Since my husband and I moved to Miami four years ago, the Design District has gone from the place we visited a few times looking for furniture to a place we frequent for its off the beaten path restaurants, bars, and cool vibe. Locals have started referring to it as the “new South Beach”; and indeed, more than one of SOBE’s hot restaurants will be making the Design District their new home. I recently heard that the restaurant Pacific Times, which closed its doors on Lincoln Road in Miami Beach will be opening in the Design District soon.
One of our new favorite spots is Michael’s Genuine. Last time we were there on a Wednesday night for dinner, and the place was bustling with people. The chef, Michael Schwartz, prints a different menu every night and categorizes his meals into small, medium, large, and large enough to share. On that specific visit we enjoyed a breaded artichoke appetizer, a duck pizza, and for dessert, a lemon polenta cake with caramelized tomatoes and plums which were all delicious. The restaurant has a full bar including a broad selection of premium beers.