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Sport Cafe Spiga The News Cafe Kent Leslie Blue Moon The Essex House Hotel Leon | |
| CHEAP EATS | |
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SPORT CAFE 538 WASHINGTON AVE., SOUTH BEACH (305) 674-9700 | |
| Gnocchi, lasagna and pasta pomodoro e basilico just like mama used to make in Milan! With the most expensive entree maxing out around $9.95, it’s a steal at twice the price. This place is packed with knowing locals, young models, and lots of Euros. Everyone comes back for more. It’s slightly off the main drag, which makes it a safe haven from the tourist terror that has begun to take over South Beach. Lunch offers one of the best chicken Caesar salads in town and dinner can be had till 12:30am. Ignore the big screen Italian soccer games that play constantly, everyone else does. It’s an Italian thing. | |
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SPIGA 1228 COLLINS AVE. (305) 534-0079 | |
| Blink and you may miss it as you buzz down Collins Ave. Spiga is the Hotel Impala’s (See Hotels) Wonderful Northern Italian restaurant. Popular with the stylish gay community. It offers excellent light Italian dishes at very affordable prices. The pretty little patio is the perfect place to get high style on a budget. Try the snapper Milanese. If you are straight, you may feel outnumbered. Lunch pasta entrees range form $4.50 to $7.50, dinner: salads $6, pastas: $8-14 fish, chicken $10-14. Serving dinner till midnight on weekends. | |
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THE NEWS CAFE 800 OCEAN DRIVE (305) 538-6397 | |
| The News is still the most popular spot on the beach. A five dollar omelet with home fries and a coffee will buy you an all day, prime viewing station from which to watch the drag queens and g-string clad Lolitas roll by on roller blades. | |
| CHEAP SLEEP | |
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KENT 1131 COLLINS AVE., SOUTH BEACH (800) OUTPOST | |
| Another hip Island Outpost hotel. Travel and Leisure called it, "The place to stay for super cheap chic". Can’t go wrong here with rates ranging from $95 to $230. You even get cool entertainment centers in the rooms. Charging privileges at all the other Outpost hotels: The Marlin bar, the Tides Terrace cafe and restaurant, and the Leslie Cafe. This and the Leslie are only worth checking into if you get the rock bottom prices which makes up for the slightly shabby feeling of the rooms. | |
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LESLIE 1244 OCEAN DRIVE, SOUTH BEACH (800) OUTPOST | |
| Island Outpost seems to have cornered the market on high art deco style at affordable prices. The Leslie is awash in bright colors of tangerine and turquoise...very tropical When you are done playing with your in room CD player you find yourself in the heart of the action and right across from the beach. The same smart signing privileges apply to all the other hip Outpost hotels. Room rates range from $95 to $255 for a suite, low season, to $125 to $350, high season. | |
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BLUE MOON 944 COLLINS AVENUE, SOUTH BEACH (800)724-1623 OR 1-305-673-2262 | |
| One of the best deals in South Beach if all you really care about is a nice, chic, upscale room. In winter the rooms start at $165 and in the summer they start at $125. It’s a super central location and you don’t have that "shabby deco" charm that runs rampant in many of the other hotels down here. | |
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THE ESSEX HOUSE 1011 COLLINS AVENUE, SOUTH BEACH (800)553-7739 OR 1-305-534-2700 | |
| The Essex bills itself as the upscale value in the heart of South Beach. It has done a wonderful job renovating this old deco gem and it’s hard to beat the peak season room rates, which start at $145 including breakfast! | |
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HOTEL LEON 841 COLLINS AVENUE, SOUTH BEACH (305)673-3767 | |
| Lots of style for $125 for the standard room and $165 for a junior suite. The CD systems, bathrobes and big bathtubs make it a decent and romantic choice for the cheap and chic minded set. |
