La Mar by Gastón Acurio at Mandarin Oriental
Set on the waterfront tip of Brickell Key with Biscayne Bay lapping beneath the terrace, La Mar is the Miami outpost of Lima legend Gastón Acurio — and it serves some of the most vibrant Peruvian food in the United States. The leche de tigre alone is worth the trip across the causeway.
The Food
La Mar's menu is a masterclass in Peruvian coastal cooking: tiraditos sliced paper-thin and dressed in ají amarillo tiger's milk, causas layered with Dungeness crab, and anticuchos grilled over open flame at the ceviche and anticucho bars.
The pisco sour programme is equally serious — the bar team uses house-made syrups and fresh citrus, and the classic Peruvian version is a benchmark against which every other version in Miami falls short.
The Setting
The restaurant occupies an open-air terrace and indoor dining room at the Mandarin Oriental, Brickell Key, with unobstructed views of the Miami skyline across the water — a perspective most visitors to Brickell never see because it requires crossing onto the island.
Weekend brunch on the terrace, with a live DJ, bottomless pisco sangria, and the bay breeze doing its thing, is one of the great Miami dining experiences regardless of season.
Practical Notes
Brickell Key is a short drive or rideshare across the causeway from Brickell proper; there is no Metromover stop on the island, so plan accordingly. Valet parking is available at the Mandarin Oriental.
Reservations are essential for dinner and weekend brunch — walk-ins at the bar are possible on weekdays but the terrace fills quickly, especially at sunset.
La Mar by Gastón Acurio at Mandarin Oriental on video
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