Area 31

Area 31 is a sixteenth-floor terrace at the Kimpton EPIC Hotel in Downtown Miami, looking out over the meeting of the Miami River and Biscayne Bay. It is named for the fishing zone off Florida’s coast, a nod to a menu built on sustainable seafood, and the open-air terrace makes it one of the calmer, more scenic places to watch the sun go down over the water.

The kitchen focuses on responsibly sourced fish and seafood, fresh, Mediterranean-leaning and well executed, paired with a thoughtful wine list and easy cocktails. It is more refined restaurant than party rooftop, which makes it a good choice for a proper dinner with a view, or a relaxed business lunch, rather than a late night out. The mood is grown-up and unhurried.

Area 31 is ideal for couples and for business meals, anyone who wants the drama of a high terrace without the volume of a club. The river-and-bay outlook is genuinely special at golden hour, when the light catches the water and the Downtown towers. Book the terrace ahead to be sure of a table outside for sunset.

It works best around sunset, then into a calm dinner. Area 31 sits in Downtown Miami, about a seventeen-minute drive from the residence, an easy trip from South Beach for a scenic, seafood-led evening above the river.