This month’s trending hotels, restaurants and destinations.
Aba
302 N. Green St., Floor 3, Chicago
Aba, meaning father in Hebrew, is a Mediterranean restaurant that showcases Top Chef alum CJ Jacobson’s light and fresh California style of cooking. The mezze-style menu is designed for sharing and features dips, hot and cold mezzes, meats, seafood, kebabs, and more. Signature dishes include smoky garlic hummus, muhammara, Jerusalem bagel with smoked salmon spread, lamb and beef kefta kebabs, truffle baked orzo, and frozen Greek yogurt. (Trust us, you will want to order everything.)
The beverage program, meanwhile, showcases wines from lesser-known Mediterranean regions, incuding Beqaa Valley in Lebanon and Macedonia in Greece, and also features creative cocktails, such as the delicious Aloe? It’s Me, with mexcal, aloe, green juice, pineapple and jalapeno, and the Sneaky Link, a frozen drink made with tequila, passionfruit, ras el hanout, and mint.
The restaurant is celebrated for its design as well as its food. No matter the season lush greenery and sun-drenched patios transport guests to summer in the Mediterranean. The dining room has a warm and earthy color palette and features locally fabricated custom millwork and stone surfaces, climbing ivy, and soft, natural lighting.
Aba is a member of the famed Lettuce Entertain You restaurant group, and—luckily for travelers—there are also locations in Austin, Texas and Bal Harbour, Florida.
The Setai, Miami Beach
2001 Collins Ave., Miami Beach
The Setai offers something difficult to find on Miami Beach: serenity. A member of the Leading Hotels of the World, the property offers a truly flawless stay. Book an Art Deco room, a warm respite decorated with a minimalist Asian style, and be sure to visit the three pools, each set at a different temperature. Dinner at the Ocean Grill is a must; watch the waves crash onto the beach while dining on Greek salad, truffle risotto, and wood-grilled whole branzino.
Nonno’s Pizza Tavern
1613 Richmond Ave., Houston
Located in Houston’s Montrose neighborhood, Nonno’s specializes in Midwestern pizza with a nostalgic vibe. The space evokes the feeling of being a teen in the 1980s, hanging out in a basement game room with wood-paneled walls baptized with posters, bumper stickers, and neon signs. The host stand is shaped like Pac-Man and a vintage Pizza Hut pendant hangs over a roomy banquet. Try the Lean Green N Mean pizza, topped with pesto, kale, argula, and cheese.
Virgin Hotels Glasgow
246 Clyde St., Glasgow, Scotland
Located on the waterfront of the iconic River Clyde, the rooms at Virgin Hotels Glasgow feature amenities like hybrid beds crafted for both sleeping and lounging, vanities and walk-in rainfall showers. Guests can enjoy dining and entertainment at the Commons Club, the hotel’s flagship restaurant, which marries global flavors with local ingredients, and Highyard, an indoor/outdoor venue featuring a terrace with a retractable roof that offers everything from boozy brunch to cocktails and dancing.
Mayami Wynwood
127 NW 23rd St., Miami
Located in the heart of Miami’s artistic Wynwood neighborhood, Mayami is a multi-level, 10,000-square-foot, Tulum-inspired restaurant and bar brought to life by hospitality and nightlife guru Philippe Kalifa. The Wynwood hotspot has made a name for itself with its Mediterranean-influenced cuisine, one-of-a-kind large vessel cocktails perfect for sharing, and ultimate dinner parties for large groups, featuring performances from aerialists and fire dancers, along with DJ sets.
