The Uproxx Guide To Miami’s Artsy Wynwood Neighborhood, Just In Time For Art Basel 2024

One of the crown jewels of the Miami art scene, Wynwood is not just a singular hot spot, but a whole neighborhood of world-class art and culture. Once a wasteland of industrial warehouses, Wynwood has undergone a massive glow-up and become one of the hottest districts in the Miami metro area. There are galleries galore, award-winning restaurants, craft breweries and cocktail bars, boutique shopping, you name it. Wynwood has it, and with impeccable style. Here are a few of our favorites in Miami’s not-so-secret gem.

PART I — ART

You’ll never have to look far to find great art in Wynwood. Practically every available surface has been painted. From mega murals by internationally renowned artists to smaller surfaces claimed by local talent, there’s hardly a blank corner to be found. You simply could walk around in circles and get your fill, but don’t sleep on these must-sees.

Wynwood Walls:

Address: 2516 NW 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33127

Wynwood Walls is an open-air art museum featuring 80,000 square feet of dynamic graffiti and street art. With rotating murals, an art gallery, and several studios, this is a space for creativity to live and breathe. You can even grab a spray can and make your own mark, respectfully of course. Over the years, Wynwood Walls has featured hundreds of artists from around the globe. You’d be hard-pressed to find a space boasting a broader sampling of diverse cultures and styles represented side by side. If you do one thing in Wynwood, do this.

Museum of Graffiti:

Address: 276 NW 26th St, Miami, FL 33127

Only a few short steps away from the Wynwood Walls, you can dive deeper into street art culture at the Museum of Graffiti. The museum offers visitors a unique lens into the history and evolution of graffiti through featured exhibits, events, and even hands-on workshops and classes. With its truly edifying curation, the museum examines the cultural significance of graffiti and how its influences have crept into even the most remote corners of contemporary art and society. Be sure to check their website if you’re eyeing a visit during Basel as the Museum becomes a hub for special events and tickets may be harder to come by than normal.

The Margulies Collection at The Warehouse:

Address: 591 NW 27th St, Miami, FL 33127

The Margulies Collection is a nonprofit art institution that features an impressive collection of contemporary art, photography, and sculpture from the private vaults of renowned art collector Martin Z. Margulies. Open to the public from late October through April, it features works by some of the most prominent modern artists of the 20th and 21st centuries. Hit The Margulies Collection for a more diversified experience that extends far beyond the street art that anchors the rest of Wynwood.

Bakehouse Art Complex:

Address: 561 NW 32nd St, Miami, FL 33127

This nonprofit community art space provides emerging artists with affordable studio spaces, exhibition opportunities, and educational programming. Founded in 1985, the Bakehouse Art Complex is housed in an Art Deco building that began its life as a functional bakery. The aptly named Bakehouse is not a gallery for finished products, this is a creative kitchen where some of Miami’s best go to cook up the masterpieces of tomorrow. The general public is invited to visit from noon to 5 p.m. daily to get an intimate peek over the proverbial shoulders of more than 100 artists, from painters and sculptors to performance artists and more.

PART II — Food + Beverage

Panther Coffee:

Address: 2390 NW 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33127

For a strong cup of premium roasted coffee to fuel your adventure, be sure to stop in at Panther Coffee. Founders Leticia and Joel Pollock began roasting and developing Panther’s wholesale program back in 2010. Shortly after, the Panther Coffee shop was opened to the public. Since then, they’ve absolutely blossomed to six locations in Miami as well as one in SoHo, NY. Panther boasts a robust selection of single-origin beans and also create their own blends in-house. This is definitely coffee for the connoisseur, so please, don’t ask for a gingerbread latte. There is indeed an art to great coffee, and the folks at Panther are modern masters.

The Salty:

Address: 50 NW 24th St #106, Miami, FL 33127

Artisanal donuts. Yes, you read that right. To call The Salty a Donut Shop would be a terrible injustice. This neighborhood favorite is an absolute must for every sweet tooth in town. They salty offers a menu of a dozen profound-round pastries that stretch the limits of what a donut can be. For example, their ‘Maple Bacon’ is a 24 hour brioche with a pure maple glaze, topped with an in-house candied bacon + an Ivanhoe Brewing co-porter reduction drizzle.

Don’t overthink it. Treat yourself.

1-800-LUCKY:

Address: 143 NW 23rd St, Miami, FL 33127

For some serious variety and a whole lotta funk, be sure to hit 1-800-Lucky. Miami’s first Asian food hall, Lucky spans 10,000 square feet and offers a vibrant mix of pan-Asian cuisine from six restaurants, including sushi, ramen, Vietnamese sandwiches, and hand-crafted dumplings. With indoor and outdoor seating, two full bars serving various cocktails and drinks, and a private karaoke room for guests to enjoy, there is truly something for everyone. Oh, and when dinner service stops, the nightlife begins. 1-800-Lucky’s evening entertainment features live music and DJs to keep the party going late.

Cervecería La Tropical:

Address: 42 NE 25th St, Miami, FL 33137

For an authentic taste of Cuba with possibly the greatest comeback story in the history of beer, look no further than Cerveceria La Tropical. Here’s the short version: Originally founded in 1988, Cerveceria La Tropical was the single largest and most successful brewery in Cuba. Then came the Cuban revolution. The entirety of the Cerveceria La Tropical was seized, literally at gunpoint and the legend met a swift and undignified demise.

Flash forward to 1998, Manny Portuondo, great-great-grandson of the original land owner, Federico Kohly decided to put it all on the line and mortgaged his own home to raise capital to bring La Tropical back. Manny teamed up with Ramon Blanco-Herrera, a descendant of the original brewmasters, and together they brought the original recipes back to life.

After a wildly successful relaunch and massive support both from the Cuban community and beer enthusiasts across the country, they were able to strike a deal with Heineken and acquire a ¾ acre plot upon which they’ve built a full-scale commercial brewery with a bustling taproom and sprawling gardens for guests to stroll and sip. Their kitchen, headed by renowned Chef Cindy Hutson, offers a Cuban/Caribbean menu that is sure to make your tastebuds dance with delight. Several dishes even incorporate beer, such as the Caribbean Fish Escabeche with La Original Ámbar Lager sweet onion, and red and yellow pepper.

Don’t walk. Run here. Then stay late and dance to the live music offered every night.

PART III — Getting Around

Address: 164 NW 20th St, Miami, FL 33127

There’s no wrong way to make the rounds in Wynwood, but there is definitely an easy way. If you want to let someone else take the wheel and serve up a door-to-door curated experience, checkout Wynwood Buggies.

You can choose from a full-service menu that includes neighborhood tours, admission to various museums, and other optional activities all baked into the ticket cost. If you want to sip a drink and not have to think, the buggies are your best bet.

No matter which way you choose to make your rounds, make sure you make time for an afternoon or evening Wynwood. You’ll be hard-pressed to do it all in a day, but that just gives you a great excuse to come back. This neighborhood, just like the art on its walls is always changing. Get down there and check out what you can, while you can.