Modern Luxury
Site menu
  • People
  • Food & Drink
  • Home & Real Estate
  • Style & Beauty
  • Video
  • Digital Edition
  • Contact Us
  • Sign Up Facebook Twitter Instagram
Newsletter

Search Our Site

The Ultimate Bal Harbour Guide

By: Robert Lovi By: Robert Lovi | October 31, 2022 | Home & Real Estate Food & Drink People Style & Beauty Culture

bh-guide-header-GettyImages-841726788.jpg

The embodiment of quintessential luxury in the Magic City is found in one place. With its high-end retail, oceanfront ultra-luxurious hotels, residences, and the most decadent and over-the-top restaurants, Bal Harbour is one of the most iconic neighborhoods in Miami. This neighborhood at the northern tip of Miami Beach attracts a very affluent crowd but welcomes everyone who wants to experience its decadence. Below is a guide to the best things to do in Bal Harbour, so you are prepared when visiting. Undoubtedly, a beauty with the most attractive views.

See Also: How To Spend A Day In Kendall

WHERE TO EAT

bh-guide-eat-GettyImages-1136787082.jpg

Makoto

bh-guide-Makoto-Crispy-Rice.jpg

9700 Collins Ave / Website

Makoto, located at the exclusive Bal Harbour Shops, is a celebrated culinary destination created by famed restaurateur Stephen Starr and Iron Chef competitor Chef Makoto Okuwa. The modern organic restaurant, which debuted to critical acclaim in 2011, has relocated to the third level of the high-end shopping center. It features a bright, refreshing, and elegant India Mahdavi design that complements Japanese cuisine's elegant and masterful flavors. Makoto also has a carefully curated beverage program that includes sakes, food-driven wines, Japanese craft beers, and cocktails with Japanese flavors and classic techniques.

Le Zoo

bh-guide-Le_Zoo_Exterior_PhotoCred_Andrew_Hektor.jpg

9700 Collins Ave #135 / Website

Le Zoo, Stephen Starr's South Florida restaurant, brings a European experience to the renowned Bal Harbour Shops. Shawn Hausmann (Chateau Marmont, The Standard) designed the romantic 200-seat restaurant, which transports diners to the idyllic sidewalk cafes of Southern France. The expertly prepared cuisine combines timeless French-Mediterranean flavors with the hustle and bustle of Miami, making it a must-visit dining destination for lunch, brunch, or dinner.

Aba

bh-guide-aba.jpg

9700 Collins Ave / Website

Miami's exquisite culinary scene continues expanding, and Aba is the newest addition to the Magic City, bringing a new light. The remarkable Mediterranean restaurant, from Top Chef alum CJ Jacobson and Executive Partner and Divisional President Marc Jacobs, will open on the ground floor of the Bal Harbour Shops in Fall 2022. Aba will present a menu that combines rich flavors from Israel, Lebanon, Turkey, and Greece with Chef CJ's Californian influences - a first for Miami.

WHERE TO STAY

bh-guide-stay-GettyImages-1180594148.jpg

St. Regis Bal Harbour

bh-guide-bal-harbour-suite-1.jpg

9703 Collins Ave / Website

The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort is an exclusive resort in Miami Beach, recently named a top resort in the country by US News & World Report, a Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Hotel for the eighth consecutive year, and earning the AAA Five Diamond distinction. The hotel features a 14,000-square-foot spa and two luxurious ocean-view pools - a resort pool for families and a tranquility pool for adults - with exceptional amenities offered every 90 minutes. Guests can enjoy the nine private Oceanfront Day Villas with wet bars, full bathrooms, and showers. Also enjoy private beach access, room service, Athletic Club, concierge, iconic St. Regis Butler service with suite reservations, and much more. Those are some of the exclusive amenities of this iconic hotel, across the street from the famous Bal Harbour Shops.

Four Seasons Surfside

bh-guide-four-seasons.jpg

9011 Collins Ave / Website

One of the most iconic hotels in the city for its history and elegance, The Four Seasons Hotel At The Surf Club in Surfside, seats on nine acres of oceanfront and gardens, just minutes from the famous Bal Harbour Shops and the incredible views and culture of Miami Beach. The hotel features exclusive private residences that offer openness and light. Guests can the poolside super-luxe cabana, clink glasses in the historic 'Peacock Alley,' dine with unobstructed ocean views, and more as they immerse in the luxury of this iconic hotel.

WHERE TO RELAX

bh-guide-relax-GettyImages-1372387667.jpg

The St. Regis Spa

bh-guide-Couples_Room_(Spa-Open).jpg

9703 Collins Ave / Website

The St. Regis Bal Harbour just introduced The St. Regis Spa to celebrate its tenth anniversary. The spa features an all-new menu of luxury treatments and wellness experiences in 14,000 square feet with 12 treatment rooms, a whirlpool, a sauna, a steam room, and a relaxation lounge. The St. Regis Spa, inspired by Caroline Astor and reflecting the resort's sense of place on Miami's most glitzy beach stretch, welcomes guests with best-in-class products and one-of-a-kind experiences.

WHERE TO GET PRE-DINNER DRINKS

bh-guide-drinks-GettyImages-1351860799.jpg

Hillstone At Bal Harbour

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Hillstone at Bal Harbour (@hillstonebalharbour)

9700 Collins Ave / Website

Located at the Bal Harbour Shops, Hillstone is a great option to enjoy pre-dinner drinks in a great atmosphere overlooking a panorama of gently swaying palm trees and ocean breezes. You can also enjoy delicious items like American classics prepared with the freshest seasonal ingredients. Slide into the restaurant's comfortable leather booths and enjoy a memorable experience.

Champagne Bar At The Surf Club

bh-guide-champagen-bar.jpg

9011 Collins Ave / Website

Indulge in the palm-fringed Champagne Bar, which reflects The Surf Club's early years, with a modern collection of innovative cocktails and a personable, knowledgeable team of expert bartenders. The atmosphere is inspiring, romantic, charming, and elegant, making it perfect for relaxing before dinner while sipping decadent drinks. Order a favorite; the Mezcalita made with Mezcal, Tequila, Cucumber water, Citric acid, and Champagne. As a pro tip, ask for a taste of the bar's Essenza Negroni in a 'petite coupe.'

CULTURAL EXPERIENCES

bh-guide-cultural-experience-GettyImages-1372178893.jpg

Seated Ballerina At Oceana Bal Harbour

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Oceana Bal Harbour (@oceana_bal_harbour)

10201 Collins Ave / Website

Seated Ballerina is a life-size sculpture by renowned American artist Jeff Koons, permanently displayed at Oceana's beachside gardens. Koons reimagined the sculpture from a porcelain figurine of a ballerina discovered in a Russian factory at the turn of the twentieth century. Eduardo Costantini, CEO of Consultatio Real Estate and founder of the Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires (MALBA), purchased the nearly 7-foot sculpture as one of two Koons sculptures for Oceana Bal Harbour residents. Seated Ballerina debuted at MALBA, Costantini's Latin American modern art museum in Buenos Aires, and now has a permanent home at Oceana Bal Harbour.

Dama A Caballo By Manolo Valdés

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Opera Gallery (@operagallery)

Website

Dama A Caballo, a fantastic bronze sculpture by an internationally acclaimed contemporary Spanish painter and sculptor can be found at the tip of Bal Harbour overlooking the water and the scenery this neighborhood offers. This sculpture allows for fantastic photo ops when you visit.

HIDDEN GEM

bh-guide-GettyImages-557222375.jpg

The Palm Restaurant Miami

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Palm Restaurant (@palmrestaurant)

9650 E Bay Harbor Drive / Website

Finding a hidden gem in a famous city like Miami can be challenging, especially as the city continues expanding its culinary scene. The Palm Stekeahouse Miami, located on the stunning Bay Harbor Islands, gives the restaurant the feel of a private club where everyone knows everyone else. It invites relaxation and a break from the noise and eclectic Miami life with warm wood accents, chilled martinis, and big lobsters. Here you will find delicious steaks with decadent sides, delicious desserts, and more. This hidden gem is a must visit.



Tags: miami miami restaurants art web-og bal harbour shops resorts robert-lovi Apple News miami hotels bal harbour bal harbour guide

Photography by: Courtesy GabrielPevide/Getty, SolStock/Getty, Maskot/Getty, Anastasiia Krivenok/Getty, mikkelwilliam/Getty, Oliver Byunggyu Woo / EyeEm/Getty, Anastasiia Krivenok/Getty, Andrew Hektor(le zoo), STARR Restaurants (makoto), Jeff Marini (Aba), St. Regis Bal Harbour, Four Seasons Surfside