FIRE & SPICE

The 2019 Tales of the Cocktail’s Bartender of the Year and father of the Cantinero movement in Miami (in Cuba, Cantinero is bartending’s highest designation, awarded to the country’s master mixologists), Julio Cabrera recently debuted his latest concept: a vibrant Cuban-American restaurant and bar in Miami Lakes. Featuring sizzling tableside preparations, citrus-hued murals, and colorful Latin-inspired cocktails, La Cumbancha is a tribute to 1970s Miami, when the city’s Cuban community first took root. Chef Carlos Hidalgo’s menu fuses classic Cuban flavors with global spices, like pork tamale tapas with Serrano ham and avocado, and grilled salmon dressed with citrus-scented teriyaki and tarragon. The cocktail menu is unsurprisingly stacked, from rum-based tiki drinks with coconut syrup to herbaceous aperitifs, all made tableside on rolling bar carts. 6743 Main Street, Miami Lakes, lacumbanchamiami.com

SPRING SUNSCAPE

Fresh off the heels of a sweeping $40 million renovation, the downtown InterContinental Miami is celebrating its new digs with a delicious menu of springtime promotions. Experience one of the 22 newly remodeled suites (ranging in size from 400 to 3,300 square feet) with the Suite Dreams package, or book the Serenity Escape to pamper yourself with the Signature Raindrop Massage at mySpa, plus unlimited use of the relaxation room, steam room, and sauna with a complimentary glass of bubbly. For sun worshippers, the Tropical Tranquility package includes a private cabana on the hotel’s all-new pool deck, stocked with a mini bar, oversized loungers, connected tech, and a ceiling fan. 100 Chopin Plaza, icmiamihotel.com

Nicole Spread

CHIC REDUX

Last December, in conjunction with Miami Art Week, French fashion house Celine debuted a stunning renovation of its Miami flagship storefront in the Design District. The vision of creative director Heidi Slimane, the two-story mega-boutique was reimagined as an immersive work of art, a tantalizing playground of tone and texture. The first floor, showcasing the maison’s jewelry, leather goods, and perfumes, features lava stone flooring, coffered ceilings, and illuminated lounge spaces filled with vintage accents and custom furniture. Ascend the curved central stairwell (fully bedecked in mirrors) to find the women’s ready-to wear and home collections, all housed in contemporary glass and stainless steel display cases. 154 NE 41st Street, miamidesigndistrict.com

LIVE FROM MENDOZA

Dubbed the “Messi of wines” by the Michelin Guide, Alejandro Vigil launched Casa Vigil last December, a chic dual-story Argentine hotspot with one of the best vino collections in town. The Upper Buena Vista outpost (the original Casa Vigil opened in Argentina’s wine country in 2015) serves a sizzling selection of South American stars, from filet mignon tartare and braised ossobucco empanadas to rib-eye Milanesa and pistachio-crusted rack of lamb. The signature five-course tasting menu is the way to go, complete with luxury wine pairings. The venue is divided into three areas, all inspired by Dante’s Divine Comedy: La Cava (the main dining hall, finished with a wine cellar boasting more than 700 labels), El Patio, the outdoor terrace, and El Cielo, a rooftop bar. 5020 NE 2nd Avenue, casavigilmiami.com

SUITE TIME

Perched atop the booming Brickell City Centre, EAST Miami is the Hong Kong-based hospitality powerhouse Swire Hotels’ first property in North America. Each of the 352 guestrooms and suites is a master class in modern minimalism, featuring floor-to-ceiling windows, Samsung smart TVs, and glossy hardwood floors. Spa-inspired baths boast five-foot soaking tubs, oversized walk-in rain showers, and designer toiletries, and many rooms offer spacious balconies with prime city views from several stories in the sky. Don’t miss Miami’s only “night brunch” at the rooftop Sugar and Tea Room, a hidden-door speakeasy on the 40th floor. 788 Brickell Plaza, easthotels.com