Brickell City Centre

The story

Brickell City Centre is the financial district's shopping center: an open-air, four-level complex spread over three city blocks on S Miami Ave. Overhead runs the climate ribbon, a glass-and-steel canopy that shades the walkways and keeps most of the rain off, though it's open at the sides. Metromover's Eighth Street station drops you right in the middle.

The center splits into the West, East and North Blocks, and every store address tells you which block and level to look for. Saks Fifth Avenue fills three levels of the West Block. The rest of the center leans toward men's tailoring, serious watches and fragrance, which makes it a different trip from the department-store malls.

What to Expect

Menswear is the strength. Kiton sells handmade Neapolitan suits on Level 1 of the West Block, Luca Faloni has Italian-made cashmere and linen in the East Block, and Suitsupply does well-cut suits with on-site alterations in the North Block. For watches, Richard Mille and the multi-brand Westime sit side by side on Level 1 of the North Block, and Kirk Jewelers carries Rolex on Level 3 of the West Block.

Fragrance is the other draw: Jo Malone London and Acqua di Parma on Level 1 of the East Block, Diptyque Paris on Level 2. Swim is covered by Orlebar Brown and Vilebrequin, one level apart in the East Block. Rebag buys and sells pre-owned designer bags, and BRITTO has Romero Britto's originals, prints and gifts.

Best Time to Visit

Stores open at 11am every day, so there's no early-morning shopping here. A weekday right at 11 gives you the most room in the stores. The center closes at 9pm Monday through Saturday and 7pm on Sunday, but the restaurants stay open later, so an after-work visit that rolls into dinner works well. On a rainy day the canopy helps, but Saks is the driest place to spend real time.

If You Only Have an Hour

Take Metromover to Eighth Street and start at Saks Fifth Avenue in the West Block, then Kiton on the same block's Level 1. Cross to the East Block for Luca Faloni and Jo Malone London on Level 1, ride up to Diptyque Paris on Level 2, and finish with an espresso at Café Americano on the Level 3 dining walk.

Where to Eat

Inside the center, Casa Tua Cucina in the West Block is an Italian market and food hall with pasta, pizza and gelato. For a sit-down meal, Claudie at 1101 Brickell Ave has a fountain terrace, and LPM Restaurant & Bar on Brickell Bay Drive is known for warm prawns and a long wine list. Elcielo Miami, on the river at 31 SE 5th St, holds a MICHELIN star for its Colombian tasting menu.