A Trio Of Terrific Weekend Meals In Miami

Miami has become a beloved food destination with an abundance of fresh seafood, locally sourced produce and global influences from Latin-America to Asia. With just one weekend or a short stay, it may be challenging to choose between hundreds of options. These three restaurants provide a unique and fabulous way to spend a few days sampling some of the best food that Miami has to offer.

The ideal at brunch at the Lido

The perfect start to any weekend is a beachside brunch at the incredibly luxe Lido Restaurant at the Four Seasons at the Surf Club. Prepare to come hungry and ready to indulge in some of the best Italian cuisine in town. All menu items look delicious and luckily you don’t have to choose between them. The antipasti course is served family style and large plates of smoked salmon toast, yellowtail with fennel crema, a rotating pizza selection, organic tomatoes with warm stracciatella and a gem lettuce salad will all appear on your table. For an entree, you can choose between a catch of the day, a NY strip steak, a frittata or french toast topped with dulche de leche. For an added fee, you can add wine; rosé seems to be the beverage of choice. You can also supplement your meal with oysters, truffles or some amazing caviar.

Hopefully, you have left room for the dessert, which is also served family style. There is no need to choose between the key lime pie, the chocolate mouse, the mango panna cotte or any of the other treats the pastry chef has created that day. Any meal at the Lido is spectacular, but brunch is my favorite. The opulent atmosphere, ocean view and first-class service make guests feel extremely welcome.

Cocktails and sushi at The St. Regis Bar

One of the best ways to start your evening is at the beloved St. Regis Bar. Every night at 6 pm, you can witness the the Art of Sabrage ritual, a signature ceremony. This is your chance to celebrate a glass of your favorite bubbly with a little drama as one of the Bar’s pros dramatically sabers a bottle of champagne.

And if champagne is not your thing, you can try one of the many signature cocktails. Favorites include the “St. Regis Gardens,” which features Le Citron Grey Goose, elderflower liqueur, cucumber, lemongrass, lime and rosewater or the “Dragons’ Fury,” a spice concoction of Casamigos Tequila, orange liquor, passion fruit, lime, jalapeno and agave. While the drinks are pretty spectacular, the accompanying Asian-inspired menu is also a treat. The sushi is first-rate and the creative rolls include the Rainbow which manages to contains tuna, salmon, hamachi, shrimp and avocado. You can also enjoy Japanese Hokkaido scallops served with potato croquettes and yuzu caviar crema, wagyu sliders with caramelized onions or a blue crab Vietnamese summer roll. The atmosphere is festive, the service is friendly and cocktails are served both indoors and on the adjacent terrace. All guests seem to be smiling all the time.

Dinner at a Zeru

A terrific start to any weekend evening is a meal at Zeru. This newly-opened restaurant provides a bit of drama, as well as excellent Spanish-inspired dishes. Zeru features some of the city’s best seafood, cooked with a twist. One of the restaurant’s goals is to dazzle you with the Chef’s Basque grilling technique and creative interpretations of the classics. The menu is divided into items from the sea, the land and those served atop “socorrats,”— the crunchy rice found at the bottom of paella. Favorite starters include sauteed scallops with yuza and ginger; a house specialty is the fried artichokes in a Spanish cheese sauce, which is incredibly delicious.

Whole fish are freshly grilled and you can choose between turbot, branzino, giant prawns, and sardines. Meat lovers will not be disappointed with the filet mignon or the 48 oz. wagyu tomahawk steak. And you cannot leave without trying the signature socorrats, which can be topped with Japanese kobe or Alaksan king crab. Patatas bravas and some broccolini will round out your meal. For dessert, trust your server when you hear a recommendation for manchego cheese fondant–that just may be the best interpretation of cheese cake ever.