Many of Miami’s most lavish dining hot spots combine food, fashion, and style for the ultimate décor experience.
Cavalli Restaurant & Lounge
Roberto Cavalli’s beloved leopard and zebra patterns abound at Cavalli Restaurant & Lounge, the designer’s stylish eatery in South Beach.
Miami has long exhibited a flair for décor, dating back to the sumptuous interiors of the magnificent Magic City-era hotels. So now that the city’s food scene is coming into its own, it’s no surprise that some restaurants are distinguishing themselves as much by their interior design as by their menus.
Least surprising of all, perhaps, is Cavalli Restaurant & Lounge, located in a Tuscan-style villa in South Beach’s exclusive South of Fifth neighborhood. Even if the restaurant didn’t name-check Roberto Cavalli, you’d recognize the iconic fashion designer’s inimitable imprint in an instant. Do you prefer leopard spots or zebra stripes? Either way, there’s a patterned seat for you. Naturally, fauna needs flora, and the bright purple flowers printed on the silk tablecloths and variegated floral centerpieces prove Cavalli knows this. “I wanted to communicate all my passion for beauty and sensuality, combining them in a hospitality project in Miami,” says Cavalli, who teamed up with Italy-based architect Italo Rota for this establishment that showcases Murano glasses from Venice and Italian marble floors.
A profusion of extravagant details combined in kaleidoscopic harmony is the hallmark of a Cavalli space. But just in case a guest had any trouble guessing the identity of this textile tamer, there are several large photographs of Cavalli hanging on the restaurant’s patterned walls. Because what’s a meal at Cavalli without l’uomo himself in attendance? 150 Ocean Dr., Miami Beach, 305-695-4191
The Bazaar
A seashell-encrusted 10-foot chandelier at The Bazaar adds to the dream-like ambience.
The atmosphere often feels a degree or two removed from reality, and in that sense The Bazaar’s interior is successfully dreamy (as is chef José Andrés’s boundary-pushing cuisine). There are two distinct dining rooms. One is a re-creation of designer Philippe Starck’s memory of his grandmother’s dining room. It has floor-to-ceiling shelves stocked with books and old photos, acid-yellow walls, and a 10-foot-tall, seashell-encrusted chandelier that reflects on the space in a tall mirror flanked by zebra-print paneling.
The other, separated from its counterpart by the bar and kitchen, eschews nostalgia for allure. Its long red curtains and red-and-black area rug pop against dark seating. Off to the side, a wax candelabra melts onto the counter, casting faint light on thick columns covered in scrawled handwriting. Commanding the room is a black bull’s head, mounted on the wall among black-and-white photos of beautiful women and proudly wearing a pink wrestling mask.
Deciding which room to dine in depends a bit on your idea of a good dream. 1701 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, 305-455-2999
The Dutch
The Dutch evokes Miami Beach, with nods to a Manhattan bar.
The Dutch describes itself as “NYC meets Miami Beach”—this is true in a couple of ways. The restaurant originated in the Big Apple, and its décor, designed by NYC-based Meyer Davis Studio, honors those origins with brick walls and varied seating arrangements, chair types, and table heights suitable for a packed Manhattan bar.
Even so, The Dutch manages to evoke a Miami state of mind: Sunlight washes over light oak floors, nautical lamps hang from driftwood beams, and the brick walls feel beachy under a thick coat of white paint. And of course, the long red surfboard, mounted on the wall among various found objects, is a bright-red reminder that a warm ocean lies just feet away. W South Beach, 2201 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, 305-938-3111
The Forge
The Forge’s opulent interior turns dining into grand theater.
In 2010, when The Forge spent $10 million to renovate its interior, the goal, says owner Shareef Malnik, “was to create a feeling of a home living space that pays homage to its roots and, at the same time, looks towards the future.”
The opulent result, from interior designer François Frossard, is a fantastic success even if your idea of home doesn’t include elaborate stained-glass wall panels, columns topped with Corinthian capitals, silken upholstered chairs, and a crystal chandelier that looks like an upside-down, multitiered wedding cake. With all these flourishes, The Forge somehow still manages to make you feel at home. 432 41st St., Miami Beach, 305-538-8533