, an oversized porterhouse for two, and a giant sundae that makes every day your birthday. [email protected] ▼ Café Photo by Gary He Cote Miami’s steak omakase COTE IS A CROSS BETWEEN A KOREAN BARBECUE RESTAURANT AND A TRADITIONAL STEAKHOUSE. ‘
