June 04, 2018
Beautiful beach views, pleasant ambiance and some of the best eats anywhere in the city? Yup, South Beach rules when it comes to a romantic night out. For your next dinner date, try one of these romantic restaurants around South Beach:
It’d be remiss to mention romance in South Beach and not point to Juvia, one of Miami’s most impressive restaurants. On arrival, the first thing that will catch your eyes is the floor to ceiling windows, offering incredible views of the city below. This penthouse level restaurant overlooks South Beach, and if you time things just right you might catch a sunset to die for. Any date will be impressed, but that’s only the start! Juvia isn’t just good looks and serves up an intriguing combination of French, Peruvian and Japanese cuisine. Their king crab risotto is fit for a king, while those tasty little hamachi espumas make for some pretty spicy little entrees. Oh, and don’t forget the drinks! The specialty is the Juvia lemonade, a fruity mix of Beluga Noble Vodka, berry puree and lemon. Yum!
The brainchild of Michelin star chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Matador Room will blow you away with its opulent Art Deco interior. It looks like the sort of place where you might have casually bumped into Frank Sinatra and settled down for a few quiet drinks. Try and get one of the upstairs club-style booths, which offer a bit of seclusion that’s perfect for lovers.
Despite Matador Room’s obvious retro overtones, the food itself is cutting edge contemporary Latin fare. Pretty much everything is made with locally-sourced Florida-grown ingredients. The menu might also nudge you towards shareable; indeed, much of the food here is intended to be passed around and enjoyed by the whole table. So if you’re territorial about your plate, then this place isn’t for you. For everyone else though, Matador Room offers an elegant yet unpretentious night out. Don’t leave without trying the Cuban-style arroz con pollo.
An outcrop of the exclusive Soho Beach House club, Cecconi’s is open to the public – and thank the Gods of good food for that. They deal primarily in sumptuous traditional-style pasta, made on site from scratch. There’s nothing like some homemade, fresh pasta, and Cecconi’s sure does deliver on this front. For ambiance, try to score one of the outdoor tables, ideally near the line of trees to the side. The lighting over there can be perfect in the evenings. As for the menu itself, don’t expect anything that strays too far from the tried and tested Italian classics. Having said that, the handmade spaghetti with Maine lobster is pretty unbeatable.
This Tuscan themed restaurant has some seriously intimate vibes. One look at the outdoor area overflowing with greenery, and you’ll be forgiven for thinking you’ve been transported to Florence. Casa Tua serves up a classic menu packed with Mediterranean favorites, with a big focus on dessert. The vanilla and orange crème brûlée is the highlight of the night, not to mention the house special, their tiramisu. They also boast one of South Beach’s best wine collections; so if you want to show off your sommelier skills, now is the time.