Brunch is a favorite activity for Tim and me when we’re traveling. And you can’t come to Miami Beach without hitting up Ocean Drive. It’s the street you picture before you arrive… Palm trees and art deco hotels shading the sidewalk diners and strolling buff gay couples. Classic cars and yellow lamborghinis cruising past Lummus Park and the waves.

We grabbed a meal at The Strand’s sidewalk spot called Cafe Medi. We’d wandered past a dozen other places and sat down here because a table was open.

Our meal was pretty decent and we skipped alcoholic drinks in favor of iced teas. The food was decent and the bill was bit high, but we figured we were paying for the location and oceanfront view. We had a great time.

I was shocked to get home and read the absolutely terrible reviews online. Apparently lots of other tourists were duped by unpriced menus and drink deal switcheroos. So be warned folks! TripAdvisor and Yelp have all the gory details.

We also checked out a much more mellow brunch in the design district. This neighborhood – north of Midtown and a short drive from Miami Beach – is know for its galleries and home furnishing stores. We hit up Buena Vista Bistro on a late Sunday afternoon.

This place is known for it’s “home-made French-International cuisine” and looked great for dinner. Brunch had all of your basics. I chose the french toast, which was simple and delicious. The service was good, with my mug of tea refilled often.

The space has a cool vibe with simple, clean design. The big storefront windows flood the small space with light during the day. Cream colored-walls are adorned with dozens of frames photos and contrasted by the black trim. Huge mirrors and dry erase pens display the menu.

Tim’s omelet was good and the coffee was strong. Most importantly we were fueled up for the rest of our day running around Miami.