Michael Emilio

Ever been to the Design District?

If you want to know where it’s at, it’s divided by NE 36th Street to the south, NE 41st Street to the north, North Miami Avenue to the west and Biscayne Boulevard (US 1) to the east.

If you want to know what it’s about, well it’s home for almost twenty art galleries and more than forty stores and showrooms.

Add home of dining hotspots to that list.

“We wanted to have a place for people to go,” said Michael Schwartz of Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink, a restaurant that opened its doors last month at 130 NE 40th St. “I felt the area was ready for something like what we did.” Mr. Schwartz and his wife Tamara wanted to create “a great neighborhood restaurant with great food” for “people who live here, work here, want an alternative.”

Mr. Schwartz, the former owner of Nemo on Miami Beach, said that the location of the Design District is perfect for a restaurateur that wants something different from the wildness of South Beach while still retaining its appeal for Miami Beach tourists and residents.

Michael Jacobs, former chef at Tantra and current chef at Grass, says that the proximity of downtown Miami’s Design District to South Beach and the hotels along the Biscayne Corridor means “potential growth for business.” “The Design District has so much to offer right now,” says Mr. Jacobs. “A serious dining and nightlife destination.”