By MARY BILLARD – New York Times
IT was a sunny Monday afternoon, and the scene around the yellow-and-orange cabanas at La Piaggia Beach Club was laid-back and effortlessly chic. Waiters brought trays of chilled rosé, goose pâté and “les mini cheeseburgers.” Women, wearing cunning coverups that manage to cover up nothing, dipped their manicured feet into the sand.
A few attractive young bodies were leisurely sunning near the saltwater pool, but nobody was in the pool itself. It was just for show, as was the plaque on the weathered wooden front door falsely stating that the club was “members only.” With the blue waters and swaying palms, the scene at La Piaggia could almost be mistaken for St. Barts or Mustique. Except, of course, for the surrounding sea wall of beachfront condos that screamed Miami.
In recent years, the triangular district at the tip of South Beach has emerged as a chic yet relaxed alternative to the typical Ocean Drive frenzy farther north. It even has a hip moniker, SoFi, which stands for South of Fifth Street — the four-lane thoroughfare that cleaves the neighborhood from the rest of the area.
North of Fifth Street, club kids work off their hangovers at Ocean Drive madhouses like News Cafe, bachelorettes prowl for gallon-size frozen margaritas (with four straws) and busloads of tourists search for the Versace mansion. All the while, menu-wielding hostesses canvass passersby with two-for-one drink specials.
In contrast, the area south of Fifth almost feels like a gated resort — though, in reality, anyone can waltz in. More European than Daytona Beach-at-spring-break, the SoFi scene skews a little older, a little more arrived than arriviste, cushioned by the base of wealthy second-home owners from the area’s gleaming condos.
And just as downtown Manhattanites joke that they get nosebleeds north of 14th Street, SoFi residents have taken to saying that there is no reason to go above Fifth to socialize anymore.
For brunch-time gossip, locals pull up to Big Pink, a nouveau diner that functions like a general store. At sunset, Smith & Wollensky or Monty’s South Beach are the big draws, particularly on Fridays, to watch the looming cruise ships slowly move out to sea. If the wind is blowing in the right direction, strains of “Y.M.C.A.” or Bob Marley can be heard.
And for a crazier party atmosphere, there is the splashy Nikki Beach Club, where bronze bodies lounge on daybeds under private canopies, bottles of Piper-Heidsieck chill in ice buckets, and young women in turquoise Pocahontas-fringed bikinis dance to entertain guests.
While the beauty of South Beach is often obscured by the partying, SoFi denizens also make the most of this picturesque barrier island. Every day at 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., yogis meet for mixed-level classes at the pink lifeguard stand at the Third Street Beach, mastering their downward dogs in the ocean breezes while following the trajectory of the sun.
More yogis can be found at South Pointe Park, a 17.5-acre esplanade that reopened on the island’s southern tip in March after a $22 million renovation. During the day, the park is filled with young families, bikers and dog walkers — all enjoying the dune grass blowing in the breeze, wildflowers sprouting and waves lapping on the shore. At night, 18 light towers glow in different colors, illuminating an area that was once a scary needle park.
SoFi rose from the ashes of urban decay. For decades, it was a dangerous no man’s land — the only destination worth visiting probably was the venerable Joe’s Stone Crab, where diners ate secure in the knowledge that valets guarded their shiny Cadillacs.
Then, starting in the mid-1990s, as the revival of South Beach attracted developers to the natural beauty of the point, towering condos with multimillion-dollar apartments began to appear. Restaurants and other businesses trickled back in.
Among the pioneers was Myles Chefetz, who opened Nemo, a trendy spot with an outdoor courtyard, in 1995. “There were no signs of life,” said Mr. Chefetz, who now runs numerous restaurants and other hotspots in SoFi, and is known as the Sultan of South Fifth. “Nemo is in a former bum-laden crack hotel where they used to film ‘Miami Vice.’ ”
Hotels soon followed. Today, top-notch accommodations include a beachfront Marriott and the all-suite Hilton Bentley Miami/South Beach. They are joined this month by the Sense South Beach, a luxury boutique hotel with 18 rooms and a rooftop pool.
More hotels are on their way. In August, Mr. Chefetz is opening the Prime Hotel, a modern 14-unit resort next to Brown’s Hotel. Opening rates are set at $300 a night.
Not that SoFi is sleepy the rest of year; the demand for a happening scene is a Miami imperative. On a warm Thursday evening in late April, a crush of leggy patrons in miniskirts and high heels and their older boyfriends converged at the outdoor tables at Prime Italian, an offshoot of Prime One Twelve, the stylish steakhouse in Brown’s Hotel. (Both are owned by Mr. Chefetz.)
Prime Italian, with its clubby macho décor, is a restaurant conceived to separate pro athletes from their money via a culinary invention called Kobe meatballs. A crowd of overdressed and underdressed clamored for tables near the bar, where, recently, the N.B.A. star Antoine Walker sat watching a Celtics-Bulls playoff game. The scene prompted one visitor to tag it as Bentleyville in honor of the gridlock of $300,000 cars.
Yes, it may be SoFi. But it’s still South Beach.
IF YOU GO
WHERE TO DRINK
Ted’s Hideaway Tavern (124 Second Street, 305-532-9869), a dive bar for connoisseurs and after-work waiters, is open from noon to 5 a.m.
Monty’s South Beach (300 Alton Road, 305-672-1148; www.montyssouthbeach.com) is an overgrown tiki hut overlooking the marina, which draws everyone from speedboaters and weathered fisherman to surfers and young women in hip maxi dresses.
WHERE TO EAT
Smith & Wollensky (1 Washington Avenue; 305-673-2800, www.smithandwollenskysteakhouses.com) is called “Smith & Wo” by the chic and coiffed crowd, who all sport designer sunglasses (waiters included).
Joe’s Stone Crab (11 Washington Avenue, 305-673-0365; www.joesstonecrab.com) is a 96-year-old institution, so expect hours of waiting (no reservations taken), although greasing the maître d’ is a local art form. An order of large stone crab claws is $39.95 in the summer.
Prime One Twelve (112 Ocean Drive, 305-532-8112; www.prime112.com) is the original SoFi steakhouse. A 48-ounce Porterhouse for two is $88. Across the street is the new Prime Italian (101 Ocean Drive, 305-695-8484), where the spaghetti with Kobe meatballs is $35. On weekends, the street between the two is a block party.
Big Pink (157 Collins Avenue, 305-531-0888; www.bigpinkrestaurant.com) is SoFi’s commissary. Pizza from $9.95; a classic burger is $10.25.
La Piaggia Beach Club (1000 South Pointe Drive; 305-674-0647; www.lapiaggiabeach.com) offers a European vibe, including the menu. Tuna tartar with mango and soy sauce dressing is $21.50.
WHERE TO STAY
Hotel St. Augustine (347 Washington Avenue; 305-532-0570; www.hotelstaugustine.com) is an Art Deco-sleek boutique hotel, two blocks from the beach, but has no restaurant or pool. Summer rates start at $139.
South Beach Marriott (161 Ocean Drive; 305-536-7700: www.miamibeachmarriott.com) is directly on the beach with an Art Deco-style lobby and a Starbucks that’s filled with dog walkers. Summer rates average about $230.
Sense South Beach Hotel (400 Ocean Drive; 305-538-5529; www.sensesobe.com) is a gorgeous new hotel with a rooftop pool and ocean views. Rates start at $119 in the summer.
SURF AND TURF
F1rst (100 Collins Avenue; 305-397-8103; www.f1rstshop.com) is the shop for all things surf-related. Stand-up paddle board rentals, $30 for 90 minutes; surfboards, $20.
Miami Beach Bicycle Center (601 Fifth Street; 305-674-0150; www.bikemiamibeach.com) has bike rentals from $8 an hour to $80 a week.
