South Beach in a Day: A Food, Fun & Art Deco Walking Tour in Miami Beach

Ocean Drive in South Beach Miami, lined with pastel Art Deco buildings, is part of the Art Deco Historic District on the South Beach Food & Fun Art Deco Walking Tour. | Photo by Ginny Shikle

When you’re only ever in Miami to change planes, that’s not the same as being there. We remedied that earlier this month with an overnight layover en route to South Caicos. More accurately, we ventured across Biscayne Bay to spend time in the iconic Miami Beach neighborhood of South Beach.

A Cuban Classic to Kick Things Off

A traditional Cuban sandwich like this one from Las Olas Cafe in South Beach is made with sliced ham, slow-roasted pork, Swiss cheese, dill pickles, yellow mustard, and Cuban bread. | Photo by Stephen S.

After dropping our bags at the hotel, we Ubered to Las Olas Cafe on 6th Street for authentic Cuban sandwiches. We are traditionalists when it comes to Cubanos, so thankfully no mayo was involved in the making of our meal. Just sliced ham, slow-roasted pork, Swiss cheese, dill pickles, yellow mustard, and of course classic Cuban bread.

Ocean Drive Heat & a Cool Escape

Two blocks over on Ocean Drive, we made our way to the beach, but only long enough to put our toes in the sand before immediately turning back in search of cold adult beverages. (July 3 in Miami does not play.) We found delicious relief in the form of tequila with a mango popsicle at Oh! Mexico Restaurant & Tequileria.

A South Beach Walking Tour Worth Taking

Next up: the South Beach Food & Fun Art Deco Walking Tour, courtesy of a great Tripadvisor find by my husband, that provided an afternoon of history, architecture, and people watching. Our guide, Noel, mixed local flavors and storytelling at each stop. 

Tony's Tomato Soup, a signature dish at News Cafe in South Beach, is made with basil, freshly roasted tomatoes, and cream. | Photo by Ginny S.

First up was News Cafe, the last place Italian fashion designer Gianni Versace visited in 1997 before being murdered on the steps of his Ocean Drive mansion just three blocks away. Under the watchful gaze of Versace, Cindy Crawford, and other framed celebrities on the wall, we sampled the restaurant’s signature Tony’s Tomato Soup. Now I know what you’re thinking: What does tomato soup with a side of grilled cheese have to do with South Beach? Despite its geography, the food there is not limited to Latin-style cuisine, and I can tell you this blend of basil, freshly roasted tomatoes, and cream made for the tastiest, most refined tomato soup we’ve ever had!

Miami Vice & Local History

I must point out that one of the photos at the restaurant was of Don Johnson as Detective Sonny Crockett from Miami Vice. The popular TV crime drama from the ’80s boosted Florida’s tourism numbers during the show’s five-year run, and we enjoyed a rum-based drink by that name at our next stop on the tour: CJ’s Crab Shack, where it’s always happy hour. Over garlic shrimp, Noel told us that the indigenous Tequestas once inhabited the Miami area, which is actually named for a river and not the Mayaimi people who, at the time of European colonization, lived near Lake Okeechobee.

A Peek Inside the Versace Mansion

The courtyard of the Versace Mansion, now a luxury boutique hotel, features opulent chandeliers and a fountain. | Photo by Noel A.

Although we did not dine at the aforementioned Versace Mansion, now a luxury boutique hotel called The Villa Casa Casuarina, our party of three gave us what Noel said had never happened on one of his tours before — we were allowed to go inside for a quick look at the courtyard with its fancy chandeliers, fountain, and four “pillars of democracy.” Not wanting to overstay our welcome, we gawked at the opulence, took a selfie, and skedaddled.

Tacos, Tequila & a Hidden Past

Our next stop was Naked Taco inside the historic Dream

The Miami-spiced grilled chicken tacos with mango salsa and lime crema are a popular menu item at Naked Taco in South Beach. | Photo by Ginny S.

Hotel on Collins Avenue. The floor in the room where we were seated had diamond-shaped red and black tiles that brought to mind harlequins and decks of playing cards. Turns out, this was once a secret mafia casino room, Noel told us. That knowledge seemed to intensify the flavors of our Miami-spiced grilled chicken tacos with mango salsa and lime crema, which we devoured after each downing a smash shot of tequila, pineapple, and lime.

The Birdcage & a Perfect Mojito

The tour continued at The Birdcage Cafe, an Art Deco-style restaurant inside the historic Carlyle Hotel that pays tribute to the 1996 film The Birdcage. A block farther down the street, we went to the Cardozo Hotel. Owned by Gloria and Emilio Estefan — remember them from Miami Sound Machine? — this Art Deco landmark was the backdrop to some interior scenes and production work from The Birdcage, which starred Robin Williams and Nathan Lane. Estefan Kitchen Express, the boutique hotel’s bakery, served us Cuban-style picadillo empanadas and The. Best. Mojitos. Ever.

A Quick Stop at a South Beach Institution

The penultimate place we visited in South Beach was Mac’s Club Deuce, a historic bar dating back to 1926. We did not stay long — the smoky atmosphere wasn’t quite our scene. Noel shared some great stories about the Deuce, however, like how the Miami Vice cast used to hang out here and the late chef Anthony Bourdain once called it “one of my favorite places on Earth.”

Ending on a Sweet Note at Española Way

Perhaps the most enchanting spot on our tour was Española Way, a Mediterranean-style walkway lined with trees wrapped in twinkling lights. Here we enjoyed gelato al fresco from Ciao Amore, and this is also where we parted ways with Noel, our hearts and bellies full.

Thank you for the memories, SoBe!

A Few Final Notes

If you’re curious about South Beach’s Art Deco architecture, we saw plenty of pastel palettes, so-called “eyebrows” on buildings, and elements grouped in a trinity. 

South Beach has several references to the 1983 movie Scarface, which starred Al Pacino. | Photo by Ginny S.

For movie buffs, SoBe has a few nods to the 1983 movie Scarface: a mural of Al Pacino’s Tony Montana outside the restrooms at Naked Taco, a Cadillac convertible with a mannequin of the fictional Miami drug lord at the wheel, and marked steps where the infamous chainsaw scene took place. (FYI, that building is now a CVS.)