Do you have friends in town with only a few hours to get together? If you’re not looking to delve into the club scene, here are a few options for good eats and a laid back atmosphere.

1. Wynwood Kitchen and Bar
The atmosphere here is just great and shows your out of towers, “hey, we’ve got culture too.” Miami’s Art District is a hub for great and eclectic pieces. The wynwood area showcases the talents of south floridas local talent and every December the district is on display during the worlds largest art fesival, Art Basel. Every second Saturday, Wynwood is also home to a biweekly art walk where you can get a guided tour through the areas galleries or go it alone. There are a few good eats like the butcher shop, and some pretty great food trucks (including Ms. Cheerzious, Burger Beast, and Gastropod). Wynwood Kitchen and Bar is the embodiment of the best the district has to offer. The food is enjoyable but nothing to particularly write home about. The ambience is great and while you wait for ur drinks/meal, feel free to roam the grounds and take in the Peter Tunney gallery or the beautiful wynwood walls. The staff is friendly and very accommodating. On my last visit, I was in the mood for a lychee martini (off the menu) and without hesitation they whipped one up. If you only have a few hours this is the best packaged deal. You can listen to great music, take in awesome art, and enjoy a reasonably priced meal.

All images © 2014 Donnatilda Tabana.

2. YOLO
YOLO and its neighboring O lounge are at the heart of Las Olas, Fort Lauderdale. Just east of the establishment is a strip of favorable restaurants and shops. West of YOLO are some pretty epic bars and clubs, including Off the Hookah, Revolution and the semi-ratchet but promises to be a good time, Euro. It’s all about location. If you’re not feeling it, there are tons of other options just a few steps away. The food is just okay and the ambiance is pretty promising. After a hearty meal head over to the O lounge for a chill “girls just wanna have fun” vibe. Drinks are reasonable priced and the music is relatively good.

3. Midtown

Smack in the middle, between the Art and Design district is Midtown. There is more than enough to check out here. Midtown draws a great crowd of young professionals and harbors the laid back feel you’re looking for. There are several great eats including 100 Montaditos (awesome sandwiches and pretty good sangria), Machiya (Best lychee sakitini ever! Soon to be closed but will reopen on Biscayne), Mercadito, and of course Sugar Cane Raw Bar and Grill, are all worthy dining experiences.

The great thing about Midtown is you can find the best of most everything here. You can have awesome hamachi at Machiya, enjoy the torrejas with carmalized apples (BEST Thing Ever!) at Sugar Cane Raw Bar Grill and head over to Bar Louie to dance it off after. If your strapped for time, any of the aforementioned options also hold their own as a solo venture.

South Florida has more than enough to offer on the social scene. Other worthy mentionable spots also include Blue Martini and Fado Irish Pub in Mary Brickell Village.These spots allow a host to share a great meal with friends and share a bit of what Miami/Fort Lauderdale has to offer.

Select images © 2014 Donnatilda Tabana.