Show In case you missed it, Miami has now joined the stratosphere of high-rent American metros. This leaves long-time locals with a few choices if we want to stay cozied up in our waterfront abodes. And unless you’re keyed up to become the next big celebrity muse or SoundCloud rapper, you might need to look for somewhere more affordable to live. And that, my friend, could very well mean the suburbs. But don’t freak out! Moving to the ‘burbs doesn’t have to mean crawling back into your parents’ house or resigning yourself to chain restaurant hell. Florida’s suburbs have blossomed into vibrant, cultural destinations with just as many perks as the highrise-flooded ‘hoods closer to Miami’s core. So chin up, former Beach People—South Florida’s outskirts have plenty to offer besides long commute times. Here are the best ones to check out. Borsalino MiamiMiami ShoresDistance from Miami: 15 minutes The Shores scores points not only for its architecture and proximity to the water, though. Its main drag along NE 2nd Avenue is lined with boutiques and neighborhood restaurants, like the quaint European café confines of Borsalino. Or the heartier gastropub fare at Sins, which also carries a fantastic selection of local craft beers and intriguing cocktails. Flight Wine Lounge might be the best wine bar in Dade County, and certainly its most underrated. The carefully curated collection of small-batch vintages is unmatched for a shop its size, and the monthly tastings it hosts give you a chance to try some of the rarer ones without investing in a whole bottle. Mark Handforth's "Electric Tree" | Museum of Contemporary Art, North MiamiNorth MiamiDistance from Miami: 20 minutes A short walk from MOCA in Griffing Park you’ll find the Electric Tree, a Banyan Tree adorned in fluorescent tubes that gives the city an iconic art piece to visit while in town. If you’d rather see nature without electric accoutrements, Oleta River State Park sits just north in North Miami Beach. Here you can rent a kayak and paddle through old mangroves, ending at beaches only reachable by boat and islands in the middle of Biscayne Bay. You can also traverse its miles of mountain bike tracks, which while not exactly Asheville South, offer a spot to get out in the dirt without driving for an entire day. Gables Bike Tour | Coral Gables MuseumCoral GablesDistance from Miami: 20 minutes The Gables notched itself a James Beard nomination this year, with the addition of dumpling haven Zitz Sum. Miracle Mile is eagerly awaiting the return of John Martin’s, but in the meantime the city’s best local theater company carries on at the Actor’s Playhouse. The new pedestrian-friendly Giralda Avenue has stepped in as South Florida’s best walkable dining complex with Luca Osteria joining Tur Kitckhen and Graziano’s as legitimate destination restaurants, while Bachour makes Miami’s best pastries not far away. Add in a little culture at the Coral Gables Museum and beers and wings at Titanic Brewing, and you’ve got a suburb that’s quite tough to beat. Ceviches by DivinoMiami SpringsDistance from Miami: 20 minutes Here, you’ll find a charming little downtown cloaked in both Spanish and adobe architecture, where boutiques, neighborhood restaurants, and offices are filled with locals who live mere blocks away. Spots like Siamo, the Burger Beast’s Crackers Southern Dining, and Ceviches by Divino might not be names you know, but for Springs residents, they’re the best in town. Westward Drive is an inviting place to walk, despite being a broad, European-style boulevard. And though Hialeah is just across a canal and Okeechobee Road, Miami Springs really does feel a world apart. Fiola MiamiSouth MiamiDistance from Miami: 25 minutes But it’s not just coeds who’ve made South Miami a suburb on the rise. Celebrated culinary power couple Jeff McInnis and Janine Booth opened up a pair of Miami’s top restaurants here at Mi’talia and Root & Bone. Salty Donut thought South Miami the ideal spot for an outpost, as did Adrianne Calvo, whose Cracked gives students upscale late-night munchie food. Michelin-starred Fiola set up shop here, just down Red Road from the simply electric Public Square. Then there’s divey Bougainvillea’s, a local landmark that was spared in 2020 and has provided endless after-hours fodder for anyone who’s ever slipped south. Terrazas at Hyde HollywoodHallandale BeachDistance from Miami: 30 minutes Much of that starts at Gulfstream Park, which has taken the dying sport of horse racing and glammed it up with the see-and-be-seen Carousel Club and the annual Pegasus World Cup, which draws celebrities like the Super Bowl. The surrounding Village of Gulfstream Park is a destination on its own, boasting a private karaoke lounge, a top-tier kosher steakhouse at Bissaleh, and near-weekly events and festivals. But Hallandale is more than a horse track. It also has one of South Florida’s swankiest rooftops at Terrazas at Hyde, where coastal cuisine is paired with ocean views. A little inland, you’ll find the best Israeli restaurant in South Florida at Jaffa, where chef Yaniv Cohen masterfully combines the diverse cultural flavors of the country, and tops it off with live belly dancing. Couple that with a selection of Israeli wines you’ve likely never tried, and you’ll almost forget you’re eating less than 50 feet from Federal Highway. Chef Adrianne's Vineyard Restaurant and BarKendallDistance from Miami: 30 minutes Why? Because Kendall isn’t so much a place, but a state of mind. It has no physical boundaries. It has no municipal designation. It’s more a term anyone who lives west of US-1 and south of Dadeland throws out to describe where they live. Or, more accurately, who they are (local comic Brittany Brave famously got it tattooed on her ribcage). But what was once a sprawling wasteland of traffic, track homes, and chain restaurants has begun to forge its very own identity over the last decade—and for locals, that means not having to drive hours to do something other than happy hour at Bennigan’s. Noted Kendall native Adrianne Calvo began the culinary movement here, opening her landmark Chef Adrianne’s Vineyard Restaurant and Bar to great acclaim, its waterside digs now one of Miami’s most romantic restaurants. Others followed suit, with spots like Finka Table and Tap, Tacos & Tattoos, and Dr. Limon, all getting people to brave the traffic. Though it branded itself as “Downtown Dadeland,” we all know the shiny new streets south of Dadeland Mall are squarely in Kendall. And with Ghee, Pubbelly Sushi, The Brick, and others calling it home, it can make a case as the best block-for-block restaurant district in Miami. Shoma BazaarDoralDistance from Miami: 30 minutes Its gleaming new toy is Shoma Bazaar, a stunning food hall with a two-story bar and, stall-for-stall, the best food in Miami. Marvel at cake slices the size of your head while waiting for smoky kebabs from Shahs of Kebab. Or warm yourself up from the air conditioning with a steaming bowl of InRamen. It’s easily Miami’s top food hall, and debatably worth dealing with the Doral traffic to reach. Next up is date-night hub CityPlace Doral, with its fountain shows, comedy club, bowling alley, and top-tier restaurants like Tap 42 and Kuba Cabana. A little closer to the airport, Downtown Doral is a walkable wonderland that most of Miami wishes it had, with the eclectic Doral Yard and outposts of Bachour and Bunnie Cakes serving as anchors. Plus, some of Miami’s best breweries call Doral home, where an afternoon in the sun at M.I.A. or Tripping Animals is just as buzzingly refreshing as bar hopping in Wynwood. Tidal CoveAventuraDistance from Miami: 35 minutes Aventura Mall is still bustling and adding upscale eateries, while the Feast at Treats Food Hall boasts one of Miami’s best Jamaican restaurants at Jrk! Just down the road, Tidal Cove stands as America’s swankiest water park, where if you can afford the triple-digit admission ticket, you can enjoy no waterslide lines and a private cabana. Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem thought enough of Aventura to open their 800 Degrees pizzeria there. The new Aloft brought Aventura a pretty respectable cocktail bar, which alongside Reunion Ktchn Bar’s lounge, presented the city with a verifiable drinking scene. That same stretch also houses one of Miami’s top Mexican restaurants at bartaco, accompanied by fantastic places to burn it all off at like Barry’s Boot Camp and Solidcore. WestonDistance from Miami: 1 hour That by itself is pretty cool. But the city’s large immigrant population has made it the place to go for authentic South American food in South Florida. Panna is a quick service gem that started inside a gas station, filled with Venezuelan street food like cachitos, empanadas, and tequeños. There’s also La Pequena Colombian Bakery, which has been an outpost for Colombian food for nearly 20 years. There’s also Argentine steakhouse La Rural, which began as an old-school Argentine Meat Market and morphed into a full-fledged South American steak experience. Also a Broward County outpost of Graziano’s is in the bustling Weston Town Center. Boca Raton Museum of ArtBoca RatonDistance from Miami: 1 hour But Boca’s appeal stretches far past fancy hotels. The downtown area, once anchored by Mizner Park, is a hotbed for excellent restaurants, beginning with world-class seafood spot Corvina. The fresh catches and prime steaks here could rival Milo’s in Miami, but if you can’t snag a seat, red-sauce laden Elisabetta’s isn’t far away. The Boca Raton Museum of Art has become the place to debut new touring exhibits, beginning with last year’s Machu Picchu showcase and continuing in 2022 with the Art of the Hollywood Backdrop. While it gets razzed for its large senior citizen population, Boca is also home to Florida Atlantic University, which gives even neighborhood grocery stores a surprisingly youthful vibe. FAU is also the reason Boca Raton boasts an annual NCAA football bowl game, a claim no city in South Florida other than Miami Gardens can make. To boot, Boca Raton now has its own professional wrestling league. If that alone doesn’t make a city cool, we seriously question how you define cool. Want more Thrillist? Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat. Matt Meltzer is a contributor for Thrillist. Where is the best place to live near Miami?Little Havana.. Coral Gables. ... . Brickell & Downtown Miami. ... . Pinecrest. ... . Key Biscayne. ... . Coconut Grove. ... . Edgewater & Wynwood. Perfect for young professionals looking to live just a stone's throw away from Downtown Miami. ... . Bal Harbour. Perfect for those that want that luxurious and idyllic beach life. ... . What is the nicest suburb of Miami?With amazing restaurants, abundant outdoor recreation, and quality schools, here are the five best Miami suburbs!. Bay Harbor Islands.. Coral Gables.. Key Biscayne.. Palmetto Bay.. Pinecrest.. Where is the safest place to live near Miami?Safe, Affordable Neighborhoods in Miami. Bay Harbor Islands.. Coconut Grove.. Coral Way.. Flagami.. Little Havana.. What is the cheapest place to live near Miami?#1: Hallandale Beach, FL
With a population of 41,217, Hallandale Beach is the most affordable Miami suburb on our list.
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