Where to Eat Now: Café des Arts  

One of the newest additions to South Beach’s exploding South of Fifth dining scene is Café des Arts {22 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach; 305.534.2555}, a quaint yet eclectic space that locals—and us—just can’t seem to get enough of. We attended the official grand opening celebration in early February, only to return a week later for dinner.

Not surprisingly, Café des Arts has an emphasis on art, and the fun pop art on the walls—not to mention the silver Mickey Mouse statue at the entrance—will make you feel as though you’re dining in Wynwood. Like a revolving art gallery, the walls are updated every so often to reflect the artist of the moment. (In fact, in just a week in between our visits, the wall art had already been swapped out for new, equally exciting, pieces.)

The restaurant’s sparkling patio is the prime seating area, although the interior, which features stone floors and plush black-leather seats is equally cozy. Heat lamps and tents currently keep things warm and protected from the elements, while fans will surely be in place come summer. The vibe is quiet and quaint—a perfect date-night spot—unless you show up on Monday night, when a celebration ensues for Food Fashion Art, a weekly event honoring the current featured artist.

We were fortunate enough to dine on a beautifully clear evening, which set the perfect tone for the feast for the senses that ensued. A work of art in itself, the menu is a blend of Mediterranean influences, with plenty of offerings from which to choose. We started with the Tomato and Burrata; the simple presentation was no match for the incredible flavor of the fresh heirloom tomatoes and succulent Burrata, which were seasoned with little more than olive oil and balsamic vinegar. We also had the equally delicate Red Tuna Tartare.

We were tempted to order the Truffle Pizza, which completely wowed us at the grand opening, but we fought the urge in favor of treating our palates to something new. Instead, we ordered the Shrimp and Scallops Linguini, which was topped with a saffron cream sauce, and the Wagyu Rib-Eye Steak (a signature dish), a 12-ounce slab of juicy meat served with a wasabi Japanese sauce and spinach. Needless to say, we were sufficiently stuffed.

To finish off a lovely evening, we were presented with a dessert tray featuring a number of appetizing sweets. We settled on the cheesecake. Absolutely divine.

—Sherri Balefsky | Miami Editor