These Miami Neighborhoods Have Luxury Labels, Homegrown Talents and Art for All

Miami’s Design District is exactly what it sounds like: a collection of high-end stores and furniture showrooms where you can find a couch that’s as detailed as a coupe. But it’s also one of the most visually interesting areas of the city, and the neighborhood is now stuffed with cool art and excellent restaurants to rival its retail options.

On this journey, you’ll take advantage of all of that and then some. Arrive around 11 a.m. and start your (mostly) free art crawl in Palm Court, one of the Design District’s open courtyards. After you’ve worked up an appetite, it’s time for a power lunch fit for an art-world exec—and if you feel like doing some shopping afterward, we’ve got a few more under-the-radar spots both here and in neighboring Little River that are worth checking out.

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See Something, Pay (Almost) Nothing

So much of the Design District’s best art, architecture and cultural offerings are open to the public, and it’s easy to see it all on foot in just a few hours. Here’s what not to miss.

Fly’s Eye Dome

Make your way—literally—into the Fly’s Eye Dome at Palm Court. (Photo by Ivana Cajina)

Famed architect R. Buckminster Fuller envisioned this translucent dome (which does, in fact, look like a fly’s eye) as a prototype for homes of the future. Unlike the original design, though, the one on display in Palm Court, built in concert with the Buckminster Fuller Institute, lets you be a fly on the wall; climb on in to get a look.

Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami

If you’re short on time, make this your default stop. Not only is ICA Miami one of the city’s best museums, having hosted shows of megawatt artists like Yayoi Kusama, Judy Chicago and Donald Judd, but admission is always free. Just register online for a specific date.

Dale Zine Shop

Grab a local arts weekly and a window seat at Dale Zine Shop, an indie bookstore-meets-gallery. (Photo by Ivana Cajina)

This colorful shop teeters somewhere between a bookstore and a gallery, offering a fun snapshot of the city’s alternative arts scene. There are all kinds of zines sourced from Miami and beyond, but you can also find paintings and photography for sale—and if you’re lucky, your visit might coincide with one of the shop’s fun events, like puppy portrait day.

Elastika by Zaha Hadid Architects

This striking installation by the late starchitect Zaha Hadid and her team hangs in the recently renovated Moore building, which now houses a restaurant also called Elastika. Consider a cocktail from the bar the price of admission; turns out, art is even more fun to look at when you’re nursing a tequila-and-tomatillo spritz.

Fuel Up With a Power Lunch

In general, Miami comes alive when the sun goes down; but in this corner of town, the scene is at its peak when the midday crowd rolls in and the real estate, art-world and influencer crowds all converge to sip martinis and trade business cards. Here’s where you’ll find them tucking in. (Rather grab a bite in Little River? We’ve got you: check out The Infatuation’s list of the neighborhood’s best spots.)

Cote Miami

This popular Korean steak house is a lot easier to book for lunch, and it’s every bit as delicious when the sun’s still out. Order the Butcher’s Feast prix fixe, which includes four choice cuts of meat, like American Wagyu, plus tons of sides (save room for the fluffy egg soufflé). The finishing touch: a little cup of vanilla soft serve drizzled with soy-sauce caramel.

Le Jardinier

This French spot has a dining room that looks like a spaceship, and meticulous food that tastes like it was made with alien technology. You can spend some serious money here, but the prix fixe lunch menu is just under $40—among the best deals in the neighborhood.

Michael's Genuine Food & Drink

One of the Design District’s first destination restaurants is still a perfect choice for an afternoon of oysters, martinis and something all charred and delicious from the wood-fired oven (the roasted fish is never a bad idea).

Mandolin Aegean Bistro

Every bite of Mandolin Aegean Bistro’s perfectly grilled octopus and haloumi feels like a little trip to Greece.

If you’re coming to Miami during a time of year when sitting outside won’t melt your sunglasses, come here. The food is light and lovely, and the lush patio of the 1940s bungalow feels like a portal straight to Athens.

Tap Into the Neighborhood Spirit at These Indie Shops

It used to be that you couldn’t stroll the Design District without tripping over all the big-name fashion brands. You should still pop into a few of them, if only to ogle the over-the-top spaces—but don’t overlook a new generation of brick-and-mortar spots here and in nearby Little River that are shoring up the block’s small-business bona fides.

Montce

For a while, it felt like only a handful of savvy shoppers were hip to this swimwear brand. Those days are over, now that A-list celebs are sporting Montce’s fits and cover-ups. Get the look at its bright, cavernous boutique, where you can thumb through bikinis piled high in woven baskets.

MRKT

When your plans call for dressed-up but what you’re craving is comfort, head to MRKT. The splatter-shaped color block rugs are an instant mood-lifter, right along with the cozy-cool streetwear and limited-edition sneakers that won’t have your feet shrieking by the end of the night.

Andrew

In a sea of fancy stores filled with floor-length gowns, Andrew’s rows of psychedelically painted skateboards stick out. Named for the 1992 hurricane, the boutique is known for its custom boards and branded T-shirts, a favorite of the late designer Virgil Abloh.

Éliou

Run by two Miami natives, this Little River shop has become highly sought-after for its hand-crocheted drawstring beach pants, cutesy bag charms and chunky, sculptural rings—in other words, the stuff all the cool kids wear.

Lower East Coast

While selling print publications is de rigueur for apparel stores these days, Lower East Coast feels different. The Little River shop specializes in indie periodicals, but you’ll also find a smattering of books alongside merch from local artists. Time your visit to one of the regular book-release parties or art exhibitions for a chance to meet the makers.

Terrestrial Funk

You probably won’t stumble on a Top 40 record at this certified hangout spot, opened by the eponymous Miami-based music label—but there’s a good chance you’ll discover sounds from the Armenian diaspora or synthesized funk beats from Miami musician Lang Cook. Either way, come early because listening seats on the store’s big orange couch fill up fast.

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