If you’re in Miami and looking to grab a drink in someplace chicer than the city’s beach bars and low-key hangouts, you’re in luck. There’s another side to Miami, one of richness and elegance. At these bars, you’ll get to rub elbows with Miami’s fashionable crowd, catch glimpses of celebrities, slurp some oysters, sip cocktails under chandeliers, and, at one bar, take in views of the city’s skyline like no other. Such magnificent settings call for a more sophisticated beverage than your usual order. Instead, try a cocktail with Grand Marnier Cuvée Louis Alexandre liqueur, made with VSOP cognac and orange liqueur, and you’ll really feel like a jet-setter, at least for the night.
Read MoreThe Most Elegant Cocktail Bars in Miami
Root & Bone
This restaurant and bar specializes in fresh takes on Southern comfort cuisine in a fashionable, modern rustic space — think farmhouse meets industrial with plenty of plants and natural light. Come early for weekend brunch when you can try Root & Bone’s decadent eggs Benedict, which has waffles instead of English muffins and replaces the Canadian bacon with pork belly. You can’t pair such a rich brunch with just any cocktail. Kick things up a notch with a French 75, which includes lemon juice, champagne, simple syrup, and Grand Marnier Cuvée Louis Alexandre cognac.
The Corner
For craft cocktails in a hip speakeasy scene, look no further than The Corner, where you can sample drinks like The Aristocrat and the Hurricane off the bar’s specialty menu. If you’re feeling even fancier, ask for a cognac cocktail like a Mata Hari, a mix of cognac, chai-infused vermouth, lemon juice, simple syrup, and pomegranate juice. You’ll really feel like a flapper if you make it to The Corner on Tuesday nights when local jazz bands play.
Glass & Vine
Taking in lunch on the expansive patio of Coconut Grove’s Glass & Vine feels like lounging in a garden. You’ll eat amongst lush foliage with birds chirping in the trees. The dishes, by Chopped champion chef Giorgio Rapicavoli, draw their roots from Florida, Latin America, and Europe. For a luxurious meal, go for the classic steak frites and pair it with a bright Roosevelt Punch, made with fresh lemon juice, demerara syrup, applejack, and Grand Marnier Cuvée Louis Alexandre cognac.
Kaido
You’ll find this Japanese-style bar and lounge tucked into Miami’s Design District. While the front of Kaido offers indulgent takes on Japanese fusion cuisine, like their uni fondue topped with caviar, the real star of the show is AMA, a secret speakeasy in the back that’s inspired by traditional Japanese drinking dens. Intimate AMA features shell chandeliers and sparkling blue floors, enough to make for a memorable night even before you partake in one of their award-winning mixologist’s cocktails.
Stubborn Seed
Down in South Beach, you’ll find Stubborn Seed, a restaurant that’s the brain child of Top Chef winner Jeremy Ford. The interior is cool and industrial, with a slick bar, Art Deco flourishes, and graffiti. The pièce de résistance is Stubborn Seed’s $95 tasting menu, which relies on fresh, seasonal ingredients and changes daily. Past dishes have included lobster, short rib, and crudo. Wash it down with a Cognac Corpse Reviver, which is a cocktail made out of Grand Marnier Cuvée Louis Alexandre, calvados, and sweet vermouth.
Bar Bevy
If you’re looking for the chicest, most Instagrammable bar in town, swing over to Bar Bevy, where you can chill with Miami’s fashionable VIP set (or at least in their aura). Bar Bevy gets its stylish music-video flair from the team that envisioned it, restaurateur David Grutman and music mogul Pharrell Williams. Pharrell knows how to make you happy. Relax in the Moroccan-inspired lounge, on the rooftop, or on the patio. Wherever you go, make sure you have a drink in hand. You can’t go wrong with a classic sazerac.
Also featured in:
Big Easy Wine Bar & Grill
Even though you may associate “Big Easy” with New Orleans, Miami’s Big Easy Wine Bar & Grill draws its name and flavors from South Africa. The menu boasts dishes with complex spices and tastes, from curries to chutney and warm naan bread, that will make you feel like a world traveler. Such bold flavors pair well with citrusy drinks, so wrap up your meal with an Almond Crusta. For this fun beverage, ask the bartender to mix Grand Marnier Cuvée Louis Alexandre cognac, gin, fresh lemon juice, orgeat, and Angostura bitters.
Floyd Miami
For a night with more of a party vibe, check out Floyd Miami in the city’s club district. There, you can let the music take you and dance under chandeliers in a spacious design that was modeled after a British mansion with a mysterious speakeasy ambiance. Floyd Miami’s drinks menu takes its cues from the Prohibition era as well. To stick with the theme, try a Fish House Punch, a historic concoction of rum, cognac, and peach brandy mixed with lemonade or fresh lemon juice, sugar, and water. It will have you swinging in no time.
Stiltsville Fish Bar
Elegance and island tranquility come together at Stiltsville Fish Bar over in South Beach. The restaurant’s exposed rafters are reminiscent of a sailing ship, while the Sunset Harbour views will make you feel like you’re really on the water. Relax in this laid-back, classy setting with a plate of raw oysters to share, a perennial local favorite. Or you can try a summery dish that’s unique to Stiltsville, a lobster grapefruit salad, which boasts a whole Florida lobster on a bed of greens dressed with Florida grapefruit vinaigrette. Try it with a cognac twist on the vacation staple, the margarita. Ask your bartender for a Grand Marnier-rita, and they’ll replace the traditional tequila with Grand Marnier cognac.
Copper 29 Bar
This Coral Gables bar matches classic sophistication with a dignified, retro feel. At Copper 29, you can lounge on vintage leather couches and sip a classic cocktail under one of the bar’s many chandeliers. Those in the know call this small establishment a “gastrolounge,” meaning the eats are just as delectable as the ambiance is cool. If you think you’re hip enough, try John Lennon’s favorite cocktail, the Brandy Alexander. Contrary to its name, there’s no brandy involved in this drink. Instead, this rich dessert cocktail calls for cognac, crème de cacao, and heavy cream. There’s a reason why Lennon called them “milkshakes.”
The River Oyster Bar
Another beachy bar perfect for an intimate dinner with your friends, the River Oyster Bar makes its home in stylish Brickell where the city’s arts crowd is flourishing. As you would expect from a place with the name River Oyster Bar, their cold-water oysters can’t be beat. Order a dozen to share with your party, and don’t forget to keep the drinks flowing. Citrus and oysters always match, so consider a refreshing cocktail like a Cadillac Sidecar, which tastes just as fancy as it sounds — and it packs a wallop, too. For this drink, your bartender will mix Grand Marnier cognac, orange liqueur, and fresh lemon juice.
Also featured in:
MO Bar + Lounge
What if you’re looking for the most elegant view in Miami? The vision beyond MO Bar’s floor-to-ceiling windows will take your breath away. Set inside the Mandarin Oriental Hotel on Brickell Key, the MO Bar + Lounge shows off sweeping views of the Miami skyline. Such a sight to remember should be celebrated with a drink like the venerable Vieux Carré. A cocktail that dates back to Depression-era New Orleans, the Vieux Carré calls for a mix of cognac, rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, herbal Bénédictine, and plenty of aromatic bitters. Time your trip to MO Bar just right and you’ll be sipping your cocktail under the sunset as jazz and Latin music plays.