Where to Eat in Miami

With its velvet armchairs and hanging straw lamps, the bright and airy Suite Habana Café (2609 N Miami Ave) in Wynwood feels like a paladar, a kind of intimate family-run restaurant found in Cuba. The space is bright and airy, with painted brick walls and patterned tile floors. Plants hang from the ceiling, and people drink coffee in window seats. The decor and menu both call back to owner Nayelis Delisle’s upbringing on the island and warm memories of drinking coffee with her grandmother. Since 2018, she’s aimed to bring that nostalgia to Suite Habana, creating a space for Cuban coffee in a laid-back atmosphere. The cafe serves its own house blend made from locally roasted Brazilian and Colombian beans along with a homemade breakfast of mushroom and cheese empanadas, alfajores, and banana bread.  

Located a few blocks from Suite Habana, Zak the Baker (295 NW 26th St) is the creation of Zak Stern, a born-and-raised Miamian who returned to the city after studying bread making in Italy and Israel. His hip kosher bakery is the perfect spot to grab phenomenal house-made bagels, croissants, and breakfast sandwiches before popping into a nearby art gallery. There are often long lines, thanks in part to loyal locals who have followed Stern since his days selling naturally leavened sourdough at farmers markets. His baking may be nationally beloved at this point, but he’s still celebrated in Miami as a hometown hero. The menu changes nearly as often as the surrounding neighborhood’s murals, but the chocolate babka is a welcome regular. 

Beaches and browsing on South Beach 

Head to Miami’s South Beach early for a good spot next to one of the kaleidoscopic lifeguard stands. Another quintessential Miami experience is taking a stroll through Lummus Park, which starts at 5th Street and stretches almost 10 blocks. The park is an ideal place to people-watch. Rollerbladers, bikers, and runners dart around pedestrians; the bodybuilders on 9th street use the outdoor fitness structures for an al fresco workout; and there’s usually a game or two of volleyball going on. 

Lincoln Road Mall, located a few blocks from South Beach, is an outdoor retail center that shouldn’t be missed. Closed off to cars, Lincoln Road is a mile-long street with restaurants, sidewalk cafes, and if you’re lucky, some street performers. If you’re there on a Sunday, Lincoln Road transforms into a Farmer’s Market filled with empanadas, homemade jams and jellies, and an assortment of Florida-grown fruit. 

An outstanding Southern brunch or an eclectic outdoor Turkish lunch