Miami Spice 2023 | Riverfront Outings Posted on July 24, 2023 by Sarah Elles Boggs It is the dead of summer. The Sunshine State is outdoing itself (again). The heat is blazing and the tourists are scarce. This is a great time to go explore what I feel is an under-appreciated part of our city. The Miami River District. This area does have a storied past. The 1980’s and early 90’s saw some interesting cargo. Tony Montana was there, or others of his type at least. But today you will find a network of calm waterfront eateries, where you can watch the boats pass as you luxuriate over a charcuterie board or whatever. I really like the riverfront area of Miami because tourists haven’t caught on yet. There are some celebrity hotspots, yes. But this is largely a space for locals who want to be calm and by the water, completely unbothered. This week we will go into the Miami Spice offerings of such restaurants… so here we go! By clicking on the name of any of these restaurants, you will be directed to their Miami Spice page, which details their prix-fixe menu with options, prices, days available as well as their website and a link to their OpenTable account in order to make reservations. Seaspice – 412 NW North River Drive Starting off, Seaspice (pictured above) is the most attention-grabbing restaurant for our list today. If you want to see a celebrity, Seaspice is a really good place to start. They arrive by yacht, and you can too. It is like you are in Ibiza except you didn’t have to update your passport. The Kardashians have been there, all of the Real Housewives, sports stars, you name it. For Miami Spice, Seaspice has both lunch and dinner options. For me, the Watermelon Gazpacho is very refreshing and pairs well with the steak for the main course. If you are entertaining out-of-towners or just want a selfie-worthy night out, Seaspice will be your answer. Crust Miami for Miami Spice | Image Credit: Crust Miami Crust Miami – 668 NW 5th Street If you are a fan of history and perfectly-plated food, you will love Crust. The owners have repurposed a 1950’s-era Art Deco building and made it a welcoming spot for locals who love elegant plates with deep flavors. For their Miami Spice menu, my favorite is the beet & goat cheese salad. The flavors go so well together, I may fight someone over it (light joke but the salad is something to write home about). For a main course, there are so many options. I’m looking at the lobster ravioli with peas and cream sauce. It seems decadent and fulfilling, especially with the atmosphere of the restaurant. This is where you will go on your own or if you have company coming and you want to show them high-quality food and an “I’m in the know” vibe. Because you are in the know. Casablanca Fish Market for Miami Spice | Image Credit: Casablanca Fish Market Miami Casablanca Seafood – 400 NW North River Drive You don’t earn your Miami card until you have gone to Casablanca. This is a Miami staple. Casablanca Miami is both a fish market and a restaurant. It’s a little bit fancy and a little bit casual, but it is necessary. If you are cooking fresh seafood dishes at home, Casablanca is the recommended getting spot over Publix and we love Publix. Today, let’s talk more about the restaurant. The Miami Spice menu is offered from Monday – Friday with both lunch and dinner options. They do have meat dishes on the menu, but I go all-out seafood since fresh seafood is kind of their thing. The seafood ceviche is an amazing chilled starter, followed by a Corvina “Al Pescador”, which is a corvina fillet topped with shrimp, calamari, black mussels and octopus with aji amarillo sauce and this is something to write home about. Capital Grille Brickell for Miami Spice The Capital Grille – 444 Brickell Avenue We spoke about Casablanca being a Miami staple for seafood, but The Capital Grille is also a staple. If you are a banker in Brickell, the international finance hub of the United States, and you have never been to the Capital Grille then you are not a banker at all. That’s just it. You should also make it a point to visit this restaurant soon as it is in the throes of new development. The institution will continue, but we don’t know about the physical building. Related Group is currently building Baccarat Residences next door and some Tequesta artifacts were discovered during the construction process. The artifacts trouble could affect the building where The Capital Grille serves, but the institution remains. When I eat at the Capital Grille, I tend for the wedge salad and a steak. If you are interested in a familiar, high-quality meal that never disappoints, The Capital Grille is where you go. The mystery of the artifacts is pretty cool too in my personal opinion. American Social Brickell for Miami Spice | Image Credit Ra-Haus Fotografie, LLC American Social – 690 SW 1st Court American Social is just that. American and Social. This is where you go to see a person you met on Hinge or gather with your neighbors who all support the same soccer team. It is the neighborhood Brickell hangout. You can arrive by boat, or you can walk over. Their Miami Spice menu is also varied so there is something for everyone. They do a brunch on the weekends and a special menu for dinner 7 days per week. My favorite for the starters fluctuates between the hummus or loaded guac, but I imagine the steamed clams with chorizo are also interesting. For the main course, there are solid go-to’s that include fresh seabass or a steak, but also a more adventuresome cauliflower steak. This is intriguing to me but I haven’t mustered the aim to order it yet. This is a solid choice if you want to walk over with friends and just hang out. Miami Spice is one of the most anticipated Miami promotions of the year each year. It is something the locals look forward to and the restaurants depend upon in order to keep their staff happy and busy and the Miami economy turning during low season. We hope that you will make it out to try at least one of these options this year, we will certainly be there ad look forward to expanding our culinary horizons.
A Transforming Downtown Miami Baywalk/Riverwalk on the Horizon?? Posted on July 15, 2017 by Michael Light A Baywalk/Riverwalk along Biscayne Bay and the Miami River in Downtown Miami is moving closer to a reality since the Miami Downtown Development Authority (“Miami DDA”) formally requested proposals from qualified and interested consultant teams. Moreover, the Miami DDA is seeking proposals from interested parties until July 28th at 5p.m. The proposals are supposed to include a development of a brand identity for the baywalk/riverwalk, a unifying design element or palette of elements to incorporate into the existing landscape/hardscape and an implementation and maintenance strategy. According to the Miami DDA, no other waterfront project has the potential of transforming Downtown Miami as does this project, which will also be a celebration of Miami’s unique heritage and generate a legacy for generations to come. This is largely because Downtown Miami has recently emerged as one of the country’s fastest-growing urban centers with a huge supply and demand of urban living, so with this demand, residents and businesses want more pedestrian-friendly green spaces and streets that have a multitude of purposes for those who live, work and play in Downtown. Site Map for the Proposed Future Baywalk in Downtown Miami If you, or someone you know, are interested in learning more about Downtown Miami and the current real estate market in Miami, please contact Michael Light, Founder/Owner of the Miami Luxury Homes Group at Douglas Elliman Real Estate and the Director of Luxury Sales at Douglas Elliman. You may reach Michael on his cell at (786) 566-1700 or via email at michael@miamiluxuryhomes.com. Photos: Courtesy of MiamiDDA.com.
The Miami River is Experiencing a Resurgence Posted on April 24, 2016April 24, 2016 by Michael Light Along with the epicenter of Downtown Miami, the Miami River is undergoing a complete transformation from the industrial waterway it once was to a luxury waterfront destination with yacht clubs, luxury developments, restaurants and much more—-a resurgence of the Miami River is on its way! The Downtown Miami riverfront has undergone a massive cleanup and been beautified to help it become one of the fastest-growing desirable urban environments in Miami. Also, contributing to the renaissance of the riverfront is that more than 7,500 residential units have been developed along the river since 2000, in addition to 3,280 units and 11 single-family homes approved solely in 2015, according to the Miami River Commission. Additionally, 6 restaurants and 550 hotel rooms were approved in 2015 along with a 1.5-acre waterfront linear park. Developers have realized that this natural asset has been underutilized and is perfectly located to create a waterfront residential and culturally-dynamic urban development, especially with beachfront and bayfront properties becoming more expensive and in short supply. A few developments that are creating much excitement in the area are the River Yacht Club, multi-billion-dollar riverwalk projects and a luxury condo development, One River Point. River Yacht Club, developed by Dupoux Design and landscaped by Raymond Jungles, is an exclusive waterfront club offering 1,000 feet of dock space, a restaurant led by renowned chef Michael Lewis, a tropical outdoor garden, a members-only marina and a lounge located on its rooftop terrace. River Yacht Club is pursued by various food connoisseurs, boat enthusiasts and influential people in the local and global community and offers membership packages that give members unlimited VIP access to the club along with reciprocities and discounts to other similar establishments in vibrant destinations around the world. One of the many riverwalk projects is the exciting River Landing Riverwalk which will include a 50-foot-wide linear park along the Miami River that will include 426,000 square feet of retail space, 475 apartments and over 2,200 parking spaces. One River Point, a luxe condo development designed by the one-and-only Rafael Viñoly who is internationally-acclaimed for his unique, sophisticated designs that transcend fashion and create landmark expressions, is comprised of two, 60-story residential towers offering 350 condos, bespoke penthouses, skylofts and skyvillas. One River Point is situated in a private lusciously-landscaped park along the Miami River, offering 327 feet of prime river frontage, resort-style amenities including a 35,000 square-foot, members-only club linking the two towers via a floating glass skybridge offering spectacular city and water views, and designer-appointed residences. One River Point One River Point is an exclusive Douglas Elliman development. If you are interested in purchasing a luxury condo at One River Point, please contact Michael Light of Douglas Elliman. You may reach me directly at my office at (305) 350-9842, on my cell at (786) 566-1700 or via email at michael@miamiluxuryhomes.com.
Miami-Dade County Gives River Landing 1.5 Acres for Waterfront Linear Park Posted on July 2, 2015April 24, 2016 by Michael Light On June 30, 2015, the Miami-Dade County Commission granted 65,340 square feet of riverfront land to a nonprofit group affiliated with the developers of the $300 Million River Landing Project, according to the Real Deal. The waterfront land located at 1280 NW 11th Street is currently a parking lot with an appraised value of $4.9 Million. The major stipulation of this waterfront land is that it MUST be turned into a park and nothing else. The plans for the River Landing Riverwalk is a 50-foot-wide linear park along the Miami River that will include 426,000 square feet of retail space, 475 apartments and over 2,200 parking spaces, and of course a beautiful linear park!
Chetrit Group Plans Miami Riverwalk Project Along Miami River Posted on May 27, 2014 by Michael Light Rendering of the proposed Miami Riverwalk project A New York developer, Chetrit Group, plans to liven up the Downtown Miami scene by building the Miami Riverwalk along the Miami River, which will consist of four 60-story towers. The towers will be located on 6.5 acres and consist of 1,449 Miami condos, 300 hotel rooms and a marina. The Miami Riverwalk project will also include retail and office space, a riverfront restaurant, a public riverwalk and parking garages. The Miami Riverwalk project is planned to cover a 3-block area that will be bordered by the Miami River, SW 7th Street, SW 3rd Avenue and SW 2nd Avenue in Downtown Miami, right off of I-95. According to Miami Today, Chetrit Group’s plan was reviewed May 14, 2014 by the Urban Infill & Greenways Subcommittee of the Miami River Commission and several renderings of the planned towers were seen by members of the subcommittee. Although Committee Chairman, Jim Murley, was satisfied with the presentation of the Miami Riverwalk plans, he did not believe the timing was right for an advisory vote to the full river commission. At this time, it seems that the committee will get a more detailed plan in late June, with a river commission review possibly to be held on July 7, 2014. What is interesting about this new Downtown Miami project is that the developer of the Miami Riverwalk intends to apply for a Special Area Plan (“SAP”) designation under the city’s zoning ordinance, Miami 21, even though the project is not quite the 9-acres required by the SAP. Receiving the SAP designation means that the developer will be given more flexibiltiy with the project’s overall design. In order to meet the 9-acre minimum criteria to be eligible for such a plan, the developer of the Miami Riverwalk will need to include some of the city-owned recreational park, Jose Marti Park, as a co-applicant for the SAP designation. A developer teaming up with the City of Miami…..Interesting. The approval of such a plan will need to be determined by the city commission. Here is a map of the location of the proposed Miami Riverwalk: Location map of the proposed Miami Riverwalk project