Alinea x Faena Miami Beach Review: A Michelin Pop-Up That Was Not What We Expected
It’s not every day a three-Michelin-starred restaurant sets up shop in a different city, but that’s exactly what Chicago’s legendary Alinea has done with its new tour series. You know we’re suckers for a Michelin experience, so we had to go. The experience was not what we expected... it was better.
What Is Alinea? And What Are These Pop-Ups?
For those unfamiliar, Alinea is a Chicago-based restaurant often credited with revolutionizing fine dining in the US. Helmed by Chef Grant Achatz, it holds three Michelin stars and a reputation for theatrical, modernist cuisine that surprises as much as it satisfies. Think edible helium balloons, dishes that dissolve into smoke, and entire courses plated on the table itself.
Now, the Alinea team is hitting the road in celebration of it’s 20th anniversary, bringing limited-run pop-ups to cities across the country in partnership with luxury hotels and restaurants. Their goal? Recreate the magic of Alinea, reimagined for the local vibe and setting. First stop: New York. Second stop: Miami. That’s where we came in.
The Set Up of Alinea X Faena Miami Beach
Set inside the Faena Hotel, the iconic hotel was a perfect match for Alinea’s theatrical experience. The space was transformed into a dreamlike dining room that we’d describe as lush, moody, and immersive, without being overdone.
The pop up is only running from April 30th - May 25th and the reservations went fast. The New York pop-up sold out within 3 hours of being announced, so knew we would have to be on our game to secure a spot.
The hype only amplified our curiosity. We’ve been to a lot of three-Michelin-star meals across New York, London, Stockholm, San Francisco, Paris… you name it! Our expectations were high and we still found ourselves genuinely surprised and delighted throughout the evening. Which is saying a lot.
The Food: Playful, Refined, and Packed with Flavor
Each course struck that rare balance of technical precision and pure fun. There were unexpected elements like frozen powders that turned into sauces on your tongue, tropical ingredients presented in sculptural forms, treats that looked like other foods… but it never felt like novelty for novelty’s sake. The flavors were bold, clear, and deeply satisfying.
Flavor highlights included:
A jelly take on a hot dog served on a “greetings from Chicago” post card
The creamiest thai coconut soup on top of a bed of aromatics
A truffle raviolo explosion that literally explodes in your mouth (we were told that the only rule was to eat it with our lips completely sealed and that was actually crucial guidance)
The Experience
The food was already mouth-watering, but the experience and theatrics took this meal to a level we never expected. This is where the famous Alinea creativity truly came through and we were blown away.
Experience highlights included:
An incredible bite of Arctic Char served on a pedestal that we flipped upside down to revel a second bite hidden underneath
The nicest take on “beef and broccoli” we’ve ever seen served on a ceramic plate, that then they “tagged” with suace from a spray can (a nod to the graffiti art in Miami’s famous Wynwood district)
Edible helium balloons made of apple-flavored taffy that we inhaled before we ate
Dessert that was served not on plates, but painted directly onto our table (don’t worry: they rolled out a special table cloth just for this course)
A Nod to the Aviary
An offshoot of Alinea, the Aviary is a world-renowned cocktail bar that is just as creative and elevated as its culinary counterpart. Because this tour is celebrating 20 years of Alinea, the team knew they had to include it, although it was a surprise to us! And a very pleasant surprise at that because we are big fans of the Aviary.
Part way through our meal, we were asked to get up from our seats and take a field trip. We were brought into a jungle-inspired alcove that we had thought was purely decorative, and were served a Macallan-based cocktail with a frozen hibiscus cube that added flavor as it melted.
There were two crazy parts to this experience.
First, the cocktail was served from the decor. We had noticed this massive, colorful sculpture when we walked in and thought it was purely decorative. It turns out that it was actually a giant porthole infuser that was steeping the ingredients for maximum flavor.
Second, we had a surprise food course that they called “Fear Factor.” In front of us was a tall cylinder covered with Alinea-branded paper. When the time came, we had to blindly plunge our hands through the paper, grab whatever was hidden at the bottom, and eat it. It turns out it was a delicious skewer where the skewer itself was the pod of a vanilla bean.
If you want to try the Aviary at home, you might be interested in their recipe book. It’s gorgeous coffee table decor but the creations inside are even better. (Amazon Affiliate Link)
Let’s Talk About Numbers
You know we’ll always be transparent so you can decide for yourself what’s worth it. After tax and tip, the meal came out to around $700 per person for the tasting menu, with wine pairings available at an additional cost. You know we’re all about intentional luxury, and this was definitely a luxury splurge. This kind of experience may or may not hit for you but, if you’re like us, this was absolutely worth it.
Final Verdict: Worth It
This is one of the rare traveling experiences that lives up to the hype. It’s not just “good for a pop-up” - it’s legitimately one of the most exciting meals we’ve had this year.
If you’re a food lover (or even just curious) and you have the opportunity to go to a pop up like this one, book it. You’ll remember this one long after the last course.
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