Forever playful and timeless, Miami is renowned for its wealth of historic architecture. Iconic due to its vast collection of Art Deco buildings—Miami boasts 800 structures in this style—the Magic City serves up a vibrant collection of structures, ranging from Mediterranean Revival to Spanish Renaissance to Miami Modern. And thought it’s nostalgic to experience these 20th-century classics restored in their architectural glory, the city has been known to have a flair for the new, placing itself on the cutting edge of design. With a huge influx of tourists and new residents, this city is undergoing a resurgence across its diverse and energetic neighborhoods. And it’s doing it all while opening new spaces within the envelope of old architectural gems. It’s a fabulous way to preserve local history while celebrating new ideas. Below, AD surveys eight iconic buildings throughout the city that have been renovated to showcase their historic value through a 21st-century lens.

Lido Restaurant at the Four Seasons Hotel at the Surf Club

The Surf Club first opened in 1930 as a members-only club for the rich and famous, including Elizabeth Taylor, Winston Churchill, and Frank Sinatra. With its Mediterranean Revival–style architecture, arched mahogany dining room, and elegant terrace, the Four Seasons Hotel at the Surf Club has taken great care to preserve its original historic features, including the grand, cinematic entrance walkway called Peacock Alley. But it also offers new amenities and luxury rooms for the modern traveler. Its most recent addition, the oceanfront Lido Restaurant, opened in December 2020 with interiors by Paris-based designer Joseph Dirand, who worked with a soft palette of blues and greens inspired by the beachside backdrop. The restaurant boasts an original 1930 mural depicting Bacchus, the Roman god of wine, who guards over diners as they enjoy sumptuous coastal Italian cuisine by Michelin-starred chef Michael White.

Esmé

This Spanish Mediterranean revival property was built as a bohemian artist’s colony and was originally known as the “Spanish Village” when the space opened in 1927. Now, after a five-year renovation, Esmé opened in November 2021 on Miami Beach’s charming pedestrian plaza, Española Way. The new boutique hotel offers 145 guest rooms and five restaurants and bars connected by intimate paseos across the eight buildings, honoring the street’s original “village” vision. Jessica Schuster Design handled the interiors for the hotel, combining elements of the whimsical, the modern, and the classic, while using rich emerald and rose colors for the rooms and suites.

Marea 1939 at The National Hotel

Fully restored in 2021, the National Hotel was recognized by Historic Hotels of America, honoring its architectural authenticity, while celebrating its key elements of contemporary design. The adults-only Art Deco hotel launched its most recent restaurant, Marea 1939, named for the historic year in which the hotel was built. The indoor-outdoor dining spaces at Marea 1939 offer a garden, pool, and ocean views, anchored with U-shaped banquettes in classic Miami style. The bar 1939 overlooks The National’s grand Art Deco lobby.

Klaw

In Miami’s Edgewater neighborhood, this 14,800-square-foot Spanish Renaissance masterpiece is cooking up something new. Slated to open later this year is Klaw, an upscale restaurant in the former Miami Women’s Club built in 1930. Spearheading the reimagination of the historic property is Martin Brudnizki Design Studio, leaning into the property’s grandeur, but using a modern twist. The waterfront property is on the National Register of Historic Places, and the restaurant will span across the fourth, fifth, and sixth floors of the building, including a large, open dining room with colonial-arched windows, a theater kitchen, a private dining space, and the neighborhood’s only rooftop bar.

Bagatelle Miami

This buzzy restaurant institution is known for its revelry around the world. And now, Bagatelle Miami found its new home inside the Ritz-Carlton, South Beach. The restaurant will be housed within a Morris Lapidus–designed Art Deco gem from 1953, which just received a $90 million facelift. Opened in January 2022, the restaurant features interiors by French designer Sam Baron, who outfitted the restaurant with ample greenery, brass chandeliers, and lush curtains, a nod to the French Decorative Arts movement. Bagatelle includes a main dining room, bar, conservatory, and a 16-seat private dining space. Celebrating joie de vivre, Bagatelle incorporates French gastronomy, lively service, and an eclectic DJ lineup, a Bagatelle signature.

Eden Roc Miami Beach Ocean Social

Music legends Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., and Nat King Cole have all performed here. The 1955 oceanfront landmark was designed by famed architect Morris Lapidus, known for his neo-baroque Miami Modern hotels. Eden Roc Miami Beach recently underwent a $250 million renovation, which included the legendary architect’s famous 16-seat lobby bar, by interior designer David Rockwell. In December 2021, Eden Roc launched its latest restaurant, Ocean Social, an alfresco dining experience with coastal fare and ocean views.

The Standard Spa at The Standard, Miami Beach

The Standard, Miami Beach, sits on an island in the Venetian Islands Causeway, a place known for its wellness culture over the last 100 years. Originally a drive-in motel, the structure went through several iterations (including a retirement home in the 1980s), until hotelier Andre Balazs acquired the property in 2004. Starwood Capital is now the current owner of the hotel, which boasts the original Art Deco exterior, with modern interiors incorporating Danish modernist furniture by designer Shawn Hausman. In February 2022, The Standard recently completed an extensive architectural renovation of its 4,500-square-foot Standard Spa, also by Hausman. The historic hotel also opened Café Standard and cocktail lounge Monterrey Bar, which celebrates the original motel’s namesake roots, The Monterrey Motel.

Hotel Greystone

This Art Deco masterpiece in the historic Collins Park Neighborhood reopened as Hotel Greystone last September. Built in 1939, the property is one of architect Henry Hohauser’s iconic hotels. Holly Muhl of Bowenholly, who led the interior design, said, “Our goal was to create something stylish and comfortable that evokes the dynamic layers of Miami Beach. The building offers so many opportunities for a sophisticated audience depending on your mood, and we wanted every space to give guests a welcome and authentic sense of place.” Its signature restaurant, Sérêvène, serves up fare using Japanese ingredients and French techniques; its neighboring Greystone Jazz Bar presents a sing-along piano bar by candlelight.